What Happens to People Who Never Hear the Gospel?

In this message, David Platt shows us that those who never hear the gospel stand condemned before a just and holy God. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to David Platt Messages a weekly
podcast of sermons and messagesof pastor, author and teacher
David Platt.
Today's episode is a rerun ofone of our most listened to
messages of all time.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
All right, let's just be honest here From the start.
What we're talking about todayis crazy.
Why would any one of us leavethe comforts of life here and
move to a remote village inAfghanistan or a 100% Muslim
city in the Middle East, or toan impoverished refugee camp in

(00:38):
Bangladesh and these may soundlike extreme examples, but
they're not Like unreachedpeople are unreached for a
reason they're hard to reach.
They're difficult to reach Somesituations.
They are dangerous to reach.
We've said before, all the easyones are taken.
So why would you leave here togo there as a single, as a

(01:05):
couple, as a family with youngkids or teenagers, as a
grandparent with grandkids youwant to spend time with, as a
retiree like, why would youspend your last years there
instead of here, last year'sthere instead of here?
In order to answer thatquestion, I want to flip the

(01:28):
question and I want to ask whathappens if we don't go?
What happens if we stay here?
So we have said that over twobillion people are in the red
right now.
People just like you and me,like singles, couples, moms,
dads, kids, grandkids, just likeour kids, and these places in

(01:52):
the world who don't have accessto the gospel, which means so
practically what that means.
If you live in an unreachedpart of the world, the
likelihood is that you will beborn, you will live and you will
die without ever even hearingthe gospel, not ever even
hearing the good news of God'slove in Jesus.

(02:14):
No one will ever tell you thetruth about what God has done to
save you from your sins.
Well, if that's the case, itbegs the question, doesn't it?
What happens to those peoplewhen they die?
What happens to people who'venever heard the gospel when they
die?

(02:34):
That's a pretty importantquestion for over 2 billion
people in the world, and I thinkmost Christians in America,
where the gospel has come,either don't know that there's
over 2 billion people in theworld who've never heard the
gospel and don't know that, orhardly ever think about that.

(02:57):
I prefer to think about thingsright around us in the world and
not that reality in the worldor if we know this, most
Christians assume like surelythey will be okay in eternity,
even if they've never heard thegospel.

(03:18):
I heard a pastor of a reallylarge church near my hometown
last week and I'd call out hisname, but I think I need to call
him first.
He was asked this question andhe said that God is loving.
So, assuming people genuinelytry to please God with their

(03:38):
lives, they will go to heaven.
So is that what the Bibleteaches?
And unfortunately we don't havea verse in the Bible that I
could take you to right now andwe read.
Some of you may wonder whathappens to people who never hear
about Jesus, and here's theanswer.
But that doesn't mean the Bibleis silent on this question.
In fact, I want to show youthat we have an entire book in

(04:02):
the Bible written to answer thisquestion.
It's the book we've beenreading as a church over the
last week, the book of Romans.
Let me show it to you.
Look at me at the end of thebook Romans, chapter 15, verse
18, because at the end of thebook, paul, who's writing this
letter to the church at Rome,tells us why he's writing the
letter.

(04:22):
Follow along with me.
Romans, chapter 15, verse 18.
Paul writes for I will notventure to speak of anything
except what Christ hasaccomplished through me to bring
the Gentiles to obedience byword and deed, by the power of
signs and wonders, by the powerof the Spirit of God, so that

(04:45):
from Jerusalem and all the wayaround to Illyricum, I have
fulfilled the ministry of thegospel of Christ, and thus I
make it my ambition to preachthe gospel, not where Christ has
already been named, lest Ibuild on someone else's
foundation, but as it is writtenthose who have never been told
of him will see, and those whohave never heard will understand

(05:08):
.
This is the reason why I haveso often been hindered from
coming to you, but now, since Ino longer have any room for work
in these regions, since I havelonged for many years to come to
you, I hope to see you inpassing as I go to Spain and to
be helped on my journey there byyou, once I have enjoyed your

(05:28):
company for a while.
At present, however, I'm goingto Jerusalem bringing aid to the
saints.
All right, let's pause there.
Let me help you understand whatwe just read.
So last week, I used some mapsthat talked about how Paul and
Barnabas left Antioch to spreadthe gospel where it hadn't gone.
So let's pick back up where weleft off last week with these
maps.

