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Dean S. Wiebracht

God’s Heart

for the NationsBible Studies on Missions

OMF LITERATURE INC.PO Box 2217, 1062 Manila, Philippines

GOD’S HEART FOR THE NATIONS

Bible Studies on Missions

Copyright © 2001 by Dean S. Wiebracht

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version

(NIV)®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by

permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Illustrations by Edwin Estioko

Published (2001) by

OMF Literature Inc.

776 Boni Avenue

Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila

www.omflit.com

ISBN 971-511-679-5

Printed in the Philippines

FOREWORD 5

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 7

INTRODUCTION 9

1 He Was Thinking of You 19

Genesis 11:1–12:9

2 From Darkness to Light 27

Exodus 19:1-6

1 Peter 2:9–10

3 There’s a Welcome Here 39

2 Chronicles 6:32–33

4 Blessed to Be a Blessing 48

Psalm 67

5 Declare His Glory! 58

Psalm 96

6 To the Ends of the Earth 66

Isaiah 49:1–7

7 Jonah on the Run 74

Jonah 1

8 Thank You, Thank You, Thank You 82

Jonah 2

9 Repentance in Nineveh 90

Jonah 3

10 The Pouting Prophet 96

Jonah 4

11 It’s Harvest Time! 106

Matthew 9:35–38

CONTENTS

12 The Great Commandment 116

Matthew 22:34–40

13 Jesus Said it All 126

Matthew 28:16–20

14 The Heart of the Father 136

Luke 15

15 Power from On High 145

Luke 24:36–49

16 So Send I You 155

John 20:19–23

17 His Witnesses to a Waiting World 164

Acts 1:1–11

18 The Only Way? 175

Acts 4:1–23

19 Let My People Go! 184

Acts 13:1–5

20 Beautiful Feet 193

Romans 10:1–15

21 His Compelling Love 201

2 Corinthians 5:14–21

22 Why Pray? 212

1 Timothy 2:1–7

23 And Then the End Shall Come 224

2 Peter 3:1–13

24 A Fiesta for All Peoples! 233

Revelation 5:1–14

CONCLUSION 242

NOTES 246

BIBLIOGRAPHY 260

In a missions mobilization seminar we conducted recently, we

asked the participants why their churches are not involved in

missions. Lack of awareness came out as the top answer. A disturb-

ing reason why missions awareness is absent in their churches is

that missions is simply not preached or taught. When we further

probed the issue and offered a theory they all nodded in agree-

ment: Missions is not preached in churches because pastors and

members alike do not see the Bible as a missions book. We then

emphasized a principle: The way you view the Scripture will greatly

affect the way you teach it. If you don’t see the Bible as a mission-

ary book, you’ll never be involved in missions. The good news

is this should no longer be the case. A new book has arrived to

address this basic but critical missions problem.

God’s Heart for the Nations encourages you to study and view

the Bible as a missions book. It is a kind of Bible survey with a

missions focus. For the first time, Filipinos will have a Bible study

material on missions written for us and in our context. This is

excellent for Sunday school classes and cell or small group meet-

ings. Pastors and preachers will find this book indispensable as

a major preaching tool on missions. The style of writing, with

relevant stories and parables, suits the Filipinos’ love for the story-

telling approach. The key passages herein selected, both from the

Old and New Testaments, highlight the Bible’s progressive and

panoramic teaching on missions. The questions for discussion and

interaction will surely encourage you and your group to personal

and collective missions involvement.

The growing missions movement in the Philippines will definitely

be enhanced and strengthened by this new book. It is indeed a vital

and welcome addition to the still developing missions literature in

this country.

FOREWORD

Our missions colleague and personal friend Dr. Wiebracht, who

we affectionately call Kuya Dean, has once again demonstrated his

love for the Lord and passion for the Great Commission by writing

God’s Heart for the Nations. In this book, Kuya Dean has essen-

tially shown his unflinching conviction that the Filipino church is

destined to play a major role in the completion of world evangel-

ization.

Rev. Rey CorpuzNational Director

Philippine Missions Association

FOREWORD

6

People Power. The phrase brings to mind masses of people

gathered at EDSA, demonstrating their defiance of former Pres-

ident Marcos’ forces. Or of EDSA 2, with political and military

leaders announcing their alliance against former President Estrada.

People Power also explains how this book came to be written, for it

represents the involvement of many who gave generously of their

time and talents.

It is with sincere appreciation that I acknowledge the valuable

contribution of those who read the initial manuscript and offered

helpful suggestions: Russ Bauck, Alleli Domingo, Shema Echano,

Ferdinand Mercado, Vahnei Mathipi, Jeff Miller, Sis. Mary

Bernadette Reynolds, and Tony and Lorna Sadorra. Thanks also to

Rey Corpuz for his gracious Foreword, and to Tom Roxas and Ef

Tendero for their kind endorsements.

How grateful Linda and I are for the generous hospitality of the

folks at OMSC (Overseas Ministries Study Center). Thanks for

providing an ideal environment for study, reflection and writing.

It has again been a pleasure to work with the capable and cheer-

ful staff of OMF Literature. Special thanks to Beng Alba for shar-

ing my enthusiasm on this project, and for her diligent editorial

oversight; to Edwin Estioko for his attractive artwork; and to

Jonathan de Vera for his eye-catching cover design.

My wife, Linda, has consistently supported and encouraged me

throughout this writing project. At times that has meant patiently

listening to my ideas and enduring my moments of self-doubt and

discouragement. As God’s special gift to me, her worth is far above

rubies. It is to her that this book is affectionately dedicated.

Dean S. Wiebracht

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Discouraged and depressed. That’s how she felt. Teresa was

beginning to regret she’d ever come to Malaysia.

It had seemed like a good idea when she’d first learned of the

job opening at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur. A nurse by training, she

had welcomed the idea of working abroad. It wasn’t just the appeal

of a well-paying career. As she’d explained to her parents, “I can’t

go to Malaysia as a missionary. But I can be a witness for Christ

while working as a nurse.”

Teresa’s church in Iligan City, Mindanao, had been very support-

ive of her plans. They’d even commissioned her as their tentmaker1

to Malaysia. She could still remember the excitement of that

special church service, and then the tearful farewell at the airport

in Cagayan de Oro City.

Her first few months in Malaysia had been a whirlwind of new

experiences. She had loved the adventure of seeing new places,

eating new foods and making new friends. She was also pleasantly

surprised to find that there were some similarities between Bahasa

Malaysia and her own native Cebuano.

INTRODUCTION

From Malaysiato Laguna

Confused in Kuala Lumpur

Her newfound Malaysian friends were pleased that Teresa wanted

to learn about their language and culture. They showed her their

favorite shops, invited her to their homes, and even took her to a

beautiful mosque.

It wasn’t just the striking architecture that had impressed Teresa.

It was the commitment she’d witnessed in the worshippers—their

zeal and their faithfulness in praying five times a day. “I’m happy

if I just remember to pray once a day,” she thought with a wry

smile.

As she stood at the back, separated by an intricately carved wooden

partition, she couldn’t help comparing the scene with her church

experience back in the Philippines. “Do we Christians take

worship as seriously as these Muslims?” she wondered. “Do we

approach God with the same sense of awe and reverence?”

At times she felt like she was the only Christian in a country

dominated by Islam. Even in the midst of friends, loneliness seemed

to never leave her. With culture shock and culture stress subtly

eroding her self-confidence, she found herself becoming more and

more uncertain about the things she believed. Slowly the questions

had multiplied. “Is Christ really the only way? Is there no salva-

tion in Islam? Do I have a right to tell them about Christ? Was

my anthropology professor correct after all—is evangelism just a

matter of cultural imperialism?”

“I’m not just depressed and discouraged,” Teresa eventually

admitted to herself. “I’m confused. Maybe I should just do my work

and forget about sharing the gospel.”

Frustrated in San Fernando

“Maybe some fresh air will help,” thought Pastor Danny as he

stepped outside his home in San Fernando, La Union. He was

facing a problem common to many pastors. Tomorrow was

“Missions Sunday” at his church, and he couldn’t think of a

passage to preach on. He’d already covered the most common

INTRODUCTION

10

missions passages and couldn’t think of any new ones.

It wasn’t that Pastor Danny didn’t believe in missions. He sin-

cerely wanted his church to become a Great Commission Church—

a church which was aggressively seeking to do its part to help make

disciples of all nations.

Furthermore, he knew that regular preaching on God’s concern

for all nations was an important part of mobilizing a church in

missions. But he was running out of ideas.

Looking up into the clear night sky he was reminded of God’s

promise to give Abram many descendants—as numerous as the

stars. A vague idea played around the corners of his memory. “Wasn’t

there something else that God told Abram that had to do with the

nations? Could that be connected to missions?”

Baffled in Los Baños

“I’ll get a degree. I’ll get a good job. I’ll get a wife. We’ll buy a

house, have kids and live happily ever after.” At least that was the

plan when Benjie first went to the University of the Philippines in

Los Baños, Laguna.That was before he met Dr. Mercado.

Benjie had been raised in a religious home, but Dr. Mercado—

one of his professors—had helped him understand that there is

a huge difference between knowing about God and having a

personal relationship with God through faith in Christ. It was

during his freshman year that Benjie had asked Christ into his life

to be his personal Lord and Savior.

But his professor’s influence didn’t end there. Benjie noticed that

Dr. Mercado truly cared about her students, and had a special

concern for those from other countries. Along with others from

her church, Dr. Mercado shared the gospel while showing Chris-

tian love in many practical ways. By her teaching and example she

showed Benjie that being a Christian meant living for Christ and

his kingdom, not for personal peace and prosperity.

FROM MALAYSIA TO LAGUNA

11

As Benjie continued his studies, he began to help with the out-

reach to international students. With his outgoing personality and

cheerful attitude he made friends easily. And even though his

involvement sometimes meant putting in long hours, he was deeply

grateful to see God use him in the lives of others.

During one of the outings—a hike up Mt. Makiling for interna-

tional students—Dr. Mercado asked, “Benjie, what are you going

to do after you graduate?”

“Well, I’m not so sure anymore,” answered Benjie. “When I came

to UP I thought I would just try to get a high-paying job. But now

that seems so shallow. Have you got any suggestions?”

“As a matter of fact I do,” Dr. Mercado replied with a slight

smile. “With your training in agriculture, you have an open door

to many parts of Southeast Asia. Perhaps that’s why God brought

you to Los Baños—to prepare you to serve him cross-culturally.”

“So are you saying I should be a missionary?” Benjie interrupted.

Benjie was beginning to become uncomfortable, and a little bit

annoyed. He’d never traveled abroad and wasn’t sure he liked the

idea of leaving friends and family.

“Not necessarily,” responded his professor with a smile. “Relax

ka lang. Serving God as a missionary is one possibility. There are

tremendous needs and opportunities in Asia, and perhaps God

wants to use you in that way. But it could also be that God wants

to use you right here.”

Benjie was feeling somewhat less anxious but still a little con-

fused as Dr. Mercado continued, “You see, Benjie, the main thing

is living as a Great Commission Christian—a Christian who has

God’s heart for the nations. God doesn’t want all of us to become

missionaries. But I think he does want all of us to invest our lives

in some way to help fulfill the Great Commission.”

Some of the expressions were new to him, but Benjie was begin-

ning to understand. “OK, so how do I become a Great Commission

Christian?”

INTRODUCTION

12

“I thought you’d never ask,” Dr. Mercado said with a laugh. “It

all begins with getting God’s perspective—with seeing the nations

from his point of view.” Opening her Bible she showed Benjie how,

from the very beginning, it was God’s plan that all nations come

to know him.

Did You See Yourself?

Did you see yourself in any of the preceding stories? Can you relate

to their experiences and their questions? The people are fictitious,

but they represent actual situations in Asia today.

What an exciting time to be living in the Philippines! Churches

are being planted all over the archipelago. The missions movement

is growing at a remarkable pace. Consider the evidence.

Churches are coming alive to missions. Denominations are

strategizing and organizing to send cross-cultural workers. Send-

ing agencies and missionary training schools are being established.

Bible schools and seminaries are adding or strengthening missions

programs. God is raising up missions mobilizers to help multiply

Great Commission Churches. Missions conferences and seminars

are being conducted all over the Philippines. Prayer for missions is

increasing. Missions newsletters, books and other materials are

being produced. And the result of all this effort is that thousands

of Filipinos are reaching out across cultural boundaries.

Some are sharing the gospel with Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus or

tribal groups in the Philippines. Others are going as missionaries

to various countries in Asia and the world. A growing number of

OFWs2 are becoming aware of the unique opportunity they have

to reach people in countries that are closed to regular missionaries.

Yet other Filipinos are serving as “welcomers”—Christians who reach

out to the internationals among us, many of which come from

restricted-access countries.


13

Yes, there have been Filipino missionaries ever since the early

part of this century,3 but nothing on the scale that we see today. It

is not an exaggeration to say that the missions movement in the

Philippines is exploding! What a wonderful thing God is doing in

our day! And how thrilling it is to be a part of it. How good and

how great He is!

I am not alone in believing that God has a special role for the

Philippines to play in world evangelization. For one thing, Filipi-

nos are better accepted in many countries of Asia and the Middle

East than Westerners. Generally speaking, they can also adapt to

other cultures more easily and learn the language more quickly.

In addition, Filipinos have many opportunities for strategic cross-

cultural outreach inside the Philippines. Just think of the unique

combination of factors we enjoy. We have representatives of all of

the world’s major religious blocs—Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims.

We also have freedom of religion and a fast-growing church.

How can we be good stewards of this wonderful opportunity

God has placed before us? How can we send out missionaries who

will survive and thrive? One crucial key is to deepen our under-

standing of the biblical basis of missions. If we are going to

multiply missionaries who will faithfully and effectively proclaim

the gospel, we must be firmly convinced that missions is God’s

idea.

The purpose of this book, then, is to help you explore key pas-

sages in Scripture that relate to world evangelization. Along the

way we will seek to answer questions such as these:

• Why missions?

• How do the nations fit into God’s plan of redemption?

• What is the heart of the missionary enterprise?

• What is the mission of the Church?

• What is the role of the Holy Spirit in world evangelization?

• Do we have a right to evangelize those of other religions?

INTRODUCTION

14

As you will discover, the biblical basis for missions does not just

rest on a few Great Commission passages. Rather, it rests on the

entire Bible. As John Stott has written:

Our mandate for world evangelization, therefore, is the whole

Bible. It is to be found in the creation of God (because of which

all human beings are responsible to him), in the character of

God (as outgoing, loving, compassionate, not willing that any

should perish, desiring that all should come to repentance), in

the promises of God (that all nations will be blessed through

Abraham’s seed and will become the Messiah’s inheritance), in

the Christ of God (now exalted with universal authority, to

receive universal acclaim), in the Spirit of God (who convicts

of sin, witnesses to Christ, and impels the church to evangelize)

and in the Church of God (which is a multinational, missionary

community, under orders to evangelize until Christ returns.)4

[emphasis mine]

I know that’s a long sentence, and it’s a bit difficult to grasp all

that Stott is saying in just one reading. Read slowly through his

statement again and note his main points carefully. Essentially what

he’s saying is that the imperative for missions permeates the entire

Bible. To paraphrase:

• It is found in the creation of God. Because we were all

created by him, we are all responsible to Him.

• It is found in the character of God. As we read through the

Bible we learn that God is outgoing, loving, and compassion-

ate. We see that he is a seeking God who doesn’t want any to

perish but all to come to repentance.

• It is found in the promises of God. The first promise, for

example, is part of the Call of Abram (later renamed Abraham)

in Genesis 12. God promised Abram that all nations would be

blessed through him.


15

• It is found in the Christ of God. Christ has been exalted to a

position of universal authority and deserves the worship and

obedience of all people.

• It is found in the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit’s work in the

world is not just that of teaching and encouraging believers.

He is also convicting people of sin, empowering witness of

Christ and mobilizing the church in evangelism.

• It is found in the Church of God. The church is made up of

people of many nations. And by its very nature the church is

to be a missionary community. It is under orders to evangelize

until Jesus returns.

Who Should Read This Book?

Asian Missionaries As you study through the passages here,

my desire is that God would strengthen

your convictions. It is my prayer that he would use your study of

his word to renew your zeal for declaring his glory among the

nations—with boldness, love, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is not only important for your own spiritual health and

fruitfulness. You also have a responsibility to pass on a vision for

missions among those to whom God has sent you to minister.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if God raised up missions movements in

all the countries of Asia?

Pastors Pastors, many of you may be like the frustrated Pastor

Danny from San Fernando in the story. You sincerely

desire for your church to become a Great Commission Church, but

you don’t have the resources that would enable you to preach on

missions from various parts of the Bible. This book is for you!

The approach in this book is not to provide you with sermon

outlines, as valuable as those might be. Rather the strategy here is

to help you discover truth on your own. Hopefully, by the time

INTRODUCTION

16

you’ve finished studying and praying through one of the passages

with the help of this book, you will be prepared to communicate

the main truths of those verses to your congregation.

Students, Church Workers

and Fellow-Believers This book is also for you. It can help

you get to know God more intimately,

understand more clearly the importance of reaching the nations,

and become part of his program of world evangelization. If the

Philippines is truly going to become an “Antioch of Asia,” we not

only need missionaries and missions-minded pastors. We also need

thousands of Great Commission Churches filled with missions-

minded members. You, too, have a key role to play!

Missions Teachers Books on missions theology and the bibli-

cal basis of missions are essential. I use

them myself. But wouldn’t you like a resource that will help your

students work through key missions passages in the Bible on their

own? This book can help to meet that need. In the Bibliography,

you will also find a list of missions resources that I’ve found to be

particularly valuable.

Let me know which books God has used to give you a heart for

missions. I welcome your response. Let’s work together to build a

strong missions movement in the Philippines for his glory!

How to Use This Book

Although this book can be used for individual study, you will gain

the greatest benefit if you discuss your ideas in a small group. So

if you can, find a few other people who will study through these

passages with you. Your study will be more fruitful and enjoyable

as you discover God’s truth together.

Most chapters deal primarily with just one passage. Be sure to

take time to pray and carefully read the passage several times


17

before you begin answering the questions. Ask God to open your

mind and heart to his truth.

The questions are designed with several purposes in mind. First,

of course, we need to learn the basic facts related to the passage:

who, what, when, where, why, and how. Second, we want to

understand the basic teaching of the passage. What is God saying

through these verses? Third, it is important that we see the

relevance of the verses to world evangelization.

Finally, our study is not complete unless we consider ways in

which we can apply what we’re learning to our lives and in our

churches. And for those who would like additional study, a special

section is included at the end of each chapter just for you—

Digging Deeper. This study is designed to be heart-warming, mind-

stretching and feet-moving!

Are you ready? Let’s begin with the book of beginnings.

INTRODUCTION

18

“Safety does not depend on our conception of the absence

of danger. Safety is found in God’s presence, in the center

of his perfect will.”1

T. J. BACH

1881-1963, Venezuela

It had been an

enjoyable trip

visiting relatives,

but Linda was glad

to be home. She had

missed her husband

and children. Strain-

ing with her bag

full of pasalubongs,2

she smiled as she

thought of the

happiness her gifts

would bring.

Why is it that a pasalubong means so much? Because it says that

someone cares. It means that someone was thinking about you. Did

He was Thinkingof You

Genesis 11:1–12:9

1

you know that God was thinking about you a long, long time ago?

It’s true that aggressive outreach to Gentiles (non-Jews) didn’t

begin until after the Church was born. But all nations were on

God’s heart from the very beginning. We can see this in the Call

of Abram in Genesis 12.

Background

The human race did not get off to a great start, did it? First came

the sin of Adam and Eve, and then the sin of Cain. The situation

eventually became so bad that “The Lord was grieved that he had

made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain” (Genesis

6:6). He sent a flood that wiped out everyone except Noah and a

few members of his family. But even after the Flood the situation

did not improve.

Searching the Scriptures

Read Genesis 11:1-9

1 Why did the people want to build a tower? (verse 4)

2 How was their plan an act of disobedience? (verse 4; see also

Genesis 9:1)

3 How did God respond to their disobedience? (verses 5-9)

CHAPTER 1

20

What a mess! Not only are people sinful, but now they speak

different languages and are scattered all over the earth. God

created human beings to know, enjoy and glorify him. But so far in

Genesis we see that his purposes are being thwarted. This sets the

stage for the launching of God’s plan of redemption.

Read Genesis 11:10-26

These verses cover the centuries between the flood and Abram.

The descendants of Shem were called Shemites. This was later

modified to Semites, and would include such peoples as Arabs,

Babylonians, Hebrews, and Phoenicians.

Read Genesis 11:27-32

4 These verses tell us about Abram’s family. Match the names of

the following people with the word that correctly describes their

relationship to Abram:

Terah a. brother

Sarai b. nephew

Nahor c. father

Lot d. wife

Haran e. niece

Milcah f. brother

5 What important information about Sarai3 is given in verse 30?

(We’ll better understand the significance of this information when

we look at the first few verses of Genesis 12. Feel free to take

a peek now if you like!)

HE WAS THINKING OF YOU

21

6 Who accompanied Abram to Haran?

Read Genesis 12:1-3 — The Call of Abram4

7 State in your own words the LORD’s call to Abram.

8 When did the Lord first give this command to Abram? (see Acts

7:2-3)

9 What did the Lord promise to do for Abram? (verses 2-3) How

does God’s gift to Abram compare with what Abram had left?

10 Do you think Abram would have had any difficulty believing

God’s promises? (see 11:30)

11 How would you have felt if you had been in Abram’s situation?

CHAPTER 1

22

12 What did the Lord promise to do through Abram? (verses 2-3)

13 What do you think God meant when he promised to bless all

peoples on earth through Abram? (verse 3; see Acts 3:25-26

and Galatians 3:6-9)

14 How are you and your church seeking to be a channel of bless-

ing to the nations?

Read Genesis 12:4-9

15 How did Abram respond to God’s call?

16 In what ways would it have required faith for Abram to obey

God’s call?

17 What additional promise did God make in verse 7?


23

Ultimately, the

blessing promised

through Abram is the

sending of Jesus Christ

to be the Savior of all

peoples. Abram didn’t

understand that, of

course. He had only

the vaguest notion of

how he would be a

blessing to the nations.

But looking back at

Genesis 12 in the light

of New Testament

revelation, we can see

that God was thinking of the blessing of salvation. And not just for

the Jews, but for all peoples!

The passages we’ve just studied can be pictured as an hourglass.

Starting broadly with the nations in Genesis 10, we move to the

Shemites in chapter 11. The focus narrows to the family of Terah

at the end of chapter 11, and then narrows further to Abram in

Genesis 12.

God never intended, however, that his blessing would end with

Abram and his descendants. Rather, his plan was that Abram and

Israel would become a channel of blessing to all peoples. This plan

culminated in the sending of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

With millions of Christians and over 30,000 evangelical churches,

the Philippines has received that blessing. We share in the blessing

of Abram! God was thinking of you!

And yet God’s plan to bless all nations is still not fulfilled. There

are still thousands of barangays that do not have even one evangel-

ical church. Furthermore, there are still many people groups in

the Philippines and Asia that do not yet have access to the blessing

of salvation because there is not yet a church in their own language

CHAPTER 1

The Nations

The Shemites

Terah’s Family

Abram

Israel

All Peoples

24

and culture. As a matter of fact, most of the world’s Unreached

People Groups5 (UPGs) are in Asia—about 60%! It’s our privilege

and responsibility to be a channel of blessing to them.

And just think. As we become involved in missions we have a

part in fulfilling God’s promise to Abram given 4000 years ago! We

have a part in extending the blessing of salvation to the nations.

� � � �

Digging Deeper

1 God’s promise to Abram is repeated in a number of other

passages. Read the following passages to see how the original

promise was expanded and reaffirmed to Abraham and his

descendants.

• God’s promises to Abram (Abraham): Genesis 13:14-17;

15:1-21; 17:1-22; 18:16-19; 21:8-13; 22:15-18.

• God’s promises to Isaac: Genesis 26:1-6; 26:23-24.

• God’s promises to Jacob: Genesis 28:10-15; 35:9-13;

46:1-4; 48:1-4.

• God’s promises to Moses: Exodus 3:1-10; 6:1-8.

2 Abraham is consistently portrayed in Scripture as a man of faith.

See Romans 4:1-25; Galatians 3:6-9; Hebrews 11:8-19. How

can we follow his example?


25

3 In Acts 3 a crowd gathers at Solomon’s Colonnade after the

healing of the man crippled from birth. In his sermon to the

crowd of Jewish listeners, Peter makes reference to the promise

of blessing for all peoples which had been given to Abram and

the other patriarchs so many years before. In Acts 3:25-26 Peter

says,

“And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant

God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham,

‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be

blessed.’ When God raised up his servant, he sent him

first to you to bless you by turning each of you from

your wicked ways.”

Have you ever thought of blessing in this way—the blessing

of being turned from our wicked ways? We normally think of

blessing in terms of good health, friends, and material benefits.

But consider what a blessing it is that God has turned us from

sin and self to enjoy and serve him (see also Acts 11:18; Romans

2:4). Take a moment to reflect on this wonderful blessing and

thank God for it in prayer.

CHAPTER 1

26

“We need to look resolutely away from the impossibilities and

to the Lord. His help will come, though often it cannot break

through to us until the last moment.”1

ISOBEL KUHN

1901-1957, China

Searching for Gold2

“So this is what it’s like to die.” With his leg trapped under

a boulder, Boyet knew that the end was near. With his

fingers he felt in his pocket for the gold nugget he’d found. He

laughed bitterly. Of what use was it now?

When he’d joined the tour to the old mine near Baguio City, he

had just been looking for an interesting diversion. The mine had

been shut down years before when it was no longer cost-effective

to dig out what little gold was left. It now brought a little income

to its owner by hosting guided tours.

Leading them through the labyrinth of tunnels, the guide had

instructed the group to follow closely and not pick up any gold.

The warning was unnecessary, since this part of the mine had long

From Darknessto Light

Exodus 19:1-61 Peter 2:9-10

2

CHAPTER 2

since been stripped of any precious metal. But it set Boyet’s mind

to wondering, “Is there still any gold in some of the smaller

tunnels?”

It hadn’t been difficult to separate himself from the larger group.

He simply drifted to the back of the line and eventually turned off

the lamp in his miner’s helmet. Then, having waited for the group

to move on, he turned the lamp back on and struck off on his own

down a side tunnel.

For the first few hours he was caught up in the thrill of exploring

forbidden places. “What if I actually find a nugget?” he thought

with excitement. “What if I find a nugget as big as a lanzones3—

as big as a mango? I’ll be rich!” He laughed at his own foolishness,

28

knowing that the odds of finding anything more than a little gold

dust were almost non-existent. But the lure of instant wealth led

him on, his conscience objecting feebly in the back of his mind.

Occasionally he would see something sparkle but closer exam-

ination would reveal that it was only quartz or moisture on the

rocks. Pausing for a rest on a stone shelf, he absentmindedly stirred

the rubble at his feet with the toe of his boot. He couldn’t believe

it when his half-hearted efforts uncovered a misshapen lump of ore

with yellow highlights.

He picked it up and was surprised at how heavy it was. Could

it really be gold? Could the miners have somehow overlooked it?

He couldn’t believe his good fortune. Pocketing his treasure, he

began retracing his steps. All he had to do now was make his way

back to the entrance of the mine and slip out while no one was

looking.

He began to think of what he would do with the money he would

get from the sale of his gold. How much was it worth, anyway?

Maybe he could buy a CD player. Or a computer. Or even a car!

Because of his excitement he failed to notice that the lamp in his

helmet was growing gradually dimmer. Finally, perceiving that the

tunnel seemed to be getting darker, Boyet told himself that it was

just his imagination. But when his lamp became so dim that he

could hardly see the floor of the tunnel he was forced to face the

awful truth.

How could he have been so stupid? He’d never even thought to

find out how long the battery would last. Finally his lamp went out

and Boyet felt himself caught in the cold grip of fear. He was deep

inside a maze of unused tunnels, without a map and without a light.

He took off his helmet and shook it in a vain attempt to revive the

spent battery. Finally he threw the helmet down in disgust.

The darkness was like a heavy blanket, threatening to smother

him. He breathed deeply in an effort to control the panic that was

rising in him. “All I have to do,” he said aloud, “is go back the way

I came. But which way is that?”

