By Jeremy Simpkins, leader, ChristCentral churches

It was such a joy for Ann and me to be with you all last week.

One of the things we so appreciated about Jubilee Church was the number of nations that are represented amongst you! This got me thinking about God’s heart for the nations…

It’s always been God’s plan to fill the whole earth with His glory – to reach into every nation. It all started with God commanding Adam and Eve to “be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28). Unfortunately following their rebellion the earth was not filled with glory but by an escalating crescendo of sin, jealousy, hatred and even murder. This culminated in Genesis 11 when the united rebellion against God at the tower of Babel resulted in God’s judgement multiplying languages and scattering them even further.

However, in the very next chapter, God re–announces His plan to once again bless every nation – saying to Abraham: “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing… all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12: 2-3). But once again this is met with failure as the nation of Israel consistently falls into idolatry and runs after other gods!

So God sends his own son Jesus to fulfil His own promise! This week we remember His atoning death – He paid the price for our sins reconciling us to God.  So Jesus in His resurrected glory commissions His followers to go into all the world to “make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19) “to preach His is name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem… I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”(Luke 24:46-7)

You see, Jesus never imagined the Church fulfilling His mission without the power of His Spirit. The Spirit was for them a propulsion for mission to the nations!

“But 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.” (Acts 1:9) 

The filling of the Holy Spirit turned a bunch of frightened disciples into bold courageous missionaries who eventually “turned the world upside down” – or should we say the right way up!!

So Jesus is fulfilling all the promises made to Abraham, as Paul writes to the Galatians: “The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed… meaning one person, who is Christ.” (Gal 3:16) – but He is fulfilling these promises through His body – His Church – that’s us! As Paul goes onto say we are the inheritors of all these promises “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal 3:29)

So this is still being fulfilled – through churches just like Jubilee as you play your part in reaching the nations – whether it’s “the ends of the earth” or the ends of your street – the nations are being reached!!

What an amazing multi-coloured body Jesus is building – such beauty, diversity, majesty and grace! So together with the global body of Christ you are helping to fulfil the prophetic vision seen by John in Revelation with all nations encircling the throne and singing (like we did so beautifully together on Sunday) “Worthy is the Lamb”.

“I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb… And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (Rev 7:9-10)

Hallelujah indeed!!

Jeremy Simpkins, leader, ChristCentral churches, with his wife Ann