(05:48):
So Antioch's over here.
On the far right eastern partof this map, the pinkish-reddish
arrows represent Paul andBarnabas going out from Antioch,
going and taking the gospel toplaces where it had not yet gone
.
In all these cities they'resharing the gospel.
People are coming to faith inChrist.
They're gathering together inchurches.
The blue arrows represent them.
Coming back to Antioch, so thatwas Paul's first journey into

(06:13):
places where the gospel had.
Naya gone, sent out by thechurch at Antioch.
That set the stage for thesecond journey.
He took Antioch again over hereon the right.
He goes north, this time withSilas.
They Antioch again over here onthe right.
He goes north, this time withSilas.
They pick up Timothy along theway.
They're going into places wherehe's already gone and that's
when God says I want you to goto new places where the gospel
is not yet gone.
So they go up north to Philippi,thessalonica, down to Corinth

(06:35):
we were reading 2 Corinthianslast week Athens, ephesus, all
these places where people arecoming to faith in Jesus for the
first time.
Churches are starting for thefirst time.
They go down to Jerusalem andthen they go back to Antioch
Again.
That was kind of home base forPaul.
That then sets the stage forhis third journey.

(06:56):
This time he leaves Antioch andyou'll notice he goes to all the
places.
He's been no new territory, butwhen he gets to Corinth, right
here, on this third journey, hesits down and he writes a letter
.
You'll never guess what letterthat is the book of Romans.

(07:16):
He writes a letter to thechurch at Rome.
So let's ask the question whywould Paul sit down in Corinth,
right here, saying I want towrite a letter to the church at
Rome in which he says I'm goingto Jerusalem to take an offering
for the saints there, but thenI want to come to you.
Why did he want to come to Rome?

(07:37):
Well, let's broaden the maphere and let's see this picture.
Here's Antioch, way over hereon the right, jerusalem, corinth
, where Paul writes this letter.
Here's Rome.
Paul says to the church at Romethere is no more work for me to
do in these regions.
That is an outlandish statement.

(07:59):
Are you serious?
Like no more work, no moregospels?
It was like everybody aChristian in these regions.
No, everybody was not aChristian in those regions.
But disciples have made, churchhas been planted, the gospel
was being proclaimed and Paulsays it's time to move on to
where the gospel is not yet gone, where they've not yet heard.

(08:19):
That's why I'm writing a letterto you in Rome, because I need
you to help me get the gospelwhere?
To Spain.
Now it makes sense why hewasn't planning to go back to
Antioch.
Is Antioch the best place tohelp him get the gospel to Spain
?
No, he's writing a letter tothe church at Rome to show them

(08:40):
why they need to work to helphim get the gospel to those
who've never heard it in Spain.
That's why he's writing thisletter.
And just a side note here,that's really significant.
Like every time I or anybodytalks about taking the gospel to

(09:00):
unreached peoples, placesaround the world, some
Christians will chime in and saywell, why do we need to focus
there when there's so much needhere, paul, why go to Spain?
There's need in Corinth.
You read 1 Corinthians.
It's a messed up place.
There's tons of need there.

(09:20):
Why are we talking aboutgetting the gospel to Spain?
In the same way, so go to ourcontemporary map.
People will say why are wetalking about getting the gospel
to Spain?
In the same way, so go to ourcontemporary map.
People will say why are wetalking about going to
Afghanistan or Turkey?
Don't you see, pastor, like allthe need in Washington DC?
Don't you care about here?
And some Christians wouldactually prefer we not talk a

(09:40):
lot about global mission.
And well, satan would preferthat as well, and I want to
encourage you not to be in hiscamp.
And God wants all the nationsto know his love, including the
nations right here and thenations far from here.

(10:02):
So, absolutely, there is need inWashington DC and God is
calling many of us to spend ourlives for the spread of the
gospel right here, just likemany people stayed in Antioch in
the Bible.
But God is also calling manypeople to live for the spread of
the gospel there and for thoseGod calls to stay here, god
calls us to pray and work andgive to support those who are

(10:24):
going there.
We have a whole book in theBible telling the church to work
together to get the gospelwhere it's not yet gone.
That's why we're doing whatwe're doing today.
That's why we're praying forGod to send people out.
That's why we're doing whatwe're doing today.
That's why we're praying forGod to send people out, for the
10,000 people gathered at NBCtoday.

