Welcome back to the podcast. I hope you had an edifying weekend and we're going to start

the week with a missions question. And it's this, did the Apostle Paul say that the

gospel had already reached the ends of the world in his own lifetime? It appears that

he did say that and it raises implications about the urgency of the great commission today.

Here's the question. Pastor John had a low, my name is Kevin and I live in Chicago. My

question has to do with Paul's words in Colossians chapter one for six, where he speaks of the

gospel that has quote come to you as indeed in the whole world. He may be suggested that the

gospel had already reached the whole world in his lifetime. It seems clearer in Colossians

one twenty three, their Paul speaks of the hope of the gospel that you heard quote, which has been

proclaimed in all creation under heaven in quote, wow. So what does Paul mean when he says

that the hope of the gospel has already been proclaimed in all creation? I feel an urgency to

unreach nations, but these texts have dampened that urgency and me some. Can you explain what Paul

means here? Thank you. Well, bless you, Kevin, for the sense of urgency that you feel. And yes, I

think I can explain it and not only explain it, I hope I can explain it in a way that intensifies

your commitment to reach the nations rather than dampening that commitment. So let's take

these two passages one at a time. First Colossians one five and six says of this referring to the

hope laid up for you in heaven of this you have heard before in the word of truth, the gospel,

which has come to you as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing as it also

does among you since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth. Now notice

that text does not say it does not say that the gospel has already been preached in the whole world.

It does not say that the gospel has reached to the ends of the world. It simply says that the gospel

which has come to you Colossians is the very gospel that is bearing fruit and increasing

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