Sermons
God Seeks the Whole Human Race
God Seeks the Whole Human Race
Introduction:
1. “God is not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).
2. This statement identifies the foundation of our mission as the people of God. Because God is not willing that any should perish He has sent His people out into the world proclaiming salvation through Jesus Christ.
3. In the Book of Acts it is evident that Jesus sent His witnesses out into the world. They began in Jerusalem. The message went into Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth (Acts 1:8).
4. This was quite remarkable, especially in light of the fact that it was first limited to Jews.
5. But the message broke through Jewish boundaries.
a. Even at the beginning it knew no language or culture barriers among Jews. Jews of
different languages were given the opportunity to be Christians (Acts 2:8-11). Proselytes
were included (Acts 2:10). Hellenistic Jews responded (Acts 6:1).
b. Samaritans were invited to join (Acts 8:5).
c. Eunuch’s were included (Acts 8:36).
d. God-fearing Gentiles (Acts 10 and 11).
e. Even Gentiles who were not previously God-fearing were invited to join (Acts 13:44-47).
The apostles’ justification for including Gentiles? A command of the Lord, as in Isa. 42:6;
49:6.
6. What this tells me is that God has always sought the whole human race, not just Jews.
7. Often the periods of Biblical history are divided into three: Patriarchal, Mosaic and Christian, corresponding to the three ways God has communicated to His people: fathers, the prophets (Moses), Christ.
7. In this lesson we will look at each of these periods and demonstrate God’s desire for all mankind to respond to Him in worship.
9. If it has always been God’s desire for all mankind to worship Him then this should make our purpose of evangelizing all mankind that much more clear. It should motivate us to busy ourselves with the work of God. (A by-product—We should realize the Premillennial concepts of the church are false.).
Discussion:
I. The Patriarchal period reveals that God is seeking the whole human race.
A. God sought worship from both Cain and Abel (Gen. 4).
B. His grief over the situation before the flood is evidence of His seeking the whole of
humanity (Gen. 6:6).
C. In God’s call to Abraham He focuses his redemptive plan on the whole human race (Gen.
12:1-3).
1. The land
2. And the nation
3. Promises were to take provision for a blessing to come on “all the families of the
earth.”
II. The Mosaic period reveals God’s desire that all men come to repentance and worship Him.
A. During the days of Moses God gave consideration to the “sojourners among them” (Ex.
20:8-11). The “aliens” were to be taught to fear the Lord and to observe the law (Deut.
31:12).
B. Including the nations was part of Israel’s responsibility to “love their neighbor” (Lev.
19:33-34).
C. God never gave them a “great commission” to go out and convert the nations, but neither
were they allowed to be exclusionary. They were NOT to think “only Jews can be saved.”
1. Jonah was sent to Ninevah. He may have wanted to exclude Ninevites from the
opportunity of responding to God, but God would not allow it.
2. Isa. 43:8-13 identifies Israel as a witness to the nations. Indeed they were supposed to
be a light to the nations (Isa. 42:6; 49:6; 60:3).
3. Solomon’s prayer at the construction of the temple was inclusive of foreigners (1 Kings
8:41-43).
4. The Psalms emphasize inclusion of the nations (Psa. 22:27; 67:2).
5. The prophets say the house of the Lord shall be established and the nations will flow
into it (Isa. 2:2-4; 56:6-8; Jer. 3:17; Micah 4:2). Joel says, “Whoever calls on the name
of the Lord will be saved (2:23). It is with such an inclusionary vision that the Christian
period began.
III. In the Christian period God seeks the whole human race.
A. Jesus sought both “righteous” and “unrighteous” Jews (Lk. 15:1ff). He talked with
Samaritan women (Jn. 4). He commanded “Go and make disciples of all the nations”
(Matt. 28:19). “Go into all the world and preach to all creation” (Mk. 16:15).
B. The disciples did not quite understand just how inclusive God was.
1. Ananias was hesitant to go to Saul.
2. Peter was hesitant to go to Cornelius.
3. Some Jews were hesitant about accepting the Gentiles on the basis of faith and
wanted to circumcise them and to command them to observe the law of Moses (Acts
15:1ff).
4. But the message of God was clear.
a. Clearly communicated through Peter’s experience with Cornelius (Acts 15:6-11).
b. Clearly communicated by God’s actions when Paul and Barnabas preached to
Gentiles (Acts 15:12).
c. Clearly communicated through the Prophets (Acts 15:13-18; Acts 13:47).
Conclusion:
1. From the beginning God has desired and sought all men to worship Him.
2. He has made His will plain in Scripture.
3. A relationship with the Lord has never been an exclusionary privilege for only a few. God’s intent is for everyone to honor Him.
4. As the people of God it is our business, our mission, our purpose to take this message to all.
5. If we institutionalize the church and start protecting and defending our institution we are missing the point.
6. If we preach that it is all about the Jews returning to Jerusalem one day we are missing the point.
7. If we focus attention upon ourselves, our social needs and friendships we miss the point.
8. It is about seeking the whole human race for the Lord. Let’s busy ourselves with this work!
- 1-10-2020-Wayne-Ga ... ole-Human-Race.mp3 (9.84 MB)
- God_Seeks_the_Whole_Human_Race.pdf (113.97 kB)
