We need David thinking in a Goliath world.
How does the book of Acts begin? The disciples asked the Saviour (only moments from leaving), “Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (v. 6). He responded, “Ye shall receive power…and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (v. 8).
They were thinking small—of Israel; the Lord was thinking big—of the whole world. They were thinking about the past and restoring it; He was thinking about the present and redeeming it. They were thinking defensively; He was thinking offensively. They were longing for Israel. But He longed for the whole aching planet to come to Him.
Whose view won the day? Obviously it was the disciples that caught the Saviour’s vision. A short time later, Paul could write: “Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world” (Rom. 1:8). More than that, “The gospel…was preached to every creature which is under heaven” (Col. 1:23)!
Please note what I am not saying. This is no call for a man-designed, man-driven mass movement or for large religious pep rallies or for assemblies a mile wide and an inch thick. Apart from the initial gathering in Jerusalem (which was scattered—purposefully, the Greek suggests), it seems the majority of assemblies were not large. Many met in houses. Like a body, size has its healthy limits. How can shepherds know hundreds of sheep well enough to meet their needs?
But what I wish to say is that the early believers knew the Commission was for them personally, for their day. Does each of us know that? Do we wake every morning with this in mind? Whatever else I do for me, for mine, or for my employer, my Number 1 reason for living today is to do the will of the One who died for me. His will is that I be a witness for Him everywhere I go and to those I meet. That’s what New Testament believers thought He meant and so that’s what they did: “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). Ignoring the impossibilities, they took Him at face value.
Is it possible to reach every creature in each generation? Jesus thought so. But if we are to do it in our day, there’s no time to lose. As never before, “the harvest truly is great”; “the fields are white unto harvest”; “the laborers are few”; and “the time is short.”
Let’s think big. Suppose I said, “Imagine if the Lord gave assemblies in North America 10,000 new baby lambs to look after in the coming month.” Is that thinking big? Hardly. Assuming only the 1200 New Testament assemblies across the continent that I know about, that’s just six or seven lambs each. By contrast, the 120 believers (not assemblies) in the early chapters of Acts were given more than 8,000 lambs the first week! Now there’s a challenge. But the Lord thought they, with the Spirit’s help, could handle it. And somehow they did. But these thousands were just the beginning of the harvest; what would that be out of the 300 million in North America? Or more than six billion worldwide?
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Our prayers need to be larger: “for all [mankind]” (1 Tim. 2:1). Our vision of what the Lord wants to do through us personally needs to be greater. Our assemblies need to be more strategic, using our time more wisely, finding better ways to broadcast the seed. We need to support our pioneer evangelists better, practically and prayerfully. We need to become better informed about the people around us and the opportunities available. And we need to obey the Lord’s command to be witnesses unto Him, seeking His blessing on His Word which He says shall not “return void.”