From the swift horses in Esther's day, to the Roman roads in Paul's, to the printing press in Tyndale's era, to airplanes, and now, to the Internet, the speed and ease of the vehicles and tools by which we can more easily and quickly spread the Gospel across the globe are only increasing. In the 1500's, the printing press was invented. It allowed for the vast production of books which meant the rapid distribution of the knowledge that was contained in those books. Thus, through the books, knowledge and understanding were spread throughout Europe. Someone said of William Tyndale, the Bible translator and martyr, that he was the first to take advantage of the new medium of print which allowed for the Bible's wide distribution. Now, the new medium for spreading information is the Internet. The Internet has allowed for the distribution of the Bible, Bible study materials and sermons with ease and speed never before seen. Most believers are already taking advantage of this medium of communication in one way or another. In the last decade, the amount of solid biblical resources that are available on the Internet has increased rapidly. But, it is also true that the vast majority of these resources are available to the English-speaking population. But the resources available among many other language groups is far more limited. My desire is to encourage multi-lingual believers who are fluent in English and also in another language to recognize that you have an ability to help provide more resources to the non-English speaking world. The Apostle Paul said in Romans 15:23, "I no longer have any room for work in these regions..." And in view of that, Paul moved on to Spain. In the same way, the English speaking regions of the world though indeed still full of darkness are overflowing with more light in comparison to the other regions of this world. So I ask you to consider joining us in an effort to get more resources into the languages that so desperately lack good Bible-centered material. Those of a false gospel like the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses have considered these regions. They're taking advantage of this online "printing press" with great zeal. If we are to take the Great Commission seriously, we must not sit idly by while the enemies of the true Gospel spread their lies. Think about the power of the Internet. In a relatively short amount of time, someone can translate content from English into another language and put it on the Internet to where it can reach thousands all around the world who speak that language. And this can be done virtually at no cost whatsoever apart from the time it takes to perform the translation. You do not have to spend the money to fly to that country or buy paper to print a thousand tracts on. You don't even have to be a full time missionary or even do translation work as a full time job. I know many who have translated sermons from English into another language simply in their spare time. And these translated sermons have literally reached thousands and thousands of people. Why would these people give their time to such a labor as this? Because many of them when lost and without Christ learned English through television shows, then they found Gospel sermons online, and they were saved by Christ. Then out of love for Christ and love for their fellow countrymen who don't know the truth, they naturally wanted to help translate more material in order to get solid sermons onto the Internet into their own native language so that others might hear the Gospel and be saved. They wanted others to know about the Good News that through the finished work of Jesus Christ a guilty sinner can be forgiven and saved from sin's power. When Martin Luther wrote his 95 theses, it was young students of his who took his writings and translated it. And they used the printing press to spread it. The same sort of thing has happened in our own day. Only it isn't the printing press that God has used, but the Internet. I'm talking about a sermon by Brother Paul Washer that is commonly called: "The Shocking Youth Message." Not only did someone outside of Paul's own ministry take that sermon and put it on the Internet in English, but young Brazilians took it, translated it into Portuguese, and it's been viewed over two million times with Portuguese subtitles. The work of a translator is a vital part of the Great Commission and not something to be despised. There are not many who have the Greek and Hebrew language abilities to translate the Bible itself. Yet, there are many common people who know another language proficiently enough to translate a sermon from English into another language. So, just as Mordecai told Esther that she had come to the kingdom for such a time as this, our generation of Christians has come into the Kingdom at such a time as this. What is this time? This is the time of the Internet! This is the time to use the tool that God has given us and advance the Gospel of Christ. This is a time in which there is a wide open door to translate biblical sermons and articles and distribute them freely on the worldwide web. Esther said, "If I perish, I perish." She went before the king and he showed her mercy and gave her what she desired - the salvation of the Jews. In a much greater way, Christ has secured salvation for mankind, but the world must hear about what Christ has done if they are to be saved. And how are they to hear without someone preaching? Even in Esther's day, translation work was necessary. The mission to save the Jews was not over once the king held out his scepter and received her plea for salvation of the Jews, but the people had to hear of this deliverance in their own language. You catch that? Right after the king heard Esther's