A Missionary God with a Worldwide Agenda

I have been reflecting lately on God’s agenda in drawing people for himself from every tribe, tongue and nations for His glory. It is actually interesting to see how God’s agenda in bringing a people to himself from among the nations is presented throughout scripture from Genesis through to Revelation. Another interesting reminder is that God has ordained to achieve these purposes through his people. It is therefore very refreshing to see an increase in churches in Zambia that are committed to missions and are sending and supporting faithful men to plant churches. May we strive to outdo ourselves in this endeavor because the God we worship is a missionary God with a worldwide agenda as we can be seen from a sampling of scripture. 

He called Abraham with the promise of making him a father of Nations

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-2

He reminds His people that His name will be great among the nations

Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts. Malachi 1:10-11

The great commission is a call to make disciples of all nations

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

We are charged to be salt and light to the nations

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16

John tells us that in the end God will be worshiped by people from all nations

And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:9-11

Implications for the church

Missions should be central to every true New Testament Church

"The mark of a great church is not its seating capacity, but its sending capacity." — Mike Stachura

"People who don't believe in missions have not read the New Testament. Right from the beginning Jesus said the field is the world. The early church took Him at His word and went East, West, North and South." — J. Howard Edington

"If the Church is 'in Christ,' she is involved in mission. Her whole existence then has a missionary character. Her conduct as well as her words will convince the unbelievers and put their ignorance and stupidity to silence." — David Bosch

Missions demands great sacrifices from churches

“Christ wants not nibblers of the possible, but grabbers of the impossible." — C.T. Studd

"All the money needed to send and support an army of self-sacrificing, joy-spreading ambassadors is already in the church." — John Piper

"You can give without loving. But you cannot love without giving." — Amy Carmichael, missionary to India

Missions reveals a church’s relationship with God

"Missions is the overflow of our delight in God because missions is the overflow of God's delight in being God." — John Piper

"If missions languish, it is because the whole life of godliness is feeble. The command to go everywhere and preach to everybody is not obeyed until the will is lost by self-surrender in the will of God. Living, praying, giving and going will always be found together." — Arthur T. Pierson

Dear Friends God is a missionary God with a worldwide agenda and He carries out His mission through his people. As John Stott proclaimed "We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God."