The Perspective of Jesus

Pause:

Before you start reading this devotional, take a moment to stop what you’re doing, slow down and focus on Jesus.

Pray and ask him to open your eyes to see as you read the scriptures, and to open your ears to hear as you wait on the leading of the Spirit.

Read: 

Romans 10:14-17: “How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.’ 16 But not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’ 17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.” 

Revelation 7:9-10: “After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:

‘Salvation belongs to our God,who is seated on the throne,and to the Lamb!’”

Going Deeper:

Even in the middle of a crisis as widespread and frightening as this virus and its' effects, there is one thing that is always helpful: the perspective of Jesus.

Throughout millenia of pandemics, wars, natural disasters, and the rise and fall of the world’s most powerful governments, Jesus has always been the same. God’s character has not changed. And ever since Jesus walked the earth, the mission and purpose of his people has been the same. We have been given the task of carrying the incredible message of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection to the ends of the earth, and our task has been going on for the last 2,000 years!

It’s helpful for me these days to turn my eyes upon Jesus, even in the most serious and pressing pains and trials. In the middle of this uncertainty, it’s helpful to be reminded that his purpose for me hasn’t changed. And while he may call each of us to a thousand different places, jobs, and families, he calls all of us to participate in some way in his work of sharing the good news of his love with the world.

There are many questions involved with this essential work: how do we carry forward the universal good news of Jesus to the entire world without trying to also force our own culture or opinions onto those we share with? How do we share the verbal story of what Jesus has done, and yet also testify to God’s glory with our actions and lives? How do we meet the world’s ultimate need to be reconciled to God while also addressing current needs like food and peace? The strategies are many, but there is only one goal: to see every tribe, tongue and nation on earth knowing and worshipping God. And they can’t do that if they’ve never heard of Him! There are still 218 current people groups where the entire group has no access at all to the news of Jesus, and over 7,000 people groups that have so little access to the gospel that many of them will not hear of Him.

Do we believe that knowing Jesus is truly good news? Have we enjoyed the certainty of knowing that the Creator of the universe knows us and loves us? Have we been set free from guilt or shame? Have we felt His power in our lives, setting us free from the slavery of sin? Have we experienced the peace of knowing that we can truly know our God, and be with Him forever after death? Do we want this same good news for those who have never experienced it?

In the middle of this chaos, we have certainty: God’s purpose will be accomplished. We will be worshipping in our own language among thousands of languages. We will have brothers and sisters in heaven from parts of the world we didn’t know existed. God will be enjoyed and loved by nations that may not even have names yet.

Though the current realities of our world are real and important and need to be addressed, I pray that God would also sometimes lift our eyes from this world to the incredible future that he has already planned for eternity. And I pray that His Spirit would direct each of us in answering this question: How can I participate in God’s purpose of sharing his good news with every part of the world?

Pray:

Respond to God in prayer by speaking to Him about what stood out to you from this passage this morning.

Listen:

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you right now?

Apply:

What are you going to do in response to what God is saying to you from the text and by the Spirit?