The Great work of the Church.

Why has Jesus not come again? Because the church has not finished its great work of evangelising the nations, tribes, people and languages.

(Mat 24:14 NIV) 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.

Revelation tells us the extent of the people who will be in heaven.

Rev 7:9 (NIV) 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.

An angel in Revelations indicates the people to whom the gospel must be preached; to every nation, tribe, language and people.

(Rev 14:6-7) Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth--to every nation, tribe, language and people. {7} He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."

The rich Christians in the West have a responsibility to finance the gospel in the poorer countries such as India - where there are plenty of workers but little money. See Links

The Great Commission.

Delivered 5 times with 5 emphasis.

1 Matthew:

Mat 28:18-20 (NIV) Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

2. Mark:

Mark 16:15-20 (NIV) He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

3. Luke:

Luke 24:45-49 (NIV) Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

4. John:

John 20:20-23 (NIV) After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

5. Acts:

Acts 1:5-8 (NIV) For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." 6 So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

God is a missionary God:

(John 3:17) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Just as God sent Jesus into the world so Jesus sends us into the world.

John 20:20-23 (NIV). 21 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."

The desire of the Father is that the Son must have a wedding and there must be a wedding feast, the wedding hall must be full of guests (Mat 22:1-14).

(Mat 22:1-14) Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: {2} "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. {3} He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. {4} "Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' {5} "But they paid no attention and went off--one to his field, another to his business. {6} The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. {7} The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. {8} "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. {9} Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' {10} So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. {11} "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. {12} 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless. {13} "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' {14} "For many are invited, but few are chosen."

(Luke 14:16-24) Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. {17} At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' {18} "But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.' {19} "Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' {20} "Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.' {21} "The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.' {22} "'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.' {23} "Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. {24} I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.'"

(Rev 19:7-9) Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. {8} Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) {9} Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These are the true words of God."

What can I do?

Pray:

(Luke 10:2) He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

Give to overseas missions work, especially indigenous evangelism by local people.

Check out the links below:

Links:

Gospel for Asia Ministries

Campus Crusade Home Page

AD2000 and Beyond Movement

CBN WorldReach

World Missions Far Corners

Call to Prayer South Asia

TransWorld Radio

FEBA Radio

Operation Mobilisation

GCI International Film Ministry

Christian and Missionary Alliance (unreached people groups and prayer)

International Bible Society South Asia

It only costs about $15-20 a month to support a local evangelist in India, see details of a Bible School that I support in India.

Books:

Beyond Imagination : A Simple Plan to Save the World by Dick Eastman

Let the Nations Be Glad! : The Supremacy of God in Missions by John Piper

Operation World by Patrick Johnstone. The most widely-used reference book for missions in the world. To help individuals and groups to more effectively intercede for the world, this exceptional, one-volume reference on the nations of the world includes comprehensive information, accurate statistics, and detailed maps and graphs.

A Mind for Missions: Ten Ways to Build Your World Vision by Paul Borthwick

Missions by Gailyn Van Rheenen

William Carey by Basil Miller