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT

29

He slowly groped his way forward, arms stretched out to touch

the walls on either side. “Aray!” The blow where he’d struck his

head on the rock overhang sent him reeling. Reaching up, he could

feel the knot that was already beginning to form on his forehead.

He cursed at his stupidity in leaving his helmet behind, but was

afraid to look for it now.

Disoriented and frightened, he decided to simply sit and wait.

Surely help would come sooner or later. His friends would miss

him and would send a search party.

Now that he was no longer moving he began to feel the cold. He

also became aware of little sounds that he hadn’t noticed before.

Water trickling down the damp walls. The clatter of little pebbles

as rocks shifted somewhere in the deep recesses of the mine. Even

small sounds seemed to echo off the hard rock walls.

“Are there bats in here?” he wondered. “Or snakes?” He tried

not to think about the possibilities. With aching head and tired

limbs he finally drifted into a fitful sleep.

When he awoke hours later he thought he was dreaming. How

could he be awake if he couldn’t see? Then the memory of his

predicament came back to him with a sickening certainty. He was

lost and no one was coming to get him. If he were to make it out

alive, he would have to do it on his own.

Ignoring the protests of his

aching muscles and empty stom-

ach, he carefully rose to his feet.

Slowly he began again to make

his way forward, being careful to

protect his still-throbbing head.

He didn’t see the open pit in

front of him.

One moment he had been

walking on solid ground. The

next, he was tumbling headlong down a slope of gravel and stone.

He had never experienced such terror in his life. Mercifully, he was

CHAPTER 2

One moment he

had been walking

on solid ground.

The next, he was

tumbling headlong

down a slope of

gravel and stone.

30

knocked unconscious by the fall and didn’t immediately feel the

worst of his injuries.

When he finally regained consciousness he was more aware than

ever of his thirst, and of a terrible pain in his right leg. He tried to

get up, only to find that his leg was pinned under a huge boulder,

evidently one that had been dislodged by his fall. The jolt of pain

that shot through his body made him cry out in agony. But even

that was not as bad as the growing awareness that now he was

indeed without hope. He would die and no one would ever know

what happened to him.

Why did he ever come on this tour? Why was he so foolish as

to sneak off on his own? If he ever got out he vowed he’d never

have anything to do with gold. If he ever got out. What a joke.

There was no hope now. None at all. Tears of anger and regret ran

down his cheeks.

Passing in and out of consciousness, he didn’t know how much

time had passed. When awake, he shivered with the cold and the

spasms of torn muscles. He dreamed of warmth and food. He could

hear someone calling him. “Am I dying?” he thought. “Am I hallu-

cinating?” His tired mind could hardly comprehend what he was

hearing.

“Boyet! Boyet!” The voices came louder now. With a jerk he

snapped awake. It wasn’t a dream. Someone had come!

Through cracked lips he tried to answer. “I’m here! I’m here.”

His voice came in pitiful, weak gasps. He was terrified that they

would not hear him. Gathering his last bit of strength he shouted

as loud as his injured ribs would allow, “I’m here.” The last thing

he remembered as he again fell unconscious was lights coming closer,

shouts, ropes, strong hands and then blackness.

Boyet awoke in the hospital to see Nestor, a friend from school,

sitting on a chair near his bed. “So, you’re finally awake. How do

you feel?”

“Like I’ve been run over by a jeepney going to market,” answered

Boyet. “But I’m alive. I can’t believe it. I was sure that I was going


31

to die. And then I heard voices. Who was it that rescued me?”

With a seriousness that Boyet didn’t fully understand Nestor

answered, “Mr. Tancoco, the owner of the mine, sent a search party.

As a matter of fact, he sent his own son to lead the rescue because

no one knows the mine better than him.”

“That’s amazing! Where is he? I need to express my gratitude to

him.”

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” Nestor replied. “When they

shifted the boulder that was on your leg it caused other rocks to

shift. Mr. Tancoco’s son was crushed under the landslide.”

The sense of shame and guilt that filled Boyet’s soul was more

than he could bear. What could he possibly say to Mr. Tancoco?

“I’m sorry I wandered off in your mine to look for gold. I’m sorry

that it was because of me that your son is dead. Sorry po.” He knew

that no apology could make up for Mr. Tancoco’s loss. Out loud

he mumbled, “What am I going to do?”

Nestor gave him a strange look and said, “You won’t believe it,

but Mr. Tancoco said he forgives you.”

Boyet’s eyes opened wide in surprise as his friend continued, “I

know. I don’t really understand it myself, but that’s what he said.

He forgives you. Oh, and there’s something else. He said that you

are to keep the memory of his son alive. Until the day you die, you

are to tell people what his son did for you.”

Background

The Israelites have been miraculously delivered from slavery in

Egypt. After 400 years in bondage they have finally been set free!

By the time they arrive at Mt. Sinai they have seen the Lord’s power

demonstrated in many ways:

• in the 10 plagues (Exodus 7:14 – 12:30)

• in the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14)

• in the purifying of the water at Marah (Exodus 15:22-26)

CHAPTER 2

32

• in the provision of manna and quail (Exodus 16)

• in the provision of water from the rock (Exodus 17:1-7)

• and in the defeat of the Amalekites. (Exodus 17:8-16)


Read Exodus 14

1 Imagine you’re one of the Israelites. If you had just experienced

this fantastic deliverance from Egypt followed by the miraculous

crossing of the Red Sea, what thoughts and emotions would be

going through your mind?

Read Exodus 19:1-6

2 How long had it been since the Israelites4 had left Egypt?

(verse 1)

3 Where did this conversation between God and Moses take place?

(verses 2-3)

4 In verse 4 the LORD refers to things he had done in Egypt which

the Israelites had seen. Name some of those things. (Read

Exodus 7:14-12:30 to refresh your memory.)


33

5 In verse 4 the LORD instructs Moses to remind the Israelites of

how he had carried them on eagles’ wings. This is a beautiful

description of God’s tender care. Just as an eagle stirs up its nest

to force the young eaglets to fly, but carefully catches any who

fall, so the Lord led the nation of Israel out into the wilderness—

out of the safety of what was familiar. And yet he was always

with them, watching over them, ready to help them. Read through

Exodus 15-17 and list the ways in which the Lord cared for the

Israelites.

6 Why do you think God reminded the Israelites (through Moses)

of what he had done in Egypt? What is the connection between

this reminder and the statements that follow? (verses 4-6)

7 In verse 5 God calls Israel his treasured possession .5 What ideas

are communicated by this phrase?

8 God also said that the Israelites were to be a kingdom of priests.

This means that, like priests, the entire nation was to be conse-

crated to the Lord and his service. But that’s not all. One of the

basic functions of a priest was to represent God to others. In

what sense do you think the Israelites were to be a kingdom of

priests? To whom were they to represent the Lord? (verse 6;

see also Genesis 12:3)

CHAPTER 2

34

9 The third phrase used to describe the Israelites is holy nation.6

The basic meaning of holy is to be separate or set apart. In what

way was Israel to be set apart? (verses 5-6)

Unfortunately, for the most part the nation of Israel failed in its

responsibility to represent God to the nations. They repeatedly fell

into sin and idolatry, and viewed the nations around them as

enemies rather than objects of God’s concern.

God’s plan was temporarily frustrated, but not terminated. The

Church eventually inherited the role of being a mediator to the

nations. This truth is brought out in 1 Peter 2:9-10, a passage which

borrows several phrases from the passage we’ve just studied. As

you read, note the parallels.

Read 1 Peter 2:9-10

10 What phrases does Peter use to describe Christians in verse 9?

Incorporating what you’ve already learned from our previous

study of Exodus 19, write a brief explanation of each phrase in

the chart on the next page.7


35

11 According to verse 9, why are we a chosen people and a royal

priesthood? For what purpose are we a holy nation and a people

belonging to God?

12 In verse 10 Peter borrows some phrases from the book of Hosea.8

Since we are the people of God, how should we live?

CHAPTER 2

PHRASE MEANING

36


In what ways has God’s mercy been shown to you?

•

•

•

It is clear in the immediate context that Peter intended these

truths to motivate his readers to “declare the praises of him who

called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” These truths

are to result in proclamation! What could be more logical? If we’ve

been brought out of darkness into the light—out of death into life—

it is only natural that we would want to share that good news.

In the parable at the beginning of this chapter, Boyet was over-

joyed that he had been rescued. He had thought for sure he was

going to die. He knew that he didn’t deserve the kindness of Mr.

Tancoco, and he would forever be grateful for the sacrificial love

demonstrated by Mr. Tancoco’s son.

We can easily imagine what Boyet told his friends, or anybody

else who would listen. “You won’t believe what happened to me.

I was lost in this deep, dark mine with my leg pinned beneath a

huge boulder. I thought for sure I was going to die. But Mr. Tancoco’s

son led a rescue party to get me out. He gave his life for me. For

me!”

In Colossians 1:13-14 Paul writes these wonderful words:

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness

and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in

whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

37

Do we need a special command to make us tell what God has

done? Of course not! No more than Boyet needed a command to

tell people how good Mr. Tancoco had been to him. When we receive

a marvelous gift from someone, it is only natural that we would

want to tell others of the kindness and generosity of the giver.

Here we are at the heart of missions—declaring the praises of

God. Telling how good and gracious he is. Every true Christian has

experienced grace beyond measure—beyond understanding. Every

Christian knows something of the goodness and greatness of God,

and this good news needs to be shared.

Ask God to give you an opportunity this next week to tell some-

one of what he has done for you.

� � � �

Digging Deeper

1 Like Boyet, we too were in darkness—lost in spiritual darkness.

Read Ephesians 2:1-10 and reflect upon how wonderfully

gracious God has been to you.

2 One recurring theme in Peter’s first letter is that of holiness.

Read through the letter and note the various ways in which Peter

exhorts his readers to live holy lives. What is the connection

between holy living and declaring God’s praises?


38

“Self-distrust is good, but only if it leads to trust and faith in

God. Otherwise it leads to spiritual paralysis, inability and

unwillingness to undertake any course of action.”1

JOJO MANZANO

Director, Philippine Home Council of OMF

Alone in the City

“You’ll make new friends. Just wait. You’ll see.” That’s what

Josefina’s parents had said when they moved from Calinan

to Davao City. Her father had been working for a pineapple plan-

tation but had come to Davao looking for a better job.

It had been hard for Josefina. A native Manobo, she spoke

Cebuano with an accent that did not go unnoticed by her class-

mates at her new school. It wasn’t that they were openly critical,

but nonetheless Josefina could sense their disdain.

She acted like she didn’t care about others—like she was happy

to be by herself, eat lunch by herself, walk home by herself. The

truth, of course, was that she longed to join in their activities and

be accepted. But it seemed that an unseen barrier was keeping her

out.

There’s aWelcome Here

2 Chronicles 6:32-33

3

CHAPTER 3

She felt like someone on the other side of a thick glass

window. She could see the people inside laughing and having

fun, telling stories and sharing confidences. But they treated her

like she wasn’t even there.

One morning, when she arrived at school, Josefina saw her

classmates Marivic and Bing, heads together, reading a note and

chattering excitedly. Looking up, they spotted Josefina making her

way down the hall.

“Guess what, Jo. Merla is having her 16th birthday party, and

we’re invited. Did you get an invitation?”

With her attractive appearance and buoyant personality, Merla

was one of the most popular girls at school. And as the daughter

40

of a local physician, her party was sure to be the social event of the

month. Every girl in her class would be coveting an invitation.

Josefina’s cheeks burned with shame at the deliberate attempt

to humiliate her. What could she say? There was no way of answer-

ing their question without prolonging the embarrassment.

Just as she was about to stutter a reply she felt a hand on her

shoulder. Turning, she found herself looking into the smiling face

of Merla. “Hi, Jo! I’ve been looking for you. I’m having a birthday

party this Saturday, and I want you to come. As a matter of fact,

I want you to be my special guest.”

Background

How would you feel if you were Josefina? Have you ever been in

that kind of situation? Have you ever felt ignored or unwelcome?

It’s a painful feeling, isn’t it?

Although it was God’s intention to use Abraham and his descen-

dants to bless all peoples, for most of their history the Israelites

showed little concern for the nations around them. One of the

encouraging exceptions, however, is King Solomon.

As you’ll recall, it was Solomon, David’s son, whom God chose

to build his temple. Upon completion of this magnificent edifice,

Solomon made a lengthy prayer of dedication. Tucked away in this

prayer are some verses which show that Solomon understood that

God’s purpose encompassed more than just the Jews. He recog-

nized that God also wanted the Gentiles to know him.


Read 2 Chronicles 6:12-21

1 Write down the main idea for the sections in the chart on the

next page. (The first is filled in as an example.)

THERE’S A WELCOME HERE

41

6:12-13 Preparation for the prayer

6:14-15

6:16-17

6:18-21

Read 2 Chronicles 6:22-42

2 Did you notice that in verses 22-39 Solomon anticipates various

kinds of requests that will be made in the temple he has just

built? Some of these prayers will be cries of help in times of

punishment for sin. Others have to do with grace toward for-

eigners, wisdom in judging a dispute, or assistance in war.

Match the following passages with the descriptions on the

right. Write the letter of the description on the line beside the

passage it matches. (Note that the list is continued on the next

page.)

PASSAGE DESCRIPTION

6:22-23 a. Assist us when we go to war

6:24-25 b. Sin, no rain; prayer, repentance: hear

and forgive

6:26-27 c. Sin (implied), disaster, disease, enemies;

prayer, repentance: hear and forgive

6:28-31 d. Sin, exile; prayer, repentance: hear and

forgive

MAIN IDEA

CHAPTER 3

SECTION

42

6:32-33 e. Conclusion

6:34-35 f. Sin, defeat by an enemy; prayer,

repentance: hear and forgive

6:36-39 g. Help us judge a dispute

6:40-42 h. Answer the prayer of a foreigner

3 Now let’s take a closer look at verses 32-33. What phrases does

Solomon use to describe the foreigner? (verse 32)

4 What is it that will cause the foreigner to come to the temple?

(verse 32)

— because of your:

•

•

•

The word name in Scripture is often used to represent

the person himself or herself. God’s name is not only

his identity but his reputation. So the phrase because of

your great name in verse 32 could be paraphrased

because of what they’ve heard about you—your charac-

ter and deeds.”


43

5 The phrase your mighty hand and your outstretched arm is a

reference to God’s power on behalf of his people, particularly as

seen in the Exodus.2 Write a short sentence that summarizes the

main ideas being expressed by the phrases you listed in #4.

6 What was the basic request that Solomon made of the Lord in

verse 33?

7 Why did Solomon make this request? What purpose did he have

in mind? (Hint: a purpose clause is often introduced by the phrase

so that.)

In praying that all the peoples of the earth would know

God’s name, Solomon is not thinking of a specific name

of God. He is essentially praying that they may know

you.

8 How extensive is this prayer in verses 32-33? In other words,

who is included?

CHAPTER 3

44

9 Write a paraphrase of verses 32-33.

10 Unlike the nation of Israel, God’s presence today is not espe-

cially located in a particular building, but in the community of

believers. Like Israel, however, God’s presence should be mani-

fested in such a way that non-Christians are attracted to the

Church and ultimately to Christ.

Solomon anticipated that Gentiles would be attracted to the

temple by hearing of God’s wonderful character and mighty

works. How can God’s character and works be seen in the

Church?3

11 Consider the local church of which you are a member. In what

ways are God’s character and power evident in your assembly?

12 Look at your church through the eyes of an unbeliever. If you

were not a Christian, what is there about your church that would

attract you to God?


45

13 Is there anything about your church that you think might alien-

ate non-Christians—things that obscure God’s character and

power? If so, can these things be eliminated? How can your

church become more attractive to non-Christians?

14 Even in the midst of praying for Israel, Solomon expressed

concern for the nations. It wasn’t enough that Israel worship

and follow Yahweh. Reflecting God’s desire, Solomon wanted

all peoples to recognize Yahweh as the one true God—to know

him and live in reverence and awe of him.

Is intercession for the nations a regular part of your prayers?

Is it a part of the prayers of your church? If so, great! If not,

begin now to include prayer for the nations in your personal

and church prayer life.4

Alone No Longer

For a moment Josefina was speechless. Then she stammered, “You

want me to come to your party? You really mean me?”

“Yes!” responded Merla with a quick hug. “I want you to come.”

“But you hardly know me,” persisted Josefina.

“True. And that’s precisely why I’m inviting you—so I can get to

know you better. My party isn’t just for old friends, but for new

friends, too. Everyone’s invited, and that includes you!”

� � � �

CHAPTER 3

46


Digging Deeper

Two additional passages which speak of the temple as a house of

prayer for all nations are Isaiah 56:1-8 and Mark 11:15-19. Medi-

tate upon these passages for further insights on God’s concern for

all peoples.

Read Isaiah 56:1-8

1 What evidence is there in this passage of God’s concern for the

nations?

Read Mark 11:15-19

2 Why was Jesus angry with those who were buying and selling

in the temple area? (Note: this was taking place in the Court

of the Gentiles—the only part of the temple in which Gentiles

could come to worship God.)

3 How were the money changers and animal sellers hindering God’s

purpose as revealed in Isaiah 56:7?

47

“But whenever I can say, ‘Thy will be done, teach me to do

thy will, O God, for thou art my God;’ it is like throwing ballast

out of an air-balloon—my soul ascends immediately, and light

and happiness shine around me.”1

HENRY MARTYN

1781-1812, Missionary to India and Persia

Tale of Two Sons

“Come on, Reggie. We’ll be late for class,” Alvin said impa-

tiently.

Reggie picked up his backpack, grabbed one last pandesal 2 from

the kitchen, and ran out the door of his uncle’s house in Sta. Mesa.

It was still dark outside, but the brothers needed to leave early if

they were going to make it on time for their early morning classes

at the University of Santo Tomas.

The sky in the hills over Antipolo was already painted with a

red glow by the time the twins walked the short distance to Quezon

Blvd., named after the first president of the Commonwealth of

the Philippines. From there it was only two jeepney rides to the

campus.

Blessed to Bea Blessing

Psalm 67

4

The oldest university in the Phil-

ippines, UST is still regarded as one

of the best and had a much re-

spected medical school. To Reggie

it still seemed like a dream.

Born in a sleepy

barangay in Kabugao,

Apayao, Reggie and

Alvin were the first

from their town to at-

tend UST. Their father,

Felipe, was a jeepney

driver. Maria, their

mother, taught grade

five students in the

local school.

As boys, Alvin

and Reggie would

sometimes ride

along with their

father. Reggie re-

membered how

grown up it had made him feel the first time his father allowed

him to be the conductor—collecting the fares and returning the

change.

In those days no one would have guessed that the two sons would

one day attend UST. No one, that is, except Felipe and Maria. From

the time the boys were small their mother had instilled in them a

love for reading. “Readers are leaders,” she would say, handing the

boys a book she had bought or borrowed. Only when Reggie was

older did he learn that his mother often skipped her lunch, saving

the extra money to buy books for her children. And that was only

one of many sacrifices made by the boys’ family so that they could

go to school. Felipe often worked seven days a week to provide for

BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING

49

CHAPTER 4

his family’s needs.

As the years passed, it became clear that Alvin and Reggie were

indeed gifted students. Their teachers sometimes gave them addi-

tional assignments to help them reach their potential. And even

when she was tired from teaching, grading papers and preparing

lessons, Maria would take time to talk with them about what they

were learning—challenging them to grow.

One day a medical team from a church in Manila came to

Kabugao. Calling themselves a medical mission, these doctors, nurses

and helpers had come to bring free medical and dental care to an

area that was far from the regional hospital. Reggie was intrigued

that they would use their vacation time and come at their own

expense to help people they didn’t even know. They said it was

because they were Christians.

That encounter had not only marked the beginning of Reggie’s

interest in the Gospel, but of his interest in medicine. As he watched

the team caring for people’s needs with love and compassion, a

dream was born. Reggie would become a doctor.

“A doctor?!” exclaimed Felipe. “But that would take years of

training. How could we possibly afford that?” Then more calmly,

“Son, you know your mother and I want to see you go to college,

but we have to be realistic.”

His mother’s reaction, when she heard of his plans, surprised

him by its forcefulness. “You can do it, Son! I know you can be a

doctor! And you will be an excellent doctor.”

Their enthusiasm was infectious, and soon Alvin declared his

intention of becoming a doctor, too. Having barely recovered from

the shock of Reggie’s news, Felipe was unprepared for Alvin’s

revelation. With a resigned sigh he said, “OK. We’ll send you to

college. I don’t know how, but we’ll try to find a way. And if you

graduate, then we’ll see about medical school. But there’s just one

thing,” he continued with a twinkle in his eye. “When you become

doctors you can buy me a jeepney of my own.”

50

The boys applied themselves to their studies even more. But they

knew that good grades alone would not gain them entrance to the

elite college. Nevertheless, believing that somehow God would

supply their needs, they applied to UST. What an exciting day it

was when they were notified of their acceptance.

There had been moments when their faith had wavered, but little

by little God provided. Help came in various forms: scholarships

from the university and from a men’s civic organization in Kabugao,

money from relatives in Apayao and from a sister working in Riyadh,

Saudi Arabia, a letter from their aunt and uncle inviting them to

stay at their home in Sta. Mesa—with free room and board, and

even the promise of part-time work near the campus. Step by step,

God provided.

And he continued to provide during their years at college and

medical school. Reggie was amazed and humbled at the way so

many people contributed sacrificially for his education. And when

the two boys finally graduated, it seemed half of the people in their

barangay had traveled to Manila to be a part of the occasion.

Both of them outstanding students, Reggie and Alvin received

attractive job offers from hospitals in Manila. Unknown to his fam-

ily, however, Alvin had been making inquiries about opportunities

in Canada. “I can make so much more in Canada,” he eventually

explained. “And then I can buy you that jeepney, Tatay.”3

As the years passed, Alvin married and did indeed establish a

successful practice in Montreal. But it seemed that his bills multi-

plied as quickly as his income, and there was never much left over

to send home. After all, he argued, there was the big house to pay

for, and the cars.

Reggie, meanwhile, worked for a few years in Manila. But then

he surprised his friends by returning to Kabugao. Although he

maintained a clinic at the small hospital, many days he could be

found in outlying barrios—visiting patients or conducting free

clinics.


51

Some of Reggie’s former

classmates couldn’t under-

stand why Reggie would

pass up an opportunity for

wealth and prestige to work

in Kabugao. Wasn’t that

why they’d become doc-

tors?

But those who knew him

best knew exactly why he’d

returned to Apayao. As Reggie himself had stated when he first

opened the doors to his small office, “These are my people. They

sacrificed so that I could become a doctor. And so I have a debt,

not a burdensome debt, but a debt of gratitude. I may not become

wealthy, but I have a deep sense of peace and joy in doing what

God wants me to do. As I see it, I’ve been blessed to be a blessing.”


Read Psalm 67

1 Whereas poetry in some parts of the world is marked by repeti-

tion of sound (rhyming), Hebrew poetry is often characterized

by repetition of ideas. In the Psalms, for example, it’s not

uncommon to see essentially the same idea expressed in various

ways. What phrases or ideas do you see repeated in Psalm 67?

2 What is the basic request of the psalmist in verse 1?

CHAPTER 4

“These are my people.

They sacrificed so

that I could become

a doctor. And so I

have a debt, not a

burdensome debt, but

a debt of gratitude.

52

3 Why does the psalmist make this request? What purpose does

he have in mind? (verse 2)

4 Write a brief paraphrase of verses 1-2.

5 Write the request of the psalmist in verses 3 & 5 in your own

words.

6 How does the psalmist’s request in verse 4 emphasize God’s

sovereignty (supreme power and control)?

As we shall see in the next chapter, it is

right and good that God be glorified

by all nations. He deserves the

praise of all peoples. And

although at first glance it might

seem manipulative and self-

serving to us, it is not uncom-

mon for someone in the Old

Testament to appeal to God’s

concern for his own glory.4

(Indeed, at times God himself

explains his actions as being

for his own name’s sake.5) It

all makes sense, of course, when

we remember that God deserves

to be glorified.


A. Prayer for

God’s Blessing

(vs. 1-2)

B. Prayer that the

Peoples Would

Praise God

(v. 3)

B’. Prayer that the

Peoples Would

Praise God (v. 5)

A’. Results of

Prayer for God’s

Blessing (vs. 6-7)

C. Prayer that the Nations

Would Rejoice in God’s

Sovereignty (v. 4)

53

With this in mind, verses 3-5 can be viewed as a symmetrical

refrain intended to move God to answer the psalmist’s prayer in

verse 1.

The structure of the entire psalm is centered around the state-

ment of God’s sovereignty in verse 4. To an extent, the bottom half

of the psalm can be seen as a mirror of the top half.

Think of the psalm as having its hinge in verse 4. Each section

in the top half has a corresponding section in the bottom half. Verses

1-2 have their answer in verses 6-7. Verse 3 is exactly the same as

verse 5. Verse 4 is the hinge in the middle.

7 In what way is the request of verse 6 an answer to the request

in verse 1?

8 How is the purpose of verse 2 reflected in verse 7?

9 In what ways has God blessed you?

Make a list of the blessings you have received.

10 In what ways has God blessed your church?

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54

11 In what ways is your church being a blessing to the nations?

12 Take a moment now to read the psalm again as a prayer. Let

your heart echo the prayer and praise of the psalmist. Ask God

to bless you and your church that you might be a blessing to the

nations.

13 Write a prayer patterned after Psalm 67 that can be used in

your church to pray for the nations. A sample is included below

to stimulate your thinking, but see if you can write a prayer of

your own. And then ask your pastor if it can be used in one of

your church services. You could even distribute copies to the

congregation as a guide that they can use to pray for the

nations.


55

Prayer for the Nations

Heavenly Father, Lord of the Universe, we praise you

for your love and your power. We thank you that you

have forgiven us, and that you graciously invite us to

present our requests to you.

Lord, we are helpless without you. We cannot be-

come the people you want us to be without your work

among us. And so we ask you to bless us—to shape us

to become more like our Lord Jesus Christ, and enable

us to follow you wholeheartedly.

We do not ask this just for ourselves, Lord. We ask

this for the sake of the nations. We know that it is your

desire for all peoples to praise you, and we desire to

be a part of the fulfillment of that purpose. You deserve

the praise of all peoples, for you made all the nations of

the earth. We long for the day when all peoples will

worship you.

Use us, Father, to bless the nations. Work among us

so that we might be your witnesses among the nations.

Bless us that we might be a blessing.

We ask this in the name of our glorious Lord and

Savior Jesus Christ, believing that this is what he would

want. Amen.

� � � �

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56


Digging Deeper

How do the following passages show that God is sovereign, and

that all nations will eventually worship him?

• Psalm 22:27

• Psalm 46:10

• Psalm 86:9

57

“If we could only remember that God has always gloried in

choosing the foolish things, the weak things, the base things

and the things which are not in order that His power might

be revealed to us in our weakness and through us that the

glory might be all His.”1

KENNETH STRACHAN

1910-1965, Costa Rica

Because He’s God

“I am the greatest!” The

victorious boxer strutted

around the ring, punching the

air with his fists. To the delight

of the adoring crowd, he made

his boastful claim over and over

again, “I’m the best! I’m the

greatest! I’m the champion!”

Whether boxing, basketball,

baseball or football, many professional athletes today regularly taunt

their opponents with arrogant boasting. No longer content to let

Declare HisGlory!

Psalm 96

5

“I am the greatest!”

The victorious

boxer strutted

around the ring,

punching the air

with his fists.

their fans congratulate them on their outstanding performances,

they congratulate themselves.

Deep inside, we know that it’s not right to exalt ourselves.

“Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else,

and not your own lips,” says the writer of Proverbs.2

As the apostle Paul points out, what do we have that we did not

receive?3 Even if we list our accomplishments, we have to admit

that it is not only God who gave us our gifts, but he is also the one

who gave us the strength and opportunity to develop those gifts.

So ultimately he should get the credit for whatever we accomplish.

The simple fact is that we do not deserve to be glorified. But

God does! We have no glory that ought to be declared, but God

DECLARE HIS GLORY!

59

CHAPTER 5

does. God deserves to be exalted and lifted up because of who he

is and what He’s done.

As Tom Wells has written in his excellent book, A Vision for

Missions, “God is worthy to be known and proclaimed for who

He is, and that fact is an important part of the missionary motive

and message.”4 God deserves to be made known simply because

he’s God!