(10:46):
Surely he's calling some maybemany to two billion people
who've never even heard his name, and that does not mean we
don't care about Washington DC.
It means we care about what Godcares about Washington DC and
the world.
It means we care about what Godcares about, washington DC and
the world, including Afghans andTurks and Baloch in Pakistan
and Rohingya in Myanmar andDarfur in Sudan.
Because, just pause, when wethink here, our first thought is

(11:18):
not enemies, our first thoughtis people created by God, who he
loves and has sent his son todie for.
And we've got to ask thequestion what happens to those

(11:38):
people if we don't go?
Well, let's ask the book ofRomans, since that's why Paul is
writing this letter.
Let me show you seven truths inthe book of Romans that answer
our question.
What happens if we don't go andshare the gospel with those who
haven't heard it?
And we're going to hit thempretty quick.
But see, hear what God teachesus in his word.

(12:04):
Number one all people know God.
All people know God.
So this is Romans 1, 18 through21.
The wrath of God is beingrevealed from heaven against all
the godlessness and wickednessof men who suppress the truth of
God by their wickedness.
Since what may be known aboutGod?
Listen to.
This is plain to them, becauseGod has made it plain to them,
for since the creation of theworld, god's invisible qualities

(12:27):
, his eternal power and divinenature have been clearly seen,
being understood from what hasbeen made, so that men are
without excuse.
Then it says in verse 21,.
For although they knew God,plain and simple, the Bible is
saying here that all peopleeverywhere, all over this map,

(12:53):
have knowledge of God, no matterwhere they live.
God has made himself knownclearly in creation, in our
hearts, so that all are withoutexcuse.
No one can say you didn't showyourself, he has shown himself
to all.
Of course, not all people saythey believe in God.
That leads to the second truth.
All people reject God.
Romans 1, 21 through 25.
For although they knew God,they neither glorified him as

(13:14):
God nor gave thanks to him.
But their thinking becamefutile and their foolish hearts
were darkened.
Although they claimed to bewise, they became fools and
exchanged the glory of theimmortal God for images made to
look like mortal man and birdsand animals and reptiles.
Therefore, god gave them overin the sinful desires of their
heart to sexual impurity, forthe degrading of their bodies to
one another.
They exchanged the truth of Godfor a lie and worshiped and

(13:35):
served created things ratherthan the creator, who is forever
praised, amen.
So this is the reality of sinin every person's heart, in my
heart, in your heart and inevery person around the world.
We have all sinned against God,turned from God's ways to our

(13:58):
own ways, from God's truth toour thoughts.
All of us have, which thenleads to truth number three
there are no innocent people inthe world.
These initial verses in RomansRomans 1, 2, and 3, some of the
most sobering verses in all ofScripture, from Romans 1, 18 to

(14:19):
2, 16, paul talks about thesinfulness of the Gentiles, the
non-Jewish people, and you canalmost hear the Jewish people
like amening at every verse yes,they are bad.
And then he gets to chapter 2,verse 17, and he says now you,
if you call yourself a Jew, ifyou rely on the law and brag
about your relationship to God,if you know his will and approve
of what is superior becauseyou've been instructed by the
law.
And then he starts talkingabout their sinfulness.

(14:40):
He starts talking about howGod's name has been blasphemed
among the Gentiles because ofthem.
It all comes to a head inchapter 3, verse 9 through 20,
where we see this summary ofhumanity Chapter 3, verse 10, as
it is written there is no onerighteous, not even one, no one
who understands, no one whoseeks God.
All have turned away.
They have, together, becomeworthless.

(15:01):
There is no one who does good,not even one.
Their throats are open graves.
Their tongues practice deceit.
The poison of vipers is ontheir lips.
Their mouths are full ofcursing and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shedblood.
Ruin and misery mark their waysin the way of peace.
They do not know there is nofear of God before their eyes.
In other words, all peopleeverywhere are guilty of sin

(15:24):
before a holy God.
And here's why this point is soimportant, because so many times
this question is asked, likesomeone will ask well, pastor,
what happens to the innocent manor woman or child in this
remote part of the world who'snever heard the gospel when they

(15:46):
die?
And if you were to ask me thatquestion, I would say, without
question, based on the Bible,those people go to heaven Even
though they've never heard thegospel.
Without question, that innocentman, woman, child would go to
heaven without ever hearing thegospel, because they have no

(16:12):
need to hear the gospel.
If they are innocent of sin,they don't need to hear about.
Jesus died to save them fromsin.
If they're innocent of sin,they'll go straight to heaven?
Of course they'll go to heaven.
The only problem is thosepeople do not exist.
Do you see how we bias thequestion from the start?

