Last week we explored what we want for our friends who haven’t believed in the Lord.  We want them to have the information needed to make an informed response to the gospel.  This week the topic is “what we want for the world,” meaning those distant from us both geographically and culturally.  Perhaps we are separated by language as well as culture.

Jesus commands us to take the gospel to all nations - meaning (as Dan Iverson so eloquently stated on Sunday) all the peoples, or people groups of the world.  We find this stated clearly in Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8.  So what we want for them is not as significant as what He wants for them.  In line with His commands, we want our fellow humans around the world to have a chance to hear the gospel.

While our neighbors may not have all the information they need, there are churches everywhere around us and resources abound for anyone who is curious.  In many places in the world there are very few Christians to take the gospel out to the people around them.  As we heard yesterday, Japan is a free and open democratic society where missionaries can come with no restrictions.  Yet, there are so few believers and not nearly enough workers.  India has many of the unreached people groups of the world, meaning that there are just too few believers and Christian workers to get the word out.  In the closed Muslim countries, there are no legal Christian workers and a persecuted minority of Christian believers.

So we must pray - pray for people groups without a witness for Jesus Christ, pray for laborers for the harvest field to be sent forth.  And we must send or be sent!  That’s what we want because that’s what He wants!  See my Word of the Week for some tips on how to send.

In Him,

Don