"They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God."
~Jesus Luke 13.29
Right from the times of the patriarchs is was apparent that God desired to bring all mankind of every race, tribe and nation into relationship with himself, this mandate of sharing the good news was ultimately passed on to the Hebrew people who held onto the truth of their revelation of God and mostly did not bring the gentiles into relationship with God and therefore the mandate of bringing the nations into the Kingdom of God was given to the church birthed through the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the sending of the Holy Spirit.
As we look around the world today we see that although the gospel has gone forth to some degree into most (but not all) nations, (ethnic groups) the majority of the church is still sitting in their pews, content to be pious or happy clappy but staying there. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." ~Jesus Matt 24.14
Christ will delay his return and the judgement and the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth until the church has completed its assignment - and then will the end come.
The exciting thing about the day in which we live is that with today's travel and technology capabilities, the size of the church and finances of God's people, it is possible to translate the scriptures into every language on earth, deliver the good news to every ethnic group and establish the kingdom of God in them within the next five years.
If only we would get of our comfortable backsides in our comfortable churches where we play religion and have services for our own pleasure and enjoyment and get out there delivering the good news of the gospel to those who have not heard,and persuading those who have avoided the message to listen and
compelling those that have rejected it to come in;
then the kingdom would be preached to the whole world, and Christs prophecy would be fulfilled, the end would come, judgement day and Christs return and His Kingdom would be established on earth and this prayer answered "thy Kingdom come."
The indictment on the church is that at least since the 1980's we have had everything in place to do this within 5 years. Although there are some that are passionately working for this end, we must conclude that the church generally has failed in its mission in this generation to preach the gospel of the kingdom in the whole world as a testimony to all nations.
It falls on a new generation to take up the mandate, build on the strength of the past without taking on the complacencies of the forefathers who allowed apathy, comfort, smugness and sense of security to lull them into inaction.
Will the leaders keep on tickling the ears of their congregations with more personal development or get fired up with the Holy Spirit, prepare Gods people for acts of service and send them forth empowered to complete a mission and fulfil a mandate "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." Mark 16.15
Rev Dr Howard Sands is the International Director of Beautiful Feet Task Force, is available as a speaker for churches, outreaches, business & missions.
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