plea, it says the king's scribes were called to translate the message in order to send the king's edict to the 127 provinces throughout the kingdom. Scripture says this edict went out to every people in their own script and to each people in their own language. And it also went to the Jews in their script and their language. Then we are told that a copy of what was written was to be issued as a decree in every province being publicly displayed to all peoples. Then the couriers mounted on their swift horses that were used in the king's service, rode out hurriedly, urged by the king's command. You see, they first had to translate the message, then send it out on swift horses. And what a swift horse, brethren, we have in the Internet. One that does not need sleep or rest like an actual horse does. Rather than handing a tract to a person face-to-face, the Internet distributes a video message or article right into someone's mobile phone or computer. How swift? You can post it and within seconds someone in Egypt can watch what was published in America. Whether we use the Internet or speak to people face-to-face, we must do as they did in Esther's day and publicly display this message of salvation to all people. Yet for many in the world, the truth must be translated into their own language so that they may understand. In Esther's day when the people heard the message, it says there was gladness and joy among the people. Why? Because the Jews had been rescued! This message brought hope. And in even a greater way, Jesus Christ brings salvation in our day having appeased the just wrath of God. Christ did this by the way of sacrificing Himself on the cross. He has made a way for sinners to be declared righteous before God. As this message goes forth, we are promised that people will be saved from every tribe, language and nation and people. Revelation 5:9 says that. Yet in the same way as it was in Esther's day, there are many provinces and languages in this world, and laborers are needed to translate the King's message into their own language. In our day, there are countless numbers of you who have come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who speak fluent English as well as another language. If this describes you, let me ask you this question: Have you ever considered giving time to translation work? Please... there's a famine for solid, biblical resources in other languages. I would humbly ask you to ask yourself this question. Who knows whether you - a person who is proficient in knowing multiple languages - have not come to the Kingdom for such a time as this? A time in which you can easily translate a video, publish it on the Internet, and put it out for the masses. A time in which you can easily come alongside one of the biblical ministries that you benefit from and help translate their resources. Or, start translating the sermons of your own local pastor. Think about it. Jesus Christ duplicated a few loaves of bread to feed thousands. And the Internet allows us to duplicate a few sermons to feed thousands. Has God fitted you for this work? As a young missionary, David Brainerd said of his interpreter to the Indians "God has remarkably fitted him for this work. Thus, God has manifested that without bestowing on me the gift of tongues, He could find a way wherein I might be as effectually enabled to convey the truths of His glorious gospel to the minds of these poor benighted pagans." Oh, no doubt our Lord has fitted many out there for this work of translation today. J.C. Ryle's tracts were translated into many languages, and that was in a day where there wasn't easy collaboration through the Internet. The work of a translator is nothing new whether from Esther's time to Spurgeon's time. But do you see the need and the open door for such a labor now? There's no guarantee as to how long the liberty to share truth on the Internet will continue. There are already Internet websites that forbid certain biblical truths from being freely expressed through their services. We must remember that the Internet is only a tool by which the Gospel can be sent forth. But the Internet in no way replaces the local church. Our desire is that many would be saved through the Internet and become active members of local churches. It should also be pointed out that there are millions who cannot be reached through the Internet. So we must not be content with our tools and media ministries and our computers. The needs go beyond translation work on the Internet. Who will go to places that are unreached? Who will go and leave the Internet world and love the destitute and lay down their lives to take the Gospel to those who have not heard? The Internet is a powerful tool, but it also has its limits. So I want to encourage you who know multiple languages with this simple reality. You have been given a gift. And my desire is that you would be a good steward with what God has given you. Please look around at this lost and dying world. Do we need to send actual laborers to those foreign countries? Yes. But for those of you who are not called to go, perhaps God is calling you to use your gifts as a way of evangelizing the lost and encouraging the saved through the Internet. And above all, if you translate material and it gets 10 views or 10,000 views, honor the Lord Jesus Christ Who is seated in Heaven at the right hand of the throne of God. He will strengthen you to this task. Until the end of the age, He will be with you if God has called you to this labor. And you can trust that your labor will not be in vain. So if you believe you might have been saved for such a time as this to do a work like this, to translate Gospel-centered material, please go to translatesermons.com and find out how to get involved.
