The parting words of Jesus to the Apostles, according to Luke 1.7-8, instructed them to witness and take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Like Elijah leaving his mantle behind for Elisha, Jesus leaves behind the Counselor, the Holy Spirit of God and Christ himself, to accomplish this Divine appointed mission. They were instructed in this mission back in Galilee a couple of weeks earlier by Jesus as he said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt 28.18-20)
Through secular historical accounts, we learn that each Apostle did exactly what Jesus asked them to do.
In today’s geography, Peter went to Italy, Andrew went to Russia, Thomas went to India, Philip went to Asia, Matthew went to Africa, Bartholomew went to India, James (son of Alpheas) went to Egypt, Simon the Zealot went to England, James (son of Zebedee) stayed in Judea, Jude went to Iraq, Matthias (the newly selected Apostle) went to Syria, and John went to Patmos and Turkey. Twelve men sent to the 12 nations of the earth in 33 AD. In Luke’s account of the day of Pentecost and Peter’s sermon, he records in Acts 2.5 that men from every nation under heaven were in Jerusalem for the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost (50 days after the resurrection of Christ). Luke then names each nation, Acts 2.8-12, and in keeping with God’s precise and exact will, there were 12 nations represented for the 12 Apostles to meet and teach that day and then to follow them back to their own country to make disciples of all nations: Residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya, Rome, Crete, and Arabia (12 nations exactly!)
All churches for Christ who wear the mantle of the Holy Spirit continue the work of the Apostles to this very day. There are many more nations than 12 on the face of the earth and thankfully by God’s design more than 12 churches, all with a measure of spiritual gifts and resources, to proclaim the good news of Jesus’ Resurrection through missionaries and missions and support and sacrifice and prayers and faith in action. As a result, the United States continues to lead the world in the development of Christianity into nations of the world and maybe lead even to the end of time.
Jesus said concerning the end of the age in Matt 24.14, “The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” The Church, the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ will continue to work the Divine mission and the gates of Hell will never prevail against it! The Church… universal as one… is the Miracle of Resurrection!
(Scott Johnson is pastor of Faulkner Street Church of Christ and author of the BRG Bible.)