Please take a moment to think about this carefully. When we

consider the various motives for missions, we normally list things

like

• the commands of Christ,

• the fact that people are lost without Christ,

• the fact that God wants the lost found, and

• the imbalance of Christian workers.

Certainly all of these are important.

But perhaps the most fundamental motive for missions is this:

God deserves to be made known simply because he’s God. God is

the only One in the universe who—by nature—deserves to be made

known. And he deserves to be made known among all nations.

The writer of Psalm 96 grasped this concept. As you read this

beautiful psalm, let your soul resonate with the psalmist in praise

to God.


Read Psalm 96

Psalm 96 is divided into two sections: verses 1-6 and verses 7-13.

Each of these sections is also divided into two parts. The basic

structure of the psalm looks like this:

60

A. Call for Universal Praise (verses 1-3)

B. The Reason for Praise: God’s Majesty (verses 4-6)

A’. Call for Universal Praise (verses 7-9)

B’. The Reason for Praise: God’s Righteous Reign

(verses 10-13)

In other words, verses 7-9 continue the thought of verses 1-3.

And verses 10-13 continue the thought of verses 4-6.

1 Now read the psalm again and note the parallelism between verses

1-3 and 7-9, and between verses 4-6 and 10-13. In what ways

are these verses similar?

2 Write down the various words that the psalmist uses to refer to

the nations (verses 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 13).

Read Psalm 96:1-3

3 How extensive is the call to praise in verses 1-3? Who is told to

praise the Lord?

4 What phrase is repeated in the first two verses?

DECLARE HIS GLORY!

61

Read Psalm 96:4-6

5 What reasons are given in verses 4-6 for praising the Lord?

gods — The psalmist is not saying that there really are

any gods besides the LORD. On the contrary, in verse 5

he makes it clear that the gods which are worshiped by

pagans are nothing but idols. And the Bible clearly teaches

here and elsewhere that idols are worthless nothings (see

Isaiah 44:9-20; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6; 10:19-20).

Read Psalm 96:7-9

6 Who is told to ascribe glory to the Lord in verses 7-9?

7 What do you think it means to ascribe glory and strength to the

Lord?

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62

Read Psalm 96:10-13

8 In what ways does the psalmist speak of God’s sovereignty5 in

verse 10?

9 What reasons does the psalmist give in verses 10-13 for why all

nations should glorify God?

10 Why will all creation eventually rejoice? (verses 11-13)

11 The psalmist called upon all nations to praise God for who he

was—for his majestic character. Theologians sometimes refer

to these aspects of God’s character as his attributes. Simply put,

an attribute is something that God has revealed as being true

about himself. For example, God is love. List below some of

the things that you know (from Scripture) to be true about God.

• •

• •

• •

• •

DECLARE HIS GLORY!

63

12 The psalmist also called upon all peoples to praise God for

what he had done—for his marvelous deeds and righteous reign.

List here some of the wonderful things God has done for you.

•

•

•

•

•

13 Take time now to praise God for the things you’ve just listed

in numbers 11 and 12. Rest in his gracious presence and

ascribe to him the glory he deserves.

At the beginning of this chapter you read a statement by Tom

Wells. He wrote, “God is worthy to be known and proclaimed for

who he is, and that fact is an important part of the missionary motive

and message.”6

The second thesis of A Vision for Missions is also profound. Wells

writes, “Those who know the most about God are the most respon-

sible and best equipped to tell of him.”7

You have just listed above some of the things that you know about

God. We know about his character and have experienced his good-

ness and power in our lives. And yet there are millions of people

in this world who do not know God. There are many people groups

(nations) that cannot worship God in spirit and truth. They ought

to be praising him, because the Lord deserves the praise of all

peoples. But they can’t praise him because they don’t know him.

They can’t sing to the Lord and praise his name. They can’t ascribe

to him glory and strength. They cannot rejoice in his gracious,

sovereign rule of the universe. They are still relying on false gods.

They haven’t yet come to know the true God who deserves their

worship.

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64

DECLARE HIS GLORY!

Those of us who do know the Lord have the responsibility to tell

them—to tell them about the wonderful God we know and serve.

It is our great responsibility and privilege to declare his glory among

the nations.

� � � �

Digging Deeper

Read Psalm 97

Picture yourself talking to someone who has never heard about the

one true God. What could you share with this person from Psalm

97? What can we learn from this psalm:

• about God’s character?

• about God’s sovereignty?

• about idols?

• about God’s followers?

65

To the Ends ofthe Earth

Isaiah 49:1-7

6

“Without a doubt there comes to many of us the choice

between a life of contraction and one of expansion; a life of

small dimensions and one of widening horizons and larger

visions and plans; a life of self-satisfaction or self-seeking and

one of unselfish or truly Christ-like sharing.”1

JOHN R. MOTT

1865-1955

Former Chairman

Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions

How Big is Your World?

“Fifty-three, fifty-four, fifty-five.” Pastor Rudy watched in

amusement as his son kicked the homemade sipa2 into the

air. With his sandal twisted around his foot to protect his ankle

from the metal washers, Carlo was sometimes able to keep the sipa

aloft for 80 kicks or more without it hitting the ground.

Lifting his gaze to the mango tree that stood nearby, Pastor Rudy

could see some of the ripening fruit shining golden in the afternoon

sun. They would soon be ready to pick, if only Carlo and his friends

would quit eating them green with bagoong.3

To his left a kalatsutsi4 tree with yellow and white blossoms

was perfuming the air with its sweet fragrance. A few chickens

pecked at the ground beneath the tree. Carlo’s small dog dozed

under a bougainvillea bush, its eyes fluttering open warily when the

chickens came too near.

Pastor Rudy was content. He and his wife, Nona, had moved to

Barangay Olandes sixteen years earlier to plant a church. At first it

had been difficult, but they had persevered. They started outreach

Bible studies wherever people were receptive, and slowly God had

given fruit. Eventually they had been able to gather the new believ-

ers into a fellowship, meeting at first in the shaded front yard of

one of the members. Then they rented a local restaurant for their

TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH

67

Sunday services until finally they had saved enough money to

purchase their own property and erect a small church. Over 160

members now considered Olandes Christian Fellowship their home

church.

Preaching, teaching, discipling, training leaders—it was a lot of

work, but Pastor Rudy enjoyed it. It was his sincere desire to be

a faithful pastor, and he felt that—by God’s grace—he had been

faithful to do what God had called him to do. Hadn’t he and his

church members visited almost every home in Barangay Olandes?

Hadn’t they shared the Gospel with all who were open? What more

could God want?

“Tao po.”5

Pastor Rudy looked up to see a

small woman outside the gate. A

familiar figure in the barangay,6

Saleena was part of a Badjao com-

munity in a neighboring sitio.7

Every afternoon she would make

her rounds selling homemade

snacks. Pastor Rudy and Nona

occasionally bought suman8 or turon9 for the children.

After buying a few items, Pastor Rudy watched reflectively as

Saleena continued down the street. With a discomforting shock it

hit him that he knew almost nothing about her. For years she had

been passing this way. For years he had known of the Badjao living

nearby. But he had never been inside their community. Were they

part of his responsibility too?

He didn’t know where this new awareness would lead, but of

this he was sure: He was determined to be a faithful servant. God

would lead, and God would provide.

CHAPTER 6

A familiar figure

in the barangay,

Saleena was part

of a Badjao

community in a

neighboring sitio.

68

Background

At times God refers to Israel as his servant.10 At other times God

refers to the Messiah (Christ) as his servant. By paying close atten-

tion to the context we can usually determine to whom a “servant

passage” is referring.

Isaiah 49:1-7 is the second of four Servant Songs11 about the

Messiah (Christ). Taken together, these magnificent prophecies give

us a wealth of insights into the Messiah’s character and mission.

And not surprisingly, we see that his mission encompassed more

than just Israel. God’s Servant was also sent to bring salvation to

Gentiles.


Read Isaiah 49:1-7

1 Why do you think the Servant addressed himself to the “distant

nations12” in verse 1? What special relevance did his message

have for them? (See also v. 6)

2 When was Christ given his mission to be the Servant? (verse 1)

3 In verse 2, there are two phrases that refer to judgment as part of

the Servant’s mission. Two other phrases show that the Servant

would be revealed in God’s timing. (See also Galatians 4:4).


69

Match the following phrases with the descriptions that fit best.

(Each of the descriptions will be used twice.)

PHRASES DESCRIPTIONS

___ “He made my mouth like a a) Revealed in

sharpened sword” God’s timing

___ “in the shadow of his hand he b) Judgment

hid me”;

___ “he made me into a polished arrow”

___ “and concealed me in his quiver.”

In verse 3 God calls the servant Israel. And yet we know

from the context that the servant can’t literally be the

nation of Israel because he has a mission to Israel (see

verses 5-6). Most likely, the servant is Israel in the sense

that he (Christ) would fulfill the mission that had origi-

nally been given to them (Israel)—to reflect God’s glory

to the nations around them.

4 What would be the Servant’s ministry to Israel13? (verse 5)

5 How would the nation of Israel respond to the Servant (verses 4

and 7)?

CHAPTER 6

70

6 How is God’s world-sized plan of redemption seen in verse 6?

7 In what sense would Jesus be a light for the Gentiles? (verse 6)

8 Although we clearly see in the Servant Songs that the Servant will

be rejected, how do we know that his mission will ultimately

succeed? (verse 7; see also Isaiah 53:10-12)

9 Paul and Barnabas quoted Isaiah 49:6 when their message was

rejected by the Jews at Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:47). How did

they see their ministry as being consistent with God’s purposes

revealed through the prophet Isaiah hundreds of years earlier?

Passing on the Light

The Servant’s mission was not only to restore Israel, but to be a

light for the Gentiles—to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.

By God’s grace, salvation has been provided for all nations. But not

all peoples have heard this good news.

Perhaps like Pastor Rudy in this chapter’s parable, there are people

of another culture or religion living right near you—Muslims,

Buddhists, Sikhs, Hindus, various tribal groups, international


71

students. The Philippines is a mix of various religions and cultures.

And yet—like a glass of halo halo14—the various cultures do not

always mix.

The monggo15 and white beans, makapuno16 and kaong17 are all

in the same glass with the shaved ice. These are all flavored by the

milk and sometimes topped with leche flan. But the monggo beans

are still monggo beans. The kaong is still kaong. They are not all

blended into some homogeneous paste. Similarly, the various

cultures in the Philippines may live side by side, but they do not

always mix in a meaningful way.

Pastor Rudy realized with some shame that he had been buying

merienda18 from Saleena for years, but knew almost nothing about

her except her name. He resolved to change.

How about you? Are there people of another culture or religion

in your area? Of particular concern are those people groups which

are unreached. Are there any Unreached People Groups in your

barangay or municipality or province?

Why not do a little field work? Take a friend and explore your

town or neighborhood. Ask God to open your eyes to see those

who may have been overlooked by existing church-planting efforts.

And ask God to open your heart to what he wants to do through

you and your church.

� � � �

Digging Deeper

Read the other Servant Songs in Isaiah

(42:1-7; 50:4-9; and 52:13-53:12).

• Write down what you learned about the Messiah from each one.

• What do we learn about the Messiah’s suffering, sacrifice,

resurrection and exaltation?

CHAPTER 6

72

• What do we learn about the Messiah’s mission?

• How do the Servant Songs reveal God’s concern for the Gen-

tiles?

Isaiah 42:1-7

•

•

•

•

Isaiah 50:4-9

•

•

•

•

Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12

•

•

•

•


73

“OBEDIENCE to God’s will is the secret of spiritual knowledge

and insight. It is not willingness to know, but willingness to

DO (obey) God’s Will that brings certainty.”1

ERIC LIDDELL

1902-1945, China

Saint Patrick2 — Missionary to Ireland

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was neither Irish nor

Roman Catholic. He was an Englishman, born in Roman

Britain about A.D. 389.

When he was 16 years old he was taken captive by Irish maraud-

ers in a slave raid. For six years he worked as a shepherd in Ireland.

Although he was a third-generation Christian, it was during his

captivity that his inherited faith became personal and genuine to

him.

He escaped and crossed to France. Eventually Patrick made his

way back to Roman Britain. After about 17 years he received a kind

of Macedonian vision—a dream in which he heard the voice of the

Jonah on theRun

Jonah 1Jonah Flees His Mission

7

JONAH ON THE RUN

Irish saying, “We beseech

thee, holy youth, to come

and walk with us once

more.”

What would you have

done? Would you have

wanted to return to the land

where you had been a

slave—to the people who

had invaded your own

country and taken you as a

captive? Amazingly, Patrick

did return to Ireland

about A.D. 432 and la-

bored there until his

death in A.D. 461.

What motivated

Patrick to return to the

country in which he had

been forced to serve as a

slave? Why would he do

such a thing?

Patrick understood that the

Irish, too, were objects of God’s

concern. Rather than seeing them

as the hated enemy, Patrick saw

them as people who needed to

hear the gospel of God’s love.

Patrick went willingly, eagerly.

But not all witnesses have been

so motivated. In the next four

chapters we will examine the life

of Jonah—the reluctant prophet.

What motivated

Patrick to return

to the country in

which he had

been forced to be

a slave?

75

Background

The events recorded in Jonah occurred in 8 B.C. It was a time of

tremendous upheaval. As Jonah himself had prophesied (2 Kings

14:25), Israel was able to regain territory in the north during the

time of Jeroboam II. Perhaps because they had been able to enlarge

their boundaries, Israel was politically secure and spiritually smug.

They were proud of being God’s chosen people. And far from

being concerned about the Assyrians, the Israelites viewed them as

their enemies. To be fair about it, the Assyrians were hardly the

kind of people you’d want for neighbors.

Known for their cruelty in war, the Assyrians stacked up the

bodies of their victims like pieces of wood, and their heads like

bowling balls. One of their kings, Ashurnasirpal II, cut off the hands,

feet, noses and ears of his captives. Then he put out their eyes.

Could God truly care about such people? Could it really be that

his compassion extended even to people like the Assyrians? This is

the great question that is answered by the book of Jonah.

In studying this book we will learn about Jonah himself. The

only prophet to actually be sent to a heathen nation, he is also the

only prophet who refused his commission.3 What an unfortunate

distinction!

We will learn about Israel, since Jonah typifies the attitude of the

Israelites toward the Gentiles. It is important to remember as we

study this book that it is primarily written as a rebuke of the nation

of Israel for their self-centered complacency and lack of concern

for the nations around them.

Third, we will learn about ourselves. If we’re honest, we will

have to admit that there is something of Jonah in each of us. Most

of us do not naturally love those who are different, especially if

they’ve committed hateful acts against us.

Finally, we will learn about God. Although the story is basically

about Jonah and Nineveh, we can also learn a lot about God

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76

himself from this short book: his sovereignty, power, grace, mercy,

patience and concern for the lost.

Structure

The book of Jonah is organized very symmetrically. In chapters

1-2 Jonah flees his mission. In the last two chapters Jonah fulfills

his mission. Here’s a simple outline that will give you a quick over-

view of the book:

Chapter 1 Jonah Flees

Chapter 2 Jonah Gives Thanks

Chapter 3 Jonah Preaches

Chapter 4 Jonah Sulks

Another outline that you’ll find easy to remember is JAWS.

Jonah Flees

Answered Prayer

Warns of Judgment

Sulks


Read Jonah 1-4

In this chapter we will concentrate on Jonah chapter 1. But take

time first to read through the entire book. Circle words and phrases

that are repeated. Note especially how the themes of God’s grace

and sovereignty are woven throughout the four chapters.

JONAH ON THE RUN

77

Read Jonah 1

1 What did God tell Jonah to do? Why? (verses 1-2)

2 How did Jonah respond?

Tarshish — probably to be associated with Tartessus in

Southern Spain, about 4000 kilometers to the west—

the opposite direction from Nineveh!

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78

3 What were the consequences of Jonah’s action?

4 How do you suppose Jonah felt? What kind of emotions do you

think he was experiencing as he boarded the ship?

5 What was Jonah doing while the sailors were crying out to their

gods?

6 How did the sailors know that Jonah was responsible for the

storm?

7 Why were the sailors terrified when Jonah told them that he

worshiped the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and

the land? (verses 9-10)

8 Do you think Jonah was being noble in telling the sailors to throw

him into the sea to calm the storm? Why or why not? (verses 11-

12)

9 Even after Jonah admitted that he was the cause of their prob-

lems, the sailors continued trying to row to land. Why do you

think they were reluctant to do what Jonah said?

JONAH ON THE RUN

79

10 In what ways do the sailors recognize the sovereignty of the

one true God?4

11 What evidence is there in this chapter of God’s grace?

12 How is God’s grace seen in the commissioning of Jonah?

13 What does this passage teach us about God’s sovereignty—the

fact that he is in control?

14 Can you think of a time when you ran away from God’s will?

How did you feel? What were the consequences?

St. Patrick’s Final Words

St. Patrick’s missionary service involved many power encounters as

he confronted pagan priests and magicians. He was one who lived

with a profound sense of God’s grace and power.

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80

He established monasteries all over Ireland. These were highly

evangelistic, missionary-oriented monasteries in which young men

were equipped to go into the world to spread the gospel. Churches

grew up alongside these monasteries and drew their leadership

from them. God used this humble shepherd to change the history

of Ireland. We can see something of the secret of his usefulness in

the hands of God in Patrick’s final words:

But I pray those who believe and fear God, whosover has deigned

to scan or accept this document, composed in Ireland by Patrick

the sinner, an unlearned man to be sure, that none should ever

say that it was my ignorance that accomplished any small thing

which I did or showed in accordance with God’s will; but judge

ye, and let it be most truly believed, that it was the gift of God.

And this is my confession before I die.5

� � � �

Digging Deeper

Jonah claimed to worship the LORD (verse 7). But his life didn’t

match his profession. Ironically, the sailors are presented in a more

positive light than Jonah. Read the first chapter of Jonah again. List

the ways in which the behavior of the pagan sailors is more godly

than that of Jonah—God’s prophet.

•

•

•

•

•

JONAH ON THE RUN

81

Thank you,Thank you,Thank you

Jonah 2Jonah Gives Thanks

8

“And to the Lord I said, Well, Lord, I have put all these things

under Your blood; so I’ll not be afraid of what people may do

to me. Interesting, isn’t it, that everything we commit to the

Lord seems to have to be tested to see whether our commit-

ment is genuine!”1

HANNA HANDOJO

Indonesian missionary to the Philippines

A Most Unusual Prayer

The wrong-way prophet. Commanded to go and preach against

Nineveh, Jonah instead goes to Joppa and boards a ship headed

in the opposite direction. Did God know that Jonah was going to

disobey when he called him? Of course, and yet God called him

anyway. That’s grace—God’s unmerited favor.

Not only that, God sent a storm to try to redirect his wayward

prophet. That too was an act of grace—chastisement intended to

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU

get Jonah to obey. As we’re told in Proverbs 3:12, “The LORD disci-

plines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.”

Unfortunately, Jonah was so hardheaded that apparently he would

rather die than go to Nineveh. Instead of telling the sailors to turn

around and go back to Joppa, he instructed them to throw him into

the ocean. Was God under any obligation to rescue Jonah? Of course

not. God would have been perfectly within his rights to say, “Jonah,

you would rather die than obey? Okay, I’ll raise up another prophet

who will do as I command.”

Again, however, we see God dealing patiently and graciously with

Jonah. This time his grace and his sovereignty are seen in the send-

ing of a great fish to rescue Jonah from certain death.

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CHAPTER 8

. . . we see God

dealing patiently and

graciously with Jonah.

This time his grace

and his sovereignty

are seen in the sending

of a great fish . . .

84

Jonah was in the belly of

the fish for three days and

three nights.2 During this

unexpected underwater

sojourn he had time to think.

Profoundly grateful that

God had rescued him, he

composed a prayer of

thanksgiving.

Structure

If you look closely, you’ll

notice that chapter 2 is actu-

ally a prayer within a prayer.

In other words, from inside the

fish Jonah prays. And in that

prayer he refers to his pre-

fish prayer—his cry for help

when he was sinking down to

the bottom of the ocean. (I’m

sure that prayer was very

short: Help!) Note also that the

same concepts are mentioned

over and over. This is common

in Hebrew poetry, where

rhyming of sounds was not as important as “rhyming” of ideas.

Repeatedly Jonah refers to his distress, his cry for help, and God’s

answer. This cycle is repeated five times. All three components are

not mentioned in each cycle, but the repetition of the basic themes

are evident nonetheless.

CYCLES IN JONAH 2

Prayer

Distress

God’s

Answer



Read Jonah 2

1 What happened to Jonah after he was thrown overboard?

2 Complete the chart on the next page by entering the phrases

that fit in each category. (Some parts are already filled in to help

you get started.)

Distress — phrases in which Jonah describes his predicament

when he was drowning.

Prayer — phrases which speak of Jonah’s cry for help.

Answer — phrases which refer to God’s answer or deliverance.

Again, all three elements are not present in every cycle. The

shaded boxes indicate that the elements listed at the top of the

chart are not found in those particular verses. Bullets indicate

that several phrases are found in the verses shown at the left for

the category listed at the top. Can you find them all?

85

VERSE

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86

PRAYERDISTRESS ANSWER

2a In my distress I called to the and he answered

Lord me.

2b

3-4 • You hurled me •

into the deep

•

•

•

•

5-6 • The engulfing

waters threatened

me

•

•

•

•

7 •

•


87

3 How has Jonah’s attitude changed from chapter 1?

4 At what point did Jonah finally yield to the LORD? (verse 7)

5 What did Jonah say that shows he recognized God’s hand in his

chastisement?

6 How is God’s grace seen in this chapter?

7 How is God’s sovereignty seen in this chapter?

8 Is there anything that is noticeable in this prayer by its absence?

Is there something that Jonah should have said but didn’t?

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88

9 In verse 8 Jonah says, “Those who cling to worthless idols

forfeit the grace that could be theirs.” This verse sets up a con-

trast with his great confessional statement in the next verse,

“Salvation comes from the LORD.”

What do you think it means to cling to worthless idols? Can

you give an example from our modern-day world?

10 Why are those who trust in idols today forfeiting the grace that

could be theirs?

11 Describe a time when God brought you back after you had

strayed from his will.

12 Write a brief prayer of thanksgiving for God’s loving chastise-

ment and deliverance.

� � � �

Digging Deeper

Peter was another person who knew what it was to fail the Lord

and then be commissioned again for God’s service.

Read John 18:15-18 and 18:25-27

1 Compare Peter’s failure with that of Jonah.

Read John 21:15-22

2 Compare Peter’s restoration with the second commissioning

of Jonah (Jonah 3:1-2).


89

“He is helping me to rejoice in our adverse circumstances,

in our poverty, in the retirements from our Mission. All these

difficulties are only platforms for the manifestation of His

grace, power and love.”1

J. HUDSON TAYLOR

1832-1905, China

The Reluctant Preacher

Tossed about by a violent storm, faced with certain death, swal-

lowed by a great fish, Jonah is finally vomited onto dry land.

What a trip! I wonder if he thought to himself, “There’s got to be

a better way to do this.”

Certainly there was an easier way for God. He could have

chosen a different prophet. God was under no obligation to give

Jonah a second chance. After sparing Jonah’s life, God could have

sent him back to Israel, stripped of his responsibilities as a prophet.

That God continued working with Jonah is a testimony to his

incredible patience and grace.

Repentance inNineveh

Jonah 3Jonah Preaches

9

Depending upon

where Jonah started, it

would have been about

800 kilometers by land

from the coast of the

Mediterranean Sea to

the city of Nineveh (see

map on page 78). Jonah

would have had plenty

of time to think on the

way. Do you suppose he

was eagerly anticipating

his ministry in Nineveh,

Jonah would have had

plenty of time to think

on the way. Do you

suppose he was eagerly

anticipating his ministry

in Nineveh, rubbing his

hands together with glee

at the thought of Nineveh

being destroyed?

REPENTANCE IN NINEVEH

91

CHAPTER 9

rubbing his hands together with glee at the thought of Nineveh

being destroyed? Or was he afraid of what awaited him, thinking

that every step was bringing him closer to a painful death at the

hands of the cruel Ninevites? Or did he have a suspicion that God

might not judge the Ninevites after all?


Read Jonah 3

1 What did God tell Jonah to do this time?

2 How did Jonah respond?

3 Do you think Jonah had sincerely repented of his disobedience

and hardness of heart? Why or why not?

4 Summarize Jonah’s preaching. What was his message?

5 What was the reaction of the Ninevites to the preaching of Jonah?

92

6 How much did the Ninevites know about the Lord? Did they

have any confidence that he would forgive if they repented?

7 What was God’s response to the Ninevites’ repentance?

8 How do we explain this? Does this mean that God changed his

mind? (See Numbers 23:19; Jeremiah 18:7-10)

9 How is the Ninevites’ experience in chapter 3 like that of Jonah

described in 1:17–2:9? In what ways is it different?

10 In what ways is God’s grace seen in this chapter?

11 What evidence is there of God’s sovereignty?


93

God does not change. He keeps his promises. At the same time,

God is not held hostage by his own declaration of impending

judgment. As we saw in the last chapter, God reserves for himself

the right to respond to repentance with forgiveness. It’s not

because he’s fickle, but because he’s gracious. As God declares in

Ezekiel 33:11,

As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take

no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that

they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from

your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?

But how about Jonah? Did he rejoice in God’s forgiveness of the

Ninevites? Having just been shown so much grace himself, was he

glad to see judgment averted and mercy extended to the Ninevites?

The answers are in Jonah chapter 4.

� � � �

Digging Deeper

Isaiah 55:8-9 are two verses which are commonly used to teach

that God is different from us, and of course that’s true. But a closer

look at the context will reveal that Isaiah has something more

specific in mind.

Read Isaiah 55:6-9

1 Summarize the exhortation of verses 6-7.

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94

2 What is the promise made in verse 7?

3 What assurance is given in verses 8-9 for the pardon promised

in verse 7? In other words, why can the repentant sinner expect

forgiveness?

4 In what specific way, then, is God different from us?


95

The PoutingProphet

Jonah 4Jonah Sulks

10

“The Christian life can be exciting or exacting, depending upon

one’s relationship with the Lord, His Word and the Holy Spirit.”1

FLORENTINO DE JESUS, SR.

Missionary to Muslim Mindanao

The Fisherman’s Folly

Lito sat on a small table, a flickering candle lighting the features

of his weather-beaten face. A fisherman by trade, the years

of exposure to sun and sea were evident in his leathery skin. His

hands were rough and calloused from wrestling nets and rigging.

Now these hands held a glass of Tanduay2 in a futile attempt to

drown out the problems that were pressing in on him.

The sound of soft weeping came from the bedroom. His wife,

Perla, had not said much when she’d heard the news, but Lito could

see the despair in her eyes. And when she’d retreated to the

bedroom he felt more alone than ever.

Known as a hard worker and as one who was always faithful to

pay off his debts, Lito had been able to get a loan to build a new

bangka.3 He’d been so proud of his new boat. He named it Perlita

in honor of his wife. Painted blue and white like his house, its

powerful diesel motor would allow him to navigate the islands with

ease.

“Everything had been going so well,” Lito thought to himself.

“And now this.” Lito had felt a little uneasy that fateful morning

when he and his oldest son, Ronaldo, had pushed off from shore.

Something about the deep red in the eastern sky warned of a

possible storm. But he’d seen plenty of storms, he assured himself.

And besides, no work—no money.

The success of the morning’s fishing confirmed his decision. “Look

what we would have missed!” He couldn’t wait to show his catch to

those who had stayed behind, fearful of the weather. “Old women!

Hah! We’ll show them,” Lito boasted.

But then the wind had begun to howl and waves were soon

towering over their small vessel. The typhoon seemed almost to

strike without warning. In desperation they tossed overboard

everything that might lighten the boat. They tried to find shelter in

the lee of a small island, but even there the storm tore at the small

craft. Finally a monster wave finished what the wind had started.

The Perlita was destroyed.

Miraculously, Lito and Ronnie made it to land, clinging to pieces

of wreckage. Neighbors told them they should be glad to be alive,

and Lito knew they were right. But all he could think of was the

loan on his boat. How could he possibly pay that off now? Sure, he

could work for someone else, but that would barely bring in enough

to care for their daily needs—much less pay off the loan. And on

top of that, they’d hoped to send Ronnie to college.

