A Great Multitude

8 Minute Read

Of the mission trips that I have joined over the years, the worship services that I attended during those trips are some of the sweetest memories that come to mind. In those worship services, I was forced to engage differently than normal. It can be easy to be lulled to complacency in your home church because of the familiarity of style and habits, but trying to engage in a worship service done in another language puts you on your heels. When you are limited in understanding what you hear during a worship service, your eyes are opened to the displays of the Spirit-filled community around you.

Mission trips are deeply transformative in the Christian life. Ultimately, they teach us of the Spirit-given unity of the bride of Christ across nations, languages, and cultures that grows our anticipation for John’s vision of a multinational worship to take place in Heaven:

After this, I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Revelation 7:9-10

Specifically, mission trips teach us what it looks like to partner with and support missionaries and churches in other contexts to better spread the glory and name of God in the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ so that believers from all over the world might be added to the “great multitude that no one could number” (Revelation 7:9). 

This is not primarily a plea to go on mission trips (though I pray it will draw you to do so). Rather, this is a plea to open your eyes to the beautiful diversity of the bride of Christ and the need across the world for the church to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). 

The Lord has not only been concerned with the nations since Jesus came on the scene. He expressed explicit care for the nations back in Genesis 12, promising to bless Abram (v 2) and all the families of the earth through Abram (v 3). Later, God changes Abram’s name to “Abraham,” saying, “for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations” (Genesis 17:5). God’s intention to bless Abraham was to ensure that He would bless all the families or nations of the earth through Abraham. Paul argues in Galatians 3:1-9 (and really the entire chapter) that the blessing comes through Jesus Christ, the son of Abraham and that it is by faith that the people of the nation of the earth receive the blessing of right standing with God. 

The “all nations” intent is a thread that runs from Genesis to Revelation, and we must not forget it. The Lord will bless all the nations of the earth and people from all nations will praise Him in heaven. He has given His church today His Spirit and the duty to go and make disciples to that end.

To praise God in my language in my heart in unison with a group of people singing praises aloud in another language is truly an awe-inspiring experience. It is a glimpse at the unified praise we will be a part of in eternity. Walking neighborhoods in another country with local believers to encourage, pray for, meet the needs of, and share the gospel breaks down walls that the language barrier can build up. 

We have brothers and sisters worldwide, daily worshiping the Lord in the name of Jesus Christ and the power of His Spirit. When you walk into your local church on Sunday, refuse to be lulled into complacency with what is expected and familiar. Hear the preaching of the gospel from the Bible, remembering that the God of Abraham is the God who desires to bless all the nations of the earth through salvation in Jesus Christ. Sing praise with the church, knowing that you are praising the God to whom salvation belongs. Put your tithe in the plate or bag, knowing that part of the money you give goes to support the missionaries, families, organizations, churches, and efforts who are seeking to add more to the “great multitude that no one could number”, for the sake of the praise of God because of His grace demonstrated to us in Jesus Christ.