Main Idea: Because the gospel is good news for everyone, we must go beyond our immediate circles to make disciples among people who have never heard of Christ.

• Head Change: To know that the gospel is for everyone all over the world.
• Heart Change: To feel compassion for people, and people groups, across the globe who have never heard of Christ.
• Life Change: To tangibly support and participate in disciple-making among ethnic groups around the world.

Which country outside of your own would you most like to visit? What interests you most about that country?

Experiencing new cultures, foods, and languages through international travel can be exciting and fun. Some places will seem more familiar than others, but everyone who travels learns that people from across the globe share many common qualities. Faith is not always one of them, however—spiritual practices vary greatly from region to region, and the Christian faith has not even reached every community. Yet Jesus gave the gospel so we could take it to all the world. In today’s session, David Platt emphasizes the call of Jesus to make disciples “of all nations”—not just next door.

Watch Session 4: To the Nations (9 minutes).

David began by reviewing the first three sessions: Having made us to enjoy and exalt himself, God gives his Spirit to those who believe in his Son, Jesus. The Spirit now empowers us to share and show his truth to make more disciples. Jesus’s final command, in Matthew 28:19–20, instructs us to make disciples of all nations. Which of the three sessions impacted you the most? Why?

David pointed out that Jesus’s command to make disciples of all nations echoes the creation mandate from Genesis 1:28—“be fruitful and multiply.” Just as God desired more of his image-bearers to fill the earth, Jesus desires more disciples loyal to him and ready to pursue his purposes—from all over the world. What does the continuity of God’s plan to make disciples worldwide reveal about his nature?

More than the general idea that we are to make disciples, David focused on the scope of Jesus’s command—“of all nations.” He noted that the Greek word for nations is ethne, from which we get “ethnic groups.” So, the church’s goal isn’t necessarily to evangelize in every country, whose borders and citizens change often, but to reach every people group. How might the strategy of reaching ethnic groups spread the gospel more comprehensively than merely targeting countries? What kinds of challenges face a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual discipleship goal? 

God desires worshippers that cross all human boundaries. Revelation 7:9 describes a heavenly multitude from every nation, tribe, and tongue. Though the world currently holds about 200 countries, David mentioned studies that estimate between 11,000 and 16,000 distinct people groups in the world. In what ways does the vision from Revelation 7:9 expand your idea of church? How will a global church, made of disciples from every ethne, compare to your local church?

What presuppositions about the church might need to be rethought in light of the Bible’s description of God’s people?

In Acts 1:8, Jesus explained how his disciples would carry out their mission with the power of the Holy Spirit. They would become witnesses to Jesus—to his life, teaching, death, and resurrection—starting right there in Jerusalem, but eventually out to the edges of the known world. The same principle holds with us. We have opportunities to tell others about Christ every day. What benefits do you see in beginning your disciple-making close to home? In what ways can it be challenging to approach loved ones with the gospel? 

When persecution broke out in Jerusalem, Jesus’s followers scattered. As they traveled into the Judean countryside and out to Samaria, they took the gospel with them, making disciples of Jesus wherever they went. The church began to look different, becoming diverse in religious and ethnic backgrounds. That diversity has only grown over the centuries. What sorts of diversity do you see in the churches around you? Within your local church body? In what ways does your church serve the people groups found within your local community?

The Christian faith spread from Jerusalem to Rome and beyond. Jesus’s words were coming to fruition as Christians traveled near and far to bring the gospel message. The strategy hasn’t changed much—we still need to send and support people to share the gospel around the world, go ourselves, and pray. What role have you played in sending, going, or supporting those who take the gospel beyond your local community? Do you feel you are better suited for sending, supporting, or going? Why?

Today’s church sends people, often called missionaries, to stay in foreign countries for short, medium, and lengthy amounts of time. Some will assimilate into the new culture, while others build relationships via short-term visits and service projects. The goal remains the same—to make disciples beyond our borders, reaching those who do not know Christ. How does your church approach making disciples around the world?

If you’ve participated in world missions, what challenges have you faced? What motivation could (or already did) compel you to leave the familiar and go to a different culture, language, or location for the gospel’s sake? If you have not yet been active in mission work, what could it look like to start? In which capacity would you like to be involved? Why?

Making disciples is one of our primary callings as Christians. But, as David emphasized, we cannot be content with just making disciples here at home. We must also desire for the whole world to have an opportunity to know and worship Jesus. What does a life look like that is committed to making disciples both near and far?