Wild thoughts began to race through Lito’s mind. Maybe they

could sell the house to pay off the loan. Maybe they could just

sneak away and live someplace else. Even dark plans of suicide

floated around the edges of his thinking. Eventually Lito faced the

inevitable—he would have to go speak with Mr. Gonzales and beg

for an extension.

THE POUTING PROPHET

97

Feeling small and insignificant, even in his best clothes, Lito

entered the bank and asked to speak with the manager. His courage

faltered when he saw Mr. Gonzales wearing a fancy barong Taga-

log,4 seated behind an imposing desk made of narra.5 The banker

listened intently as Lito explained what had happened. When Lito

was finished the banker just sat there quietly for a few minutes,

then he rose and retrieved Lito’s papers from the file cabinet. After

reviewing them silently, Mr. Gonzales wrote something at the bot-

tom and signed it. He handed the papers to Lito.

“Paid in Full.” Lito could hardly believe his eyes. He didn’t know

what to say. Finally he stammered, “But how . . . ?”

With a wave of his hand, Mr. Gonzales smiled and simply said,

“Never mind. I’ll take care of it.”

Feeling like he’d just won the lottery, Lito started home. In just

a few short minutes his future had changed from despair to hope.

True, he still had no boat, but at least he wasn’t saddled with the

crushing burden of a debt he could never repay. “Wait till Perla

hears the good news,” he thought to himself.

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98

On the way, he passed by the house of his friend, Sergio. Sergio

had borrowed a couple thousand pesos from Lito to repair his own

bangka. At the time, with all the money he’d gotten through the

loan from Mr. Gonzales, Lito had been happy to help out his friend.

Now he was wishing he still had that money. “Hey, Sergio. Remem-

ber that money you owe me? I want it back by tomorrow. I need it.”

Sergio was stunned by Lito’s cold manner. “Tomorrow?! There’s

no way I can get it by tomorrow. I need more time. Just give me a

little time, Pare,6 and I’ll pay you back.”

Fingering one of Sergio’s

nets, Lito said with a sinister

grin, “It would be a shame if

something happened to your

boat, wouldn’t it? Tomorrow,

Sergio! I don’t care how you do

it. I want my money tomorrow.”

News traveled fast in the

barangay, and it wasn’t long

before Mr. Gonzales heard

about what Lito had done. Calling Lito back to the bank, Mr.

Gonzales looked at him sternly across his desk. “I canceled the huge

debt you owed me. And then you went out and threatened your

friend over a couple thousand pesos? I can’t believe it! How could

you be so hard-hearted?

“Because of what you’ve done,” the banker continued, “you will

pay back every peso you owe me. I don’t care how long it takes.

And don’t try to run away, because wherever you go I will find you.

You will pay!”

“I canceled the

huge debt you owed

me. And then you

went out and

threatened your

friend over a couple

thousand pesos?

THE POUTING PROPHET

99


Read Jonah 4

1 How did Jonah feel about God sparing the Ninevites? What did

he do?

2 Why was Jonah angry? What was his complaint?

3 How did God respond to his angry prophet? What did he do?

4 How are God’s grace and patience seen in this chapter?

5 How is God’s sovereignty seen in this chapter?

6 What was the purpose of God’s object lesson with the vine, the

worm and the wind? What was the Lord trying to get Jonah to

understand? (verses 5-11)

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CHAPTER 10

7 The book ends with a very penetrating question, both for Jonah

and for us. Write a paraphrase of the last question God asked

Jonah: “Should I not be concerned about that great city?”

8 As you’ll recall, the book of Jonah was written first to the na-

tion of Israel as a rebuke. What do you think God was saying to

them through this book, especially through the final question?

9 What do you think God is saying to you through the book of

Jonah?

10 What do you think God is saying to your church?

Have You Seen Jonah?

Why was Jonah so hardheaded? Why was he so reluctant to go to

Nineveh? As we’ve seen in chapter 4, it was not because he feared

the Ninevites. It was because he couldn’t stand the thought of God

being gracious to the Ninevites.

What makes Jonah’s hard-heartedness particularly repugnant

to the reader is that Jonah himself had just been shown so much

grace. He was only too happy to enjoy God’s goodness, mercy and

101

THE POUTING PROPHET

deliverance for himself, but he didn’t want God to show those same

qualities to the despised Ninevites. His lack of love is set off in

stark relief by God’s abundant love shown toward him.

The Israelites, to whom this book was originally addressed, would

have been caught off guard. As they read the book they would have

found themselves shaking their heads in amazement at the ungodly

attitude of Jonah in the first chapter. Perhaps they would even have

laughed at his stubbornness.

As they read chapter two they would have recognized echoes

from the psalms. Now Jonah is sounding more like a proper prophet.

But then as they read the third chapter they would have begun to

become uneasy, and perhaps outright irritated by God’s forgiveness

of the despicable Ninevites. That wouldn’t have been the outcome

they’d have chosen.

In chapter four they would likely have found themselves being

critical of God’s complaining prophet. Too late they would realize

that in condemning Jonah they were condemning themselves. For

like Jonah, the Israelites did not share God’s concern for the

Ninevites. God’s last great question—Should I not be concerned?—

is intended to change Jonah’s heart, the hearts of the Israelites, and

ours.

* * *

One time a Sunday school teacher was telling her young students

the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14). As

you may recall, the Pharisee was very proud of his righteousness.

“The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank

you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—

or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth

of all I get.’” (Luke 18:11-12)

The tax collector, on the other hand, was very aware of his sin-

fulness. His prayer stood in marked contrast to that of the Pharisee.

“He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said,

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102

‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’” (Luke 18:13)

Jesus concluded the parable with these words, “I tell you that

this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who

humbles himself will be exalted.”

The Sunday school teacher ended her lesson by saying, “Now,

children, let’s pray and thank God that we are not like that Phari-

see.”

We laugh, but somewhere at the back of our minds can we hear

a voice whispering: Let’s thank God we’re not like that Sunday

school teacher? The truth is, there’s probably a tendency toward

self-righteousness in all of us. Similarly, there’s also a little of Jonah

in all of us.

To whatever extent we are content to enjoy the riches of God’s

kindness but are reluctant to share the good news with those around

us—to that extent we are like Jonah. When we forget that we have

been blessed to be a blessing we bear a distinct resemblance to the

reluctant prophet.

Have you seen Jonah?

“And while he never forces any one of us, he tenderly

asks us to put our whole heart and soul into the work

of mission. God is still interested in transforming obsti-

nate, irritable, depressive, peevish Jonahs into heralds

of the Good News which brings freedom.”7

JOHANNES VERKUYL

� � � �

THE POUTING PROPHET

103

Digging Deeper

Jonah’s statement in 4:2 has its roots in Exodus 34:6-7. When God

proclaimed his name to Moses he revealed himself as:

The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious

God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,

maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wicked-

ness, rebellion and sin.

Ironically, although Jonah’s theology was correct, his heart was

cold. Instead of rejoicing in this great declaration of God’s grace,

he is actually complaining to God for being a forgiving God. And

it’s because Jonah had a hunch that God would forgive the Ninevites

that he didn’t want to take God’s warning to them. We could para-

phrase Jonah’s complaint in this common expression: Sinabi ko sa

iyo, e!8

Exodus 34:6-7 is reflected in a number of passages in the Old

Testament.9 Read Psalm 145—a glorious song of praise from the

pen of David.

1 What does David teach us about God’s character?

2 How does David’s attitude in proclaiming God’s goodness

compare with the attitude of Jonah?

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104

THE POUTING PROPHET

3 Summarize what you’ve learned about God from the book of

Jonah. Write a psalm in which you extol God for who he is and

what he’s done for you. And ask God to put a sincere song of

praise on your lips. Look for opportunities to tell others about

God’s wonderful love.

105

It’s HarvestTime!

Matthew 9:35-38

11

“If you are sick, fast and pray; if the language is hard to learn,

fast and pray; if the people will not hear you, fast and pray;

and if you have nothing to eat, fast and pray.”1

FREDERIK FRANSON

1852-1908

Missionary to Scandinavia and Germany

The Three Sons

There once was a farmer with three sons. The farmer lived with

his sons near a large rice field in Nueva Ecija.

One day the farmer said to his sons, “Mga anak,2 the harvest is

ready.”

The oldest son looked at the field, yawned and said, “Let’s do it

tomorrow. Anyway, the rice isn’t going anywhere.”

The second son looked at the field, saw that it was indeed ripe,

and went off to meet with his barkada.3 Over many glasses of tuba4

they talked about the best way to harvest the rice. Various strategies

were considered. Their discussion continued for many days, and

they even consulted experts from the Institute of Rice Harvesting.

The third son looked at the field, picked up his panggapas,5

and began to harvest the rice. But after working all day he was

saddened to see that he had

only harvested a fraction of the

rice that was ripe.

The next day he woke up

even earlier and worked hard

all day. Yet at the end of the day

he was again dismayed to see

that most of the rice would be

lost if it was not gathered soon.

“What can I do?” he thought

to himself. “I’m already work-

ing as hard as I can.”

His father was waiting for him when he returned home. “My

son, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. There’s no way

you can bring in the harvest by yourself. You must ask the owner to

IT’S HARVEST TIME!

“My son, the harvest

is plentiful but the

workers are few.

There’s no way you

can bring in the

harvest by yourself.

You must ask the

owner to send others

to help you.”

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CHAPTER 11

send others to help you.”

So the next day the youngest son walked to town and asked the

owner to send some workers to help him. And they came—many of

them. As the son looked at the growing pile of rice his heart swelled

with happiness. The harvest would not be lost.

Finally the day came when the rice was delivered to the owner.

The youngest son couldn’t help but remark, “You know, I thought

we were going to lose the harvest. After all, at first I was the only

one doing the work. There was no one else to help me.”

At that the owner said with a slight smile, “All you had to do was

ask.”

Background

Matthew 10 is the second major discourse (speech) in this gospel.6

It is essentially a set of instructions that Jesus gave to the disciples

when He sent them out. In 9:35-38 Matthew sets the stage for the

commissioning of the disciples by highlighting the need of Israel

and the compassion of Jesus. That compassion is seen not only in

Jesus’ command to petition the Lord of the harvest for more work-

ers, but in the sending of the Twelve in chapter 10.

As you read Matthew 9:35-38, picture yourself standing at the

Luneta for a huge rally. Even if you’ve never actually been to the

Luneta, you’ve probably seen it on TV. So picture yourself there

now, looking out across the crowd.

Perhaps people have gathered to hear a crusade evangelist. They’ve

come with many needs—hoping for healing, wholeness, and an end

to that longing in their souls. As you look out across that crowd,

what do you see? What do you feel in your heart? What will you

do?

108


Read Matthew 9:35-38

1 How does Matthew summarize Jesus’ ministry in verse 35? What

were the main elements of Jesus’ ministry?7

2 Why were the crowds gathering around Jesus? (See Mark 9 for

background.)

3 What was Jesus’ response when he saw the crowds? (verse 36)

4 What reasons does Matthew give for Jesus’ response? (verse 36)

5 Think about these phrases for a minute: harassed and helpless,

like sheep without a shepherd. Why do you think Matthew

describes the crowds in this way?

6 What do these phrases imply about the religious leaders of

Israel?


109

7 Do you think these phrases also apply to people today? Why or

why not?

8 Write verse 37 in your own words.

9 Jesus saw that the people were defenseless and without guid-

ance, and felt compassion for them. He saw them as a harvest

to be brought into his kingdom. But there were so many, and

the workers were so few. What was his solution? (verse 38)

10 To whom does the harvest belong?8 What are its implications

for all of our missions endeavors?

11 Do you think more workers are needed today? Why or why

not?

12 How can you apply Matthew 9:35-38 to your own life and

ministry?

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110

“William Carey and his circle of friends are our models

here. They prayed before they did anything else. Later

they did much more. And so must we. But they knew

their God, and they knew that the harvest was in His

hands. Because they knew God they entered into the

spirit of this saying: You can do more than pray after

you have prayed; but you cannot do more than pray

until you have prayed!”9

TOM WELLS

As the Good Shepherd, Jesus’ heart was moved with compassion

when he saw the people of Israel—harassed and helpless like sheep

without a shepherd. He saw the overwhelming need, and responded

by directing his disciples to ask for more laborers. More workers

were needed to bring in the kingdom harvest.

In the immediate context, this prayer was answered by the send-

ing of the Twelve in chapter 10. In a larger sense, however, Christ’s

command is intended for all of his followers—all who see the crowds

and are touched with the compassion that moved the heart of Christ.

There are still billions of people who don’t yet know Christ.

“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” Thousands of

laborers are needed. Let’s pray them out to the field. Let’s ask God

to send out workers into his harvest field.

On the following page is a Prayer Guide to assist you to obey the

command of Matthew 9:38. It is a tool that you can use in your

personal prayer life, as well as in your church and in small groups.

Let’s pray!

� � � �


111

Filled with Compassion

Digging Deeper

On a number of occasions the gospel writers record that Jesus

was filled with compassion. Sometimes Jesus’ compassion was a

response to spiritual need, and on other occasions it was a response

to physical need. Read the passages listed and fill in the chart

below, indicating the kind of need to which Jesus seems to be

responding, and what he did in response to that need.

Matthew 14:13-14

Matthew 15:29-39

Matthew 20:29-34

Mark 1:40-45

Mark 6:30-34

REFERENCE JESUS’ RESPONSENEED

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112

Praying for the Philippines

The missions movement in the Philippines is growing at a very

rapid rate. But much work remains to be done. Please pray for the

following:

1 Pray that the Spirit of God

would inspire a powerful

prayer movement for mis-

sions. This is the heart of a

strong missions movement.

2 Pray for renewal and

revival. This is the

foundation of a

strong missions

m o v e m e n t .

T h r o u g h o u t

history, new

evangelistic thrusts

have often been pre-

ceded by movements

of renewal in the

Church.

3 Students have played a key

role in almost every major

missions movement through-

out history. Pray that God would raise up a dynamic student

movement for missions in the Philippines.

4 Pray that God would multiply Great Commission Churches in

the Philippines—churches that are zealously seeking to do their

part to fulfill the Great Commission. Many churches are still


113

only involved in mono-cultural outreach. Pray that God would

give them a heart for the world beyond their cultural walls.

5 There are a growing number of missionary training centers,

but there is still a need for more. Without proper training

missionaries will be limited in their ministry effectiveness and

more vulnerable to culture shock and attacks of the Enemy. Pray

that God would prompt the formation of more missionary train-

ing centers and programs.

6 With around 35,000 evangelical churches, the Church in the

Philippines has tremendous potential for sending missionaries to

unreached people groups inside the Philippines and to other parts

of the world. Pray that the Philippines would become an Antioch

of Asia—that God would raise up thousands of Filipino mission-

aries. Pray for more laborers for the harvest! (Matthew 9:35-38)

7 Some denominations have been very effective in planting churches

within their own cultures, but have not yet seen the need for

cross-cultural church planting. Pray that God would awaken

denominations throughout the Philippines to the need for mis-

sions.

8 There are some structures for sending missionaries, but not

enough. Pray that God would help churches and parachurch

agencies create the necessary structures for sending cross-

cultural workers. Pray that God would give them wisdom to

wisely deploy, supervise and shepherd the new generation of

missionaries.

9 In order for missionaries to survive and thrive in another

culture, they must be adequately prepared for the realities of

cross-cultural living and ministry. Pray that God would help

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114

churches and potential missionaries realize the importance of

proper training.

10 Many biographies of Western missionaries are available, but only

very few have been written about Filipino missionaries. Pray

that God would stimulate some to write the stories of Filipino

missionaries so that a new generation of workers may be

inspired and challenged by their examples.

11 If the Philippines is to become a great missionary-sending

nation, we will need both goers and senders. Pray that God would

stimulate many Filipinos to serve as goers, senders, welcomers

and missions mobilizers.


115

The GreatCommandment

Matthew 22:34-40

12

“I would rather die now than to live a life of oblivious ease

in so sick a world.”1

NATE SAINT

1923-1956, Ecuador

Greater Love Has No One Than This

Every year for the past two decades, veteran missionary Gra-

ham Staines of Australia conducted five-day open-air “jungle

camps” in villages of the eastern Indian state of Orissa, teach-

ing, preaching, and singing to Santal tribal members. After one

such meeting on January 23 in Manoharpur, a village 600 miles

southeast of New Delhi, the 58-year-old Staines and his two

sons, 10-year-old Philip and 7-year-old Timothy, were murdered.

They had been sleeping in a vehicle parked outside a local

church when militant Hindus, allegedly from the Bajrang Dal

group, doused the vehicle with gasoline and set it afire.

“My husband and sons tried to get out of the burning

vehicle, but were stopped by the attackers,” Staines’s wife,

Gladys, recounts. As the flames engulfed the vehicle, the mob

danced and some

shouted, “Justice has

been done; the Chris-

tians have been cre-

mated in Hindu

fashion.” The mob kept

would-be rescuers at

bay for more than an

hour until making sure

the missionary and his sons had died.

Police arrested 53 people in connection with the killings.

Staines, secretary of the Evangelical Missionary Society, an

THE GREAT COMMANDMENT

Staines, secretary of the

Evangelical Missionary

Society, . . . had been

operating a hospital

and clinic for lepers

in India for 34 years.

117

CHAPTER 12

independent missionary organization based in Brisbane, had

been operating a hospital and clinic for lepers in India for 34

years. Two days after the murders, lepers dug the graves for the

family while Gladys Staines consoled them as they wept.

“God has given me peace, and I have never questioned his

wisdom in allowing this tragedy,” Gladys Staines said after the

tragedy. “These people are my people and I hope to stay here.”2

When I first read of the ghastly murder of Graham Staines and

his two sons, I was amazed and inspired that his wife, Gladys,

was so quick to forgive. But then I was further challenged by her

intention to remain in India and continue their ministry to lepers.

What amazing love!

The Staines are glowing examples of Christian love—the kind

of love that is essential to missions which pleases God. This love

is taught in one of the most well-known passages of Scripture:

Matthew 22:34-40.

Background

The conversation recorded in

Matthew 22:34-40 occurred

on Tuesday of Passion Week

(the week which began with

Palm Sunday and ended on

Resurrection Sunday). It was

a day of controversies and

parables.

One after the other, the

various groups of religious

leaders came to Jesus in the temple to try to trick him, embarrass

him or discredit him. Sometimes they were answered with a

question,3 sometimes with parables,4 sometimes with a command,5

and sometimes with an explanation.6

118

Palm Sunday — The Triumphal

Entry (Matthew 21:1-11)

Monday — The Clearing of the

Temple (Matthew 21:12-17)

Tuesday — Day of Controversy

and Parables

(Matthew 21:18–25:46)

This series of controversies concludes with Jesus’ blistering

rebuke of the teachers of the Law and Pharisees in the “Seven Woes”

of chapter 23.

By the time that the Pharisees tested Jesus with their question in

Matthew 22:34ff, Jesus had already

• rebuked the chief priests and elders (21:23 – 22:14),

• defeated the attempt of the Pharisees and Herodians

to trap him (22:15-22), and

• silenced the Sadducees (22:23-33).

Not having learned a lesson from their earlier failure to trap

Jesus in a mistake, the Pharisees again decide to test Jesus with a

question. They would soon regret their overconfidence (see ch. 23).

At first glance, you may wonder what this passage has to do

with missions, since there is no direct reference to the Great

Commission. Further reflection, however, reveals that the Great

Commandment found here is in fact the foundation and fuel of

missions.



1 Who asked this question? What group did he represent?7

2 What was their motive?


119

3 What question did he put to Jesus?


4 According to Jesus, which is the greatest commandment?8

5 Jesus’ statement in verse 37 is extremely important. Meditate on

this verse for a few minutes and then put it in your own words.9

Heart . . . soul . . . mind — The Jews did not use these

terms in exactly the same way as we do today. But the

essential point Jesus is making is that we are to love God

with all our faculties and capacities. We are to love him

wholeheartedly, with all that we are, holding nothing

back. What God requires from his followers is total

devotion.

6 As you examine your own life, would you say that you love God

wholeheartedly? In what way would you like to love God more?

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120

7 The Pharisee only asked for the greatest commandment. In

Jesus’ answer he gave two. What is the second commandment?10

As yourself—Contrary to what some positive self-image

writers have said, this is not a command to love our-

selves. We do that naturally. Rather, Jesus is command-

ing us to love others in the same way as we already love

ourselves—to direct toward others the love that we so

generously bestow on ourselves.

8 The first command has to do with our vertical relationship

with God. The second focuses on our horizontal relationship

with those around us. In what ways are the two related?

9 What does the Apostle John say about the connection between

loving God and loving others? (See 1 John 4:7-8)

10 What do you think Jesus means by the statement in verse 40?11

(See the parallel passage in Mark 12:31.)


121

11 Now let’s apply what we’ve learned to the area of missions.

How does missions demonstrate our love for God?

12 How is missions a means of loving others (as Jesus commanded

us to do in Matthew 22:39)?

13 Why is love for God the essential foundation for missions?

Summary

Loving God The command to love God is the logical starting

point for missions. He himself—not a task, no

matter how important or urgent—is to have first place in our atten-

tion and our devotion. We are to love him with all that is in us—

with all that we are.

Secondly, above all else, missions is a means of loving God. When

we reach out to people with the Good News of salvation in Jesus

Christ, it is one way of showing our love for God. It is love shown

through obedience (see John 14:21), but it is more than obedience.

We obey God in missions not just because he commanded us to

make disciples of all nations, but because we want to please him.

Because missions is important to God, it becomes important to us.

And so we delight to be involved in missions because of our love

for God.

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122

Loving Others Missions must be grounded in our love for our

neighbors. We must be able to say with Paul,

“The love of Christ compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). We cannot

allow missions to be just a fad, a hobby or a profession. We cannot

view people merely as souls to be won. We must allow God to work

in our hearts so that we genuinely love our neighbors.

Missions is one of the most profound means of loving our neigh-

bors. To share the gospel is to share something of inestimable value.

We must not fall prey to the notion that it is unloving or intolerant

to try to persuade others to become followers of Christ. On the

contrary, we cannot claim to love others, and yet withhold from

them the good news that will bring them abundant, eternal life

through salvation in Christ.

Missions is at the same time grounded in love for others and is a

manifestation of love for others. Missions must flow from a heart

of love, and is a profound expression of love.

In short, our involvement in missions must be motivated by love

for God and others. And it is one of the most profound ways of

expressing our love for God and others.

The Pharisees’ Folly Most of the Pharisees were not question-

ing Jesus with hearts inclined to obey.

On the contrary, as we learn from Matthew 23, they did not prac-

tice what they preached. Their religion was for show—for others to

see. How sad that they were so close, yet so far away. They knew

the truth but failed to obey it.

We, too, can be very zealous in our service for Christ, and yet

miss the main thing. As shocking as it may seem, according to Paul’s

words in 1 Corinthians 13, loveless ministry counts for nothing.

Consider this missionary paraphrase of the great love chapter.


123

Missionary Versionof 1 Corinthians 13

If I am exceptionally gifted and can preach fluently in the language

of the people I’m seeking to reach, but have not love, I’m just making

a lot of noise.

If I am well-educated and have much knowledge about Scrip-

ture, missiology, cultural anthropology, cross-cultural communica-

tion, contextualization and world religions, but have not love, all

of my training and intelligence is worth nothing.

If I am a powerful evangelist, plant many churches, speak at

conferences, write books, and rise to positions of leadership, but

have not love, I’ve missed the most important thing. My labors

profit me nothing.

If I am mighty in spiritual warfare and can cast out a multitude

of demons, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I am a person of great faith and vision and can formulate

inspiring plans and launch impressive programs, but have not love,

it is empty organization.

If I leave home and family to work sacrificially for Christ in

another culture, enduring culture shock, homesickness and illness,

but become sour and critical because of the annoyances of daily life

so that I’m no longer motivated by love, I might as well stay home.

Even if I die a martyr’s death, if I don’t have love it profits me

nothing.

But if I am motivated by my love for Christ, if my service is

empowered by his love flowing through me, then even though I

may not be famous, even though I may not receive the praise of

people, I will eventually receive the most important accolade of all.

I will hear my Savior say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

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124


� � � �

Digging Deeper

Read 1 Corinthians 13

1 What are the implications for missions?

2 What are the implications for your ministry?

125

Jesus Said ItAll

Matthew 28:16-20

13

“I can plod; I can persevere in any definite pursuit. To this I

owe everything.”1

WILLIAM CAREY

1761-1834, India

William Carey—The “Father of Modern Missions”

William Carey was a poor shoe cobbler and Baptist lay-preacher

in 18th-century England. Converted at the age of 17, he read

with great interest a borrowed copy of Captain Cook’s Voyages, the

journal of the famous sailor’s travels in the South Seas.

As Carey sat at his cobbler’s bench, his mind was often miles

away. He studied and reflected upon Scripture. He began to teach

himself world geography. He made a map of the world on which he

noted the population, religion and other important information of

the countries he researched. As a result, he became increasingly

burdened for the needs of the world.

He gradually became convinced that Christ’s commission to

make disciples of all nations was binding on Christians of his day—

that it hadn’t expired—and that Christians ought to organize and

mobilize to get the job done. He published his ideas in the book: An

Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to use means for the

Conversion of the Heathens, in which the Religious State of the

Different Nations of the World, the Success of Former Undertak-

ings, and the Practicability of Further Undertakings, are Consid-

ered. That wasn’t the first chapter. That was just the title!

He eventually persuaded his Baptist minister colleagues that they

needed to send missionaries to the “heathen.” They finally yielded

to his impassioned pleading and sent Carey and several others to

India in 1793. He labored there until 1834, without once ever

returning to England. He translated the entire Bible into Bengali,

Oriya, Marathi, Hindi, Assamese and Sanskrit, and portions of

the Bible into 29 other languages. He became known as the “Father

of Modern Missions.” By any measure, his vision, dedication and

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JESUS SAID IT ALL

CHAPTER 13

perseverance were remarkable.2

Why did Carey leave the comfort of home to pour out his life in

India? He was convinced that the Great Commission was intended

not just for the early disciples, but for the Church through the ages.

Background

Jesus appeared to his disciples on a number of different occasions

following his resurrection. Several of these appearances occurred

on Resurrection Sunday.3 Others, such as the appearance recorded

in the last five verses of Matthew, took place at a later time,

between his resurrection and his ascension into heaven.4

As you read these verses, put yourself in the place of the eleven

disciples who first heard Jesus give this incredible command. Then

look at the passage through the eyes of William Carey. Reflect upon

what courage and vision it must have taken for him to strike out for

India when the modern missions movement was still a thing of the

future. Finally, listen to what Jesus is saying to you through these

verses.



1 Where did this appearance take place?

2 Why had the disciples gone to Galilee? (Matthew 26:32; 28:7,10)

128

3 What was the response of the disciples when Jesus appeared to

them in Galilee?

4 What does the fact that they worshiped him reveal about their

understanding of who Jesus was?

5 Jesus begins by emphasizing his authority. Why do you think he

began the Great Commission in this way? Why was it important

for the disciples to know that Christ had been given all authority

in heaven and on earth?

“There is not one square inch of the entire creation about

which Jesus Christ does not cry out, ‘This is mine! This

belongs to me!’”5

ABRAHAM KUYPER

6 What is the main command of verse 19?6

JESUS SAID IT ALL

129

7 Since a disciple is a learner or follower of Christ, to make dis-

ciples means to help people become learners/followers of Christ.

What are some ways in which you can do this?

8 Were the disciples commanded to just make disciples of other

Jews? Explain your answer.

Nations — We normally think of nations as countries.

But it would be closer to the biblical usage to think of

these nations as peoples or people groups. The Philip-

pines, for example, is one country, but it has many

nations: Ibaloi, Tausug, Ilonggo, and many more.

9 What is one of the first steps of obedience for a new disciple?

(verse 19)7

10 What evidence is there in verse 19 of the Trinity?

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130

11 What else are we to do with new disciples? (verse 20)

Teaching them to obey — Note that the emphasis here is

not on teaching but on obedience. Yes, the first step is to

know what Christ commanded us to do, but we must

not stop there. We must go on to obey Christ’s teaching.

Obedience, not knowledge, is the goal.

12 What evidence is there in verse 20 that the Great Commission

was not just for the eleven disciples on the mountain in

Galilee?

I will be with you always — the promise of Christ’s pres-

ence means much more than that he is simply there. It

means he is present to help, encourage, strengthen, com-

fort and guide—in short, to enable us to do his will. (See

the examples in #2 under Digging Deeper at the end of

this chapter.)

