Last night we looked at God's heart for the nations and at Jesus' birth how Simeon in reminded us that Jesus was light to the Gentiles. The Jews expected a conquering King and instead they got a Saviour for the whole world and salvation was not just for the Jews.
God wants to reach the dark places. Can we imagine...
25% of the lost people in the world live in China. There is one missionary for every 700,000 Chinese.
India is the most unreached place in the world and we have 1 missionary for every one million people.
There are over 6800 languages in the world . Over 3,000 do not have the Bible in their language. (good news we are on track to have all or part of the NT in all languages by 2025) Approximately 380 million people are still waiting to receive God's Word in their language
There at least 6505 unreached people groups (defined linguistically). "Unreached" means that they do not have a nationally led, viable, reproducing church. That means there are about 2.6 billion people that have never heard of the good news of Christ.
3.1 billion people and 95% of unreached groups are located in an area of the world called the 10/40 Window -- from West Africa to China.
Of those in the 10/40 window, 2/3 of them--two billion people--have never heard of Jesus, at least not as Savior. (Japan!)
90% of the full time Christian workers in the world live in countries that constitute 10% of the world's population.
It is estimated that 120 million people are presented with the Gospel for the first time each year. But want can a teenager do to reach teh dark places?
John Piper says as believers we have 3 responses we can make in response to the nations. We can go, we can send or we can be disobedient.
1) Go- How in the world can you go as a teenager? Reach them here. Believe it or not as an American in many ways the world comes to you.
In NYC one zip code has 133 nations living in one zip code.
But you may think that is NYC and we live in Granbury. Well you can commit to one of our mission trip this summer. Last year our middle school worked at Mission Arlington…in one of the apartments where they minister lived one of the 9/11 bombers. In Chicago last year just driving down the street we saw 10 different countries and 5 different religions represented. If we can reach them here we have the opportunity to make a huge impact on the world.
You can go to the nations on your own. I took 10 high school students to Japan through iwtiness ministries in 2002. These were students who wanted to go to the nations but didn’t have that opportunity that year with their church.
You can commit to spend one summer during your college career overseas. I pray that you will commit to spend one summer in the nations. You may not make any money. It may cost you. But God is about the nations. And when are we going to let go of our success and embrace the heartbeat of God.
Or maybe you make the commitment to go forever….
I promise you that Ryan and I are working on preparing you to go overseas for a summer mission trip…
2) You can send. How do you send out missionaries?
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GIVE..Teenagers have the most disposable income out of anyone on the planet right now. You are the largest generation ever and you have the most money to spend on yourself. What would happen if you could commit your money to missions? ( Right now we are taking up money for Lottie Moon…what if you gave up a meal eating out each week and gave that to Lottie Moon to help fund missionaries like the Watson’s.
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Pray- Billy Graham says every Christian should do their devotional with a Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other.
Headlines today- Iraq bombers slaughter workers
Israel to be “wiped out soon” Iran’s president
60 killed in suicide bomber
Girl Tossed Baby out of apartment window
U.K prostitutes urged to stay off streets due to serial killer
5.1 earthquake rattles Thailand
Brazil men admit to robbing family, burning them to death
The majority of our prayers center around us. Our illnesses, needs, families, wishes, and while that is not wrong. If God’s heart is for the nations we need to begin to pray for the nations. Because we know that no mighty act of God has ever taken place without prayer.
How do you know what to pray for? Watch the news. Pray God would be known in those places. That he would be glorified there. Pray for the missionaries that risk their lives and families to serve in the hard places around the world.
Or use the book
Operation World
3) You do have a 3rd option. That is to be disobedient. God wants to the nations to know him. We can choose to be happy with a Christianity that is all about us. What we want, what we need, how God can bless us…but God wants so much more from us than that beause he has made us to blessed others through knowing Him. And I believe that as believers are hearts really do desire for others to know him and for the world to know Him
There are a lot of people that believe your generation will be the completion generation of the Great Commission and not just partisans. 200 years ago students in the Student Volunteer Movement went to the nations and they cover the outside of the each continent. 100 year ago students went the nations and took the gospel to the entire continent missing some of the villages, mountain regions, etc. Well, now we believe you will finish the Great commission.
2000 years ago Christ’s birth was not just about saving us. It was a gift to the whole world. John 3:16. He loves them.