Ephesians 3:8
“To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ.”
The gospel goes to the Gentiles. It was always meant to. God chose the Jews to be the people to work through. It began with Abraham. In the intermediate thousands of years, God saved Gentiles by the method of Romans 1. How did people respond to the revelation given? Nature is an enormous revelation. He speaks to human hearts as well.
There were hints in the Old Testament about reaching the Gentiles. Isaiah 49:6b says, " I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth." God's plan of salvation was wonderful and costly. It had to be lived out through a people, Israel, then spread to all through Jesus. The Old Testament showed that God wanted to be known by His people and that sacrifice for sin was necessary. It all was realized through Jesus. He showed God's heart and love for people and was the sacrifice for sin.
Jesus demonstrated and described the message going to the Gentiles in His talk with the Samaritan woman. He said in John 4:23, "But a time is coming, and even now has arrived, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers." All people are welcome as long as they worship in spirit and truth. Jesus would die and rise again in a couple years. The Holy Spirit will be available to everyone. This is the church age.
We are still in the church age. Jews are saved by the same means as everyone else, by accepting Jesus. There seems to be a change in God's attention. Romans 11:25b-26a says, "For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written: 'THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.'” Just as Gentiles could be saved in Old Testament times, Many Jews are saved during the era of "the fullness of the Gentiles". It appears once this present era is complete God will refocus on Israel. Many think this will be the great tribulation. God will raise up 144,000 Jewish evangelists to spread the message of Jesus.
The past 2,000 years we have seen the gospel spread across the globe. It has influenced western culture to where most of our thoughts, practices are influenced by the gospel. This is true for atheists as well. While they don't believe in God, their notions of justice, fairness and individual rights came from the bible.
There is great resistance to the gospel. Hollywood hates it, the left hates it, those that live for themselves and profit hate it. God's kingdom continues to progress. Like the tides the can't be stopped, so His kingdom advances. There are oppressive government that seek to stop it, so underground churches spread. Oppressive regimes seek to stamp out freedom, His ways march on.
Part of the Lord's Prayer says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done". It's coming and His will is realized. We are to pray to be part of it. We are to yield to participate in it.
The gospel brings healing and restoration to us. Isaiah 42:3 says, "A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice." We were those things at particular times. The world tramples on the poor and those with godly standards. God doesn't. He sees us. For the flickering wick to stay lit, God cups His hands around us to protect it. He holds back corruption and evil for us to regain our flames.
Lord, thank You for the gospel going to all peoples. Thank You for saving us and helping us be a part of saving others.