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Rethink Perspective

Session 1

Perspective is a powerful thing. It has the ability to take something you have seen hundreds of times—something that is totally familiar—and then, with a shift, completely change the way you view it forever.

Perspective Matters

Session 1 - Video 1

Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” 
Matthew 16:18

Welcome to MomentumYes!

In this series, we hope you will rethink church, your neighbors, how you approach the Bible, God’s mission on this earth, and your part in his story.

God is moving, and we hope that MomentumYes will open your eyes to his plan and purpose that cannot be stopped.

Our prayer is that your hearts would become more in sync with the heart of Jesus for those who have never heard the gospel, and that every follower of Christ would say “yes” to joining his movement in strategic new ways.

China – A New Perspective

In the midst of the Communist Revolution, following World War II, the church in China experienced tremendous growth despite persecution.

China becomes Communist.
There were 750,000 Christians.1

China has 85 million Christians.2

CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE ROUGHLY THE SAME NUMBER OF CHRISTIANS. 

That’s momentum!

Muslim World – A New Perspective

Countries in the Middle East, Asia, and North Africa that are predominantly Muslim are often resistant to any form of religion other than Islam.

Movements to Christ 

More than a thousand individuals baptised, or more than a hundred Christian churches planted in a region within a twenty-year window.

Since 2000, we’ve seen seventy-five movements of people leaving Islam to join the family of Jesus in countries like Iran, Algeria, Malaysia, and Pakistan. 3

University students, families, Islamic prayer leaders, Syrian refugees, and even trained terrorists are coming to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

That’s momentum!

Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
Matthew 16:18

The World around Us – A More Complete Picture

Approximately 7.5 billion people in the world today.

Three billion people, or 40 percent of the world’s population today, have little to no opportunity to learn the truth about Jesus.4

THE CHURCH IS IN A STRONG POSITION TO MAKE THE GOSPEL AVAILABLE TO THE REMAINING 40% OF THE WORLD’S PEOPLE.

If the current trajectory continues, this could happen in the next twenty to twenty-five years!

Throughout MomentumYes, we’re going to look at the vision of Jesus, the Bible, and the world around us with new eyes!

Discussion Questions

15 Minutes

  • How would you describe your perspective on God's work among the nations?
  • How do you hope your perspective might change as a result of going through the MomentumYes course?
  • What struck you as we zoomed out to view God's perspective on China or the Muslim world?

Perspective on the Old Testament

Session 1 - Video 2

“From the very beginning, God’s desire was to see people from every nation, language, and ethnicity in relationship with Him.”

Building the Tower of Babel – Genesis 11:1-9

Old Perspective

Prideful humans built a tower to reach heaven. God disciplined them by scattering them throughout the world with multiple languages.

New Perspective

The Tower of Babel is a story of cultural diversity. The Lord redirected humanity to do what he had originally commanded in Genesis 1:28.

God spoke to Abraham – Genesis 12:1-3

Old Perspective

Abraham is promised a nation of descendants, even in his old age without any children of his own.

New Perspective

The Lord wants to use Abraham’s descendants to bless and reach every nation on earth!

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, GOD’S DESIRE WAS TO SEE PEOPLE FROM EVERY NATION, LANGUAGE, AND ETHNICITY IN RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.

Daniel in the Lions’ Den – Daniel 6

Old Perspective

Daniel trusted in the Lord in the midst of trials. He stood his ground and trusted in God’s protection.

New Perspective
After Daniel survived the hungry lions, King Darius of Babylon declared this to all the people in his kingdom:

“Peace and prosperity to you! I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end.”
Daniel 6:25-26 NLT

This declaration of a pagan king was spoken because God wanted the whole world to know about him.

The Great Banquet – Isaiah 25

Seven hundred years before Jesus, the prophet Isaiah describes what it will be like when the Lord’s plan is finally accomplished. He describes it as a banquet, saying:

In Jerusalem, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world. It will be a delicious banquet with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat. There he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever!
Isaiah 25:6-8 NLT

Old Perspective

An amazing party to celebrate the defeat of death.

New Perspective

All the people of the world are invited to the banquet! The promise that God gave to Abraham will finally be fulfilled because all people who have given their lives to Jesus are able to see his ultimate blessing become a reality.

Discussion Questions

15 Minutes

Nations Throughout Scripture PDF

Perspective on the New Testament

Session 1 - Video 3

“Throughout all of scripture, God is relentless about seeing His entire creation redeemed.”

Jesus Announces His Ministry – Luke 4:18-19

Jesus is baptised and then spends forty days in the wilderness, successfully resisting the temptations from the devil.

He returns to Nazareth (his hometown), stands up in the synagogue on the Sabbath, and begins to read from Isaiah 61.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
Luke 4:18-19

This passage was popular in Christ’s time because it refers to the Jewish people receiving justice for the wrongs the nations have done to them throughout history.

