on the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (for he who worked through peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the gentiles), [galatians 2:7-8]
where has God sovereignly entrusted you with the gospel?
paul was sent to the uncircumcised–the gentiles. a jew of jews, a pharisee of pharisees, he may have been tempted to go among “his own people” to share the gospel, but instead he went among those pagans who were practicing sexual immorality, polytheists worshipping many gods.
and true to the flesh, paul was rejected by the jewish christians for bringing into the fold those who were not outwardly jews–something he argues against in his letter to the romans:
for no one is a jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. but a jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. his praise is not from man but from God. [romans 2:28-29]
when we are quick to judge someone less than worthy of hearing the gospel, because of their background, personality, race or socioeconomic status, we fail to see the way that God sees.
a few wednesdays ago, i was in the union’s parking lot (next to matthias lot) patrolling and asking church attenders not to park there because of a union meeting that night. i approached a scruffy man in a large truck and my initial thought was “he doesn’t look like he goes to church. he probably doesn’t go to matthias–he probably is a union member here for the meeting” but i asked him anyway–”are you here for church?”
“no–man!” he replied, “i am here for the meeting! do i look like i go to church?”
i wish i had been ready with a better response, speaking of the mercies of God, particularly for those who don’t look the part–that grace is for everyone. i failed in that moment to say what i should have said.
the point is this: we are sent into a lot of places–our work, the grocery store, our schools where people may not resemble what we think a christian “should look like.” all barriers, socioeconomic, race, personality are smashed at the foot of the cross. Christ himself tells us what our mission is, and it has no qualifiers:
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 28:19-20]
the plan from the beginning was that God was creating a people for himself for his own glory! all kinds of people will be his!
after this i looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” [revelation 7:9-10]
we worship a great God who moved heaven and earth to call you, a gentile, to himself! as you sit in the presence of God, marvel at what it took for him to triumph over your heart!
where has God sovereignly entrusted you with the gospel?
~ conor eastman