Post by disciple on Jun 3, 2010 13:47:37 GMT -5
ALL NATIONS: THE NATURE OF THE TASK (II)
·PAUL’S IDEA OF THE MISSIONARY TASK—TO EXTEND GOD’S BLESSING OF THE GOSPEL TO ALL FAMILY GROUPS OF THE EARTH
o A LIGHT TO THE NATIONS: AC. 13:46-7, ISA. 49:6
o A PASSION FOR UNREACHED PEOPLES: ROM. 15:8-9 (CHRIST’S 2 PURPOSES: PROVING GOD’S FAITHFULNESS TO HIS PROMISES, & THAT THE NATIONS MIGHT GLORIFY GOD FOR HIS MERCY)
o A SATURATION WITH THE HOPE OF THE NATIONS: ROM. 15:9-12
o A PRIEST FOR WORSHIPPERS OF ALL NATIONS: ROM. 15:16
o A PEOPLE GROUP FOCUS: ROM. 15:18-24
HE “FULFILLED THE GOSPEL” & “NO LONGER HAD ANY ROOM FOR WORK” IN THESE AREAS BECAUSE OF THE DISCIPLE MAKING PROCESS AND BECAUSE OF HIS FOCUS ON REACHING ALL THE PEOPLES
HE SAW FROM GOD’S POINT OF VIEW & REALIZED THE WORK WAS ALREADY FINISHED (JN. 17:4)
o A PROPHETIC VISION OF HOPE: ROM. 15:21
o SUMMARY: PAUL WAS GRIPPED BY GOD’S PURPOSE TO
BLESS ALL NATIONS
BE PRAISED BY ALL PEOPLES
SEND SALVATION TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH
MAKE ABRAHAM THE FATHER OF MANY NATIONS
BE KNOWN WHERE HE IS NOT YET KNOWN
BUILD “SENT ONES” FOR WORLD IMPACT (ROM. 10:14-15)
·JOHN’S IDEA OF THE MISSIONARY TASK—TO GATHER A KINGDOM OF WORSHIPER-PRIESTS FROM ALL PEOPLES, LANGUAGES, TRIBES, & NATIONS (REV. 5:9-10)
o THE DESIGN OF THE ATONEMENT PRESCRIBES THE DESIGN OF THE STRATEGY. THE ATONEMENT IS UNIVERSAL, DEFINITE, & COMPLETE; OUR TASK IS THE SAME
o GATHERING THE SCATTERED CHILDREN: JN. 11:50-2
o BRINGING IN THE “OTHER SHEEP” THROUGH THE PREACHING OF HIS WORD: JN. 10:16
o 4 OTHER REVELATION PASSAGES: 7:9-10, 14:6-7, 15:4, 21:3
·JESUS’ IDEA OF THE MISSIONARY TASK: MATT. 28:18-20, MK. 16:15, LK. 24:45-7, AC. 1:8
o HIS FAMILY: A FAMILY OF PRAYER FOR ALL NATIONS (MK. 11:17)
o THE FOCUS OF ALL THESE PASSAGES IS DISCIPLES FROM ALL THE WORLD’S PEOPLE GROUPS. THIS IS THE CONCEPT THE DISCIPLES WERE SENT OUT WITH.
· SOME QUESTIONS
o WHAT IS A PEOPLE GROUP?
GOD DOES NOT GIVE A PRECISE DEFINITION; THE POINT IS TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL PEOPLES UNTIL HE RETURNS (MATT. 24:14)
4 DEFINING TERMS IN REV. 5:9: TRIBE, LANGUAGE, PEOPLE, NATION
o HOW MANY PEOPLE GROUPS ARE THERE? (ABOUT 240 NATIONS)
12,000 TO 24,000 “ETHNE,” DEPENDING ON ONE’S SOURCE
o WHAT DO “REACHED” AND “UNREACHED” MEAN?
-DEF. 1: A PEOPLE GROUP WITHIN WHICH THE GOSPEL HAS NOT BEEN PRESENTED TO A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS (NOT RESPONSE BASED—MK. 16:15, AC. 1:8)
-DEF. 2: A PEOPLE GROUP WITHIN WHICH THERE IS NO INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS ABLE TO EVANGELIZE THE PEOPLE GROUP (RESPONSE BASED—MATT. 28:19, REV. 5:9)
-DEF. 3: A PEOPLE GROUP WITHIN WHICH THE DISCIPLE MAKING PROCESS HAS NOT MATURED TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT IT WILL CONTINUE WITHOUT THE MISSIONARY (PAUL LEAVING AREAS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF OTHER DISCIPLES, MATT. 28:19 ABOUT MAKING DISCIPLE MAKERS FROM ALL PEOPLES, NOT DISCIPLING EACH PERSON)
o WHOSE WORK IS THIS?
ALL DISCIPLES (MATT. 28:19 TO INDIVIDUALS, “WE” IS ALL THE SAINTS IN ROM. 1:5)
o HOW DOES THE TASK OF REACHING ALL NATIONS GLORIFY GOD?
THERE IS GREAT BEAUTY & POWER IN PRAISE THAT COMES FROM UNITY IN DIVERSITY (CHOIR SINGING IN PARTS)
THE FAME, GREATNESS, & WORTH OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL INCREASES IN PROPORTION TO THE DIVERSITY OF THOSE WHO RECOGNIZE ITS BEAUTY (WORK OF ART ACCLAIMED BY MANY CULTURES)
THE STRENGTH, WISDOM, & LOVE OF A LEADER IS MAGNIFIED IN PROPORTION TO THE DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE HE CAN INSPIRE TO FOLLOW HIM (PS. 96:3-4)
BY FOCUSING ON ALL PEOPLES, GOD DEFEATS ETHNIC PRIDE & FOCUSES ALL THE GLORY BACK ON HIMSELF