But Jesus leaves out the part of the passage that mentions punishment for Israel’s enemies. Instead, he hands the scroll back and adds,

“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Luke 4:21

He’s announcing that HE is the ONE, whom this passage was written about seven hundred years earlier in Isaiah. He is the MESSIAH.

This statement shocks the people listening, and then Jesus tells two familiar Old Testament stories to ensure they fully understand. These stories concern God favouring non-Jews.

  • Elijah was sent to a nearby country to care for the needs of a desperate widow and her son during a famine.
  • Elisha healed a leper, who was the commanding general of the Syrian army.

The Lord’s amazing grace is for Jews and non-Jews alike!

The people were not seeing these stories from the Lord’s perspective. They viewed Scripture only from their own lens and how it personally affected them. And the truth is that we do exactly the same thing.

Jesus Engaged People Who Were Not Jewish

Jesus intentionally engaged people from other nations.

He spent the majority of his ministry in Galilee, a region known for being predominantly non-Jewish.

Christ’s Five Declarations of Mission

Jesus culminated his life on earth with some incredible declarations about the nations and what we were made for as his disciples.

  1. Matthew 28:19– “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
  2. Mark 16:15 – “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
  3. Luke 24:47 – “Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
  4. John 20:21 – “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Jesus was saying that the Father sent him with a powerful message of redemption for all nations. Christ wants us to know that our identity as followers of Jesus rests in this idea of being sent to our neighbours and to the nations!
  5. Acts 1:8 – “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus declares that the same Spirit who empowers him will now empower his disciples to make new disciples, among every nation on earth, and nothing will stand in their way. This is the power of the good news of Jesus Christ!

Thousands of God-fearing Jews from many nations were in Jerusalem at the feast of Pentecost, and Peter preached the gospel!

Three thousand people gave their lives to Jesus that day and were baptised. The church began to grow!

Everyday people empowered by the Holy Spirit spread the good news about Christ throughout the known world.

In the last book of the Bible, a song is being sung to Jesus in heaven:

“with your blood you purchased for God persons from EVERY TRIBE and LANGUAGE and PEOPLE and NATION.”

Revelation 5:9

SEEING THE GOSPEL COMMUNICATED TO ALL PEOPLES SHOULD BE A MAJOR PRIORITY FOR HIS DISCIPLES UNTIL JESUS COMES AGAIN.

From the first book of the Bible to the last one, we experience the Lord’s perspective and his great desire for people from every ethnicity to be worshipping Jesus!

Discussion Questions

15 Minutes

  • What stands out to you from Christ’s interactions with people? How does that relate to God’s perspective on other nations in the Old Testament?
  • If the Lord blesses, heals, and loves the people of the nations throughout Scripture, how can we—as believers—follow his example?
  • Did your perspective change after completing session 1? If so, how.

Footnotes:

  1. “Christians in China Stats,” Asia Harvest, accessed June 10, 2022, https://asiaharvest.org/christians-in-china-stats/.
  2. “China,”, Asia Harvest, accessed June 10, 2022, https://asiaharvest.org/christians-in-china-stats/china.
  3. David Garrison, email message to author of A Wind in the House of Islam, April 20, 2018.
  4. “Global Summary,” Joshua Project, accessed October 16, 2018, https://joshuaproject.net.

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We’d love to hear how God is speaking to you!
Share your MomentumYes story with us.

Nations throughout Scripture
Old Testament Verses

Genesis 1:1
"God created the heavens and the earth."


Genesis 9:17
God's covenant with "all life on the earth."


Genesis 12:1-3
God's promise to Abraham. (repeated in Genesis 18:18; 22:17-18; 26:4; 28:12-14)


Exodus 9:14-16
"I have raised you up for this very purpose . . . that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."


Exodus 19:6
Israel was to be a "kingdom of priests."


Numbers 14:21
"Glory of the Lord fills the whole earth."


Deuteronomy 4:6-8
"Show your wisdom and understanding to the nations."


Deuteronomy 10:19
"You are to love those who are foreigners."


Deuteronomy 28:10
"All the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord."


Deuteronomy 32:1
“Hear, you earth, the words of my mouth.”


Joshua 4:24
“So that all the peoples of the earth might know.”


1 Samuel 2:10
“The Lord will judge the ends of the earth.”


1 Samuel 17:46
“The whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.”


1 Kings 8:41–43, 59–60 (also in 2 Chronicles 6:32–33)
“So that all the peoples of the earth may know your name.”


2 Kings 19:15, 19
“Hezekiah prayed . . . ‘Lord . . . you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth.’“


1 Chronicles 16:23–24
“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous deeds among all peoples.”


1 Chronicles 16:28
“Families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.”


1 Chronicles 16:31
“Let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns!’“


2 Chronicles 6:32–33
“So that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you.”


Psalm 2:7–10
“You are my son . . . . I will make the nations your inheritance.”


