The church’s mission is evangelism, or missions as we sometimes refer to it in relationship to places outside of our home town. The church’s mission is evangelism. But it would be superficial thinking to believe that world-wide evangelism became a part of God’s work only after Jesus came to earth.
The first hope of salvation is found in Genesis 3:15, often referred to as the protoevangelium (the first “hope” of the gospel). That seed is, no doubt, Jesus Christ (see Galatians 3:16). The Hebrew writer will give to Jesus the designation “apostle” in 3:1, a word that overlaps to some degree our word “missionary.” Jesus is God’s first missionary.
Other passages in the Old Testament illustrate God’s universal interest in the salvation of both Jews and non-Jews. In Genesis 12:3, the “seed” would bless the world as it arrives through the family of Abraham.
God assembled that family around Mount Sinai and gave them the Law of Moses that would help them stay faithful to God. In a speech to the Israelites, recorded in Exodus 19:1-6, God points out that the whole world belongs to Him even as He chose Israel to be His “special nation.” He goes on to point out that they were a “kingdom of priests.” As priests, they would represent God to the nations around them. We see that fulfilled in the words of Rahab in Joshua 2:9-11.
But I especially want to draw your attention to the words of Psalm 67:
God be gracious to us and bless us,
And cause His face to shine upon us—
That Your way may be known on the earth,
Your salvation among all nations.
Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy;
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For You will judge the peoples with uprightness
And guide the nations on the earth.
Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
The earth has yielded its produce;
God, our God, blesses us.
God blesses us,
That all the ends of the earth may fear Him.
“Nations” is used 65 times in the book of Psalms (NASV) and “peoples” is used 128 times. God blessed Israel so others could see and come to fear God and serve Him. Observe the purpose for which Israel was blessed: “that Your way may be known on the earth… that all the ends of the earth may fear Him.”
David desired deeply that all the nations should come to fear God and acknowledge Him as king and Lord of all nations. May we have the same passion for world-wide evangelism as David did.
Why do we need to engage in mission work? “God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 John 4:16). God’s love motivated Him to send His Son, the first missionary. Our love for God will motivate us to go or send our own children to continue Christ’s legacy.
Paul Holland
