Which other scriptures emphasize the importance of preaching where Christ is not known? Setting the Stage with Romans 15:20 “In this way I aspired to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not build on someone else’s foundation.” Paul’s heartbeat is clear—go where the name of Jesus has not yet been spoken. Scripture echoes that same call from Genesis to Revelation. Old-Testament Foreshadowing • Isaiah 52:15 – “For they will see what they have not been told, and they will understand what they have not heard.” • Isaiah 66:19 – “They will proclaim My glory among the nations.” • Psalm 96:3 – “Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples.” The prophetic vision always stretched beyond Israel to peoples still in darkness. The Direct Commission of Jesus • Matthew 28:19-20 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations …” • Mark 16:15 – “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” • Luke 24:46-47 – “Repentance for forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.” • Acts 1:8 – “You will be My witnesses … to the ends of the earth.” Our Lord leaves no ambiguity: every corner of the earth is in His sights. Paul’s Personal Mandate Mirrors Christ’s Heart • 1 Corinthians 9:16 – “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” • 2 Corinthians 10:16 – “… to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you …” • Ephesians 3:8 – “To preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ …” • Colossians 1:23 – “… the gospel … proclaimed to every creature under heaven …” Paul’s letters throb with urgency for untouched regions and unreached peoples. Snapshots from Acts: The Early Church on the Move • Acts 8:4 – Persecuted believers “preached the word wherever they went.” • Acts 13:46-47 – “I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.” • Acts 14:21 – “They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples.” • Acts 19:10 – “… all who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.” The Spirit propels ordinary believers into new territory, fulfilling Isaiah’s vision. Prophetic Glimpses of the Goal • Revelation 5:9 – “… by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” • Revelation 14:6 – “An eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.” Heaven’s song anticipates a completed mission; angels carry the same gospel that now rests in our mouths. Why It Matters for Us Today • God’s Word consistently points outward—from Abraham’s promised blessing to Paul’s frontier passion. • The same Spirit who empowered the first believers indwells us, urging movement toward the least-reached. • Each passage above confirms that preaching where Christ is not known is not a special calling for a few; it is the steady drumbeat of Scripture for the whole church until every nation joins the heavenly chorus. |
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