Psalm 7:7–8
“Let the Lord judge the peoples.”


Psalm 8:9
“How majestic is your name in all the earth!”


Psalm 9:11
“Proclaim among the nations what he has done.”


Psalm 18:49
“I will praise you, Lord, among the nations.”


Psalm 19:1
“Their words to the ends of the world.”


Psalm 22:26–28
“All the families of the nations will bow down.”


Psalm 22:27
“All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord.”


Psalm 24
“The earth is the Lord’s.”


Psalm 33
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”


Psalm 45:17
“The nations will praise you for ever and ever.”


Psalm 46:10
“I will be exalted among the nations.”


Psalm 47
“God reigns over the nations.”


Psalm 48:10
“Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.”


Psalm 49:1
“Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world.”


Psalm 50
“From the rising of the sun to where it sets.”


Psalm 57
“I will sing of you among the peoples.”


Psalm 59:13
“It will be known to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob.”


Psalm 65:5–8
“The hope of all the ends of the earth . . . where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.”


Psalm 66
“All the earth bows down to you . . . . Praise our God, all peoples.”


Psalm 67
“Your salvation among all nations.”


Psalm 68:32
“Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth.”


Psalm 72:9
“The desert tribes bow before him.”


Psalm 72:11
“All nations serve him.”


Psalm 72:17, 19
“All nations will be blessed through him . . . . May the whole earth be filled with his glory.”


Psalm 77:14
“You display your power among the peoples.”


Psalm 82
“All the nations are your inheritance.”


Psalm 83:18
“You alone are the Most High over all the earth.”


Psalm 86:8–13
“All the nations . . . will come and worship.”


Psalm 87
“The register of the peoples.”


Psalm 96
“Sing to the Lord, all the earth. . . . Declare his glory among the nations.”


Psalm 97
“The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.”


Psalm 98:3
“All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.”


Psalm 98:9
“He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.”


Psalm 99:1–3
“He is exalted over all the nations. Let them praise your great and awesome name.”


Psalm 102:15
“The nations will fear the name of the Lord, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.”


Psalm 102:22
“When the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the Lord.”


Psalm 105:1
“Make known among the nations what he has done.”


Psalm 106:8
Reason for dividing the Red Sea.


Psalm 107:2–3
“The redeemed of the Lord . . . those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.”


Psalm 108:3
“I will sing of you among the peoples.”


Psalm 108:5
“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.”


Psalm 110:6
“He will judge the nations.”


Psalm 113:3
“From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.”


Psalm 117
“Praise the Lord, all you nations.”


Psalm 126
“It was said among the nations.”


Psalm 135
“Our Lord is greater than all gods.”


Psalm 138:4
“May all the kings of the earth praise you, Lord.”


Ecclesiastes 3:11
“[God] has also set eternity in the human heart.”


Isaiah 2:3
“Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob.’“


Isaiah 5:26
“He lifts up a banner for the distant nations, he whistles for those at the ends of the earth.”


Isaiah 6:3
“They were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.’“


Isaiah 11:9
“The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.”


Isaiah 11:10
“The Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him.”


Isaiah 12:4
“Make known among the nations what he has done.”


Isaiah 24:14–16
“From the ends of the earth we hear singing: ‘Glory to the Righteous One.’“


Isaiah 25:6
“The Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples.”


Isaiah 34:1
“Come near, you nations, and listen; pay attention, you peoples!”


Isaiah 37:16
“Lord Almighty . . . you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth.”


Isaiah 37:20
“Deliver us . . . so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are the only God.”


Isaiah 42:4
“In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”


Isaiah 42:6
“I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles.”


Isaiah 42:10
“Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth.”


Isaiah 43:6
“I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’“


Isaiah 45:6
“From the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me.”


Isaiah 45:22
“Turn to me . . . all you ends of the earth.”


Isaiah 49:1–6
“I will also make you a light for the Gentiles.”


Isaiah 49:22
“The Sovereign Lord says: ‘See, I will beckon to the nations, I will lift up my banner to the peoples.’”


Isaiah 51:4–5
“My justice will become a light to the nations. . . . The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm.”


Isaiah 52:10
“The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.”


Isaiah 56:7
“My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”


Isaiah 57:19
“Peace, peace, to those far and near . . . . I will heal them.”


Isaiah 59:19
“From the west, people will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory.”


Isaiah 60:3
“Nations will come to your light.”


Isaiah 62:11
“The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth.”


Isaiah 65:1
“I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”


Isaiah 66:18–19
“They will proclaim my glory among the nations.”


