To us it does not seem strange to say that Jesus' message is for the entire world. Matthew 24:14 is almost as well known as John 3:16. In Jesus' time it was revolutionary to think that the gospel could go to anyone not of Jewish blood. To the end of his days, Paul, the designated apostle to the Gentiles, called their inclusion in the kingdom "a great mystery." (See Eph. 3:4-6.)
How did Simeon describe the mission of Jesus? Luke 2:32.
When Simeon blessed the Baby Jesus, he said that He would be a "light for revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32, NIV). In his writings John often directly refers to Jesus as the Saviour of the world.
| Statement | Text (NIV) |
|---|---|
|
An atoning sacrifice for the whole world. |
1 John 2:2 |
|
"The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" |
John 1:29 |
|
God sent His Son "to save the world." |
John 3:17 |
|
"We know that this man really is the Savior of the world." |
John 4:42 |
|
"I am the Living bread ... which I will give for the life of the world." |
John 6:51 |
|
I "will draw all men to myself." |
John 12:32 |
|
"Let the world know that you sent me." |
John
17:23; John 20:21 |
What do the three angels' messages say about world evangelization? Rev. 14:6.
The messages borne by these angels is not a departure from the gospel or
an alteration of it, but an expansion, clarification, and consummation of
the everlasting gospel. "The message of Christ's righteousness is
to sound from one end of the earth to the other to prepare the way of the
Lord. This is the glory of God, which closes the work of the
third angel." --Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 19.