13 Why is it important for us to know that Christ is with us as we

seek to make disciples?

JESUS SAID IT ALL

131

Jesus said it all.

Although it’s not readily apparent in our English

translations, the word all appears four times in this

passage in the original Greek. All authority, all nations,

all that I commanded you, and I am with you all the

days.

14 In what ways do you feel God wants you to be involved in

helping to make disciples of all nations?

The Last Survivor

Lieutenant Hiro Onoda is known in Philippine history as the last

Japanese soldier to surrender. Twenty-nine years after the end of

World War II, and 15 years after being declared dead in Japan,

Lt. Onoda emerged from the jungle in Lubang, Mindoro. Initial

attempts to persuade him that the war was over were of no avail.

He refused to lay down his arms until his former commanding

officer actually went to Mindoro and commanded him to surren-

der in 1974. With his back pay, Lt. Onoda was able to buy a piece

of land in Brazil.

It is sad to think that Lt. Onoda spent 29 years fighting a war that

had already ended. And yet there is something admirable about his

tenacity—his refusal to give up. He was determined to persevere

until his commanding officer gave him permission to quit.

Is it any different with us? We have received a commission from

the King of Kings to make disciples of all nations. As the One with

all authority, he has the right to issue such a command. And as the

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132

One with all authority, he deserves the worship of all nations.

Yet there are still many people groups which have no opportun-

ity to worship Christ. There are still many people who have never

heard the Gospel in a meaningful way. Let us remain dedicated to

the task of world evangelization until our Commanding Officer

calls us home.

� � � �

Digging Deeper

1 Who Is Jesus? Donald McGavran—one of the leading

missiologists of the 20th century and founder

of the church growth movement—is well known for his emphasis

on making disciples of all nations. His impact in the world of

missions is hugely significant and far-reaching.

Shortly before he died, Dr. McGavran had a conversation with

a colleague, Dr. Art Glasser, in which they discussed the Great

Commission as it is found in Matthew. Specifically, the two men

were addressing the question: Which part of the Great Commis-

sion is the Church most likely to forget? Surprisingly, McGavran

did not point to Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations, as

was so often the emphasis in McGavran’s teaching. Rather, he felt

that the part of the Great Commission that the Church was most in

danger of overlooking was in verse 18—who Jesus is. In the words

of Dr. Glasser:

. . . we soon found ourselves agreeing that the part of the Great

Commission most frequently overlooked was the full

significance of Jesus’ triumphant affirmation: “All authority

in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” This is what

the church forgets.

JESUS SAID IT ALL

133

This was the focus of Dr. McGavran’s thought: the concern

that Christians realize who Jesus is, and they should be

motivated by this reality.8

Before we can truly understand and obey the command to make

disciples of all nations, we must reflect deeply upon who it is that

is giving us this commission. We must realize that it is our glorious,

risen Lord Jesus—King of Kings and Lord of Lords—who is com-

manding us to go and make disciples of all nations. Read the

following passages and write down what you learn about the

exalted position of King Jesus.

• Ephesians 1:18-23

• Philippians 2:5-11

• Hebrews 1:1-13

2 The Promise of

His Presence The promise of God’s presence is a common

theme in Scripture. Matthew ends his gospel

with these reassuring words from Jesus who is Immanuel—God

with us (Matthew 1:23). The one who is God over us is also God

with us. Read the following passages to see other examples.

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134

JESUS SAID IT ALL

• Genesis 26:3,24 (Isaac)

• Genesis 28:15; 31:3 (Jacob)

• Exodus 33:12-17 (Moses)

• Deuteronomy 31:1-8 (Israel and Joshua)

• Joshua 1:1-9 (Joshua)

135

The Heart ofthe Father

Luke 15

14

“One can’t save and then pitchfork souls into heaven . . . Souls

are more or less securely fastened to bodies . . . and as you

can’t get the souls out and deal with them separately, you

have to take them both together.”1

AMY CARMICHAEL

1867-1951, India

And You Call Yourself a Christian?

A long blast of the whistle signaled the end of the shift for the

workers at the Toyota plant. Ernie joined the others as they

punched the time clock and filed out the doors. His shoulders were

sore from a long day’s work, but he enjoyed the satisfaction of a job

well done.

It was drizzling when he got outside. He knew that meant the

lines for the jeepneys would probably be longer. “Oh well,” he

thought to himself. “At least I only have to go to Angono.”

Eventually he was able to squeeze himself into a jeepney with old

Michael Jordan posters pasted to the ceiling. A small statue of Jesus

was stuck to the dashboard, along with a figure of Mary and a

Buddha that glowed in the dark. Ernie just hoped that he could see

past the various stickers and ornaments that adorned the windshield,

limiting the driver’s vision to a narrow band across the middle.

Pushing his doubts aside, Ernie dozed lightly until the jeepney

had reached his stop. His wife had often warned him that he would

someday wake up and find himself in Binangonan, but somehow he

had a knack for waking up at just the right time.

Getting out of the jeepney, he was glad to see that it had stopped

raining. A short walk brought him to Barangay San Miguel. “Who

is the patron saint of drinkers?” ran the local joke. The answer was

normally given with much gusto: “San Miguel!”

Ernie made his way down the narrow paths that wound between

the small houses. As he neared his own home he spotted some of

THE HEART OF THE FATHER

137

CHAPTER 14

his neighbors seated at a small table under an awning made of

plastic. On the table in front of them were bottles of their patron

saint’s brew along with a large bowl of chicharon2 and a small bowl

of peppered vinegar.

“Ernie! Pare! Sit down, sit down. We’re just getting started.”

Ernie’s neighbors greeted him warmly and drew up another stool

for him to join them. Knowing his preference, they sent someone

to buy a Coke from a sari-sari3 store nearby.

Ernie was eager to get home, but he also enjoyed being with his

friends. From time to time, if he had a little extra money, he went

bowling with them on his day off. Holidays sometimes found them

going on outings together.

With a piece of chicharon half-way to his mouth, Ernie looked

up to see one of his churchmates approaching. Norman was an

elder at the Light of the World Christian Fellowship. Ernie and his

family had become members of the church when they moved to

Barangay San Miguel four years earlier.

It all happened in an instant,

but Ernie could see that Nor-

man’s face registered shock and

displeasure. He wasn’t surprised

the following Sunday when

Norman seemed to avoid him at

church. Ernie’s greeting had

been returned with a half-

hearted response.

But what was this? Was it his imagination, or were some of the

other church members giving him strange looks? He could feel it in

the way people would turn away when he glanced in their direc-

tion—people were talking about him. Cornering one of his closest

friends, Ernie asked, “Felix, what’s going on? Is there something I

should know about?”

It all happened

in an instant, but

Ernie could see that

Norman’s face

registered shock

and displeasure.

138

Felix was embarrased by Ernie’s direct question but eventually

admitted that people were talking. He became even more uncom-

fortable as Ernie pressed further, “Come on, Felix, tell me. What’s

the chismis4?”

When he could see that Ernie was determined to know the truth,

Felix finally faced his friend and said, “Ernie, the story is that you

were drinking with some of your neighbors.”

With an irritated groan Ernie exclaimed, “Yeah, I suspected that

was the problem. Well, as a matter of fact, I was drinking with

them. But I was drinking Coke!”

“Does that really matter?” Felix persisted. “After all, Norman

said there was beer on the table. Don’t you know you’re supposed

to avoid every appearance of evil? What kind of testimony is that?”

“What a mess!” Ernie thought in exasperation. How could he

answer Felix? How could he make his churchmates understand?

Background

Jesus faced a similar problem. The religious leaders of his day

couldn’t understand why he spent time with tax collectors and

sinners. In their minds, no righteous person would associate with

the unrighteous—much less actually eat with them! To do so, they

thought, could only mean that Jesus was not righteous after all.

How was Jesus to answer such accusations? How could he help

the Pharisees and teachers of the Law to understand his behavior?

How could he get them to see that their own behavior was not at all

the kind of righteousness that God desired?

To counter their criticisms Jesus gave three parables in Luke 15.

All of them address essentially the same issue: What is God’s

attitude toward the lost?

It is as if Jesus is saying, “The reason you criticize me is because

you don’t really know what God is like. You think you know him,


139

but by your attitude toward the lost you demonstrate that you

really don’t. Here—let me tell you three stories to show you what

God is like.”


Read Luke 15:1-7 The Lost Sheep

1 Why did the shepherd leave the 99 sheep and go into the

country?

2 What happened when the lost sheep was found?

3 Who does the shepherd represent?

4 Who is probably represented by the 99 righteous persons who do

not need to repent?5

5 What do you think is the main point Jesus is making?

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140

Read Luke 15:8-10 The Lost Coin

6 What did the woman do when she realized that one of her

coins was missing?6

7 What did she do when she found the coin?

8 What is the main point of this parable?

9 How is this parable similar to the parable of the lost sheep?

Do you notice some similar phrases?

Read Luke 15:11-32 The Lost Son

10 What did the younger son do with his share of the estate?


141

11 Why did the younger son finally return home?

12 How did the father respond when the younger son returned?

Why?

13 How did the older son respond?

14 Who is represented by these characters in the parable?

• The father =

• The younger son =

• The older son =

15 How do you think the Pharisees and teachers of the Law re-

acted to this parable?

16 What do you think is the main point that Jesus was trying to

communicate? (See also Luke 19:10)

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142


143

17 How does this provide us with a reason for reaching out to

those who don’t know Christ?

18 With what person in the parable do you identify most closely?

Why?

19 Ernie gives us one example of how Jesus’ teaching might be put

into practice today. How will you apply the lessons you’ve

learned from Luke 15 to your life?

� � � �

Digging Deeper

There are a number of similarities between the book of Jonah and

the parable of the prodigal son. Review your notes on the book of

Jonah (chapters 7-10 in this study guide), and then see if you can

fill in the comparisons at the bottom section of the next chart.

JONAH LUKE 15:11-32

God The Father

The Ninevites The Younger Son

Jonah The Older Son

God was gracious to the sinful The father was gracious to his

Ninevites. sinful _____________ son.

Jonah was angry because God The older brother was angry

was gracious to the sinful because his father was gracious

________________. to his sinful _______________.

“Righteous” Jonah was The “righteous” older brother

insolent to _________. was insolent to his _________.

I told you so! Look!

God responded with grace The father responded with

and patience to ______________ grace and patience to the

in chapter 4. __________ son, in spite of

the hardness of his heart.

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144

Power fromon High

Luke 24:36-49

15

“The blessings of God are sufficient for India’s needs.”1

PANDITA RAMABAI

1858-1922, India

It’s been a long day at work. You’ve just finished supper and now

you’re looking forward to watching your favorite TV program.

You turn on the television, sit down on the sofa, and then . . . .

Naku!2 Brown-out!

You’re riding on a bus headed for Baguio City. It’s an old bus,

and you have your doubts about whether or not it’s capable of

making the steep climb up Marcos Highway. The first part of your

journey is fine. But as you get closer to Baguio City the road

becomes steeper and steeper. You can almost hear the bus gasping

as its ancient engine groans up the inclines. Finally you reach a hill

that is just too much for the tired vehicle. You grind to a stop and

the driver quickly sets the brake.

“Come on, you can do it!” One of your friends is trying to

persuade you to run in a charity marathon. “It’s for a good cause,”

he says. “We’re helping to raise funds for a new hospital.”

CHAPTER 15

“If I try to run a mara-

thon,” you think to yourself,

“you’ll have to put me in the

hospital.” But in a moment

of temporary insanity you

reluctantly agree to enter the

race. In the few months left

before the event you train

diligently, but when the day

comes you know you’re not

prepared. The gun goes off

and you begin the grueling

41-kilometer race.

You know you’re in seri-

ous trouble when you begin to struggle at the five kilometer mark.

After ten kilometers even the children are passing you. At twenty

kilometers you finally slow to a walk. You trudge a couple more

You know you’re in

serious trouble when

you begin to struggle

at the five kilometer

mark. After ten

kilometers even the

children are passing

you. At twenty

kilometers you finally

slow to a walk.

146

kilometers before stopping for a rest. You’ve simply used up all

your strength.

What do these illustrations have in common? Power. Whether

electrical power, gasoline power or muscle power, we can’t see,

climb hills or run without it.

Power is also essential for fulfilling our role as witnesses of Jesus

Christ. This emphasis is seen clearly in the passage for this chapter,

Luke 24:36-49.

Background

Jesus appeared to his followers a number of times between his

resurrection and his ascension into heaven. Although it’s not

possible to determine the order with absolute precision, it would

seem that Jesus’ first appearances were to Mary Magdalene, the

women returning from the tomb, Simon Peter, and the two travel-

ers on the road to Emmaus. He then appeared to the disciples

gathered in Jerusalem.

From the parallel account in John 20:19-25, we know that the

disciples were assembled behind locked doors “for fear of the Jews.”

Two travelers to whom Jesus had appeared on their way to Emmaus

had just returned to Jerusalem. With great excitement the disciples

shared the marvelous news of Jesus’ resurrection and appearance

to Peter. The new arrivals, in turn, told how Jesus had appeared to

them on the road to Emmaus.

Into this emotionally charged atmosphere Jesus suddenly made

his entrance. How did the disciples respond? How did Jesus

reassure them? What did Jesus tell them to do?

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147


Read Luke 24:36-43

1 Jesus began with the traditional Jewish greeting. Do you think

that the greeting would have any special significance in this

context? Why?

2 How did the disciples respond? Why?3

3 How would you have responded if you had been there?

4 What did Jesus do to reassure the disciples that it really was him?

(verses 38-43)

•

•

•

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148

Read Luke 24:44-49

5 How do we know from Jesus’ words that his death and resurrec-

tion were prophesied in the Old Testament?4

6 Verse 45 says that Jesus opened their minds so they could under-

stand the Scriptures. This seems to have involved both explain-

ing Old Testament truths to the disciples, as well as supernaturally

enabling them to understand. In what way is this relevant for us

as we seek to make disciples today?

7 Write a brief summary of the Gospel as given by Jesus in verses

46-49.

8 The resurrection of Christ was a key theme in the preaching and

witnessing of the apostles.5 Why do you think this is such an

important part of the gospel message? (see 1 Corinthians 15:12-

19)

9 What evidence is there that this Good News is not just for the

Jews? (verse 47)

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149

10 What responsibility did Jesus give to the disciples? (verse 48)

11 Jesus said he would send what My Father has promised. What

is the gift that the Father promised? (see Acts 1:4-5)

12 What were the disciples to do first? (verse 49)

13 Why do you think it was important for the disciples to wait

until they had received the gift of the Holy Spirit?

14 After the birth of the Church in Acts 2, believers receive the

Holy Spirit at the time of conversion.6 In what ways does the

Holy Spirit help us to be Christ’s witnesses today?

15 Compare the Great Commission as it is found in Matthew

28:16-20 with the version given here at the end of Luke. What

are the similarities?

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150

16 What are the differences?

17 What have you learned from your study of Luke 24:36-49 that

can help you be a more fruitful witness of Jesus Christ?

“Missionaries . . . are absolutely united in the convic-

tion that world evangelization is a divine enterprise, that

the Spirit of God is the great missioner, and that only as

He dominates the work and workers can we hope for

success in the undertaking to carry the knowledge of

Christ to all people.”7

ROBERT HALL GLOVER

� � � �

Digging Deeper

It is impossible to read the book of Acts without seeing the prom-

inent role played by the Holy Spirit. Not only is he mentioned

often, but the Holy Spirit is mentioned at key points in the Church’s

growth and development.

Read the instructions at the top of the chart that follows. After

looking up the references, write a brief summary of your discov-

eries in the space provided.

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A Sampling of References to the Holy Spirit

in the Book of Acts

INSTRUCTIONS: (1) For each reference, give a brief description of

the setting and a statement of the key idea. [See the first two refer-

ences for sample entries.] (2) Summarize what you discover. What

are the various ways in which the Holy Spirit is at work in the book

of Acts?

Acts 1:2 Post-resurrection Holy Spirit empowered

ministry of Christ Christ to teach.

SETTING KEY IDEA

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152

Acts 1:5 Jesus’ instructions Disciples would be baptized

to wait in Jerusalem. with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:8

Acts 2:4

Acts 2:38-39

Acts 4:8

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153

SETTING KEY IDEA

Acts 4:31

Acts 6:5,9-10

Acts 8:29

Acts 9:31

Acts 10:19

Acts 10:44-47

SETTING KEY IDEA

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154

Acts 13:2

Acts 13:4

Acts 13:9

Acts 15:28

Acts 16:6-7

Acts 20:22-23

“I believe that the greatest lesson to learn in missions is

servanthood, not leadership. In a world where everybody vies

for positions of leadership, the Messiah’s missionary should take

the role of a servant.”1

MET CASTILLO

Executive Secretary, Missions Commission

Evangelical Fellowship of Asia

The Flightless Fowl

One time a young man was walking home from work. As he

passed the house of one of his neighbors he noticed a very

strange sight.

In his neighbor’s front yard were some chickens. And there among

the chickens was a large bird with powerful claws and a sharp beak.

The young man said to his neighbor, “That’s a very strange chicken

you have there. It looks like an eagle.”

“Yes,” said his neighbor. “It is an eagle. Let me tell you what

happened.

“One day my son was hiking up in the mountains and he spotted

an eagle’s nest. There were three eggs in the nest, so he took one

of them. When he got back he put that eagle egg under one of the

hens. Eventually the egg hatched, and that eagle has grown up

So Send I YouJohn 20:19-23

16

CHAPTER 16

thinking he’s a chicken.”

“Has it never tried to fly away?” asked the young man.

“No, I suspect it doesn’t even know it can fly,” said the neighbor.

“It just thinks it’s a chicken.”

The young man considered this for a minute, and then asked,

“Do you mind if I try something?”

The neighbor gave his permission, so the young man proceeded

with his plan. He picked up the eagle, held him above his head and

said, “You’re not a chicken. You’re an eagle!” Then he threw the

eagle up into the air.

156

With barely a flutter the eagle flipped over and landed on the

ground with a dull thud. It quickly jumped up and darted away.

The young man shook his head in bewilderment and went home.

The next day he was still troubled about the eagle that thought

it was a chicken, so he again stopped by his neighbor’s house. Again

he asked his neighbor if he could try something. The neighbor, being

an easy-going sort of guy, nodded his OK.

The young man asked for a ladder and propped it up against the

side of the house. Then he went to get the eagle. It was a little

harder this time, because the eagle—recognizing its tormentor of

the day before—took off running when it saw him coming. But

eventually the young man was able to round up the fleeing fowl,

tuck him under his arm and climb the ladder to the top of the roof.

He carefully walked over to the edge and raised the bird above

his head. “You’re not a chicken,” he said to the confused bird. “You’re

an eagle!” And with that he flung the bird into the air.

This time the eagle flipped over several times before finally land-

ing in a heap on the ground. Its eyes rolled back in its head, and the

young man thought for sure the bird was dead. But after a few

minutes it revived and staggered off to find a place where it could

hide from its crazy assailant.

The young man was exasperated. What could he do to help the

eagle regain its true identity? It was a shame for the magnificent

bird to go through life as a chicken. Surely there was a solution. He

couldn’t sleep much that night for puzzling over the problem. And

then an idea came to him.

He rose early in the morning while it was still dark. Quietly he

stole into his neighbor’s yard, crept into the hen house, and care-

fully grabbed the sleeping eagle from off its perch. He tucked the

eagle under his arm and began hiking toward the mountains.

For more than an hour he trudged across the foothills, and then

began climbing a path that would take him to the top of a cliff. By

the time he reached the plateau the sun was just rising on the

SO SEND I YOU

157

He took the bird

from under his arm,

held him above his

head, and shouted,

“You’re not a

chicken. You’re an

eagle. Fly!”

eastern horizon.

With grim determination he

marched to the edge of the cliff.

He was now more than 1000

meters high. Far below he could

barely make out the people and

animals. The wind came whis-

tling up the face of the cliff,

making his eyes water.

He took the bird from under

his arm, held him above his head, and shouted, “You’re not a chick-

en. You’re an eagle. Fly!”

With all his strength he threw the terrified eagle off the cliff.

Down, down the bird went. Expecting the worst, the eagle was

petrified with fear and had tucked its wings firmly around itself. Its

eyes were tightly shut. Any second it would hit the ground with an

impact that was sure to be fatal.

But as the speed of its fall increased, so did the force of the wind.

In spite of the eagle’s efforts to keep its wings folded, first one and

then the other was jerked open. With eyes still closed, the eagle

kept waiting to hit the ground. Why was it taking so long?

Finally, the eagle opened its eyes. To its amazement, the ground

was far below. In fact the surprised bird was soaring above the

top of the mountain. The eagle—with its sharp eyes—could see a

young man on the top of that mountain. And the man was saying,

“Remember—you’re not a chicken. You’re an eagle!”

Background

The appearance of Jesus in John 20:19-23 is the same as that

recorded in Luke 24:36-49, the passage we studied in the last

chapter. John, however, adds some details that Luke did not

include. This does not mean, of course, that the accounts are

contradictory. Rather, they are complementary.2

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158

As you read these verses in John 20, keep in mind that the disci-

ples have just gone from fear and utter despair to incredible joy.

Imagine how you would feel if you had been in their situation.

They had thought that Jesus was the Messiah. Never had they

met anyone like him before. His authoritative teaching—his kind

deeds—his powerful miracles. Surely he must be the Christ—the

Anointed One.

But then came the crucifixion. Confused and afraid, they ran

away. They deserted the One whom they had called “Master” and

“Lord”. Mocked by their own hopes and dreams, they cowered

behind locked doors, afraid that the religious leaders might arrest

them as well. What terrible guilt and despair must have filled their

hearts.

But by the evening of Resurrection Sunday, several people claimed

to have seen the risen Lord. Among them were Mary Magdalene,

Simon Peter, and the travelers on the road to Emmaus. However, to

the rest of the disciples it still seemed just too good to be true. And

then Jesus came and stood among them!


Read John 20:19-23

1 When did the events recounted in this passage occur? (verse 19)

2 In your own words, describe the setting. (verse 19)

SO SEND I YOU

159

3 If you had been one of the disciples—hiding behind locked doors

that first Sunday evening—what do you think would have been

going through your mind?

4 Even though the doors were locked, John tells us that Jesus came

and stood among them. What does that tell us about Jesus’

resurrection body? (Include what you learned from Luke 24:42-

43 in your answer.)

5 As we saw in Luke 24, Jesus began with the traditional Hebrew

greeting: Peace be with you. In John’s account, however, we learn

that Jesus repeated the greeting. Why do you think he did that?

6 In recounting the disciples’ response, John (unlike Luke) does

not mention their doubts or fears. How does John describe their

reaction when Jesus suddenly appeared among them?

7 Each account of the Great Commission contributes something

unique to our understanding. The key verse in John’s account is

verse 21. Write this verse in your own words. (You’ll find John

17:18 to be a helpful cross-reference.)

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160

8 Which of the following phrases best captures the meaning of

Jesus’ statement, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you”?

(Check all of the phrases that apply.)3

_____ a) As Jesus died for the sins of the world, so we are

to die for the sins of the world.

_____ b) As Jesus was sent to represent the Father, so we

are sent to represent the Son.

_____ c) As Jesus was sent to make the Father known, so

we are sent to make God known.

_____ d) As Jesus bestowed the Spirit, so we are to give the

Holy Spirit to others.

_____ e) As Jesus was sent to minister in the power of the

Spirit, so we are sent to minister in the power of

the Spirit.

9 It is both humbling and sobering to realize that—just as the

Father sent the Son—so Christ has sent us. We are to be his

representatives in the world. In what ways are you represent-

ing Christ by your character and behavior?

10 How does God empower us to fulfill our role as his represent-

atives? (verse 22)

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161

Theologians are not in agreement as to whether the Holy

Spirit was given to the disciples at this time, or on the

day of Pentecost. But one thing is clear: God has given

us his Holy Spirit to enable us to do what he’s called

us to do. He has called us, commissioned us, and

empowered us. And it is only as we minister in the power

of the Spirit that we can be fruitful, Christ-like witnesses.

11 At first glance, verse 23 might look like it’s saying that we have

been given the authority to forgive sin. The grammar makes

it clear, however, that such is not the case.4 Rather, as we pro-

claim the gospel, we are proclaiming how sins can be for-

given. We are announcing the forgiveness of sins for those who

accept Christ as Savior and Lord.

Take a moment to pray and ask God to use you to share the

good news of salvation with someone this week.

You’re an Eagle!

Like the eagle in the parable at the beginning of this chapter, many

Christians do not really know who they are. They are not fulfilling

their destiny as sent ones. They are pecking after petty pursuits

rather than soaring on the winds of God’s grand purpose.

As Christ’s disciples, we are not to be caught up in self-centered

living. We are to be preoccupied with God’s purposes. We should

allow his concerns and goals to shape our lives.

Just as Christ was sent into the world with a mission, so we have

been sent with a mission. Christ paid the price for sins. We

announce that the price has been paid. Christ came as the Father’s

representative. We have been sent to represent Christ. Christ glori-

fied God by completing the work he had been given to do. We

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162

glorify God by completing the work we have been given to do.

Remember, you’re a sent one. Live in the freedom of forgiveness

and the joy of fulfilling God’s purposes for your life!

� � � �

Digging Deeper

A verse we considered earlier, to help us understand the meaning

of being sent by Jesus, was John 17:18. That verse falls in a passage

known as Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer, for in those verses Jesus—like

a high priest—is interceding for his disciples ( John 17:6-26). And

not just for the early disciples, but for us also. In Jesus’ words, “I

pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message”

(John 17:20). Isn’t it thrilling to know that Jesus was thinking of

us in that prayer?

Read John 17:1-26

1 According to the first five verses, how did Jesus glorify the

Father?

2 List some of the things that Jesus prayed for his followers.

SO SEND I YOU

163

His Witnesses toa Waiting World

Acts 1:1-11

17

“There are grave difficulties on every hand, and more are

looming ahead—therefore we must go forward.”1

WILLIAM CAREY

1761-1834, India

Are We Missing Something?

“Lord, thanks so much for giving us your Holy Spirit. He is a

wonderful comfort to us.”

“I’m glad to hear that. He is the Comforter. But . . . .”

“Thanks that he also teaches us. It’s great to know that he helps

us as we study your Word.”

“You’re welcome. The Holy Spirit was sent to lead you into all

truth. But . . . .”

“And thanks, Lord, that the Holy Spirit has given us gifts so that

we can serve you.”

“Yes, that’s right. He was sent to enable you to serve me.

But . . . .”

“As a matter of fact, some of us, through the Spirit’s power, have

seen people healed and have delivered people from evil spirits.”

“That’s wonderful.

But . . . .”

“Yes, Lord?”

“I’m pleased that you

are aware of some of

the reasons why the

Spirit was sent to live

inside of you. But you

seem to be forgetting

something very impor-

tant.”

“What’s that, Lord?

“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.”

“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.”

HIS WITNESSES TO A WAITING WORLD

165

CHAPTER 17

Background

This imaginary conversation highlights the fact that we sometimes

overlook one of the main purposes—if not the primary purpose

for which the Holy Spirit was given. Like Luke 24 and John 20,

this Great Commission passage in Acts shows that there is a direct

connection between the gift of the Holy Spirit and Christ’s

command to be his witnesses. Luke has already underscored that

connection in his gospel. Now he points it out again in his second

book, the book of Acts.

As you’ll see, the first three verses are an overview of Jesus’ Post-

Resurrection Ministry—his ministry between the time he rose from

the dead and ascended to heaven. Verses 4 and 5 seem to refer to

the appearance of Jesus which we have already studied in Chapters

14 and 15.2 Acts 1:6-8, on the other hand, describe Jesus’ last

appearance to his disciples on the day of his ascension. As we study

these verses, they are a good reminder that we can’t proclaim the

glory of Easter without the power of Pentecost.


Read Acts 1:1-11

1 How much time passed between Christ’s resurrection and his

ascension into heaven? (verse 3)

2 What did Jesus do during this time? (verses 1-3)

166

3 Why was it important for Jesus to give many convincing proofs

that he was alive? (verse 3)

4 In your own words, what did Jesus say in verses 4-5?

5 Did the disciples understand that the kingdom would not come

right away? Explain. (verse 6)

6 What are we to do instead of speculating about the time of Christ’s

return? (verses 7-8)

7 Why were the disciples to wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit—

the gift promised by the Father? (verses 4-5, 8)

8 According to verse 8, for what purpose is the Holy Spirit given?


167

9 What does it mean to be a witness of Jesus Christ?

10 Where did Jesus tell his disciples that they would be

witnesses?

