Traveling The Narrow Road

…on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
––Matthew 16:18

God’s plan of redemption and reconciliation is unstoppable. Christ’s ambassadors, his messengers who carry the gospel to the world by the power of the Holy Spirit, will not be stopped by anything hell might throw their way. Jesus promised that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church that Jesus is building.

God mission is clear––to redeem a people for himself. His method to carry the gospel to the world is clear––through the witness of his people.

Christians are Christ’s ambassadors to the world. We represent the King of kings and he has entrusted us with the best message any ambassador has ever delivered. Our mission is the most important any ambassador has ever undertaken.

God Has Tasked Those He Has Redeemed to Declare His Glory Among the Nations.

In Part 1 we saw that as part of his mission, God makes his name great among the nations. If you are a Christian, God has commissioned you to spread God’s fame and proclaim his great work of the Gospel. Your faithful Christian witness aligns your purpose with God’s purpose.

Sing to the Lord a new song;
 sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
 proclaim his salvation day after day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
 his marvelous deeds among all peoples.–Psaalm 96:1–3

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
 make known among the nations what he has done,
 and proclaim that his name is exalted.–Isaiah 12:4

The Apostle Paul’s Commission Was for the Sake of Christ’s Name.

Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. ––Romans 1:5

But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” ––Acts 9:13-16

Salvation Is Found In Only One Name

Look how the name of the Lord factors into salvation.

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”––Romans 10:13

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”––Acts 4:12

Even the Great Commission commands us to baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

God’s Name Is Never to Be Taken In Vain

God’s name and his glory are so important that we are commanded not to take His name in vain. God’s reputation must never be tarnished. The holy must never be confused with the profane.

Jesus teaches us what it means to take his name in vain.

This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. ––Matthew 15:8–9

John Piper points out that the Bible describes vain as something that is empty, futile, pointless, trivial, inconsequential, insignificant. He goes on to say that, for the Christian, all of life is worship–– “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17). Therefore, don’t treat God––his name––as vain. 1

God’s Word, God’s truth and God’s commandments are not vain but our substitutes are. Our idols, our plans that don’t match God’s plans and even our routine activities done for our own glory reveal a heart far from God.

We have seen that Scripture proclaims that God will make his name great among the nations. His name is the opposite of trivial, inconsequential, insignificant or any other synonym of vain.

The Purpose of the Gospel and Making God’s Name Great Is to Declare God’s Glory and Secure the Worship of the Redeemed.

Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
 But to Your name give glory. 
Because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth.–Psalm 115:1

All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
And they shall glorify Your name.–Psalm 86:9

“All the earth will worship You,
 and will sing praises to You;
 They will sing praises to Your name.” –Psalm 66:4

Ambassadors for Christ

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

Most Christians are familiar with the Great Commision. But have we made the connection between God’s redemptive plan for the world and how the Bible describes us as believers?

For example, Christ’s love compelled the apostle Paul to spread the message that God has reconciled the world to himself. Paul describes himself as an ambassador because he brings God’s message of reconciliation to the lost.

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.––2 Cor. 5:18–20

When we witness to the world––when we preach the gospel––we implore people on Christ’s behalf to be reconciled to God. We carry Christ’s message. We are ambassadors for his kingdom.

When we obey the Great Commission, we make disciples who go on to make disciples. We not only carry the good news of salvation to the ends of the earth, but we strive to teach new disciples to obey all that Jesus has commanded.

Notice that we carry out the Great Commission under the authority of our King, Jesus. We, like Paul, have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel (1 Thess. 2:4). Christians represent Christ’s kingdom to the kingdoms of this world. We are ambassadors with the privilege of delivering the best news, the best message that the world has ever heard!

Light Up the World with the Gospel!

Consider this––when we read in the Sermon on the Mount that we are the light of the world, do we tend to be passive? Do we think that just because we are Christians, pagans will see that we don’t act like they do and ask about our faith? Do we keep to ourselves in our Christian circles hoping the world will notice and ask us about Jesus?

