Sent to All the Nations
Month 12: Sent & Standing Firm · Memory Verse
Today's Scripture
Read together: Matthew 28:19
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Memory Verse
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”— Matthew 28:19 (BSB)memorize this week
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Obadiah 1
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Near Day 353 of 365 — the shortest book in the Old Testament, just one chapter long!)The Heart of It
Today we slow down on one verse and really chew on it. Look at the little words that are easy to skip. "Therefore go." That word "therefore" points back to verse 18, where Jesus said all authority belongs to Him. So we don't go because we're brave or clever. We go because He is King. Then look at "all nations." Not just one country. Not just people who look or talk like us. Jesus means every tribe and language on earth. And notice that He names all three Persons of the one true God. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Our God is so big and so loving that His good news is for the whole planet.
Here's something wonderful. The word "nations" in the original language is ethne. It's where we get the word "ethnic." It means people-groups. Families and cultures all over the world. God isn't trying to erase what makes people different. He's gathering people from every culture into one family who love Jesus. That means the shy kid down the street is part of God's plan. So is the new family from another country. So are people in places you've never heard of. When you memorize this verse, you're memorizing the heartbeat of God for the whole world.
Around the Table
Jesus loves people in every country in the whole world. And He wants them all to know Him!
Let's do it: Spin a globe or point at a map, stop your finger, and pray, "Jesus, help that place know You!"
Try saying the verse in three pieces: "Go therefore" / "and make disciples of all the nations" / "baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Let's talk: Why do you think Jesus said "all" the nations and not just "some"?
"Nations" means people-groups (ethne). It means every culture, not just every country. God redeems people from within their cultures ().
Let's go deeper: How is the gospel both for every culture and yet above every culture at the same time?
💬 Conversation Starter
If you could send a "Jesus loves you" message to any country in the world today, where would you send it first, and why?
🛡️ Defending the Faith
Some people say Christianity is just a "Western" religion. But Jesus was a Middle Eastern Jew. The church began in Asia and Africa. And today there are more Christians in places like Nigeria, Brazil, and China than in much of the West. The gospel was always meant for all nations. Kindly remind a friend of that with a smile, not a sneer ().
For Dad · Go Deeper
We tend to picture missions as far away, but shows the finish line. It is "a great multitude... of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne." That worldwide worship is the goal history is heading toward, and your family's small obedience is woven into it. In practice, "all nations" can begin at home. Pray for an unreached people-group at dinner. Befriend an international family. Support a missionary your kids can write to. Children who learn early that God's love crosses every border grow up far less likely to shrink the gospel down to "people like us." A global vision is one of the best guards against both fear of outsiders and a small, self-centered faith.
Draws on: John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, Your love is for every nation, tribe, and language on earth. Thank You for sending Jesus for all of them. Help our family love what You love and pray for people far away. In Jesus' name, amen."
God's good news is for every people-group on earth. And I get to be part of getting it to them.