November is “Missions Month” in many churches and emphasis is given to “LETTING THE WHOLE WORLD KNOW” about God and His love, about Jesus and His provision of salvation through His death, burial and resurrection, and the Gospel as “good news” for all nations and peoples!
This morning I read a passage during “coffee with the Lord” that I think really expresses a healthy rationale and motivation for missions and evangelism! Believe it or not it is found in the Old Testament and is the song David gave Asaph and his fellow Levites to sing when the Ark of the Covenant was brought back to Jerusalem. I’ve not included the entire song… just the part that focuses on “LETTING THE WHOLE WORLD KNOW”…
“Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. LET THE WHOLE WORLD KNOW what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. TELL EVERYONE ABOUT HIS WONDERFUL DEEDS. Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the LORD… LET THE WHOLE EARTH SING TO THE LORD! EACH DAY PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS THAT HE SAVES. PUBLISH HIS GLORIOUS DEEDS AMONG THE NATIONS. TELL EVERYONE ABOUT THE AMAZING THINGS HE DOES. Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! … O NATIONS OF THE WORLD, RECOGNIZE THE LORD, recognize that the LORD is glorious and strong. 29 Give to the LORD the glory he deserves! … Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! TELL ALL THE NATIONS, “THE LORD REIGNS!” Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise… Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” (from 1 Chronicles 16:8-36 NLT)
This is the phrase that rang in my ears as I read this passage… “LET THE WHOLD WORLD KNOW!” Hey, if the longing and purpose of God captured the heartbeat of a Israelite king… May it capture ours as well… “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD that He sent His only Son, so that WHOEVER believes in Him might not perish but have everlasting life!” … The passion and purpose of John 3:16 in the Old Testament!!
Coffee With The Lord 