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Scott Worthington
Hope for the World 2025 Week 3 | We Engage the Nations
Hope for the World 2025
Nov 23, 2025Colossians 4:2-4
As we wrapped up Hope for the World 2025, we focused on how each of us can take part in engaging the nations with the gospel. Pastor Scott Worthington preached from Colossians 4:2–4.
In this passage, we learned that prayer is one of the primary ways we join in on what God is doing around the world. As we pray, God—by His sovereignty—chooses to move through the prayers of His people, opening doors of opportunity and inviting us to step into them to proclaim the gospel. Every Jesus follower is called to share the good news with those who do not know Jesus.
Check out this sermon to learn more and see how you can take your next step in taking part of what God is doing in Las Vegas, the west, and the world.
Sermon Notes
Hope for the World 2025
We Engage the Nations // Colossians 4:2-4
“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.” Colossians 4:2-4
“‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’” Acts 1:8
“We can do this, if we will.”
God’s mission is not something the church invented — it’s why the church exists.
A Jesus follower abides in Christ
A Jesus follower connects in community
A Jesus follower shares in the mission
1. Prayer is the first work of engaging the nations
“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” Colossians 4:2
“‘I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.’” John 15:5
Simple Ways to Start to Pray for the Nations
1. Pray for our Sent
2. Pray for our Global Partners
3. Pray through the Headlines
If every Jesus follower prayed for God’s activity among the nations the way you do, how much prayer would there be?
2. Prayer is the vehicle by which we see the opportunities to engage the nations
“At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word…” Colossians 4:3a
In His sovereignty, God has chosen to be moved by the prayers of His people.
“‘…lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.’” John 4:35
“When we get serious with God, He likes that, and doors start opening up… Do we have the nerve to ask God for what we really long for and what would really display His glory? Let’s not settle for polite prayers that bore us and change nothing.” Ray Ortlund
3. Proclamation is the end goal of engaging the nations
“…to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.” Colossians 4:3b-4
Prayer > Open Doors > Open Mouths
“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off… When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews.” Acts 13:2-3,5
“For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” Romans 10:13-15
Why does all this really matter?
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
"Every sin will be punished. It will either be punished in hell, or it was punished on the cross." John Piper
“I cannot preach on hell unless I preach with tears.” D.L. Moody
“Go therefore 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 observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
“The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed.” Hudson Taylor
Next Steps to Take…
• PRAY
“The history of missions is the history of answered prayer.” Samuel M. Zwemer
• GIVE: Click here to give to the HFTW Offering
• GO
“We can do this, if we will.”
Sermon Notes
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