Our light is a reflection of Jesus who is the light of the world. We are not to hide our light under a basket by keeping to ourselves. Instead, we are to put ourselves out into the world like a city on a hill so that our light cannot be hidden. Furthermore, the light of the gospel that we reflect and the good deeds we do when coupled with God’s message of reconciliation, result in bringing glory to God, not to ourselves.

This message of reconciliation that we are entrusted with should be at the heart of our daily living. The saying, “Preach the Gospel at all times and if necessary use words” not only contradicts Scripture (Romans 10:5–17) but is illogical. It is like saying, “feed the hungry, if necessary use food.”

This dovetailing of God’s mission to redeem his elect and our commission to go into all the world and proclaim the gospel, all for the glory of God, should encourage and embolden us.

It’s very easy to hide our light under a basket, even if we know how to share the gospel. I do it all too often. I’m not always ready to share the hope that lies within me with strangers. Sharing with unsaved friends is much easier for me. But that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t adopt the Apostle Paul’s attitude, who, being unashamed of the gospel, was eager to preach it (Romans 1:15–16). Even so, not everyone is cut out to do door-to-door evangelism. But we all are called to preach the gospel to a lost world. The best method of evangelism is the one you use.

Churches that offer classes on sharing the gospel and organize opportunities to go with others to witness in the community serve their congregations well. Short-term evangelistic mission trips are great ways to see the Holy Spirit work to bring people to Christ and give you confidence that, indeed, Jesus is with you as you carry out the Great Commission.

God Always Keeps His Promises

God the Father said this to God the Son:

Ask of Me, and I will give You
 the nations for Your inheritance, 
and the ends of the earth for Your possession.
––Psalm 2:8

Did Jesus pray this prayer? In what is known as Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer he prays this:

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. ––John 17:1–2

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, … “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.––John 17:20, 24

Evidently Jesus did ask the Father to give him the nations for his inheritance. And God the Father will keep his promise. Here is the result as foretold in the Bible:

And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll
 and to open its seals, because you were slain,
 and with your blood you purchased for God
 persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
    and they will reign on the earth.”
––Revelation 5:9-10

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
––Revelation 7:9–10 (ESV)

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
––Matthew 25:34

We should be encouraged to witness because God has promised guaranteed success! Of course not everyone we witness to will place their faith in Christ, but none that God the Father has given to Jesus will reject him. And the end will not come until all whom the Father has given Jesus are saved. (Matthew 24:14)

Share Jesus’ Compassion for the Lost–Going, Sending, Giving

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” ––Matthew 9:35–38

Since there are so many opportinities, so many ripe fields ready for harvest, we should pray for opportunities to share the Gospel as we go about our lives. Then we should expect God to answer our prayers since it is according to his will, and be on the lookout so we can recognize those opportunities when they arise. Pray for boldness to act and to share the gospel because the result isn’t up to us:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.––Romans 1:16

Pray with confidence, knowing “that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him (1 John 5:14–15).” God’s plans are big. Our prayers should be big too.

We intersect with people almost every day who need Christ. We should prepare ourselves for any opportunity that arises to share the Gospel.

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.––1 Peter 3:15

Whether you, as ambassadors for Christ, bring his message personally to those around you or bring his message by giving financially to send others or bring his message by your prayers, be encouraged because the fruit of your witnessing, giving and praying will be credited to your eternal, heavenly account. ( See Philippians 4:17; 2 Corinthians 5:18–20)

God’s Pleasure, God’s Glory, Our Gain

God has promised to make his name great among the nations, to bring glory to himself, to reconcile us to himself, to purchase for himself a people from every tribe, language, people and nation, to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, to prepare a place for us to be with him forever, to do away with evil and to wipe away every tear.

It pleases him to do so.

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. …a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” ––Matthew 17:1, 2, 5

He does what he pleases.

I make known the end from the beginning,
 from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
 and I will do all that I please.’ ––Isaiah 46:10

God keeps his promises.

“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.” –––Psalm 145:13

He is unstoppable!

1. John Piper, “How We Take God’s Name in Vain,” Desiring God, April 18, 2021, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-we-take-gods-name-in-vain