Jeremiah 1:5
“I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”


Jeremiah 3:17
“All nations will gather in Jerusalem to honour the name of the Lord.”


Jeremiah 16:19
“To you the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, ‘Our ancestors possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good.’”


Jeremiah 31:10
“Hear the word of the Lord, you nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands.”


Ezekiel 34:4, 6
“My sheep were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.”


Ezekiel 36:22–23
“The nations will know that I am the Lord.”


Ezekiel 38:20
“All the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence.”


Daniel 2:47; 4:1–2; 6:25
“Surely your God is the God of gods.”


Daniel 7:13, 14
“All nations and peoples of every language worshiped him.”


Jonah’s story
The Old Testament missionary book.


Micah 1:2
“Hear, you peoples, all of you, listen, earth and all who live in it.”


Micah 4:2
“Many nations will come.”


Micah 5:4
“His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.”


Habakkuk 2:14
“The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”


Zephaniah 2:11
“Distant nations will bow down to him."


Zephaniah 3:9
“Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord.”


Haggai 2:7
“Desired by all nations.”


Zechariah 2:11
“Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people.”


Zechariah 8:20–23
“Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come.”


Zechariah 9:10
“He will proclaim peace to the nations.”


Zechariah 14:9
“The Lord will be king over the whole earth.”


Malachi 1:10–11
“My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets.”
New Testament Verses

Matthew 4:8–11 — Temptation of Jesus
“All the kingdoms of the world.”


Matthew 6:9–10 — The Lord’s Prayer
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth.”


Matthew 8:11 (Luke 13:29)
“Many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast . . . in the kingdom of heaven.”


Matthew 9:37
“Harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”


Matthew 10:18
“On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.”


Matthew 13 (Ezekiel 17:23)
Parables of the sower, weeds, mustard seed, fishing net.


Matthew 21:13 (Isaiah 56:7)
“A house of prayer for all nations.”


Matthew 24:14
“This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world.”


Matthew 28:19–20; Mark 16:15
The Great Commission (which many say is a restatement of God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12).


Mark 11:17
See Matthew 21:13.


Mark 13:10
“The gospel must first be preached to all nations.”


Mark 16:15
See Matthew 28:19–20.


Luke 2:32
“A light for revelation to the Gentiles.”


Luke 10:2
“Harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” (See John 4:35.)


Luke 10:27
“Love your neighbour as yourself.”


Luke 15:4
Parable of the lost sheep.


Luke 19:46
See Matthew 21:13.


Luke 24:47
“Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached . . . to all nations.”


John 3:16
“For God so loved the world.”


John 4:35
Ripe harvest fields. (See Luke 10:2 and Matthew 9:37.)


John 12:32
“I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”


John 17:23
“The world will know that you sent me and have loved them.”


John 20:21
“As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”


John 21:4–14
Some biblical commentators have said the 153 fish equal the number of all the tribes and nations that the ancients thought existed on earth.


Acts 1:8; 2:5–12; 13:47 (Isaiah 49:6)
Witnesses in all the earth.


Acts 3:25
“He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’”


Acts 9:15
“Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings.”


Acts 10:34–35
“God . . . accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.”


Acts 11:18
“They . . . praised God, saying, ‘So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.’“


Acts 13:47
“I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6).


Acts 14:27
“They . . . reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.”


Acts 28:28
“Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”


Romans 1:5
“We received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to obedience.”


Romans 1:16
“The gospel . . . is the power of God that brings salvation . . . first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”


Romans 3:29
“Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too.”


Romans 9:17
“That my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”


Romans 10:12–15
“How can they hear?”


Romans 15:10
“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people” (Deuteronomy 32:43).


Romans 15:11
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him” (Psalm 117:1).


Romans 16:26
So that all nations might believe.


1 Corinthians 1:24
“To those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks.”


2 Corinthians 4:15
“Grace that is reaching more and more people.”


2 Corinthians 10:16
“So that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you.”


Galatians 3:8
“Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you’“ (Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18).


Galatians 3:14
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles.”


Ephesians 1:10
“To bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.”


Ephesians 2:11–19
“You are no longer foreigners and strangers.”


Philippians 2:10
“Every knee should bow.”


1 Thessalonians 2:15–16
“To keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved.”


Hebrews 6:13–14
“God made his promise to Abraham.”


2 Peter 3:9, 12
“Not wanting anyone to perish.”


1 John 2:2
“He is the atoning sacrifice . . . for the sins of the whole world.”


Revelation 5:9
“You purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.”


Revelation 7:9
“Every nation, tribe, people and language.”


Revelation 14:6
The “angel . . . had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth — to every nation, tribe, language and people.”


Revelation 15:4
“All nations will come and worship before you.”


Revelation 21:23–24
“The Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light.”