(16:38):
Like toward us and our goodnessand away from God?
Like God is unjustly sentencingpeople to eternal judgment who
are innocent.
Like that's not true.
There are no innocent people inthe world just waiting to hear
the gospel.
There are guilty people allover the world.
That's why they need to hearthe gospel.
There are guilty people allover the world.
That's why they need to hearthe gospel, which leads to truth

(17:03):
.
Number four All people standcondemned for rejecting God.
Yeah, this is so sobering, butRomans 3, 19 and 20 just sums it
up.
We know that whatever the lawsays, it says to those who are
under the law, so that everymouth is silenced and the whole

(17:24):
world accountable to God.
No one will be declaredrighteous in his sight by
observing the law.
Rather, through the law, webecome conscious of sin.
In other words, not only areall people guilty, silenced
before God, but there is noamount of good we can do to

(17:44):
overcome our guilt.
All people are condemned forrejecting God, and this is true
regardless of whether or notwe've heard the gospel.
This too is really significantbecause I think many professing
Christians think, like thepastor I mentioned is teaching

(18:10):
and unfortunately I would saythe majority of pastors in
America are teaching that ifcertain people never hear the
gospel, like God is loving, thatGod will let them into heaven.
God loves them and they nevereven had a chance to hear and

(18:31):
absolutely God is loving.
But think about this for aminute.
Like I feel the emotion, thequestion, like truly I feel it.
I've met so many of thesepeople all around the world men,
women, kids who've never heardthe gospel.
But if it's true, they will goto heaven precisely because
they've never heard the gospel.
Almost like okay, since theyhaven't heard.

(18:53):
That's like a pass into heaven.
If that is true, then what isthe worst thing we could
possibly do for their eternalstate?
Go and tell them the gospel.
Right, I think about it.
Unreached people.
Before we got there with thegospel, 100% of them were going
to heaven.
Now that we came, they might goto hell.
Thanks a lot, keep your gospelto yourself, live it up over

(19:19):
here, don't come here.
You just think.
Practically right here in ourcity, there are people from the
nations in our city, some whohaven't heard the gospel.
The difference is they haveaccess to it.
That's not over here, butimagine you meet somebody on the
street.
You say what do you know aboutJesus?
They say I've never even heardabout Jesus.
Okay, if you believe thatperson standing in front of you

(19:42):
is going to heaven preciselybecause they've never heard
about Jesus, then what are yougonna tell them?
You're going to say well, ifanybody tries to tell you about
it, I put your fingers in yourears and yell really loud and
run away, right, no, it totallyundercuts everything we see in
Scripture and we're told to goto the nations for a reason.

(20:06):
The point here is, regardless ofwhether or not somebody has
heard the gospel, all standguilty before God and sin
deserving of eternal separationfrom him.
This is where Romans 3.20,.
I just picture Paul in tears,like putting the pen down, just
weeping.
Then I picture him like pickingup that pen, wiping the tears

(20:33):
and saying but now arighteousness from God, apart
from the law, has been madeknown, and this righteousness
from God comes through faith inJesus Christ.
To all who believe.
There is no difference, for allhave sinned and fall short of
the what Glory of God and arejustified freely by his grace

(20:54):
for the redemption that came byChrist Jesus.
God has presented Jesus as asacrifice of atonement through
faith in his blood.
What that means is God haschosen to pour out the judgment
due sin upon his son in theplace of sinners.
Ha, truth number five God hasmade a way of salvation for the
lost.
God has made a way.

(21:14):
We have all sinned against God,every single person in this
room, at other campuses, everysingle person in the world.
We are all separated from God.
If we die in the state ofseparation from God, we will
spend eternity separated fromGod in judgment for our sin.
But yes, god is loving, heloves us and has made a way for
us to be judgment for our sin.
But yes, god is loving, heloves us and has made a way for
us to be saved from our sin.

