As a follower of Jesus, each one of us has a special role and responsibility to share His gospel with others. Sometimes this can feel overwhelming when we think about the great need in our world. Or maybe it is motivating to you in knowing that so many people get to hear about Christ?
As we look as the Great Commission, people often forget to go to Acts 1:8 as a guide to fulfilling it. What did Jesus mean when He said, “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth?”
Jesus’ Final Message on Earth
Before being taken up into heaven, Jesus had a commissioning of His disciples. This is found in Matthew 28:19-20. However, when Paul is recounting the events that occurred, he too shares about this moment in Acts 1.
Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Jesus’ final message to His followers was for them to go and tell others about Him. They are to stay in Jerusalem and receive the Holy Spirit before going anywhere. This reminds us that in our own power, we can never truly accomplish anything of spiritual significance. It is only by the grace of the Holy Spirit’s work through us. It is humbling when we realize that we have nothing to offer God, but He still chooses to use us for His kingdom purposes when we say yes to Him.
This message to the disciples is still a command to all believers today. We are called to be the witnesses of Christ to this world. You likely do not live in Jerusalem, so let’s break down what this means for us in this day and age.
What Is My Sphere of Influence?
When looking at a map, we see that Jerusalem is a city within Judea, which neighbors Samaria. Jesus called His disciples to minister first to their hometown, then to their culture, then to a nearby culture, and to the ends of the earth. There is no limit to who Christ can reach through us, but it starts where we are and goes outward.
Think about the help of understanding the culture of your hometown (Jerusalem). You know the traditions, the foods, and the personalities, so it makes it a natural ground for mission work. You can easily relate to others in the everyday things, so then you can segue to the gospel in effective ways. Then, think about your country (Judea). You know the overall feel, the ways in which things are done, and the culture. This means that you can minister and find a connection to others. You likely speak the same language and understand the same culture. There are fewer barriers, so this can be an amazing opportunity for sharing the gospel. There are minor differences in the ways people live or act, but nothing too culturally shocking.
Outside of this we have neighboring countries (Samaria). Think about what countries border your country. In the United States this would be Canada and Mexico. We could also think about the Caribbean Islands as our neighbors. These are countries with their own culture and languages which might be different from ours, but they are closer in reach. We are called to go out and share the gospel with them.
To the end of the earth is just that, we are then instructed to share Jesus with the world. These would be places that are far from home and which likely have different cultures and languages. They are people who need to hear the gospel too.
Distance does not determine value. God values the end of the earth as much as Jerusalem. We need to remember that whether this be through physically going, praying, giving to send others, or even online ministry, we are all called to reach the world for Jesus.
The Gospel in the Every Day
In a smaller sense, we can use this model to think about our everyday life. No, most of us are not going to be able to be traveling missionaries every week. However, we are all called to the mission of Acts 1:8, wherever the Lord has placed us.
Jerusalem would be symbolic of your main ministry, the home. Who is in your family? Then from there it might be your neighborhood or place of work (Judea). You could think of “Samaria” as the other side of town.
In doing this exercise, it is important to remember we are called to reach others from our hometowns to globally. However, it is helpful to think about on a smaller scale, the value of impact within a home into the community. The concept is the same. We are called to share Jesus from the inside out. We seek Him in who He has intentionally placed around us, and trust Him in stepping out of our comfort zones to reach those who are different culturally. Jesus’ emphasis was that all people are welcome into His family.
Jesus Is for All People
It is worthwhile to point out that Samaria is where the Samaritans lived. Jesus Himself ministered in Jerusalem and Judea, and then purposefully went the long way on one journey to go to a specific well and meet the Samaritan woman. He told her that He was her Living Water, her salvation (John 4). Jesus modeled that not only is He for those who are similar to us, but He came for people of every nation and background.
The disciples would have easily avoided Samaria because of racial and cultural tensions. However, Jesus taught them to love and press in to the unknowns. Who are we trying to avoid sharing Jesus with today? Who do we feel is unworthy of hearing this good news? We need to ask God to purify our hearts and help us to share His message of hope even with those we do not like or agree with in this world.
Whatever your Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria are, remember that you are called to go. You are chosen by Jesus Himself to share His message of the gospel where you are and to the ends of the earth. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we will be able to witness many coming to Christ because He is working in this world through our obedience to His calling.
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Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Bayram Gürzoğlu
Emma Danzey’s mission in life stems from Ephesians 3:20-21, to embrace the extraordinary. One of her greatest joys is to journey with the Lord in His Scriptures. She is wife to Drew and mom to Graham. Emma serves alongside her husband in ministry, she focuses most of her time in the home, but loves to provide articles on the Bible, life questions, and Christian lifestyle. Her article on Interracial Marriage was the number 1 on Crosswalk in 2021. Most recently, Emma released Treasures for Tots, (Scripture memory songs) and multiple books and devotionals for young children. During her ministry career, Emma has released Wildflower: Blooming Through Singleness, two worship EP albums, founded and led Polished Conference Ministries, and ran the Refined Magazine. You can view her articles on her blog at emmadanzey.wordpress.com