What does Easter have to do with the nations?

When the apostle Paul spoke to the intelligentsia in the number one global city of his day, Athens, about Jesus and the resurrection, he made the following points: first, God made all the nations (ethne) from one man, Adam, to inhabit the whole earth and second, God determines “the exact places where they should live” (v. 26). He then tells them why God did this: “so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him since he is not far from each one of us” (v. 27). God maneuvers the peoples of the earth to get them as close to the gospel as possible.

Think of what this means for us today! The peoples of the world are on the move. Many are from the least reached nations with the gospel. They are coming to global cities. They are coming to North Amercia. Why? From a human point of view, it might be because of political unrest or religious persecution, or to search for a better life. But according to Paul, God is sending them to cities so that they might find him by hearing the good news of Jesus and the Resurrection.

What does Easter and the Resurrection mean for the nations? It’s the message they were meant to hear. It’s the true desire of their searching. In short, everything!