(21:36):
God has sent his son, jesus, topay the price for our sin.
Jesus has taken all the paymentdo your sin, my sin upon
himself on the cross and he hasrisen from the dead in victory
over sin, so that anyoneanywhere in this room, other
campuses, anywhere on this map,no matter who you are, what

(21:56):
you've done, god has made a wayof salvation for you.
And the way, the way is faithin Jesus.
The way is not you working yourway to God.
The way is you trusting in whatGod has done to make his way to
you.
It's the greatest news in allthe world God will save you from

(22:17):
all your sin, give you eternallife with him if you will trust
in his love for you.
So do that today.
If you have never done that, Iexhort you, I urge you trust in
Jesus today.
Believe in Jesus and bebaptized.
That leads to truth.

(22:41):
Number six People cannot come toGod apart from faith in Jesus
Christ.
Can't come to God, people can'tcome to God apart from faith in
Jesus Christ.
Can't come to God, people can'tcome to God apart from faith in
Jesus.
It's Romans 3, 27.
Where, then, is boasting?
It is excluded?
On what principle?
That of observing the law?
Basically, that of what you do?

(23:02):
No, but on that of faith, forwe maintain that a man is
justified by faith, apart fromobserving the law.
Is God the God of Jews only?
Is he not the God of Gentilestoo?
Yes, of Gentiles too, sincethere is only one God who will
judge the circumcised, that's,the Jewish people, by faith, and
the uncircumcised, the Gentiles.
So that same faith, the wholepicture, and it just goes on.
Romans 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, like it'sall by faith.

(23:24):
This is how you and I, andpeople all over the world can be
saved from sin by faith inJesus.
That brings us back to ourquestion, doesn't it?
How, then, can people put theirfaith in Jesus if they never

(23:47):
hear of Jesus?
And that is the exact question,the exact words Paul uses in
Romans 10.
Turn over there with me Romans,chapter 10, verse 13.
Everyone who calls on the nameof the Lord will be saved.

(24:09):
How, then, can they call on theone they have not believed in?
How can they believe in the oneof whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear withoutsomeone preaching to them?
And how can anyone preachunless they are sent as it is
written?
How beautiful are the feet ofthose who bring good news?

(24:34):
The picture here is crystalclear.
People cannot put their faithin Jesus if they never hear
about Jesus.
You keep going down in yourBible.
You look at Romans 10, 17.
It says faith comes by hearing,and hearing by the word of
Jesus, the word of Christ.
So people can't put their faithin Jesus if they don't hear

(24:57):
about Jesus and if they don'tput their faith in Jesus, they
cannot be saved from their sin.
So get the picture Over twobillion people, they cannot go
to heaven if they don't havefaith in Jesus and they cannot

(25:20):
have faith in Jesus if theydon't hear about Jesus.
It's simple logic, and you keepgoing.
Simple logic they won't hearunless somebody tells them Truth
.
Number seven Christ tells,commands his church to make the

(25:49):
gospel known in all nations.
I want to show you this.
I want you to look here inRomans 10, at the verbs in this
passage in reverse, and as youdo, you will see God's plan for
how the gospel will go to allthe nations.
How is the gospel going to goto all those people?

(26:10):
Watch this Start at the nations.
How is the gospel going to goto all those people?
Watch this Start at the end.
So how beautiful are the feetof those who bring good news,
those who are sent out.
So this is where it starts.
Jesus sends followers to allnations.
He sends out his followers.
How can they preach unlessthey're sent?
So what do those who are sent?
Do they preach?
Followers proclaim the gospelto all nations.

(26:32):
When you see that word preach.
It's not.
They will stand up in front ofa lot of people behind a podium
and on a big stage Like, no,this is just speaking the gospel
to other people, proclaimingthe gospel.
So Jesus sends his followers toall nations.
His followers proclaim thegospel to all nations.
When that happens, what happens?
How will they hear withoutsomeone preaching them?

(26:52):
So when we preach, people inall nations will hear, unless
we're proclaiming the gospel toa wall.
When we share the gospel,people will hear it.
And when people hear, how willthey believe?
If they've not heard?
When they hear, what will theydo?
Hearers in all nations willbelieve.
Now, we know not everybody whohears the gospel when we share
it will believe.

(27:13):
We know that around us, righthere as well as different places
in the world.
But don't miss this.
We have confidence that somewill believe.
Remember the end of the story,revelation 7,.
There's coming a day whenpeople from every nation, tribe
and tongue.
All the people groupsrepresented on this map are one
day gonna be gathered around thethrone of Jesus singing his
praises for his salvation.

