To the Ends of the Earth

Before his Ascension, Jesus claimed to have been given “all authority in Heaven and on Earth,” therefore he would send his disciples to announce his Lordship and salvation to the “nations,” to the “uttermost parts of the Earth.” The Era of Salvation commenced with his Death and Resurrection, and his Life-Giving message must therefore be proclaimed to all men, women, and children. Did he not die for the entire world and not just Israel?

God exalted His Son to the Messianic Throne as promised in the Scriptures: “I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.” As the absolute monarch who now “shepherds the nations,” he is dispatching his emissaries to declare his sovereignty and offer salvation across the planet – (Psalm 2:8).

[Photo by Ganapathy Kumar on Unsplash]

By bestowing the Gift of the Spirit on his Assembly on the Day of Pentecost, Jesus empowered his people to preach his Good News to humanity, the one task assigned by him to his saints before his Ascension:

• “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the Earth” – (Acts 1:8).

This salvation is offered graciously to men of every generation and nation without exception. Jesus died and God raised him from the dead so they no longer would live for themselves but for Him, and in newness of life.

God loved humanity so much that He “gave his only born Son” so all men might receive “everlasting life.” Jesus bequeathed to each of his disciples the ministry of reconciling men and women to His Father through the preaching of the Gospel – (John 3:16, Acts 2:36-38, 2 Corinthians 5:17-20).

Because of his suffering “for our sins,” God raised him from the dead and “highly exalted him, granting him the name that is above every name,” – JESUS - the name that means “Yahweh saves,” for in the Nazarene, the promised salvation of Yahweh became reality.

As the Anointed One of the Second Psalm, he is the “Ruler of the Kings of the Earth” who is “shepherding the nations,” and he will do so until the day when the redeemed of the Earth stands before him in the New Creation – (Philippians 2:6-11, Revelation 1:4-6, 7:9-17, 12:5-11).

All peoples and nations belong to Jesus whether they know it or not. The “Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep” will not hesitate to go to the ends of the Earth to rescue even one man or woman.

His sacrificial death voided the legal claim of Satan over humanity, and his resurrection broke the iron grip of Death that held us all. This is a radical message of liberation from the tyranny of sin, Satan, and death that all men and every nation need to hear – (1 Corinthians 15:1-6, Philippians 2:6-11, Hebrews 2:14-15, Revelation 1:6-8,3:21, 5:5-14).

FOR EVERYONE

God has “spoken” definitively and with eloquent finality through His Son, especially his Death and Resurrection. Only His Son “achieved the purification of sin,” therefore, he sits “at the right hand of the Majesty on High places” as the Great High Priest who mediates redemption and life for his people – (Hebrews 1:1-4).

Salvation is available to all men and women “through the faith of Jesus Christ for all who believe, for there is no distinction.” The offer of life is provided to all because of the faithful obedience of the Son who “died for our sins” when we were still “enemies of God” and “dead in our trespasses” – (Romans 3:21-22).

Sin is the Great Leveler that condemns every man, woman, and child to bondage, decay, hopelessness, and death. In the end, neither ethnicity, political power, nor economic status makes any difference. Death awaits us all.

However, because of his Death and Resurrection, anyone may receive the forgiveness of sins and justification before God, whether Jew or Gentile, male or female, poor or rich, American, European, African, or Asian; namely, “from the faith of Jesus Christ.” Death still occurs, but for his disciples, it will be reversed when he raises them from the dead on the Last Day – (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).

Considering his faithful act for us when we deserved only death, all that penitent men and women can do now is respond to his generous offer by placing faith in Jesus and what God accomplished in him.

Ever since His Son “achieved the purification of sins,” his Father has been creating a new community composed of men and women from every nation who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, the ‘Ekklésia’, the “Assembly.” Every person who places faith in Jesus becomes a member of this holy community – (Ephesians 2:15).

[Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash]

In the truest sense, his “Good News” is a universal message and religion. All men have sinned. Everyone needs salvation. No one deserves it - “No, not one,” but God graciously offers it to one and all through His Son, and “freely” so.

Finally, salvation is provided on the same basis to everyone, namely, from the faith of Jesus Christ. All we can do is respond with repentance and faith to his offer and the self-sacrificial act of the Nazarene who “gave his life as a ransom for many.” How can we not share this Good News with everyone who crosses our path?

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RELATED POSTS:

• As many as He Calls - (The Gift of the Spirit is for every man who repents, even to those afar off, and this is in fulfillment of the Promise)

• The Mission - (The mission of the church between now and Christ’s return is to announce the Good News of his Kingdom to all nations – Matthew 24:14)

• The Final Harvest - (The outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost fulfilled what the feast symbolized and marked the start of the Final Harvest)