The World Population Explosion

Current statistics concerning the growth of the world’s population are mid-boggling. The planet’s population did not reach one billion people until about 1800. It did not reach two billion until 1930. By 1999, the world’s population had exploded to six billion inhabitants. In other words, it took 130 years to increase from one to two billion people and a mere 69 years to go from two
billion to six billion. What is scary is the fact the it is predicted that the planet will house seven billion people by the end of 2012 and nine billion by the year 2050. More specifically, there will be 125 million births worldwide this year, and every twenty minutes the world’s population will grow by approximately 3,000 souls.

Brethren, we have our work cut out for us as we seek to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Thankfully we are using several means possible to cover the world
with the gospel truth: radio, television, the internet, correspondence courses, missionaries, and the like.

As wonderful as these avenues of proclaining the truth are, there is no substitute for a personal invitation. A record of an invitation is found in John (1) as Andrew invites his brother Peter to come to Jesus. John (1:40-42) says, “One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Jesus, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said, ‘We have found the Messiah (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus...’”

May this morning’s sermon inspire all of us to extend more personal invitations to everyone to come and learn more about Jesus. Truly, if we love Jesus we will not hesitate to do this.