The Gospel is For Everyone

2 Chronicles 6:32–33 ESV

“Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for the sake of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm, when he comes and prays toward this house, hear from heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.

This is one of the highlights of Israel’s history. The magnificent temple was finished and dedicated to God. King Solomon gives a statement that the God of Israel was not just for Israel, but for the whole world. This statement reverberates with

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

This is the heartbeat of God. It is God’s will as well as the will of Jesus Christ, that all would have a clear presentation of the gospel

2 Peter 3:9 ESV

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

We can easily agree with this. Sure, everyone needs to hear the Gospel. It changes lives. It reconciles us to God via Christ. It heals, saves, and delivers. Praise God!! We can all get on board with this. Yes, we agree.

That is until it is someone who we do not like or has been mean to us. God just does not understand, does He? Yes, He may be God but He must have really missed something. So, of course we need to fill in what God, omniscient (all knowing) and omnipresence (everywhere at one), must have missed.

The Bible does not mince words. It shows the good, bad, and very ugly. One man was called to share the gospel to a group of people who were set for judgement. He did not want to. So much so, he thought he could run away from God.

Now a side note, if God is asking you to do something and you do not want to do it. Do it anyway. It will save you problems in the long run. The best place to be would be is in the will of God, no matter what it is.

Now you may be familiar with the story of Jonah. He thought he could run away from God. One thing about God. He really, and I mean really, does not want anyone to perish. Jonah shows us the length God is willing to go to reach our enemies.

What about us, are we willing to go to the same extent? Our first response would be as good Christians to say yes. But, would it really? Now, Veggie Tales down plays the actual state for the sake of our children. They portray them as fish-slappers. This does not sound so bad. But the truth is much worse,

Nineveh was a bitter enemy to Israel. They were ruthless and war-like. They were very cruel to those they conquered. They would drag away those they conquered with hooks in their noses. So Jonah was not happy that God wanted to give Nineveh the chance to repent. When Jonah did finally make it back to Nineveh, he did not preach the message with love. He did the bare minimum.

Jonah 3:4 ESV

Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

The people repented and God forgave and Jonah was angry.

Jonah 4:1–3 ESV

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

Can you imagine to have such dislike for a group of people that would rather die than for them to have the opportunity to repent?

It is is easy to cast blame on Jonah, but what about our own lives? Think about those who have hurt us. All we want is for God to take vengeance. We want want justice. But what about us? Have we received justice? No, we have received mercy.

Another man struggled with this. None other than the apostle Peter. God had to deal with Peter’s prejudice before He sent him to speak to Cornelius. God gave him a vision 3 times. No Christian is perfect. We make mistakes. We give into the fleshly or carnal side of our life. We are a work in progress and God still uses us to share the gospel.

Now picture this. A man, the sworn enemy of all Jews, because he is a centurion. He loves the Lord and does his best. Then God sends Peter to speak to him. And Peter with all the tack of a lion devouring a gazelle, promptly tells Cornelius that he should not even be seen in a non-Jewish home.

Acts 10:28 ESV

And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.

Peter goes through the gospel message and lo and beyond something unbelievable happens. A non-Jew receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Jews who had accompanied Peter were in shock. Then Peter gives a classic response:

Acts 10:47 ESV

“Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

The gospel is for everyone. Everyone has the human right to have a clear presentation. No matter our past experiences, we do not have the right to decide who gets to hear the message and who does not. This has been an issue in the church as a whole since the beginning. It ought not to be. The gospel is for everyone. Jesus died for all.

Conclusion:

A - Acknowledge

Romans 3:23 ESV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

B - Believe

Acts 16:31 (ESV)

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”

C - Confess

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.