Every Tribe

Every Tribe
Revelation 5:9

http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/EveryTribe.html

Revelation 5:9
9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
"Kindred" = tribe

What is holding back the Lord's return? Not much! But here in our text we find one possibility. The gospel has not been preached to every tribe yet, though we are getting very close. The 144,000 Jewish evangelists during the tribulation will reach some from every tribe for sure even if we don't!

Mission agencies like New Tribes Mission and Baptist Missions to Forgotten Peoples are sending missionaries into the darkest, most remote jungles of the earth, fulfilling the Great Commission "...to the uttermost part of the earth."

We don't often think about such peoples, but this week our team is going to just such a people, cut off the world completely. When our puddle jumper plane lands on a small dirt strip we are not there yet...we take a canoe several miles to our island with no power, no communications, and no Dr. Pepper!

God cares about every tribe. I want to begin by simply letting God tell you, in His own words about His priorities.

First there are Old Testament promises:
Psalm 22:27-28
27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28 For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations.

Then there are Old Testament prayers:
Psalm 67:3
3 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

Then there are Old Testament commands:
Psalm 96:3
3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.
Psalm 96:10
10 Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth:

Then there is the great New Testament Commission from the risen Christ:
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The 'end of the world' is not just a timeframe, it is also a place! Our team will be far from home and out of touch w/ loved ones, but God is ever present and goes with us!

Then there is the apostle Paul's great life of utter dedication to this mission:
Romans 15:20-21
20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:
21 But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.
Then there is the magnificent picture of the final outcome of God's purposes in history:
Revelation 5:9-10
9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

This is the big picture. This is what Christianity is about. This is God's design in world history—that people from all nations and tribes and languages come to worship God through Jesus