(27:33):
You know what that means.
That means you or I can goanywhere on that map, share the
gospel with people there andsomebody's coming out.
I guaranteed somebody's comingout.
So hearers in all nations willbelieve.
When they believe, how can theycall on the one they've not
believed in?
Believers in all nations willcall and those who call from all

(27:54):
nations will be what Saved.
So there it is.
There's the plan.
Now look back at the plan therein those notes and ask the
question where is the only placethis plan can break down?
All right, let's think.
Let's go from the end.
Will those who call on the nameof the Lord be saved?

(28:15):
Yes, guaranteed.
Will those who believe call?
Yes, those who believe willcall in the name of the Lord be
saved.
Will those who hear believe?
Again, we said not all will,but some will.
Guaranteed, those who are herewill believe.
When followers of Jesusproclaim the gospel, will people

(28:38):
hear?
Yes, unless we're talking to awall, they will hear.
Then jump to the beginning.
Is Jesus still sending hisfollowers or is he taking a
generation off?
I don't think he has.
Jesus is still sending hisfollowers.
The only potential breakdown inthe plan is when followers of
Jesus who have the gospel decidenot to go and proclaim the

(29:00):
gospel to people who haven'theard it.
When followers of Jesus saywe're just going to all live our
lives in places where thegospel has gone and we're not
going to leave and go where ithasn't.
And people look at this map andsay, well, I mean, surely God
has other ways, right, god'sworking in dreams and visions.

(29:21):
Don't you hear stories aboutdreams and visions across the
Muslim world, this or that?
Yes, absolutely.
God works in all kinds of ways,including dreams and visions.
But you will not find one versein the Bible, in the book of
Acts, where the gospel is goingforward, apart from a human
instrument proclaiming it.
Even you got Cornelius dreamvision.
Peter, get up, go there.

(29:41):
It's always through people.
Could God use other means?
Sure he could.
God has the power to write thebook of Romans in the sky
tonight and boom, they're allreached.
But he's not doing that.
Do you know why?
Because God, in his sovereignwisdom and kindness, has chosen

(30:07):
to use you and me to carry thegreatest news to the ends of the
earth.
And if we don't go, they won'thear and they won't believe and
they won't call and they won'tbe saved.
Like, do you see it, church?
Like we are plan A for thespread of the gospel to the
nations and there is no plan B,which is why I want to say to

(30:34):
you, as pastor of this church,that we will be disobedient to
Jesus as a church if we do notsend out and support followers
of Jesus who are taking thegospel where it is not yet gone.
There are two billion people inthe world, men and women and
kids, who donate a church of10,000 in Metro Washington DC

(30:54):
with millions upon millions ofdollars at our disposal, saying
we're just gonna focus righthere.
Those two billion people need achurch in Metro Washington DC.
That's making disciples andmultiplying churches right here
in Metro Washington DC andsending disciples of Jesus to
places where the good news ofGod's love is still not gone.
Sending disciples in all kindsof ways through all kinds of

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jobs that God has ordained,whether this is a government
taking you around the worldthrough medicine, teaching,
engineering, as students,professionals, retirees Like.
What better way to spend yourretirement than introducing
people to Jesus who've nevereven heard his name?
That is better than golf inSouth Florida.

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What better way?
What do you want to be doing inyour last years before you see
your Savior's face?
Make him count Like.
The harvest is plentiful.
He said it's plentiful.
The problem is, the workers arefew.
God sent out many workers.

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You might think well, david,what kind of difference can my
life really make and my familyreally make?
What kind of difference can onechurch really make?
Well, let's consider Paul, oneman who wrote this book.
Let's go back to this map thatshowed Corinth, where he's

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writing this book, to Rometrying to get the gospel of
Spain.
If you can tell, on this mapand it's pretty faint, but right
around Rome there's a littlebit of yellow.
Right here and around Antiochand north of Jerusalem there's a
little bit of yellow.
Those yellow areas representthe areas that were known to
contain Christians at thebeginning of Paul's journeys,
like before he was sent out fromAntioch.

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So you can see a little bit ofyellow there.
In just a second I want to showyou a map that shows the regions
known to contain Christians atthe end of these three journeys
that Paul took, and I want youto see if you can tell a
difference.
Look at this next map with me.
You see this yellow light upright here, the specific places

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where Paul had traveled to withthe gospel.
And I'm not saying Paul was theonly one who was impacting this
map, but in light of thejourneys we just saw, I would
say Paul had a significantinfluence on that map.
But you will notice what is notyellow Spain.

