Showing posts with label Gospel Highway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gospel Highway. Show all posts

Monday, July 8, 2024

To The Jews First

Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:46 BSB)

Before resurrection
Jesus sent out these twelve after giving them instructions: "Don't take the road that leads to the Gentiles, and don't enter any Samaritan town. Instead, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' (Matthew 10:5-7 CSB)

After resurrection
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. (Romans 1:16 NIV)

Sunday, July 7, 2024

Son of Man Return Before Missionaries Reach All Israel

You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. For truly I tell you, you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. (Matthew 10:22-23 CSB)

And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel. (Matthew 10:22-23 NLT)

The listeners thought that this will happened during their lifetime. It turned out that before Jesus can return, He was crucified, resurrected and ascended to heaven. Israel was dispersed and returned after nearly 2000 years. And after 2000 years, Christian missionaries still have not reached all the towns of Israel and not all the Jews believe (but Jews have heard of Jesus during their diaspora). But when Jesus returns, they will all believe in a single day (Isaiah 66:8).

The gospel goes west from Israel to Macedonia (Acts 16:9) and Europe, go one round the earth and comes back to Israel from the east. So the Arabs and Iranians will believe in Christ first before the Jews.

For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. (Matthew 24:27 NLT)

Saturday, October 15, 2011

The Gospel Highway

A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." (Acts 16:9 NASB)

A friend once told me that the gospel travels westwards from Jerusalem and will complete the cycle by returning to Jerusalem from the east. This is my observation. The gospel goes west into the Roman Empire (Europe), crossed the Atlantic to America, then crossed the Pacific to China. I believe it will proceed westward to Jerusalem to complete the cycle. Then the Messiah will come.

For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. (Matthew 24:27 NLT)

Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same. (Ezekiel 44:1-3 KJV)

And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate facing toward the east. (Ezekiel 43:4 NASB)

By the way, the Bible is silent about the gospel going one cycle westward. This is just my personal observation.