As we read the chapters that follow, we see that Acts

1:8 forms a rough outline for the book of Acts. Chap-

ters 1-7 tell of the Church’s witness in Jerusalem. The

witness to Judea and Samaria is recounted in chapters

8-10. The Church begins to reach the ends of the earth

in chapters 11-28. These areas can be thought of as

concentric circles, with Jerusalem at the center.

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168

Ends of the Earth

Judea

Samaria

Jerusalem

11 What is the significance of verses 7-8 for us today?

12 From the perspective of your church, thinking geographically,

what is your:

Jerusalem:

Judea:

Samaria:

Ends of the earth:

13 What is your church doing to reach out to these various areas?

• Your Jerusalem:

• Your Judea:

• Your Samaria:

• Your “ends of the earth”:


169

As you trace the expansion of the Church in the book of

Acts, you will notice that the gospel was crossing not

only geographical boundaries but also cultural bound-

aries. At first the disciples witnessed only to other Jews.

Then they took the gospel to some transitional people:

• the Samaritans (half-Jews)

• the Ethiopian eunuch (a religious sympathizer)

• and Cornelius (a God-fearer).

Eventually, the disciples began to evangelize outright

Gentiles.

At first, therefore, the disciples were reaching people

like themselves. Then they shared the gospel with people

who were somewhat different. Finally, they took the

gospel to people whose cultures were very different from

their own.

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170

Jews

Cornelius

Gentiles

SamaritansEthiopian Eunuch

14 How can we apply this concept to our churches today? On the

first line below, write the name of your own culture (e.g. Badjao,

Manobo, Cebuano).

•

Now write the name of a people group with a culture that is

different from yours, but not radically so:

•

Finally, write the name of a people group with a radically dif-

ferent culture from yours.

•

15 What role do you think God might want your church to have

in reaching one or more of these people groups?

16 What do you think is God saying to you personally through

these verses?

17 What did Jesus do after giving his disciples these last-minute

instructions? (verse 9)


171

18 How will Christ return? (verses 10-11)

His Last Command

It’s sobering to think that the words that we read in Acts 1:6-8 are

Christ’s last recorded instructions. Of all the things he could have

said before he rose to heaven, this is what he chose to say—his

parting words.

Do his words sound familiar? Hundreds of years earlier, the

prophet Isaiah recorded God’s plans for his Servant, the Messiah:

I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my

salvation to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:6). As Christ’s wit-

nesses, we now have a vital part in the fulfillment of his mission.

In order to capture both the geographical and cultural dimen-

sions of the task given to us, we might summarize our evangelistic

responsibility in this way:

we are to be Christ’s witnesses,

in the power of the Spirit,

to all kinds of people everywhere.

Does this responsibility seem overwhelming—like an impossible

undertaking? It would be—if we were to approach the task in our

own strength. But God never intended that world evangelization

would be accomplished through human energy and intelligence.

Rather, he has graciously given us his Holy Spirit to enable us to

carry out the work he’s given us to do.

� � � �

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172

Digging Deeper

The book of Acts records the expansion of the Church across

geographical and cultural barriers. Each of the following passages

recounts a significant advance of the gospel. For each passage, fill

in the chart on the following page by answering these questions:

• Who is/are the evangelist/s?

• Who is the audience?

• What kind of cultural barrier is being crossed (or will be

crossed) as a result of this outreach?

• What prompted this particular outreach? Was it human initia-

tive, persecution, God’s supernatural intervention, etc.?

• What evidence is there of the Holy Spirit’s empowerment or

involvement?

The passages listed on the chart that follows are just a sampling

of the evangelistic encounters in the book of Acts. But they will give

you some valuable insights regarding the way the early Christians

evangelized the world of their day. Note especially the role of the

Holy Spirit in the advancement of the gospel. (The first encounter

is filled in as an example.)


173

Passage Evangelist/s Audience Cultural BarrierWhat prompted this

outreach?Evidence of Holy Spirit’s

Involvement

Acts 2:1-41 Peter

Evangelistic Encounters in Acts

“God-fearing Jewsfrom every nationunder heaven” (2:5).

Minimal. Althoughthey came fromvarious parts of theRoman empire, theywere all Jews.

God’s initiative: thesending of the HolySpirit with spectacu-lar signs.

Acts 8:1-8

Acts 8:26-40

Acts 10

Acts 11:19-21

Acts 13:1-12

The Holy Spiritdrew the people’sinterest throughdramatic signs.

The Only Way?Acts 4:1-23

18

“It has been well for me to remember, when speaking to

others, that I am a dying man speaking to dying souls.”1

T.J. BACH

1881-1963, Venezuela

Mang Pedro’s Map

Nestled near the foot of Mt. Fortuna, the little town of San

Clemente was the home of roughly 70 families. Ignoring the

threat posed by the dormant volcano, the residents grew rice, coco-

nuts and bananas.

True, there had been a terrible explosion years ago which had

covered the original settlement with ash and lava. But for a long

time Mt. Fortuna had been sleeping, and the people stayed. When

asked why they chose to live so near a volcano the townspeople

simply said, “The land is good. And if The Lady wakes up, bahala

na.2”

Mang3 Pedro was the town mayor. It was mostly an honorary

title, but he did have one important duty—one which had been

passed down for generations. If ever Mt. Fortuna erupted, he was

to direct the townspeople to safety.

A map had been given to him along with this solemn responsibil-

ity. It showed the various roads leading out of San Clemente. At

CHAPTER 18

first glance, one might think that the obvious choice was to take the

only paved road that left town and connected with the national

highway. But that choice would be unwise, as the paved road curved

back near the base of Mt. Fortuna.

Two other smaller roads were shown—both of them barely more

than footpaths made larger by carabao carts. But only one of these

led to safety. This was marked with a bright red line.

One night the people of San Clemente were shocked out of their

slumber by what felt like an earthquake. Rushing outside they were

stunned to see a plume of smoke rising from the top of Mt. Fortuna.

Within minutes the town was in chaos. Some were loading carts

with their belongings. Others were trying to round up chickens and

176

goats. Children were crying.

The cloud of ash over Mt.

Fortuna was growing with

every new convulsion of the

awakening giant.

And then as the villagers

watched in horror, a crack opened on the side of the killer moun-

tain. Molten lava began to pour down its side. Consuming every-

thing in its path, the fiery river was heading straight for San

Clemente.

Panic-stricken people dropped what they were carrying and began

running for the paved road. Struggling to make himself heard above

the tumult, Mang Pedro shouted, “Follow me. I know the way out.”

But they weren’t listening.

Grabbing the arm of one of his neighbors, Mang Pedro said, “No!

We must go this way. It’s the only way.” But the neighbor wrenched

free and joined the crowd going the other direction.”

“Don’t you understand?” yelled Mang Pedro in dismay. “I have

the map. There’s only one way.”

Background

In a day of religious pluralism4, it is not popular to declare that

there is only one way of salvation. Growing numbers of people

prefer to believe that there are many ways to God. Furthermore,

those who maintain that Christ is the only way are seen as being

intolerant and narrow-minded. How should we respond?

Should we cave in to the pressures of pluralism and preach Christ

—if at all—as only one among several viable options? Should we

tone down our message for the sake of being more tolerant? Do we

really have a right to preach Christ as the only way?

The answers to these questions, of course, must come from Scrip-

ture. For as followers of Christ we take our orders from King Jesus,

not from the world around us.

THE ONLY WAY?

Mang Pedro shouted,

“Follow me. I know

the way out.” But they

weren’t listening.

177

The early disciples faced similar pressures to compromise their

message. We can learn much not only from their example, but from

the truths they proclaimed.

The background to the verses we’ll be studying is found in Acts

3. Peter and John were on their way to the temple when they were

stopped by a crippled beggar. In a wonderful display of God’s

gracious healing power, the beggar was miraculously healed (Acts

3:1-10). This miracle caused quite a crowd to gather, so Peter took

the opportunity to preach. (You can read his powerful sermon in

Acts 3:11-26.) This brings us to Acts 4.


Read Acts 4:1-4

1 How did the religious leaders feel about Peter and John preach-

ing to the people?

2 What did the religious leaders do?

3 How did the people respond to the preaching of Peter and John?

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Read Acts 4:5-7

4 The rulers, elders and teachers of the Law were the three groups

that made up the Sanhedrin, Israel’s supreme court. In your own

words, what question did they ask Peter and John?

5 Peter and John were fishermen. They had neither power, nor

position, nor prestige. And now here they were in front of some

of the most powerful Jews in Israel. How would you have felt if

you were in their shoes?

Read Acts 4:8-12

6 Why do you think Peter was able to speak so boldly?5

7 How did Peter answer their question: “By what power or what

name did you do this?”

8 What does Peter’s statement in verse 12 tell us about the way of

salvation?

THE ONLY WAY?

179

The word name in verses 10 and 12 is not to be under-

stood in some sort of animistic sense, as if the words

Jesus Christ had some sort of magical power. In biblical

times, a person’s name represented the person himself

or herself, along with that person’s characteristics.

Therefore, we could paraphrase verse 10 like this:

It is by the person and power of Jesus Christ of Nazareth

. . . that this man stands before you healed. Similarly, we

can paraphrase verse 12 as follows: Salvation is found

in no one else, for there is no other person under heaven

given to men by whom we must be saved.

9 Read John 14:6. Write Jesus’ statement in your own words.

10 Read 1 Timothy 2:5-6. How many mediators are there between

God and people?

Read Acts 4:13-17

11 What impression did the apostles’ courageous stand have on

the Sanhedrin?

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12 Note that Peter and John were unschooled, ordinary men.

Yet look how powerfully they were used in the hands of an

Almighty God. How can this be an encouragement to us?

13 What course of action did the Sanhedrin decide to take?

Read Acts 4:18-23

14 What command did the religious leaders give Peter and John?

15 How did Peter and John respond?

16 What lessons can we learn from the courageous example of

Peter and John?

•

•

•

THE ONLY WAY?

181

No Other Way

Suppose Mang Pedro had said to himself, “Well, even though the

map shows only one way, perhaps the map is wrong. After all, it is

very old. Maybe there really are other ways to safety that are not

shown on the map. Surely all those people can’t be wrong.”

We would surely condemn Mang Pedro for such irresponsible

hypothesizing. The true way had been revealed to him, and he has

no right to suggest other possibilities.

And so it is with us. The way of salvation has been clearly

revealed to us in Scripture—not one way among many, but the

only way. The Bible says nothing about an alternate plan. There-

fore, we have no right to suggest any other possibility, no matter

how unpopular it might be to insist on Christ as the only way of

salvation. Yes, in a sense we are narrow-minded, but only because

Scripture itself teaches that narrow is the road that leads to life

(Matthew 7:13-14).

By all means we want to avoid causing unnecessary offense by

having a belligerent or insensitive attitude. As Peter teaches, we

want to contend for the faith with gentleness and respect (1 Peter

3:15-16). Nevertheless, there will surely be times when we will be

accused of being intolerant. At such times we must remember that

we have the Map. And it reveals only one way.

� � � �

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Digging Deeper

Read Acts 16:16-34

1 What was the jailer’s question? (verse 30)

2 How did Paul and Silas answer his question? (verse 31)

3 From this passage, what would you say is the way of salvation?

(verses 31-34)

183

THE ONLY WAY?

Let My PeopleGo!

Acts 13:1-5

19

“The church exists by mission as fire exists by burning.”1

EMIL BRUNNER

A Diabolical Dialogue

The demon slithered into Satan’s presence and groveled at his

feet. “You sent for me, your Infernal Majesty?”

“Yes,” answered the Prince of Darkness in a voice that sounded

like death. “My plans are not working. We’ve tried persecution

from the outside and sin from the inside, but it didn’t stop the

followers of the Enemy. They just keep multiplying.” The demon

could sense Satan’s anger looming like a dark storm cloud.

“I’m sorry,” whined the demon. “We’re doing everything we can.

We tried to stop them by causing division over the feeding of the

widows, but that didn’t sidetrack them for long. And then we thought

for sure that we could put an end to them by getting rid of Stephen.

The persecution that followed was a great success . . .”

“Success?” bellowed Satan. “You call that a success?” The demon

was now shaking. “All you did was to scatter the followers of the

enemy all over the place. And everywhere they go they’re talking

about Him. There are even some Gentiles who have become fol-

lowers of you-know-who. Can you believe it—they call themselves

Christians. Christ-followers!” He spat the words out as if they had

a foul taste.

Trembling with fear the evil spirit said, “Yes, O Putrid Prince,

it’s true that there is now an assembly in Antioch. But we think we

can contain the movement there.”

The demon was quivering and drooling on himself. Satan

pondered his underling’s words for a moment before responding.

A fiendish gleam was in his eye. “Alright then, you may go. But

make sure that they stay in Antioch. Get them focused on them-

selves. Convince them that they need to consolidate their gains

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LET MY PEOPLE GO!

CHAPTER 19

and forget about outreach. Distract them with dissension.

Anything—just don’t let them spread beyond Antioch.”

The demon began backing away from Satan’s throne, eager to

escape the cruel scrutiny of his evil lord.

“And watch out particularly for the one called Saul,” Satan

concluded. “I’ve heard rumors that the enemy has special plans

for him. That’s the last thing we need.”

Background

After its birth on the day of Pentecost, the Church expanded across

both geographic and cultural boundaries. At first it may have looked

like the gospel was not going to go any farther than Jerusalem. But

then, following the martyrdom of Stephen, “a great persecution

broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles

were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria” (8:1). Like striking

a charcoal fire with a palu-palo,2 the persecution did not put out

the flame but only spread it to other areas.

As a matter of fact, not only did this persecution force believers

into Judea and Samaria, but even to more distant areas such as

Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch (11:19). And wherever they went,

they preached the Word (8:4).

At first they preached only to Jews. But some of them, Hellenistic3

Jews from Cyprus and Cyrene, also shared the gospel with Gentiles

at Antioch. Many accepted the message of salvation and became

followers of Jesus Christ (11:20-21).

The church at Jerusalem soon dispatched Barnabas to look into

the situation. Even more people came to the Lord through his

ministry. Then Barnabas recruited Paul to help him shepherd the

new believers at Antioch.4 “So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul

met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The

disciples were called Christians first at Antioch” (Acts 11:26).

We get a glimpse of the generosity of the church at Antioch from

an event that is recorded at the end of chapter 11. Luke reports that

186

the disciples at Antioch learned (from a prophet named Agabus)

that a “severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world”

(Acts 11:28). So what did they do?

Did they hoard their resources? After all, they were part of the

area that would be affected. No! Luke writes, “The disciples, each

according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers

living in Judea” (Acts 11:29)

Amazing! Faced with the certainty of a famine that would surely

affect them, they chose to share what they had with others. And

they sent their gift to the elders in Jerusalem by Barnabas and Saul.5

With this background, then, the stage is set for the sending of the

first missionaries.6


Read Acts 11:19-26

1 How was this church founded?

2 Who did God use to pastor these believers?

3 What can we conclude about Barnabas’s character from these

verses? (See also Acts 4:36-37)

LET MY PEOPLE GO!

187

Read Acts 12:25

4 Who accompanied Barnabas and Saul when they returned from

taking the famine gift to Jerusalem?

Read Acts 13:1-5

5 Who were the prophets and teachers at Antioch?

•

•

•

•

•

6 What were they doing when the Holy Spirit spoke to them?

7 What does this imply about these five leaders?

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8 Have you ever spent an extended period of time in prayer and

worship? Many people have found that this has been an excel-

lent way of drawing closer to the Lord, and of more clearly

discerning his will. Why not schedule a personal retreat in the

near future? You could set aside a day for worship, Bible read-

ing, prayer—and fasting, too, if you like. Specifically, ask the

Lord what role he’d like you to have in helping to fulfill the

Great Commission.

Personal retreat: [date]

9 Pastors, have you and the leaders of your church taken

extended time recently to come before the Lord in prayer and

worship—earnestly seeking his direction for your church?

Perhaps this is something God would like you to do in the near

future.

I encourage you to set a date now for a meeting with your

church leaders. This could be a special time of prayer and fast-

ing, worshiping God and asking him how your church might

more completely fulfill his plans for you. Ask him to guide

and mobilize your church as you seek to obey the Great

Commission.

Special meeting of church leaders for prayer and fasting:

[date]

10 What did the Holy Spirit command these leaders to do?7

LET MY PEOPLE GO!

189

11 How did the leaders respond?8

12 Do you think that—humanly speaking—the church at Antioch

might have been reluctant to send off two of their key leaders?

How would you have felt if you had been a member of that

congregation?

13 How about your church? Are there some in your congregation

that God might want to send out as missionaries? Perhaps you!

How thrilling to know that your church, too, can have a role

in evangelizing unreached people groups.

• What steps can you take to discern whom God might want

to use as cross-cultural witnesses?

• How can they be trained for cross-cultural witness?

The Spirit of Missions

In Chapter 16 we noted that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of

Missions. Not only is he given to empower our witness (Acts 1:8),

but we see that he is often specifically named at key points in the

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190

advancement of the gospel. Here in Acts 13 it is the Holy Spirit

who commands the leaders at Antioch to set apart Barnabas and

Saul for the unique ministry to which they had been called.

And although we read in verse 3 that they placed their hands on

them and sent them off, ultimately Barnabas and Saul were sent on

their way by the Holy Spirit (verse 4).

Being a congregation which counted Hellenistic Jews and Greeks

among its members (Acts 11:20-21), the church at Antioch was

uniquely suited to evangelize Gentiles. In God’s sovereignty, Filipi-

nos also have some unique opportunities to spread the gospel among

the world’s Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists.

Just think of all the Filipinos working in the Middle East and

Southeast Asia. Consider the fact that many Filipinos speak

English, learn new languages easily and adapt to new cultures quickly.

In addition, the rapid multiplication of churches in the Philippines

over the last 25 years is creating a strong missionary-sending base.

No doubt about it. The Philippines has the potential of making

a major contribution to the evangelization of the world’s unreached

peoples.

But isn’t there still much to do in the Philippines? Of course. But

wasn’t there still much to do at Antioch? Certainly, and yet the

Holy Spirit chose two of the key leaders to help spread the gospel

elsewhere.

It’s the same today. The Holy Spirit is still selecting and equip-

ping people to serve him cross-culturally. The question is, will we

hear and heed his voice?

� � � �

LET MY PEOPLE GO!

191

Digging Deeper

Another example of missionary sending is recorded in Acts 15:36-

41.

1 What similarities do you see between this passage and the send-

ing of Barnabas and Saul in Acts 13?

•

•

•

2 What differences can you identify?

•

•

•

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Beautiful FeetRomans 10:1-15

20

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he

cannot lose.”1

J IM ELLIOT

1927-1956, Ecuador

Links in a Chain

Like so many other barangays in Metro Manila, Escopa was a

jumble of hollow-block houses and shacks. Perched on the top

of a hill at the edge of Quezon City, some of the homes clung pre-

cariously to the slope like bloated spiders, slender poles supporting

shaky shanties.

Aling Merced had been living in Escopa ever since she and her

husband had moved to Manila from Masbate looking for work.

They both had succeeded in finding jobs, but even with long hours

of working and careful saving they still barely had enough to make

ends meet. “And soon there will be another mouth to feed,” thought

Aling Merced as she patted her swollen abdomen.

The young mother was jerked out of her musings by shouts from

outside. What were they saying? “Fire! Fire!” Rushing to the door,

she could see an orange glow in the night sky just a few houses

down the narrow street. Was it coming this way? She knew their

house would be consumed in an instant if the fire reached them.

Quickly she herded the children outside, then dashed back to

gather a few precious items. These she dumped into a pillowcase

and ran back to join her children. She could smell the smoke now

as the flames came relentlessly closer.

Fortunately for the residents of Escopa, a fire station was located

just below them on Maj. Santos Dizon. Alerted by a phone call, fire

trucks were soon dispatched. Like threading a needle, the driver of

the first truck carefully maneuvered his way close to the burning

houses. With the captain directing their efforts, the firemen trained

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194

their hoses on the houses at the center of the inferno, as well as on

those nearby. Due to their swift response, the fire was soon under

control. Amazingly, Aling Merced’s house was spared.

Who was most important in rescuing Aling Merced’s house? That’s

a foolish question, isn’t it, because it was obviously a team effort.

The alert observer who called the fire station. The dispatcher who

sent the trucks. The captain who supervised his crew. The firemen

who put out the blaze. All of them had a crucial role to play. As we

will see in the following passage, it is the same in missions.

Background

The nation of Israel rejected its Messiah. Paul addressed the

problem of Jewish unbelief in Romans 9-11. One of his main points

is that Israel had the opportunity to hear the gospel, but failed to

accept God’s provision of righteousness through faith in Christ.

Tucked away in chapter 10 is a wonderful passage that discusses

the essentials of salvation and evangelism. Paul addresses this vital

question: What is necessary for people to become followers of Christ?


Read Romans 10:1-4

1 According to these verses, how does one obtain righteousness?

2 Why did the Israelites not have the righteousness that comes from

God? (verse 3)

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195

Read Romans 10:5-10

3 According to verses 9-10, how does one become a Christian?

heart — We normally think of the heart as the center of

our emotions and affections. But in biblical terms it is

also the center of the intellect and will.

4 What do you think it means to believe and confess?

Read Romans 10:11-13

5 What additional insights do we gain about salvation from verse

11?

6 How do verses 12-13 reveal God’s concern for the Gentiles (non-

Jews)?

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196

7 Is there any difference in the way that Jews and Gentiles are

saved? Explain your answer.

8 What do you think it means to call on the name of the Lord?

(See Acts 16:31)

Read Romans 10:14-15

9 Write verses 14-15 in your own words.

10 How do verses 14-15 underscore the importance of evangel-

ism? Explain the logical flow of Paul’s thought in these two

verses.

11 It is clear that both goers (missionaries) and senders are needed

if everyone in the world is to have a chance to hear the gospel.

In what sense are all Christians to be goers?

BEAUTIFUL FEET

197

12 In what sense are we to be senders?

Two other roles that are vital to the missions enterprise are those

of welcomer and mobilizer.

Welcomers Welcomers do not go to other countries, but they

welcome those of other cultures who come to us.

For example, I have several friends in Los Baños, Laguna, who reach

out to those from other countries who have come to study at the

University of the Philippines, or at IRRI (International Rice

Research Institute). Some of these students come from countries

which are closed to traditional missionary approaches. The hugely

significant role of welcomers, therefore, is to share the gospel with

these students in word and deed.

Mobilizers Mobilizers are not necessarily working cross-

culturally themselves, but their important role is to

help churches and denominations to become more involved in world

missions at home and abroad. There are a number of missions

mobilizers throughout the Philippines whom God is using in

marvelous ways to build and strengthen the missions movement.

Perhaps this is a ministry you could undertake in your local church.

13 There are still millions of people who cannot call on the name

of the Lord for salvation, because they know nothing about

Him. They can’t believe in Christ because they’ve never really

heard who He is and what He’s done. If they hear and have an

opportunity to believe, it will be because some go, some send,

some welcome and some mobilize. What do you think is God’s

role for you? (Choose from the boxes on the next page.)

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q Goer q Welcomer

q Sender q Mobilizer

14 What steps will you take to fulfill God’s role for you?

� � � �

Digging Deeper

When we study the history of missions we normally read of those

who went to new areas or new peoples. Often little is recorded

about those who sent these missionaries, and yet their role is equally

important.

A wonderful example of giving to missions is found in Paul’s

letter to the church at Philippi. Read of the generosity of this church

in Philippians 4:10-20.

1 Was this church young or old when it began to assist Paul finan-

cially? (verse 15)

2 Were all churches as generous as the Philippians? (verse 15)

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199

3 What can we learn about the Philippians from verse 16?

4 To what extent is your church following the example of the church

at Philippi?

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His CompellingLove

2 Corinthians 5:14-21

21

“When we only seek eminence and position, how few avenues

are open! When we seek service, how many—all with wide gates,

and loud calls, and pleading invitations, to come where work,

and room, and reward await all!”1

ISABELLA THOBURN

1840-1901, India

Bought with a Price

There she stood on the auction block. She could feel the eyes of

the potential buyers roaming over her, evaluating her worth.

Their callous scrutiny made her skin crawl. She wanted to cry out,

“I am Maridadi2 ! I am not a slave. I am the beautiful daughter of a

powerful chief.” But looking down at the chains which bound her

ankles and the torn, dirty dress which hung on her thin body, she

thought sadly, “I am no longer beautiful. I’m ugly. My beauty has

been taken away like a crushed flower.”

Maridadi, a Swahili girl, had been taken from her family and

sold to Arab slave traders for a few cheap gifts. They in turn had

sold her to English slave traders who had shipped her to

America. Her first master,

the owner of a cotton

plantation, had been

cruel and abused

her. One year the

crops were poor.

He lost what

money he had

in a drunken

gambling spree.

He was finally

forced to sell

some of his

slaves to make

ends meet.

And that had

brought

Maridadi back

to the slave

auction.

The indignity

was overwhelming.

What would her next master be like? She determined that if he was

like the last one she would certainly run away, or die in the attempt.

The bidding had begun. She heard the voices as from far away.

“Sold!” Rough hands removed the chains around her ankles and

led her off the platform. She watched as a tall man shouldered his

way through the crowd to the bottom of the steps. With anxiety she

looked into his eyes, expecting to see him coldly calculating the

value of his purchase. But instead she saw compassion. What kind

of man was this?

The ride to the stranger’s plantation passed through lush green

valleys, but she scarcely noticed the beauty. Her mind was a jumble

of unfinished thoughts. She knew better than to wish for happiness,

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202

but in spite of herself she couldn’t keep hope from springing up

inside her.

More surprises awaited her when they arrived. The man’s wife

had been expecting them, and smiled as Maridadi stepped down

from the wagon. She took her to a room on the ground floor, showed

her some clothes laid out on her bed, and pointed to a large tub

where she was to take a bath. “When you’re done,” she said, “there

will be supper for you in the kitchen.” Maridadi simply nodded,

still unable to accept her good fortune.

In a daze Maridadi washed herself and put on her new clothes.

Timidly she made her way to the kitchen. A heavy-set woman was

working at the sink and turned as Maridadi made her approach.

“Ahhh, you must be the new woman,” she said with a smile. “You

sit now and eat.” Then, eyeing the newcomer’s bony frame the

cook added, “We fatten you up real soon.”

When she awoke the next morning it took several moments be-

fore Maridadi realized where she was. It hadn’t been a dream! But

what time was it? The sun was streaming through the curtains and

she could hear snatches of conver-

sation from other parts of the

house. Not wanting to make her

new owner angry she quickly

washed her face, dressed and ran

to the kitchen. She stopped

abruptly when she saw that her new

owner was seated at the table.

Seeing the worry in her face

the man said, “It’s OK. You’re safe

here. Come. Sit and eat.”

When Maridadi hesitated the man continued, “Child, you’ve been

bought with a price. You now belong to me. You can live here and

work here, and if someday you want to leave—you are free to go. I

bought you so that I could set you free.”

HIS COMPELLING LOVE

“Child, you’ve

been bought with

a price. You now

belong to me. . . .

I bought you so

that I could set

you free.”

203

Was she hearing him correctly? For the first time since she had

been torn from her family Maridadi was beginning to think she

might be happy again. Finally she could hold back the tears of joy

no longer. “Why would I ever want to leave?” she said. “I owe you

my life. I will serve you gladly.”

Background

Paul wrote the letter we call 2 Corinthians about A.D. 55 from

Macedonia during his Third Missionary Journey. He had already

made two visits to Corinth—and he was getting ready to make an-

other visit to deal personally with some problems that had arisen.

Specifically, some false teachers had infiltrated the church and

were questioning both Paul’s authority as an apostle as well as his

personal integrity.

For example, Paul had been collecting an offering for poor Chris-

tians in Jerusalem. These troublemakers in Corinth were insinuat-

ing that Paul was really putting the money in his own pocket.

Another accusation seems to have been that Paul was mentally

imbalanced. What else, his detractors suggested, could explain his

unusual behavior? Paul himself describes what he’d endured for the

sake of the gospel in chapter 11. Perhaps it was just this radical

commitment to Christ that Paul’s accusers interpreted as evidence

of being out of his mind. In any case, this seems to be the charge

he’s answering in 2 Corinthians 5:13.

