Int’l (MNN) – As Christians celebrate Christmas Day, the Alliance for the Unreached sees Jesus’s quiet arrival as a missional shout to the world.
A Pattern in Scripture
David Bogosian with the Alliance for the Unreached says this truth is especially forefront in the story of the Magi in Matthew 2. He says, “These are people that are following a star they know so little, and yet God is reaching them where they are to take them where they need to go. What I love about that story is God is shining light through what we call general revelation, and this is the smallest light that they have. Yet God uses it to bring them from a very far away place to where Jesus is being born, and the Magi become the first group of people to worship Jesus… You’ll see this as a theme throughout the Gospel story, that the most unlikely people – the people that aren’t supposed to get it – are being drawn to this light that God is bringing into the world.”
Photo is a representative stock image courtesy of Pixabay.
Bogosian says Jesus’s move to Egypt as a young child further pictures God’s plan to draw in the nations. He provides some redemption for Egypt as it protects the Messiah amid Herod’s murderous decree.
A Call to Learn About Christ
These portions of the Christmas story give a larger context to Jesus’s mission. Christmas Day commemorates the longed-for arrival of the Messiah, not just for Israel, but for the world. Bogosian says Christmas provides an opportunity to expand our mission. It’s a time to ask God to use the celebration to bring people to know Him.
“And here’s the other awesome thing about Christmas is that this is an opportunity for us to invite people into the story. And this is what happens all over the world. In many of these contexts that are hostile to the Gospel, they’re actually open during times like this to learning, ‘What is this thing called Christmas?’. Because we make a big deal about it, right? And people are curious, ‘What is this?’. It’s a great opportunity, one of the best opportunities we have throughout the year, to tell people about who Jesus is and why He came into the world.”
Reaching the Unreached
The Alliance for the Unreached motivates the Church to continue the task of sharing the Good News, at Christmas and every day.
(Photo is a representative stock image courtesy of Andreas Böhm via Pixabay.)
“There are still billions of people who have never heard. There are still 7000 unreached people groups where the Gospel has never gone,” Bogosian says. “They can’t celebrate Christmas with us, but one day, they will. And we believe that could actually happen in our lifetime, in our generation, if Christians all work together. If we join hands with God’s people who are nearest to these people groups, we can see the Gospel accelerate in our generation.”
Please pray for Christians in persecuted and hard to reach places as they share the good news of Emmanuel, God with us. Pray also that God’s people around the world would use the Christmas season as an opportunity the hope that they have because of Christ.
If you want to learn how you can help support the Alliance for the Unreached, click here.
Header photo is a representative stock image courtesy of Bejamin Alanis Ibarra via Pexels.