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Paul goes to Jerusalem, justlike he said, ends up getting
arrested there, ends up comingto Rome, not the way he had
planned, in chains, as far as weknow, never makes it to Spain.
So what are we to conclude?
Paul, you tried but you failed.
You wanted your life to count,but forgetting the gospel, those

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who'd never heard of it overhere, but it didn't happen.
Before we draw that conclusion,let me show you one more map,
and this map is going to showyou the regions that were known
to contain Christians within twoshort centuries after Paul's
death.
And I want you to see if youcan tell a difference in this
map.

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Again, I'm not saying Paul's theonly one who impacted that map,
but I am saying do notunderestimate for a second what
God will do through one life,one family, one church family,
for the spread of his good newsin the world.
So my question is like MBC,church family, like what kind of

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impact are we gonna have onthis map we've had up here the
whole time that represents ourworld?
Like let's put that other mapup there.
I just want you to see it.
I want you to think about us.
Right here.
We have 100 plus nationsrepresented in our church and

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one of the most significantcities in the world.
God has put us in a primeposition to impact this map, if
we will take it and I want tosay, based on the word of God,
let's take it.
Let's periodically, like we'redoing today, just lay our lives
on the table all of us,including me and my family, and

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just ask God are you settingsome of us apart to go?
And then we just do whateverGod says to do?
So that's what we're gonna do.
And right now I wanna ask thequestion, every single follower
of Jesus in this room and othercampuses I want to ask you is
God calling you, in light ofthis gospel, in light of the

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need like, is God calling you toleave Metro Washington DC for
at least two months, maybe muchlonger, to spread his gospel
among unreached people andplaces in the world?
And if you think God may beleading you to that, then in
just a second I'm gonna ask youto stand and I wanna be clear

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your standing one doesn't meanyou're committing to pack your
bags tomorrow and be gone.
Standing doesn't mean you've gotit all figured out.
Your standing is saying Ibelieve God may be calling me in
this way and today I want toshare that with the church.
I want to start a process that,if God continues to lead, we'll
move in that direction.
It may be soon, it may be awhile from now.
We're going to give those whostand a way for you to

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communicate to us and we'llbegin the process today of
praying and seeking God with youalong these lines.
I and we'll begin the processtoday of praying and seeking God
with you along these lines.
I also want to be clear that ifyou are standing, that will not
mean that you are a superChristian and if you are sitting
, that will not mean that youare a lesser Christian.
There's no such thing astwo-tiered Christianity.

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The ultimate issue in thismoment is not whether you are
standing or sitting.
The ultimate issue is whetheryou are obeying God's Spirit in
your life Along those lines.
Some of you are married.
Maybe one of you is sensing Godmay be leading you in this way.

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You don't know what your spouseis thinking right now.
Obviously, this is somethingyou wanna talk about with them.
But here's what I wanna inviteyou to do Even if just one of
you is thinking this, I wannainvite both of you to stand,
like if you weren't planning onstanding, and then you see your
husband or wife stand next toyou, then you stand with them

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and, in that, just be sayingtogether.
At least one of us is sensingthis in our hearts, so we want
people to pray with us for us.
Likewise, if you have kids,that obviously would be affected
by this and I would invite themto stand with you as well.
Or maybe there are kids,teenagers, who are sensing God
speaking to you about spendingyour life where the gospel

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hasn't gone and you may not beready to move out of your house
right now, but we want to beginpraying with you about how God
may be leading you in the future.
So I want to invite you tostand if you are sensing God
speaking to you in this way.
And parents, I invite you tostand with them in support of
what God may be doing in them.

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I talk with so many college,high school, graduate students
around the country who want togo to the nations, but their
Christian parents are unwillingto help them get there.
May that not be true among us.
Regardless, the whole idea is,if God is speaking to your heart
, for you to take a first steptoday, even just in prayer,

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sound good, all right.
So here's the moment.
All across this room, at everycampus, is God calling you to
leave Metro Washington DC for atleast two months, maybe much
longer, to spread his gospelamong unreached people and
places in the world.
And if you are sensing that Godmay be calling you to do this,

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then I want to invite you tostand where you are right now.