Reaching the Nations for Christ

What is the most important thing on God’s heart today?

All Christians understand that Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and rose again from the grave so that mankind might be brought back to into a right relationship with God. But that was not the end of the story and God’s plan on earth is still unfolding. And it is the reason why Jesus has still not returned.

God wants the whole world to know about the great sacrifice His Son made on the cross. And He wants everyone to have an opportunity to hear, and have a chance to accept or reject His Son’s sacrificial gift for their sins.

But there is one last sign that is rarely mentioned that must take place before Christ’s return to the earth: “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.” (Matthew 24:14)

Ganguwada, Odissa (Odisha)

This is what I believe is the most important thing on God’s heart today! God is bringing in the harvest, but only after the full numbers of Gentiles have come in will He bring an end to this world in its present form. 

We must understand how God measures the harvest. The Bible defines the task clearly where we are given a glimpse of the time when the harvest has been fully gathered in Revelation 7:9, 10, “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

This is exciting news! We are told there will be worshipers of Jesus around the throne from “…every, nation, tribe, people, and language…” And just to make it clear God also mentions it in Revelation 5:6-10 and again in Revelation 14:6. 

God always completes things perfectly. He created the first divisions among the human race at the Tower of Babel by splitting people into, “…clans and languages, in their territories and nations. These are the clans of Noah's sons, according to their lines of descent, within their nations. From these the nations spread out over the earth after the flood.” (Genesis 10:31, 32)

The whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation carries two themes. The first is the redemptive story of Jesus, and the second, which seems to have been lost on so many people today, is God’s plan to reach the nations.

Without understanding this, a Christian’s life will lack a key ingredient and sense of purpose. Jesus didn’t die on the cross just so you can have salvation; He died on the cross to save the nations. God doesn’t bless you and me just so we can be happy. He blesses us so we can reach the nations! And not just every country, but “…nation, tribe, people and language.” Only when this happens will Jesus return; “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.” (Matthew 24:14)

Let’s not deceive ourselves into thinking the work of reaching all the ethnic groups, tribes, languages, and people groups have been done. It has not! There are Christians that have sat on their backside for decades while they waited for the Lord’s return. Tragically, their lives have been wasted and they have done nothing for the Lord.

After 2000 years since Jesus gave us the Great Commission how much progress do you think we have made? One of the best sources of information is the Joshua Project. They have classified an unreached people group as having less that 2% Christian. Using this definition, how many of the 16,586 people groups do you think remain to be properly “reached” with the gospel of Jesus?

The answer may shock you: After 2000 years there are still 7,165 unreached people groups in the world today!   

From this point of view, the church is just past the halfway point toward the goal, no wonder Jesus has not returned yet. We are grateful to God that He has called us to Asia, because 72% of all remaining unreached people groups are found there.

Hundreds of millions of Asians are still waiting to hear the good news of Jesus Christ for the first time in their lives. Not only individuals, but whole tribes and ethnic groups remain totally unevangelized.

India remains the greatest challenge to the gospel in the world today. It is the home to 2,599 distinct

Lombadi Tribal Lady

groups. Of that number, 2,365 (91%) of them remain unreached by the gospel. Who will reach the Bhattra of Orissa (Odisha) or the tiny Muriya tribe who number less than 100 people?

Does God care if anyone reaches the Muriya? Are they too small to worry about? Not at all! Jesus died for the Muriya. They are a distinct nation who will one day have believers worshiping the Lamb around His throne.

The Lord Jesus is waiting for His full inheritance to come in, and it is a great privilege to be able to play a part in seeing this happens as we serve the Church in Asia together.

If you would like to join us in reaching the unreached for Christ you can click here to Donate Now. 

--Russ Sharrock

Gospel Risk-takers

In the time it takes to read this page, another Christian will be killed because of his or her faith in Jesus Christ. 160,000 believers around the world will be slaughtered this year alone…simply because they love Jesus.

This is not a news flash. The physical risk of going public for the glory of God among satanically dominated peoples is obvious.In Odisha (Orissa) state, three months of intimidation and assaults in two villages in eastern India has left four Christians hospitalized and others injured, two houses damaged, and the entire Christian community unable to do business or draw water from the town well.

The boycott of the Christians of Dangarguda village, led by some Hindu nationalist residents, began in April. The Christians were prohibited from buying and selling, and from fetching drinking water from the public well because of their faith in Christ. In many regions nationalist Hindus enjoy popular and bureaucratic support in their campaign to make India a purely Hindu society.

Jesus predicted that you will probably be disposed of quickly and without pause like a lion eats a lamb: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8). That‘s the risk of identifying with Jesus in this world; and too many are frightened at the thought.

Scripture describes the killing of God’s people as horrible, yet beautiful. Horrible because of the indescribable torment endured by so many; but beautiful in their humble Christ-likeness as they are afflicted, persecuted, struck down; but not destroyed (2 Cor. 4). When believers are crushed by suffering, the aroma of Christ stretches out even more widely and rapidly among the peoples. 

This is biblical boldness: to plow through hostile resistance with the gentleness of Christ and loving the hate out of those enemies of the cross. However, I dread a greater danger than death. I dread the consequences of not taking a risk for the gospel. What will I suffer if I refuse to suffer for Christ? What will I lose if I refuse to lose my life for Jesus for the nations? What glory (Paul‘s word – Romans 8:18) will I miss out on if I avoid suffering for the gospel?

There is something in suffering for the gospel that produces supernatural affection and compassion 

Puttasingh Village, Odisha

within you towards those who are harming you. At the same time, when one can praise God instead of denying him in the midst of suffering, unbelievers take notice. Some will be saved, which causes more persecution, which will fuel even more passionate and bold sharing of the gospel.

The result is that whole new regions are quickly populated with believers and churches. This is how suffering and persecution nearly always advance both personal sanctification in the sufferer and the more rapid, wide-ranging growth of the gospel among the persecutors.

There is nothing more powerful in evangelism than a life humbly laid down for Christ and the gospel. Gospel risk-takers are missionary madmen (2 Cor. 11:23). But God is glorified by them; and the world‘s unharvested fields need many more like them.

--Russ Sharrock