Among All Nations
In our last lesson, we studied the Mission of God, considering how God originally made man and woman in his own image and commanded them to spread out across the face of the earth. We contrasted this with the Great Commission in Matthew 28 and asked the question: Has God’s mission changed? What do we see to be similar or the same between this initial command to multiply and fill the earth and that of Jesus to make disciples among all nations?
You can go back and review that lesson, but in summary, we found these two ideas to almost be exactly the same. This means that God is on the same mission today that he has been on since the beginning!
This week, we want to continue with our study of God’s mission, understanding more about with whom, or among whom, God is working to accomplish his mission.
As we read these scriptures, we want to ask ourselves one simple question:
Question: What do these scriptures teach us about God and his plan for the world?
Let’s walk through them one at a time. Read each passage and then answer the question above.
- Genesis 12:1-3
- Exodus 9:13-16
- Psalm 46:9-10
- Isaiah 49:5-6
- Malachi 1:11
- Luke 2:27-32
- Luke 24:46-48
- Galatians 3:8
- Revelation 7:9-10
Putting It Together
Now that we have read and discussed each of the scriptures above, let’s try to summarize and apply what we have learned
Question: What do these scriptures teach us about God and his plan for the world?
Discuss this question together as a group and then click on this box and read the answer below.
In summary across the scriptures above, we can learn that God has been working out his plan, since the beginning of the world, to bring blessing to all people everywhere. He started this process through Abraham and continued to work out his plan until it was finished at the end which is yet to come at the end of time, as we saw in Revelation 7.
But what does this word “blessing” mean? Is God talking about financial riches? Great relationships? Power? No, these are not the blessings that God offers to us. In fact, we often see that the people who have been blessed by God experience the opposite. They may experience suffering, persecution, and many trials.
Instead, we can see the answer to this question in the final verse from above. It said, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” God brings salvation to all people. He saves them all. Not just the Jews, his originally chosen people, but all that will place their faith in Jesus and his sacrifice for their sins.
Question: What does this mean for me? What does this teach me about my part in God’s plan?
Discuss this question together as a group and then click on this box and read the answer below.
As God is carrying out his plan to redeem all nations across the world, to bring salvation to everyone, we see that God uses his people to complete the task. So I need to join God in his plan. He is bringing salvation to all nations and so I should join him in being a part of this plan.
Here are some questions, therefore, that I should ask myself:
- Am I willing to go to my neighbor who is from another country to get to know him and share this word of salvation with him?
- Beyond being willing when God calls me, will I actually do it?
- If God brings someone to mind, will I meet them and share with them, committing to working to making them a disciple of Jesus Christ?