So even though it was very distasteful to him to do so, Paul found

it necessary to defend his ministry. That was one of his primary

purposes in writing 2 Corinthians. And it is in explaining why he

served God with such selfless abandon that Paul also provides us

with several great motives for missions.

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Read 2 Corinthians 5:9-13

1 What do you think Paul meant in verse 11 by fearing the Lord?

(See verses 9-10; see also Romans 14:9-12)

2 In light of the fact that we will all eventually have to give an

account of our lives before God, how should we live on this

earth?


3 How did Christ show his love for us? (See also 1 John 3:16)

4 In what way does Christ’s love compel us?

5 Why should we no longer live for ourselves? (See also

1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

HIS COMPELLING LOVE

205

6 Think about the goals you are pursuing, and the way you’re

investing your time, energy and resources. To what extent would

you say you are living for Christ, and not for self?

“If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, nothing that

I can ever do for Him should be called a sacrifice.”3

C.T. STUDD

Missionary to China, India and Africa


7 Why is it now possible for us to live for Christ, and not for self?

8 In what ways has God made you a new creation in Christ? How

has God changed you?


9 What ministry has God given us? Describe this ministry in your

own words.

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206

10 In your own words, how would you summarize this message

of reconciliation?

CHARGE IT TO ME

A beautiful and heartwarming illustration of reconcilia-

tion is given to us in the book of Philemon. Philemon

was a Christian in Colosse. One of his slaves, Onesimus,

had apparently stolen from him and ran away. Under

Roman law, this offense was punishable by death. Even-

tually Onesimus met Paul and became a Christian.

Although Paul would have preferred that Onesimus

stay with him, he sends him back to his master. And

along with him he sends this letter, appealing to Philemon

to accept Onesimus back not just as a slave, but as a

brother in the Lord.

Furthermore, as the reconciler, Paul is willing to bear

the consequences of Onesimus’ sin. He says in verse 18,

“If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything,

charge it to me.”

That’s exactly what Jesus has done for us. When he

hung on the cross he was saying to the Father, “All the

wrong that they have done—charge it to me.”

This is the heart of the gospel, the good news: Jesus

Christ bore our sins so that we could be reconciled to

God. This is the message that people need to hear.

HIS COMPELLING LOVE

207

11 What do you think it means that God has committed to us the

message of reconciliation?

12 Paul says that we are Christ’s ambassadors. Which of the fol-

lowing sentences best captures the meaning of this phrase?

Circle the letter of the correct answer.

a) We are important people, like politicians. We deserve

respect.

b) We should travel to far places, like ambassadors of coun-

tries.

c) We are Christ’s representatives. We should speak to

people on his behalf, imploring them to be reconciled

to God.

13 We are not all called to be missionaries—those who take the

gospel to other cultures. But we are all called to be ambassa-

dors. What an amazing privilege! In what ways are you fulfill-

ing your role as an ambassador of Christ?

Those Marvelous Moravians

On October 8, 1732, more than half a century before William Carey

left England for India, a Dutch sailing vessel eased out of the

harbor in Copenhagen. It was bound for the Danish West Indies.

On board were Leonard Dober and David Nitschmann. They were

part of a remarkable Christian community known as the Moravians.

The Moravians were spiritual descendants of John Huss who

had been burned at the stake in 1415. After Huss’ death his

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208

followers went underground and managed to survive in central

Europe. In 1722 they migrated farther north and asked for refuge

on the estate of Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf. They came

to be known as the Moravians because they came from Moravia.

Zinzendorf agreed, and they named their village Herrnhut—The

Lord’s Watch.

While in Copenhagen on affairs of state in 1731, Zinzendorf

met a black man from the island of St. Thomas who had been brought

to Europe and who had become a Christian. This man urged Zin-

zendorf to send missionaries to his people in the Danish West Indies.

Zinzendorf brought the challenge back to the Moravian brethren at

Herrnhut. Dober, a potter, and Nitschmann, a carpenter, responded.

Keep in mind that this was before the day of William Carey. This

was before the proliferation of Protestant mission societies at the

beginning of the 19th century. For almost all Christians, and

certainly for society at large, it was unthinkable for whites to go to

the West Indies to seek to convert black slaves. It is amazing that

the Moravians were willing to go against the tide of current think-

ing and send these two missionaries. Even more astounding, so

committed was Dober to the call of evangelizing black slaves in the

West Indies, that he was willing to become a slave if necessary.

In the decade from 1732-1742 the Moravians commissioned 70

missionaries—from a community of not more than six hundred

inhabitants! Think of it. More than 10% of their members became

missionaries.

They sent missionaries to 28 different countries in 28 years. In

1792, 60 years after Dober and Nietschman had sailed for the West

Indies, the Moravians had sent out 300 missionaries.4

What motivated these Moravian missionaries to take such a

radical step of obedience? What possessed them? What was the

driving force that pushed them to such selfless obedience? Nothing

less than Christ’s compelling love.

HIS COMPELLING LOVE

209

They realized that they had been bought with a price and that

they no longer had a right to their own lives. They gratefully

responded to Christ’s great love by giving themselves in willing

service to him who died for them and rose again.

We, too, have been bought with a price. We now belong to God.

Yet our service is not something we do grudgingly or unwillingly.

No, we will become zealous ambassadors of Christ as we allow his

compelling love to fill our hearts and motivate our service.

“I have one passion. It is He and He alone.”5

COUNT NICHOLAS LUDWIG VON ZINZENDORF

Leader of the Moravian Brethren

� � � �

Digging Deeper

1 Read 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. Meditate for a few minutes on the

following key phrases:

• Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.

• You are not your own.

• You were bought at a price.

2 Now write at least one implication for each phrase. One way to

spark your imagination is by adding the word therefore as in the

chart which follows.

CHAPTER 21

210

IMPLICATION

My body is a temple Therefore, I will

of the Holy Spirit.

I am not my own. Therefore,

I was bought Therefore,

at a price.

3 What do you think it means to honor God with your body?

HIS COMPELLING LOVE

211

PHRASE

Why Pray?1 Timothy 2:1-7

22

“Brother, if you would enter that Province, you must go forward

on your knees.”1

J. HUDSON TAYLOR

1832-1905, China

Prayer in Parañaque

Brother Doming greeted the members as they entered the small

church. Located in a noisy subdivision on the outskirts of Metro

Manila, Parañaque Christian Fellowship was having its weekly prayer

meeting.

After singing a few songs, the believers got down to the business

at hand. Brother Doming directed the meeting. “All right then, why

don’t we share our prayer requests?”

We need to pray for Bro. Rolly,” volunteered one voice from the

back. “I just heard that he has a very high fever.”

“And for Ate Gemma,” said another. “She has high-blood pres-

sure.”

“I’m taking the nurses exam next week,” added a young student.

“Please pray that I’ll remember what I’ve studied.”

More requests came quickly. “Brother Willy is returning to Saudi

on Saturday. We should pray for safe travel.”

“I’m looking for a job,” added Bro. Vic. “The factory where I

was working just laid off a bunch of us.” Heads nodded in under-

standing. It was an all-too-common occurrence.

“Could we pray for funds to buy a karaoke?” asked the worship

leader. “It’s hard to hear without some sort of sound system. Espe-

cially when the planes fly over.” The church was not far from the

Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and when the jumbo jets roared

off the runway they tended to drown out conversation in the church.

The meeting almost got derailed as several members began to

discuss the merits of various brands of karaokes, but Doming

managed to get things back on track.

213

WHY PRAY?

CHAPTER 22

For the next few minutes the

members shared prayer requests

concerning their personal lives

and the needs of the church.

They prayed for their church

leaders. They prayed for their

outreach Bible studies and for a

missionary they were helping to

support in Mindanao.

But something was missing.

Something that we are clearly instructed to do in Scripture. Do you

know what it is?

Background

According to the book of Acts, Paul made three missionary jour-

neys and was then placed under house arrest in Rome. Bible schol-

ars are generally agreed that Paul was eventually released, and that

he made a fourth missionary journey which is only referred to

indirectly in Scripture.

During that fourth missionary journey Paul commissioned Titus

as an apostolic delegate in Crete (Titus 1:5), and left Timothy in

charge of the church in Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3). Paul then contin-

ued to Macedonia, from which he wrote this first letter to Timothy.

In order to better understand Paul’s instructions to Timothy in

1 Timothy 2, take a few moments to read the first chapter of Paul’s

letter. In particular, note the problems caused by false teachers in

the church at Ephesus.

Apparently there were some in Ephesus who were promoting

an elitist, exclusivist kind of Christianity. In other words, they were

trying to set up a restricted type of Christianity—for insiders only.

Provided you accepted their teaching and followed their rules, you

could be a part of the in group.

For the next few

minutes the members

shared prayer

requests concerning

their personal lives

and the needs of the

church.

214

Paul seems to have this kind of false teaching in mind as he gives

Timothy instructions on prayer in chapter two. In the passage we’ll

be studying, Paul shows in several ways that the gospel is for every-

one. God is concerned about all people. We should be, too.


Read 1 Timothy 2:1-2

1 According to verse 1, for whom should we pray?2

Requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving —

although there may be slight differences in meaning

between these words, Paul is mainly piling up synonyms

to emphasize the importance of wholehearted prayer for

everyone.

2 According to verse 2, for whom should we pray?

3 What would be the modern-day equivalent of kings and all those

in authority?

WHY PRAY?

215

4 Paul’s exhortation to pray for those in civil government is

particularly remarkable in light of the fact that his words were

penned when Nero was in power, a ruler whose persecution of

Christians is legendary. Can you think of some political rulers

today who are making life difficult for Christians? Write their

names here, and take a few moments to pray for them.

5 As we pray for our government leaders, what will be one result?

(verse 2)

It would be unfortunate to stop at the end of verse 2, since it can

give the mistaken impression that the main reason for praying for

civil leaders is so that we can live calm, quiet lives. After all, we

know from Scripture that we can expect persecution (see for

example John 15:20; 2 Timothy 3:12). So what is Paul saying?

Most likely his point is that one result of praying for govern-

ment leaders is that we will have more freedom to live out our faith

in a godly and attractive way before unbelievers. We will be more

free to evangelize. Our prayers and our witness are both important

in the advancement of the gospel.


6 The word this in verse 3 probably refers to the primary teaching

of verses 1-2, namely that we are to pray for everyone, especially

government leaders. According to verses 3-4, why is it good to

pray for everyone—for kings and all those in authority?

CHAPTER 22

216

(If you look closely, you should be able to find two reasons—one

in verse 3 and one in verse 4.)

•

•

7 The word all in verse 4 should be connected with the all in verse

1.3 To paraphrase, we should pray for everyone—for all kinds of

people—because God wants everyone to be saved. All people are

the object of his loving concern. (See John 3:16)

Are you currently praying for all kinds of people? If not, how

can you begin to make this a part of your prayer life?

8 Verse 4 clearly states God’s desire for all people to be saved.

Does this mean, therefore, that everyone will actually be saved?

(See for example Matthew 7:13-14, 13:36-43; John 1:12 and

3:18.)4

WHY PRAY?

217


9 Two more powerful motives for missions are given in verse 5.

• There is one God.

• There is one mediator.

Consider these truths for a moment. Why is the fact that there

is only one God a motive for missions?

10 Who is the one mediator? Why is this truth another important

motive for missions?

11 What did Christ do as our mediator?5 (verse 6)

12 How extensive was Christ’s death? In other words, for whom

did he die?6

13 If Christ is the only mediator, what does this imply about turn-

ing to other mediators?

CHAPTER 22

218

14 What three words does Paul use to describe his unique, God-

appointed role in making known this wonderful news of salva-

tion through Christ?

•

•

•

At first glance, Paul’s insistence in verse 7 that he is tell-

ing the truth about his unique commission might seem a

bit strange. His point, however, is that his appointment

as a herald, apostle and teacher of the true faith to the

Gentiles is further evidence of God’s concern for every-

one. And this provides further support, therefore, to his

exhortation at the beginning of the passage that we

should pray for everyone.

15 To put it simply, a herald is one who announces good news.

An apostle is one who is sent on a mission. In what sense are

we all to be heralds?

Summary

Paul wanted the Christians at Ephesus to have a world concern that

was evident in their prayers for all kinds of people. Such prayer

pleases God who wants everyone to be saved. God demonstrated

his concern for all people by sending Christ to die for everyone, not

just a select few.

WHY PRAY?

219

If we’re honest, we’d have to admit that we, too, have a tendency

to be self-centered in our praying—both as individuals and as

churches. Like the Ephesians, we need to learn to share God’s

concern for the world. And that concern needs to be reflected in

the way we pray.

In a sense, Paul’s exhortation is overwhelming. To pray for all

kinds of people and to pray for government leaders—it hardly seems

possible. Let’s see if we can outline a few practical steps to help us

apply the truths of this passage.

On the next page is a prayer guide that you can use for your

personal devotions and in your church. It can help you make inter-

cession for peoples and politicians a regular part of your prayer

life.

But here’s an important qualification. In order for this prayer

guide to be a help and not a burden, do not try to pray for everyone

every day. Just pick a couple names a day to include in your prayers.

For example, the first day you could pray for the Badjao and

for the president of the Philippines. The second day you could pray

for Buddhists and for your barangay captain.

In the last edition of Operation World, Patrick Johnstone tells

how prayer played such a significant role in the collapse of the

former Soviet Union, and in the opening of that part of the world

to evangelism.

Communism’s collapse came with bewildering speed and little

violence. What an answer to the prayers of millions! A seven-

year campaign of prayer for the Soviet Union was launched in

1983 by Open Doors and others with the goal of complete

religious liberty and Bibles available to all. The goals were

achieved on time!7 [emphasis his]

Many peoples and nations of Southeast Asia do not allow free-

dom to evangelize. What will open these closed doors? Or better

yet, who?

CHAPTER 22

220

God, of course, is the only one who can open the hearts of people

and the doors of nations. But he has graciously given us the privi-

lege and responsibility of having a part in this through our prayers.

Our prayers do make a difference! Let’s pray!

1 Timothy Prayer Guide

I urge, then, first of all, that requests,

prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be

made for everyone—for kings and all

those in authority.

INSTRUCTIONS:� List some people of other cultures and religions in

the Philippines and Southeast Asia.� List the names of some of the government leaders in

your part of the world.� You don’t need to try to pray for them all every day.

But put this prayer guide in your Bible, and pray for

one or two of these leaders when you have your daily

devotions.� Make an extra copy of this prayer guide for use in

your local church. Your prayers will make a differ-

ence!

PEOPLE OF OTHER CULTURES AND RELIGIONS

(e.g. the Badjao, Buddhists)

•

•

•

•

WHY PRAY?

221

NATIONAL LEADERS AND AUTHORITIES

•

•

•

PROVINCIAL LEADERS AND AUTHORITIES

•

•

•

MUNICIPAL LEADERS AND AUTHORITIES

•

•

•

LOCAL LEADERS AND AUTHORITIES

(e.g. Barangay Officials):

•

•

•

OTHERS

•

•

•

� � � �

CHAPTER 22

222

WHY PRAY?

223

Digging Deeper

Some have suggested that a better name for The Lord’s Prayer would

be The Disciples’ Prayer, since Jesus intended it to be a model prayer

for his disciples. It is not a set formula that we are to recite. Rather,

it is to be a pattern for our prayers.

We don’t normally think of The Lord’s Prayer as relating to

missions, but it does! Read Matthew 6:9-13 and answer the follow-

ing questions.

1 How is the discipling of all nations connected with the hallowing

of God’s name (honoring, revering him for who he is)?

2 How is praying for God’s kingdom to come related to making

disciples of all nations?

3 How is praying that God’s will would be done related to preach-

ing the gospel?

“It is not a question of an oriental becoming infected with

western thought, or a westerner being over-influenced by the

east, but working and sharing together to seek for men of God

rich in spiritual gifts based on the revelation of the Bible.”1

JOSHUA K . OGAWA

Indonesia, Singapore

Bewildered in Baguio

Pastor Jun shook his head in frustration. When he’d accepted the

invitation to pastor a church in Baguio he hadn’t dreamed of

the problems that awaited him.

The first seven months had been wonderful. He and his family

loved living in the “City of Pines.” The cool weather, walks in

Burnham Park, fresh strawberries from the market—it had almost

been like a vacation. But then the troubles had begun.

First was the complaining of some neighbors who were bothered

by the exuberant Sunday worship service. Then there was the

threat of the landlord to increase their rent. He grimaced as he

remembered the day he’d received a petition from some disgruntled

members who had a list of complaints. In spite of his best efforts to

And Then theEnd Shall Come

2 Peter 3:1-13

23

find a peaceful solution, a number of them had left the church.

But by God’s grace they’d managed to move on, and the church

continued to grow. Especially encouraging was the fact that many

of the members were sharing the gospel. Some led outreach Bible

studies in their homes—others in their places of work. There was a

growing realization that evangelism was the responsibility of every

member. And now this.

At first he hadn’t believed the rumors of what was going on in

Sister Leah’s Bible study. After all, she was one of the founding

members of the church, and was recognized as a leader in the

congregation. So when Pastor Jun was told that there were some

strange things being taught in her Bible study, he refused to believe

the news.

AND THEN THE END SHALL COME

225

It was only when one of the elders gave Pastor Jun a cassette tape

of Sister Leah’s teaching that Pastor Jun was forced to face the facts.

Heresy—there was no other word for it. It was bad enough that

Sister Leah was questioning the return of Christ. But she went

further than that.

She was teaching that since Christ wasn’t going to return—since

this life is all there is—we might as well enjoy ourselves. Immoral-

ity was the inevitable result.

It was with a heavy heart that Pastor Jun pondered the situation.

What could he say to Sister Leah and all those who had been

affected by her false teaching?

Background

Heresies such as these have

been around for many years.

The Apostle Peter confronted

such false teaching in his day in

the letter known as 2 Peter.

Beginning at 3:3, Peter dealt

with the false teaching of scoff-

ers who questioned Christ’s

return.2 Their argument was

that ever since creation every-

thing had been going on as it

always had. God hadn’t intervened in his creation up till now, they

said, and therefore it wasn’t reasonable to expect him to do so in

the future.

Peter responds to this false teaching by pointing out the fallacy

in this heresy. He accuses these false teachers of deliberately over-

looking the fact that God had already intervened by bringing judg-

ment through the flood. And he will intervene again, bringing

judgment through fire.

CHAPTER 23

Heresy—there was

no other word for it.

It was bad enough

that Sister Leah was

questioning the

return of Christ.

But she went further

than that.

226

In verses 8-13, then, Peter writes about this coming Day of the

Lord—its apparent delay, and our responsibilities in light of Christ’s

return in power and glory. As we will see, Christ’s return is directly

related to our faithfulness in making Christ known.


Read 2 Peter 2:1-22

1 How does Peter describe these false teachers—their teaching,

character and influence?

2 Are you aware of any false teachers in the Philippines? If so,

describe their teaching, character and influence.

Read 2 Peter 3:1-4

3 Describe the false teaching of these scoffers (verses 3-4).

4 What effect did their teaching have on their behavior? (verse 3)


227

5 What reason did the false teachers give to justify their teaching?

(verse 4)

Read 2 Peter 3:5-7

6 What evidence does Peter give to show that God has indeed

intervened in human history?

7 Did the scoffers accidentally overlook this evidence? (verse 5)

Explain your answer.

8 Do you think there are any teachings of Scripture which we tend

to deliberately forget because they are inconvenient or convict-

ing? If so, which ones? And why do we tend to ignore these

teachings?

CHAPTER 23

228

Read 2 Peter 3:8-9

9 Christ’s followers thought he was going to return very soon. When

he didn’t, some concluded that he wasn’t going to return at all.

How does Peter explain the apparent delay of Christ’s return in

verse 8?

10 In verse 9, Peter gives another reason why Christ has not yet

returned. Express this reason in your own words. (See also

Ezekiel 33:11; Romans 2:4, 1 Timothy 2:3-4 and 2 Peter 3:15.)

Read 2 Peter 3:10-13

11 At first glance, it might seem strange to compare the day of the

Lord as being like a thief. What point do you think Peter is

making? (See Matthew 24:42-44 and 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3.)

12 The first great universal judgment was by water (the Great

Flood). How will God destroy the world in the final judgment?


229

13 In light of the coming judgment, how are we to live? (verse 11)

14 In your own words, what does it mean to live a holy and godly

life? What does a holy, godly life look like?

15 According to verse 12, we are not only to look forward to the

day of God but to speed its coming. What an amazing thought

—that we can actually speed the coming of the day of God,

which includes the return of Christ! How do you think this is

possible? What can we do to speed its coming?

16 As we consider how we can accelerate the Lord’s return, at

least three answers can be given:

• by faithfully preaching the gospel that has been

entrusted to us (2 Corinthians 5:16-21).

• by living holy and godly lives that attract people to

the gospel and to Christ.

• through prayer (Matthew 6:10).3

To what extent, then, are you helping to speed the Lord’s

return?

• Are you faithfully sharing the gospel?

• Are you living a holy and godly life that attracts people to

the gospel and to Christ?

• Are you praying for the coming of God’s kingdom?

CHAPTER 23

230

These are sobering questions for all of us. For just as it is thrilling

to think that we can have a part in bringing about the re-

turn of Christ by our obedience, what does it mean if we are

disobedient? Must we not conclude that we can retard the

return of Christ by our unfaithfulness in living as God wants

us to live—in doing the work God has given us to do? In a

sense, the curtain of history is being held back while God waits

for the Church to complete the work it has been given to do

—to make disciples of all nations.

� � � �

Digging Deeper

Read Matthew 24:14

1 What must happen before the end will come?

2 How does Matthew 24:14 relate to Matthew 28:18-20?

3 How does Matthew 24:14 support the truth we’ve seen in

2 Peter 3:12, that we can speed the coming of the day of God?


231

“Someone else will say, ‘How are we to know when

the mission is completed? How close are we to the

accomplishment of the task? Which countries have been

evangelized and which have not? How close are we to

the end? Does this not lead to date-setting?’

“I answer, ‘I do not know.’ God alone knows the

definition of terms. I cannot precisely define who ‘all

the nations’ are. Only God knows the exact meaning

of ‘evangelize.’ He alone, who has told us that this

gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in the whole

world for a testimony unto all the nations, will know

when that objective has been accomplished. But I do

not need to know. I know only one thing: Christ has

not yet returned; therefore the task is not yet done.

When it is done, Christ will come. Our responsibility

is not to insist on defining the terms of our task; our

responsibility is to complete it. So long as Christ does

not return, our work is undone. Let us get busy and

complete our mission.”4

GEORGE ELDON LADD

CHAPTER 23

232

“Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal in missions. It’s the

goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring

the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God’s glory. The

goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness

of God.”1

JOHN P IPER

Pastor, Theologian

The Best Fiesta Ever

“Be still!” commanded Tessie. She was trying to fix her

daughter’s hair but Mabel kept turning to talk with her.

“How can I put these pins in your hair if you keep wiggling?”

“Hurry, Nanay.2 I’ll be late for the parade,” said the impatient

little girl. Mabel was practically jumping with excitement. She was

going to ride on one of the floats in their town fiesta.

What an occasion! Already Santo Tomas was decorated for the

annual celebration. Curbs had been whitewashed, banners were

strung across the streets and a huge bamboo arch had been erected

over the main highway leading into town.

A Fiesta forAll Peoples!

Revelation 5:1-14

24

CHAPTER 24

Yesterday Tessie had spent almost the whole day in the kitchen,

preparing food for the fiesta. She was cooking not only for her own

family and relatives, but for the many guests who were sure to stop

by. Now the table groaned under its load of tasty delicacies—adobong

baboy, pritong manok, pancit, menudo, pinakbet, kaldereta,

embotido, kalamay, and bibingka.3 Her children could hardly resist

the mouth-watering aromas that filled their house.

And as if her preparations were not enough, Tessie’s sister and

brother-in-law had arrived last night from Naga City, bringing

with them pili 4 and other treats from their province. It had been

a long bus ride, but it was important for the family to gather on this

special occasion.

234

“Nanay, is ours the larg-

est fiesta in the world?”

asked Mabel. In her wide-

eyed wonder the town fiesta

of Sto. Tomas was the most

magnificent social event she

could imagine.

With a laugh her mother

said, “No, Anak.5 It’s not

even the largest in the Phil-

ippines, or in our province.”

Seeing the disappointment

in her daughter’s eyes, Tessie

continued, “But someday you will go to the largest fiesta ever. And

not only will your Lolo and Lola be there, but even my grand-

parents, too.”

Her forehead wrinkling in confusion Mabel asked, “How can

that be? They’re already dead.”

“The biggest fiesta—the grandest and most spectacular celebra-

tion of all—will be in heaven. And people from all over the world

will be there. People from every language, every nation.”

Background

God has clearly revealed his concern for all nations, and his desire

that we take the message of salvation to all nations. His plan has

always been that every nation might be represented in heaven. But

will his plan succeed?

Revelation 5 gives us a glimpse of the future. The scene takes

place in the very throne room of God. And in this scene we see

that God’s plan will indeed succeed. All the nations will be repre-

sented in heaven. And what a celebration it will be—the best fiesta

of all!

“The biggest fiesta—

the grandest and most

spectacular celebration

of all—will be in

heaven. And people

from all over the world

will be there. People

from every language,

every nation.”

A FIESTA FOR ALL PEOPLES

235


Read Revelation 5:1-5

The scene opens with a scroll which no one can open. Think of it

as the scroll of destiny. The opening of the scroll represents the

outworking of God’s plan for the end of the ages. As we will see,

only Christ (the Lamb) is authorized to execute judgment and

establish the kingdom. Only Christ is worthy of bringing history

to its foreordained conclusion. And that conclusion includes all

nations.6

1 Who was worthy to open the scroll?

Lion of the tribe of Judah . . . Root of David — two titles

for the Messiah that come from the Old Testament. (See

Genesis 49:8-10 and Isaiah 11:1,10.)


2 How is Christ described in verse 6?

seven horns — representing perfect power

seven eyes — representing perfect wisdom

CHAPTER 24

236

3 What is the significance of Jesus being called a lamb? (See also

Isaiah 53:7; John 1:29)

4 Why was the Lamb worthy to take the scroll and open its seals?7

5 How extensive was Christ’s death? In other words, who was

purchased with his blood?8

6 How does this fulfillment seen in Revelation 5:9 relate to God’s

promise to Abram in Genesis 12:1-3? (See also Chapter 1 of this

book.)

7 How does Revelation 5:9 relate to Daniel’s vision in Daniel 7:13-

14?

8 In what ways is the all nations emphasis (seen for example in

Matthew 28:19) evident in Revelation 5:9?


237

9 Put verse 9 in your own words.

10 In what way is Exodus 19:6 seen in Revelation 5:10? (See also

Ch. 2 of this book.)


11 Who is praising the Lamb in verses 11-12?

12 Put their praise in your own words.

13 Who is praising the Father and the Son in verses 13-14?

(See also Philippians 2:9-11.)9

Notice how the circle of those who are praising the

Lamb is growing larger. First it is the four living crea-

tures and 24 elders (verses 8-10). Then a countless

number of angels praise the Lamb (verses 11-12). And

finally all creation joins together in glorifying the Lamb

who was slain (verse 13).

CHAPTER 24

238

14 How is this passage (5:1-14) the fulfillment of God’s purpose

to be glorified among the nations?

15 As we have seen, the day will come when God will be honored

and praised by all nations. That is his unswerving purpose.

With that in mind, how then should we live?


239

The Shepherds’ Song10

Have you heard? Our king is born!Let’s see this revelation.

God made man, yet still remainingLord of all creation.

Behold Messiah! Though just a childthe Savior of our nation.

Of all the world — the angels sangwith praise and adoration.

Have you heard? He’s preaching now.A message of salvation.

His kingdom comes! We’ll soon be freefrom Roman occupation.

Throw off their yoke, you’ll still be boundto lives of desperation.

Become God’s slaves and you will haveHis true emancipation.

Have you heard? They’ve killed our Kingand hopes of liberation.

Nailed on a cross he must have beenjust misled expectation.

Raise up your eyes. Your Savior lives!Begin your jubilation.

His plan complete, now all may cometo join the celebration.

From Abram’s day His will has beenthat some from every nation

Might one day stand before the throne,

All peoples’ grand ovation.

