welcome
What has the last week been like? The best and worst things about it?
worship
Get everyone to draw their thumbprint and read out Psalm 139.
word
read
discuss
This passage is known as the ‘Great Commission’. Discuss the implications of this for 5 minutes. In particular, think about what it means to make disciples, and obeying everything Jesus commanded.
The ‘Great Commission’ has been a significant motivation for global mission over the past 200 years. The problem is, by being at the end of Matthew’s gospel, we can forget it. But what Jesus is saying is not an afterthought, and needs to be paid just as much attention to as ever.
groupwork
Look together at the following verses in smaller groups, or give each member a verse to read to the whole group. Can you see a common theme?
- Genesis 12:3
- Genesis 18:18
- Psalm 67:1-3
- Psalm 96:13
- Psalm 98:2
- Isaiah 51:4-5
- Matthew 12:20-21
- Matthew 28:18-20
- Revelation 7:9
- Revelation 22:2
Note how each of these verses refers to ‘nations’ or ‘peoples’. God’s plan throughout history, ever since the call of Abraham, is to bless all the nations of the earth with salvation.
question
So who are the ‘nations’?
We’re used to the idea of ‘nations’. It means different countries, like England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Germany, Russia, and so on. But, if you were told that the Greek word translated as ‘nations’ or ‘peoples’ was ethne, would that make a difference? If so, what?
Ethne carries the idea of ‘ethnic groups’. Another phrase that is sometimes used is ‘peoples’ or people groups’. And a country can have more than one ‘people group’ living among it. Think of Britain today. It is not home only to people of British descent, there are many other ‘people groups’ who have settled there.
And the Bible tells us that it is God’s intention that every single one of these ‘nations’ or ‘people groups’ should be discipled, blessed by God, and led to praise him.
The problem is, in our world today, not every people group has yet been discipled. There are still hundreds, if not thousands, of people groups in the world that are still classified as ‘unreached’.
Technical Bit
If you like accurate definitions, these are for you.
People Group – A group of people bound together by a common language and cultural tradition.
Unreached People Group – A people group where there is no indigenous church or where the Christian presence is so small it cannot make an impact on that people group without help from outside.
question
What about where you are?
Universities are strategic places to live for God. This is because there are thousands of students from other parts of the world coming to them to study. Many of them are from peoples that are unreached, and, after their studies, will return home to be leaders in their countries.
witness
Discuss how your small group could reach out to international students, as part of God’s plan that all nations be discipled.
Pray for the international students at your university
