To The Farthest Corners

Acts 13:46-49

I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth. (Acts 13:47)

IN THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY, selections from Hebrew Scripture were found in the caves of Dunhuang, China, as part of a huge library of ancient documents. The biblical texts date from the first Christian millennium, perhaps as early as the 400s. They provide firm evidence that the God of Israel and his plan of salvation were made known in the East much earlier than modern missionaries once thought.

One motivation behind the modern missions movement that began among Protestants in the late 1700s and gathered momentum throughout the nineteenth century was the tragic amount of time previous generations of Christians had taken to get the message out. William Carey lamented the unreached masses of India; Hudson Taylor wept over “China’s millions”; and many others expressed the same regret that the Savior of the world was still unknown to so many people around the world. But awareness of the gospel had made inroads into many of those places before: the apostle Thomas in India; Nestorians venturing into China; unknown journeys of many into the civilizations of Africa and the steppes of Asia, where vibrant churches once stood. The message of Jesus has always encountered resistance, but it has also been carried by relentless messengers. Over time—apparently God’s preferred method—the word has spread into diverse cultures and language groups.

That process is still going on. The Great Commission of Jesus has not faded, though methodologies for carrying it forward have changed throughout the centuries. Today, nearly one in every three people in the world self-identifies as a Christian—a staggering number compared to just a couple of centuries ago, but still not enough. Much of Christianity’s gains have come through un-Christian efforts—conquest, forced conversion, violence, and manipulation—but those carrying its true spirit have continued to be fruitful. In one way or another, you are part of that mission—wherever you are, in whatever work you do, and in whatever ways you support the overall cause. You are called both to be salt and light and to support the salt and light around you. You are always and forever a carrier of good news.

{Lord, thank you for the privilege of being part of your mission—a recipient of its graces and a carrier of them as well. May your will be done in my life, in the lives of your people, and in this world now and forever. Amen.