CHAPTER 24

240


241

� � � �

Digging Deeper


1 How is an all nations perspective seen in these verses?

2 Who are in white robes? (See verses 13-17)

3 How does their praise of the Lamb compare with that in

chapter 5?

Teresa looked at the audience at the missions conference.

The eager faces of the delegates reminded her of the first

MissionFest she’d attended years earlier. She still carried warm

memories of that special occasion when—for the first time—she

had sensed God nudging her to serve him as a missionary. And now

here she was a speaker and a member of a panel discussion.

“Ate1 Tess, why did you decide to go to Malaysia?” The question

came from one of the delegates.

“Many reasons, actually. Some good, and some not so good.”

Seeing the surprise in the eyes of the young people, Tess continued,

“Like you, I wanted to serve God. I wanted to do something mean-

ingful with my life. And I had come to understand—through a con-

ference just like this one—that God wants us to make disciples of

all nations.”

Tess hesitated before continuing, quickly weighing the risks

of openness with the importance of being honest with these

impressionable students. “Looking back, I can see that I was also

caught up in the adventure of going overseas, of living in another

culture. It was all so exciting. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose,

but I found that eagerness and excitement were not enough to see

CONCLUSION

From Confusionto Conviction

me through the hard times.”

When Teresa had left for Malaysia three years earlier she had

been full of youthful idealism. She figured that her work as a nurse

at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur would be a great way to share the

Gospel through friendship evangelism.

She discovered, however, that while she was indeed able to make

friends with her neighbors and her colleagues at the hospital, not

very many of her newfound friends were interested in the gospel.

As a matter of fact, some of her Malaysian friends were disappointed

that Teresa never became a Muslim.

As the difficulties of cross-cultural living mounted, Teresa began

to feel like a deflated balloon. Little irritations had begun to

accumulate, and then had come a debilitating illness. Oh how she

had longed to just get on a plane back to Manila.

After hearing of some of the difficulties Tessie had endured, one

young person asked, “Why did you stay?”

Tessie glanced briefly out the window before answering. The

rain clouds gathering over Lake Caliraya reminded her of the spir-

itual storms she had experienced during her first two years in

Malaysia.

It was with a sense of embarrassment that Tessie remembered

the times when doubts had almost overwhelmed her. Doubts about

her suitability as a tentmaking missionary. Doubts about the

gospel. Even doubts about Christ as the only way of salvation.

But God had used those doubts to draw her into his word. Was

there really a solid case for missions in the Bible? She had to find

out for herself. Diligently she searched the Scriptures, asking God

for answers to her questions, and slowly a firm foundation was

built.

Turning back to the young people Teresa answered, “Why did I

stay? It wasn’t because it was fun or romantic. And it certainly wasn’t

because I was an outstanding missionary. On the contrary, there

were times I wanted to quit—times I thought I might as well go

home.” Gathering her courage, Teresa told the young people of the

FROM CONFUSION TO CONVICTION

243

CONCLUSION

inner battles she had faced. The conference hall was quiet as the

delegates listened. Teresa knew that some would probably think

less of her because of what she was sharing, but she knew it was a

small price to pay if some could become better prepared.

“I’ll tell you why I stayed,” she declared with conviction.

“Because I became convinced from Scripture that people are lost

without Christ, that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father, and

that he was sent to be the Savior for all peoples.

“Sure, I had heard these things in church, but I had never really

studied what the Bible says on these issues. Living in another

culture, surrounded by people of another religion, was sometimes

unsettling. I think it exposed some cracks in my theological foun-

dation. So in a way that I had never done before, I was forced to

think deeply about what I really believed. Most importantly, I was

driven to examine the Bible for myself. My emotional enthusiasm

comes and goes, but God’s word never changes.

“Why did I stay?” Teresa asked again. She answered the question

in a voice that was quiet yet forceful in its deliberate cadence. “Be-

cause God cares about the lost of every nation. Because God wants

the lost found. And because it’s our job, our responsibility, our

privilege to make disciples of all nations—all people groups.”

The Next Step

Our study of various passages in the Old and New Testaments has

shown us that God’s concern for the nations is seen not only in

the well-known Great Commission passages, but throughout the

Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture reveals God’s plan

to populate heaven with a multitude from every tribe, language,

people and nation. God deserves to be glorified among the nations,

and it is his unswerving purpose to bring this about.

Amazingly, his plan includes us. Not only does God want us to

know him, but he desires to use us to make him known. It is part of

God’s design that we—the Church—have a key role in reaching the

244

nations. What marvelous grace!

Let your heart and mind be filled with God’s grand purpose to

make disciples of all nations. Rejoice in his goodness to you, and in

the wonderful privilege of being his child and his ambassador. Praise

him for who he is and what he has done for you. Ask him what role

he wants you to play in world evangelization.

Hallelujah! What a glorious God we serve!

FROM CONFUSION TO CONVICTION

245

Introduction

1 tentmaker — a bi-vocational missionary. The term is commonly used

today for those who use secular occupations to gain entry to countries

which are closed to regular missionaries, where they can work and

witness for Christ. However, a broader definition is biblically defen-

sible. D. Gibson has defined a tent-maker as “a cross-cultural Christian

worker with a secular identity.” D. Gibson, Avoiding the Tentmaker Trap

(Canada: WEC International, 1997), p. 41.

2 Overseas Filipino Workers, formerly called OCWs (Overseas Contract

Workers).

3 You can read about some of these early missionaries in a very interesting

book edited by Dr. Anne Kwantes entitled A Century of Bible Christians

in the Philippines (Manila: OMF LIT, 1998). You will be inspired and

challenged as you read these heart-warming stories of Filipino pastors,

church-planters, missionaries and church workers.

4 John Stott, “The Bible in World Evangelization,” in Perspectives on the

World Christian Movement: A Reader, edited by Ralph D. Winter and

Steven C. Hawthorne (Pasadena: William Carey Library, 1999), 22.

Chapter 1

1 Pearls from Many Seas (Wheaton, IL: Van Kampen Press, 1951), 32;

quoted in Vinita Hampton and Carol Plueddemann, comps., World

Shapers: A Treasury of Quotes from Great Missionaries (Wheaton, IL:

Harold Shaw, 1991), 73.

2 A gift brought when returning from a trip, often a delicacy unique to

the place visited.

3 Sarai’s name was later changed to Sarah. See Genesis 17:15.

4 Strictly speaking, this is not the Abrahamic Covenant. That is given

in Genesis 15. But the promises given here later become part of the

NOTES

formal Abrahamic Covenant — God’s unconditional promise to give

Abram’s descendants the land “from the river of Egypt to the great river,

the Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18).

5 Unreached People Group — a people group that doesn’t yet have a church

of sufficient size and strength to evangelize that group without outside

(cross-cultural) assistance.

Chapter 2

1 Isobel Kuhn, In the Arena (Singapore: Overseas Missionary Fellowship,

1960), 11; quoted in Vinita Hampton and Carol Plueddemann, comps.,

World Shapers: A Treasury of Quotes from Great Missionaries (Wheaton,

IL: Harold Shaw, 1991), 14.

2 Unless otherwise indicated, the stories at the beginning of this and other

chapters are fictional.

3 A fruit larger than a grape.

4 In Exodus 19:3 the Lord refers to the house of Jacob and the people of

Israel. Both phrases refer to the same people — the Israelites. Jacob’s

other name was Israel (see Genesis 32:28 and 35:10).

5 The phrase is repeated in Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2; 26:18; Psalm 135:4;

Malachi 3:17.

6 Other passages which speak of Israel being holy to the LORD are

Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2,21; 26:19; Isaiah 62:12.

7 Some of the phrases in 1 Peter have their background in passages such

as Isaiah 43:20-21 and 61:6.

8 See Hosea 1:6-9 and 2:1 for the way these phrases were originally used

to describe the nation of Israel.

Chapter 3

1 Jojo Manzano, ed., Mission Is for Every Church (Manila: OMF Liter-

ature Inc., 1994), 72.

2 See Deuteronomy 4:34; 5:15; 7:19; 11:2; 26:8; Psalm 136:12; Jeremiah

32:21; Ezekiel 20:33-34.

3 Missions in the Old Testament was mainly centripetal. In other words,

the Jews did not so much go out to the nations as attract the nations to

247

NOTES / CHAPTERS 2–3

them. At least that was God’s intention. For the most part, however,

Israel failed to fulfill this purpose. In the New Testament missions is

essentially centrifugal—going out. Although the Church should be going

out in mission, it should still have an attractive quality. There should be

something about the Christian community that attracts unbelievers. In

that sense, then, there is a legitimate application of these verses in 2

Chronicles.

4 Two excellent prayer tools are the Global Prayer Digest (available from

the Philippine Missions Association, PO Box M-006, Mandaluyong City

1550, MM) and Operation World (see Bibliography for more informa-

tion on OW ).

Chapter 4

1 A. Thomson, Great Missionaries: A Series of Biographies (New York: T.

Nelson & Sons, 1862), 239; quoted in Vinita Hampton and Carol

Plueddemann, comps., World Shapers: A Treasury of Quotes from Great

Missionaries (Wheaton, IL: Harold Shaw, 1991), 16.

2 The local bread bun.

3 Father.

4 This idea is often expressed in the phrase “for the sake of your name”

or “for your name’s sake”. Many verses can be given as examples. See

Joshua 7:6-9; 1 Samuel 12:22; Psalm 23:3; 25:11; 31:3; 79:9; 106:8;

109:21; 143:11; Jeremiah 14:7-9; 14:21. (See also Deuteronomy 9:25-

29; 2 Kings 19:19.)

5 See Isaiah 48:9; Ezekiel 20:9,14,22,44; 36:22.

Chapter 5

1 Elisabeth Elliot, Who Shall Ascend: The Life of R. Kenneth Strachan of

Costa Rica (New York: Harper & Row, 1968), 142; quoted in Vinita

Hampton and Carol Plueddemann, comps., World Shapers: A Treasury

of Quotes from Great Missionaries (Wheaton, IL: Harold Shaw, 1991),

93.

2 Proverbs 27:2. See also Proverbs 25:27.

248


3 1 Corinthians 4:7

4 Tom Wells, A Vision for Missions (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust,

1985), 9.

5 By God’s sovereignty we are talking about God’s supreme power and

control over all creation and human affairs.

6 Wells, 9.

7 Wells, 9.

Chapter 6

1 David Bryant, In the Gap: What It Means to Be a World Christian

(Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, U.S.A., 1979), 177; quoted in Vinita



121.

2 A small toy commonly made of plastic strips attached to a metal washer.

3 Salty shrimp paste.

4 Also known as frangipani, a tree commonly found in the tropics with

large, fragrant blossoms.

5 A common greeting to announce one’s arrival at another person’s house.

6 A community; the smallest political unit in the Philippines.

7 A neighborhood.

8 Sticky rice wrapped in banana leaf.

9 Deep-fried banana with a thin wrapper made of flour.

10 For example: Isaiah 41:8; 42:19; 43:10; 44:1-2, 21; 45:4; 48:20.

11 The others are found in Isaiah 42:1-7; 50:4-9; and 52:13-53:12. Sug-

gestions for further study of these other Servant Songs are found at the

end of the chapter.

12 “You islands” in the first line of Isaiah 49:1 is a poetic way of referring

to the nations. As is often the case in Hebrew poetry, in the first two

lines of Isaiah 49:1 the writer is saying essentially the same thing in

different words.

13 Isaiah often used Jacob and Israel together as synonyms to refer to all

twelve tribes of the nation of Israel. The words are used together, for

249

NOTES / CHAPTERS 6

example, in Isaiah 9:8; 10:20; 14:1; 27:6; 29:23; 40:27; 41:8,14; 42:24;

43:1,22,28; 44:1,5,21,23; 45:4; 46:3; 48:1.

14 A snack made of shaved ice, milk and a mixture of candied fruits and

beans.

15 Mung beans.

16 A special kind of coconut meat.

17 Candied fruit of the sugar palm.

18 Snacks.

Chapter 7

1 Sally Magnusson, The Flying Scotsman (New York: Quartet Books,

1981), 165; quoted in Vinita Hampton and Carol Plueddemann,

comps., World Shapers: A Treasury of Quotes from Great Missionaries

(Wheaton, IL: Harold Shaw, 1991), 90.

2 For more information on St. Patrick see Thomas Cahill, How the Irish

Saved Civilization (New York: Anchor Books, Doubleday, 1995).

3 There were others who prophesied to heathen nations, but they didn’t

actually go to those nations. For example, Obadiah preached against

Edom, and Nahum preached against Nineveh and the Assyrians.

4 For one thing, the sailors address God as LORD (verse 14). In the New

International Version, when LORD appears with all capital letters it is

a translation of Yahweh or Jehovah. This is the name of God that

emphasizes his special covenant relationship with Israel. In addressing

God as LORD, the sailors were implicitly acknowledging that the God

of Israel was sovereign over their own lives and circumstances as well.

5 F.F. Bruce, The Spreading Flame: The Rise and Progress of Christianity

From Its First Beginnings to the Conversion of the English (Grand

Rapids, MI:Eerdmans, 1979), 174, in Ruth Tucker, From Jerusalem

to Irian Jaya: A Biographical History of Christian Missions (Grand

Rapids, MI: Academie Books, Zondervan Publishing House, 1983),

40.

250

NOTES / CHAPTERS 7

Chapter 8

1 Hanna Handojo, Assignment: Cuenca—Letters from the Frontline

(Manila: OMF Literature Inc., 1994), 226.

2 As in Matthew 12:40, this phrase may refer to a period of time which

included one full day and parts of two others—a common way of

reckoning time for the Jews.

Chapter 9

1 Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor, Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret

(Chicago: Moody Press, n.d.), 214; quoted in Vinita Hampton and

Carol Plueddemann, comps., World Shapers: A Treasury of Quotes from

Great Missionaries (Wheaton, IL: Harold Shaw, 1991), 43.

Chapter 10

1 Benjamin de Jesus and Deborah Cowles, with a foreword by Agustin B.

Vencer, Jr. A Man Sent from God (Manila: CAMACOP, 1986), 117.

2 A locally produced rum.

3 A small boat with an outrigger.

4 A fancy, embroidered Filipino dress shirt.

5 A high-quality Philippine hardwood.

6 Shortened form of kumpadre, a Tagalog word used to address the god-

father of one’s child. Pare is often used as a form of address among

males even when no godfather relationship is present.

7 Johannes Verkuyl, “The Biblical Foundation for the Worldwide Mission

Mandate,” in Ralph Winter and Stephen Hawthorne, Perspectives on

the World Christian Movement: A Reader (Pasadena, CA: William Carey

Library, 1999), p. 33.

8 I told you so.

9 Numbers 14:18; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 86:15; 103:8; 145:8; Joel 2:13.

251


Chapter 11

1 Maria Nilsen, as told to Paul H. Sheetz, Malla Moe (Chicago: Moody

Bible Institute, 1956); quoted in Vinita Hampton and Carol Pluedde-

mann, comps., World Shapers: A Treasury of Quotes from Great Mis-

sionaries (Wheaton, IL: Harold Shaw, 1991), 46.

2 Children.

3 A group of close friends, buddies.

4 Coconut wine.

5 Scythe.

6 There are five major discourses in the gospel of Matthew: chapters 5-7,

10, 13, 18, and 24-25. In these discourses Matthew gathers together

teaching of the same kind.

7 The summary statement in 9:35 (which introduces Jesus’ second major

discourse) is very similar to that in Matthew 4:23 (which introduces

Jesus’ first major discourse).

8 The Lord of the harvest — probably a reference to God the Father.

9 Tom Wells, A Vision for Missions (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust,

1985), p. 140.

Chapter 12

1 Robert Savage, At Your Orders, Lord! (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1957),

45; quoted in Vinita Hampton and Carol Plueddemann, comps., World



2 Michael Fischer, “The Fiery Rise of Hindu Fundamentalism,” Chris-

tianity Today, vol. 43, no. 3 (March 1, 1999): p. 47.

3 Matthew 21:23-27; 22:41-46

4 Matthew 21:28-22:14

5 Matthew 22:15-22; 22:34-40

6 Matthew 22:23-33

7 Most of the Pharisees, as self-appointed guardians of the Law, were very

strict about the outward observance of the Law and traditions. Unfortun-

ately, their hearts were far from God. (See Matthew 23.)

252


8 first (verse 38) — this commandment is not the first one given in the

Bible, but it is first in importance.

9 Jesus is quoting from Deuteronomy 6:4-5. These verses were part of

the Shema — the great Jewish confession of faith which was recited

by pious Jews every morning and evening. It derives its name from

the first word of Deuteronomy 6:4 in Hebrew, shema (hear). The

passages that comprised the Shema were Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:13-

21 and Numbers 13:37-41.

10 Leviticus 19:18 is quoted here, and in a few other passages in the New

Testament: Mark 12:31 (the parallel passage to Matthew 22:39); Mark

12:33; Luke 10:27; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14 and James 2:8.

11 All the Law and the Prophets — a reference to the entire Old Testa-

ment.

Chapter 13

1 A. Thomson, Great Missionaries: A Series of Biographies (New York:

T. Nelson & Sons, 1862), 225; quoted in Vinita Hampton and Carol

Plueddemann, comps., World Shapers: A Treasury of Quotes from Great

Missionaries (Wheaton, IL: Harold Shaw, 1991), 17.

2 Material on William Carey drawn mainly from Mark Galli, “The Man

Who Wouldn’t Give Up,” Christian History 11, no. 4 (1992):8-17.

3 To the women (Matthew 28:1-10). To Mary Magdalene ( John 20:10-

18). To Peter (Luke 24:34). To two travelers on the road to Emmaus

(Luke 24:13-32). To the disciples in the Upper Room ( John 20:19-

23; Luke 24:36-49).

4 To the 11 disciples, including Thomas ( John 20:26-31). To seven

disciples by the Sea of Galilee ( John 21:1-23). To the eleven disciples

on a mountain in Galilee (Matthew 28:16-20).

5 Abraham Kuyper, in Os Guinness, The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the

Central Purpose of Your Life (Nashville: Word Publishing, 1998), 35.

6 There is only one imperative (direct command) in verse 19: make

disciples. The other phrases are all participles: going, baptizing and

teaching them to obey.

253

NOTES / CHAPTERS 13

7 Baptism signified both submission to Christ, and entrance into the

community of believers.

8 Arthur F. Glasser, “My Last Conversation with Donald McGavran,”

Evangelical Missions Quarterly, vol. 27, no. 1 ( Jan. 1991), 59.

Chapter 14

1 Elisabeth Elliot, A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael

(Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1987), 247; quoted in

Vinita Hampton and Carol Plueddemann, comps., World Shapers:

A Treasury of Quotes from Great Missionaries (Wheaton, IL: Harold

Shaw, 1991), 113.

2 Fried pork rind.

3 A small neighborhood store with various goods for sale.

4 Gossip.

5 Jesus is not saying that the Pharisees and teachers of the Law are actu-

ally righteous, but this is the way the religious leaders thought of them-

selves.

6 The coin was worth an average day’s wage—a significant amount!

Chapter 15

1 Basil Miller, Pandita Ramabai: India’s Christian Pilgrim (Grand Rapids,

MI: Zondervan, 1949), 118.

2 Idiomatic equivalent of “Oh no!”

3 It might be asked how Peter and the travelers on the road to Emmaus—

all of whom had just seen the Lord—would now be frightened. The

answer may be found in the fact that Jesus appeared suddenly among

them, at a time when they were already behind locked doors for fear of

the Jews ( John 20:19). See also Matthew 14:25-26; Mark 6:48-50.

4 The expression the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms was a

way of referring to the three divisions of the Old Testament. (The Psalms

comprised the first and most important part of the third section, the

Writings, and was therefore sometimes used to refer to that third

section.)

254

NOTES / CHAPTERS 14

5 See, for example, Acts 1:22; 2:24,27,31-32; 3:15,26; 4:2,10,33; 5:30;

10:40-41; 13:30, 33-34,37; 17:3,18,31; 23:6; 26:23.

6 Romans 5:5, 8:9-17, 1 Cor 2:12-14, 6:19, 12:7-13, 2 Cor 1:21-22,

2 Cor 5:5, Gal 3:2-5, 4:6, Eph 1:13-14, 4:30; 1 Thes 4:7-8; 1 Jn 3:24;

4:13. There are a few exceptions in Acts (Saul/Paul, the Samaritans, and

the believers at Ephesus). An adequate explanation for these atypical

events, however, can be found in the unique historical context of each.

7 Robert Hall Glover, in Herbert W. Kane, Christian Missions in Biblical

Perspective (Grand Rapids, Baker Book House, 1976), p. 131.

Chapter 16

1 Met Castillo, “Servanthood in Missions,” Missionasia (11, no. 2), 2.

2 Picture a traffic accident that is observed by four people. One witness is

in one of the cars involved in the accident. A second witness is standing

on the street corner. A third is looking out of a window of a nearby

office building. And a fourth happens to be flying over in a helicopter.

Their perspectives will all be very different, but not necessarily contra-

dictory. Each of them can supply information which contributes to a

more complete account.

3 Correct answers for #8: b, c and e.

4 Literally, the verse reads “Those whose sins you forgive have already

been forgiven; those whose sins you do not forgive have not been

forgiven.” We do not grant forgiveness. In essence, however, we

announce the forgiveness of sin through the proclamation of the

gospel—God’s sovereignly ordained way of salvation.

Chapter 17

1 F. Deaville Walker, William Carey: Missionary Pioneer and Statesman

(London: Student Christian Movement, 1926), 183; quoted in Vinita



18.

2 If Acts 1:4-5 do not refer to the same event as that described in Luke

24:36-49 and John 20:19-23, then they refer to a subsequent similar

255


event. It would be perfectly reasonable for Jesus to repeat these impor-

tant instructions on more than one occasion.

Chapter 18

1 Pearls from Many Seas (Wheaton, IL: Van Kampen Press, 1951), 12;

quoted in Vinita Hampton and Carol Plueddemann, comps., World



2 A somewhat fatalistic expression meaning “What will be, will be.”

3 A word placed before a man’s name to indicate respect; roughly equi-

valent to Mister.

4 Religious pluralism is the worldview that all religions are equally valid—

that there is not just one true religion.

5 The filling of the Holy Spirit is often associated with bold preaching or

power in ministry. See Acts 2:4; 4:31; 7:55; 11:24 and 13:6-12 .

Chapter 19

1 J. Herbert Kane, Christian Missions in Biblical Perspective (Grand

Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1976), 242.

2 A wooden club used for beating laundry.

3 Hellenistic Jews were those who spoke Greek and had adapted to Greek

culture.

4 Barnabas was the one who had defended and endorsed Paul when he

first went to Jerusalem as a Christian. The disciples there were under-

standably skeptical of this persecutor turned preacher. But Barnabas,

whose name means son of encouragement (Acts 4:36), vouched for the

sincerity of Paul’s conversion. (Acts 9:26-27)

5 A similar example is found in 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, a reference to the

rich generosity of the Macedonians in the face of difficulty and poverty.

6 It could be argued that Peter was the first missionary since he took the

gospel to Cornelius, a Roman centurion (Acts 10). Or even Philip, who

evangelized the Samaritans (Acts 8:4-8) and the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts

8:26-39). However, none of these examples (or the unnamed disciples

who first evangelized Gentiles in Antioch, Acts 11:19-21) represent

256


missionaries who were sent by a local church. Indeed, it would seem

that—generally speaking —the early Christians were slow to take the

initiative in reaching out beyond their cultural walls.

7 Interestingly, Paul had first heard of the Lord’s plans to use him as an

apostle to the Gentiles at least 10 years earlier. (See Acts 9:1-19; 22:17-

21; 26:12-18.)

8 According to the grammar, the immediate antecedent of they in verse 3

is the group of leaders listed in verses 1-2. (More specifically, it would

be Simeon, Lucius and Manaen, since Barnabas and Saul wouldn’t have

laid hands on themselves.) However, it would be very unusual for these

three men to send off Barnabas and Saul without informing the rest

of the congregation at Antioch. Most likely, therefore, the church at

Antioch was involved in the commissioning of Barnabas and Saul. The

passage of time that would allow for this scenario is implied by the

fact that they fasted and prayed before sending them off. By definition,

fasting means going for a period of time without food.

Chapter 20

1 Elisabeth Elliot, Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim

Elliot (New York: Harper & Row, 1958), 15; quoted in Vinita Hamp-

ton and Carol Plueddemann, comps., World Shapers: A Treasury of Quotes

from Great Missionaries (Wheaton, IL: Harold Shaw, 1991), 16.

Chapter 21

1 Bishop J.M. Thoburn, The Life of Isabella Thoburn (Cincinnati: Jennings

and Pye, 1903), 246; quoted in Vinita Hampton and Carol Plueddemann,

comps., World Shapers: A Treasury of Quotes from Great Missionaries

(Wheaton, IL: Harold Shaw, 1991), 119.

2 Maridadi — a Swahili word meaning beautiful.

3 Norman Grubb, Christ in Congo Forests: The Story of the Heart of

Africa Mission (London: Lutterworth Press, 1945), 13; quoted in Vinita



19.

257

NOTES / CHAPTERS 19

4 The material on the Moravians is taken primarily from the lead article in

the first issue of Christian History magazine: “The Rich Young Ruler

Who Said Yes,” Christian History 1, no. 1 (n.d.):7-9, 31-35. This issue

contains several fascinating articles on Zinzendorf and the Moravians.

5 J. Herbert Kane, Christian Missions in Biblical Perspective (Grand

Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1976), 129.

Chapter 22

1 Rosalind Goforth, Goforth of China (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan,

1937), 80; quoted in Vinita Hampton and Carol Plueddemann, comps.,

World Shapers: A Treasury of Quotes from Great Missionaries (Wheaton,

IL: Harold Shaw, 1991), 49.

2 Paul is not saying that we should pray for each person in the world.

That would be impossible. Rather, we are to pray for all kinds of people.

The reasons are given in the verses that follow.

3 All men in verse 4 is a translation of the same two Greek words that are

translated everyone in verse 1.

4 Some more passages to consider are Matthew 13:47-50, Luke 13:22-30

and Revelation 20:11-15.

5 The New Testament book which highlights Christ’s role as the perfect

mediator is the book of Hebrews. Because of the central place of the

tagapamagitan (mediator) in Filipino society and popular religion, the

view of Christ given in Hebrews would seem to be particularly relevant

for the Philippines.

6 All men — a better translation would be all people or everyone (since

it’s not a reference to men in particular, but to all people — men, women,

boys and girls). This is the third time Paul has made reference to all

people: in verse 1 (everyone), 4 (all men) and 6 (all men).

7 Patrick Johnstone, Operation World (Carlisle, United Kingdom: OM

Publishing, 1993), 52.

Chapter 23

1 Joshua K. Ogawa, Unlimited Purpose: An Asian Missionary Tells His

Story (Singapore: OMF Ltd., 1986), 125.

258

NOTES / CHAPTERS 20-21

2 These scoffers were either already on the scene, or perhaps were yet to

come. In either case, Peter’s purpose is to arm Christians against the

heresies of these false teachers.

3 See Digging Deeper at the end of Chapter 22.

4 George Eldon Ladd, “The Gospel of the Kingdom,” in Perspectives on

the World Christian Movement, Ralph D. Winter and Steven C.

Hawthorne, eds. (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 1999), 75.

Chapter 24

1 John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad: The Supremacy of God in

Missions (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1993), 11.

2 Mother.

3 Various Filipino dishes.

4 Local almond-like nut.

5 Child.

6 This outworking of God’s plan includes the judgments and the estab-

lishing of the kingdom which are described in the chapters that follow.

Very likely John’s purpose was to reassure his readers that even as the

world goes through terrible tribulation we can be sure that history is

still under control—God’s control.

7 In Revelation 4:11, God is praised for his work in creation. Here in

5:9 the Lamb is praised for his work of redemption.

8 The phrase translated purchased men for God in the New Interna-

tional Version could probably be better translated as purchased people

for God.

9 Notice how verses 12-13 support the deity of Christ. The Lamb ( Jesus

Christ) is worshiped and praised in the same way as the Father.

10 Dean Wiebracht, 1995.

Conclusion

1 Term used in addressing one’s older sister or cousin. Often used by

Christians even when there is no blood relationship.

NOTES / CHAPTERS 22-23

259

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books

Archer, Gleason L., Jr. “Daniel.” The Expositor’s Bible Commentary.

Vol. 7. Edited by Frank E. Gaebelein. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan,

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