You Were Somebody's One: A Biblical Call to Missions and Sharing the Gospel

God's heart has always been for the lost, whether they live next door or on the other side of the world. This is a look at what Scripture says about the mission every believer is called to, and how remembering where you came from can ignite a fire to reach others.

What Does the Bible Say About Sharing the Gospel?

Jesus made His mission clear before He ascended. In Matthew 28, He said:

"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. Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." - Matthew 28:18-20

And in John 20:21, He said to His disciples:

"Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." - John 20:21

This was not a suggestion. It was a commission, and it extends to every believer today.

What Is Missions, Really?

Missions is not just about traveling overseas. It exists on a spectrum. It starts with reaching your next-door neighbor and extends all the way to unreached people groups in the farthest corners of the earth.

Some churches have a sign over their door that reads: "Now entering your mission field." That is the right posture. Every place you go, every person God puts in your path, is an opportunity to share the love of Jesus.

At the same time, there are people in this world who have never once heard the name of Jesus. Not as a concept, not as a hope, simply absent from their entire world. Approximately 7,400 distinct ethnic groups are currently considered unreached, representing 3.3 billion people, roughly 42% of the world's population.

Has God Always Cared About All Nations?

Some people assume the God of the Old Testament was only concerned with Israel. But Scripture tells a different story from the very beginning.

In Genesis 12, God spoke to Abraham and said:

"Get out of your country, from your family, from your Father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." - Genesis 12:1-3

That final line is not a minor detail. "All the families of the earth shall be blessed." This was always pointing toward Christ. God's heart for the nations did not begin in the New Testament. It was woven into His plan from the start.

What Do the Psalms Say About God's Heart for the World?

The Psalms are filled with God's desire to be known among all peoples.

• "Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples." - Psalm 96:3
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• "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you." - Psalm 22:27
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• "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." - Psalm 46:10
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• "The Lord has made known His salvation; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations." - Psalm 98:2

God has never been a local God. He has always been the God of every nation, every tribe, every tongue.

How Beautiful Are the Feet of Those Who Bring Good News

Isaiah 52:7 captures something powerful:

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns.'" - Isaiah 52:7

Think about what it meant at the end of World War II when soldiers arrived to open the prison camps. To those who had been suffering, those feet were the most beautiful sight in the world. They represented freedom. That is what it looks like when someone brings the gospel to a person who has never heard it. Freedom. Hope. Life.

What Happens to People Who Have Never Heard the Gospel?

One of the great philosophers once observed that every human being has a God-shaped hole in their heart. People spend their lives trying to fill it with music, substances, relationships, and countless other things, all searching for meaning that can never truly be found apart from Jesus Christ.

There are entire valleys, entire people groups, living in spiritual darkness right now. When Jesus died on the cross, it was for them too. When He rose from the dead, it was to give life to them also. When He said go into all the world, He did not mean to exclude them.

You Don't Have to Go Overseas to Be on Mission

Not everyone is called to the foreign mission field, but everyone is called to something. Acts 1:8 lays it out clearly:

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." - Acts 1:8

Jerusalem was their home. Judea was their region. Samaria was the uncomfortable place nearby. And then the ends of the earth. The call moves outward from where you already are.

Your greatest mission field may be your own family. Your children. Your grandchildren. The people God has already placed around you. They should know Jesus. The people at your workplace, your neighborhood, the server at the restaurant, those are your divine appointments.

Why Do We Sometimes Stop Sharing Our Faith?

Sometimes we forget who we were before we knew Christ. We forget the brokenness, the hurt, the distance from God. But God does not remind us of that to condemn us. He reminds us to light a fire.

When you remember what it felt like to be without Christ, when you remember how lost you were and how someone came through hills and valleys to find you and share the gospel with you, that memory becomes fuel. You were somebody's one. Someone prayed for you. Someone showed up. Someone told you about Jesus.

Now it is your turn.

How Can You Support Missions Practically?

• Pray for missionaries by name. Know who they are and where they serve.
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• Give consistently through your local church, knowing that a portion goes directly to support missionaries around the world.
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• Go if God is calling you, whether on a short-term trip or a long-term commitment.
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• Send others by encouraging and equipping those around you who feel called.
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• Reach the people already in your life. Your neighborhood, your school, your workplace.

Life Application

This week, ask God to show you your mission field. It may be closer than you think. Make a deliberate effort to share the hope you have in Christ with at least one person in your everyday life, whether that is a coworker, a neighbor, a family member, or a stranger you encounter. Let the memory of who you were before Christ fuel your desire to reach others.

Ask yourself these questions as you go into the week:

• Who was my "one"? Who came to find me and share the gospel when I was lost?
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• Who is my "one" right now? Who has God placed in my life that needs to hear about Jesus?
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• Am I praying for the unreached? Do I even know the names of missionaries I could be lifting up?
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• How am I using my time, money, and influence to support the mission God has called all believers to?

God's heart has always been for every nation, every family, every person. You are part of how He reaches them. Do not sit this one out.