Caring About All Nations, Peoples, Languages - Part 1

I. Introduction (Acts 1:8)

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. - Acts 1:8

B. God has given to every believer FIVE things:

1. His Son (John 3:16) - that is your salvation
2. His Spirit - that is His presence
3. Power (2 Timothy 1:7)

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

4. A Commission - a job to do as a Christian
5. A Goal - four regions all at the same time:
   • Our Jerusalem
   • Our Judea
   • Our Samaria
   • And the entire rest of the world to the very last island and corner
   • That is a LOT of ground to cover

C. The First Century Christians did it!

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. - Acts 8:4

• Colossians 1:4-6 - into ALL the world!

D. No one is exempt today

1. Use different means
2. But all people, everywhere must be witnessed to - told what you know and have experienced!

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II. Message

A. Every Person Needs the Gospel - The Gospel is for All Peoples

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations. - Matthew 28:18-20

Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. - Mark 16:15

That includes:

1. The Religious and very devout (Acts 17:17)

2. The highly educated and “civilised” (Acts 17:18-23)

3. The Pagans - Jonah 1:2

   • The heathen - uncivilised
   • The Jews have always had a problem with this concept
   • NEVER went outside their borders to tell anyone about the God of Abraham

4. The Rejecters (Mark 10:21-22)

   • Christians have the same problem as the Jews did - why spend so much time working on people who don’t want to hear?
   • Because Christ died for THEM

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. - 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

5. And especially on the ones that others have given up on - hopeless
   • Matthew 9:9
   • Romans 5:20

The Gospel is not just for the easy to talk to

B. Every CULTURE needs the Gospel

1. What is culture? Culture is the way a particular group of people sees life. It includes their use of language, their religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts.

2. Don’t start to think some places are “pretty good” and pretty moral

3. Every culture without God is dark

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. - John 3:19

4. Why?
   • Because without Bible preaching - without God-ordained right and wrong - man’s culture is dark
   • Without hard, strong, Bible preaching, and godly Christian living, the culture is wicked - just hidden!

For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries. - 1 Peter 4:3

5. Every culture needs Bible preaching and teaching churches that build a strong foundation for a right kind of culture

   • Including the Irish culture - all the drink, and now drugs, and anger against God

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III. Application

1. Who is YOUR Jerusalem - the people closest to you?
2. Who is YOUR Judea - your broader community?
3. Who is YOUR Samaria - those you might normally avoid?
4. How are you reaching the uttermost parts of the earth?

The Gospel is for ALL peoples and ALL cultures. We must be faithful witnesses wherever God has placed us.