January 13, 2011

"Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations... [God] says: “It is too small a thing for you [Jesus] to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:1,6)

Under the premise, "nothing is impossible with God" (Luke 1:37), imagine for a minute what it would be like if God would interfere with the laws of nature as we know them. Imagine if God were to make it so that the food that was eaten, by anyone in the world who didn't have a certain people's blood running through their veins, Haitian blood for example, that the food would no longer nourish their bodies. Imagine if God were to make it so that the water that was drunk, by anyone in the world who didn't have Haitian blood running through their veins, would no longer hydrate their bodies. Imagine if God were to make it so that the sun would no longer bring heat or light to anyone who didn't have Haitian blood running through their veins. What you would be imagining, would be the majority of the people of the world dark and dead and destroyed.

As dismal as this imaginary painted picture may be, how much more dismal it is ,that Spiritually speaking, the majority of the world is actually currently Spiritually hungry, thirsty, dark, dying and on the road to destruction. "For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it." (Matthew 7:13) BUT, this is the case NOT because they have the wrong blood flowing through their veins. And while God may use the laws of nature as we know them to pull the plug and turn out the lights, causing certain nations to rise and fall according to His will and purpose, Spiritually speaking, God doesn't leave any people of any nation of the world to starve to death in darkness. The Apostle Peter recognized this, "Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right." (Acts 10:34-35) The Apostle Paul puts it this way in his letter to the Romans, "For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:12-13)

Sin doesn't show favoritism either however. Sin affects and infects all people from all nations. There is no person, no matter what nation they belong to or what kind of blood is running through their veins, who was born Spiritually full or Spiritually alive. "We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” (Romans 3:9-12) The Good News, strike that, the Great News is that God made Jesus a light, not only for those who have Israelite blood, the blood of Jacob, running through their veins, but also to ALL who are alike under sin, even those from the distant nations and even to the ends of the earth. Through faith all people, no matter what kind of blood is running through their veins, are redeemed, are justified, and are right with God. "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:22-24)

Because the Servant Jesus brought salvation to the ends of the earth, no one of any nation has to remain Spiritually hungry or Spiritually thirsty or Spiritually dead: "Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.” (John 6:35, 57-58) Because the Servant Jesus brought salvation to the ends of the earth, no one of any nation has to remain Spiritually thirsty or Spiritually dead: "Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14) In the Beatitudes we learn, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matthew 5:6) In John's Revelation we see those from all nations who through faith will indeed be filled forever: “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst." (Revelation 7:14-16) Because the Servant Jesus, the Son, brought the light of salvation to the ends of the earth, no one of any nation has to remain in Spiritual darkness or has to remain Spiritually dead, "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Because the Servant Jesus brought the light of salvation to the ends of the earth, no one of any nation has to remain Spiritually hungry, Spiritually thirsty, in Spiritual darkness or Spiritually dying; but they will, unless they call on Jesus' name and become one of His disciples. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" (Romans 10:13-14) People of any and every nation who are still starving and are still parched and are still in the darkness - people who are Spiritually dying, need to hear that Jesus has brought salvation and relief to the ends of the earth - so they can believe - so they can be saved. "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:19) We who know the message, have the privilege and responsibility of sharing the message, as we do what Jesus has told us to do, to "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19)

If you cannot speak like angels,
If you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus,
You can say He died for all.
Take the task He gives you gladly;
Let His work your pleasure be;
Answer quickly when He calleth,
“Here am I, send me, send me.” (CW 573:2,4)

Through Jesus the light of the world, God has brought His salvation to the ends of the earth. As beneficiaries of that salvation, our response will be to gladly take that message of love and relief, that message that Jesus has saved ALL, to those of every nation who are still Spiritually starving to death. A good place to start is with the people who we encounter everyday in our little end of the earth. Let's gladly take the message of salvation to the ends of the earth!