Did Jesus say he was sent to the lost sheep of Israel? Yes. “He [Jesus] answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24).
Did Jesus intend for the good news (gospel) of the KINGDOM OF GOD to be for the Jews ONLY? Jesus’s statement is often used deceptively (and demonically) to imply that Jesus has nothing to do with Gentiles and that salvation is for the Jews only and not for Gentiles believers (in this context, Christians). Otherwise why would Muslims keep raising this verse as if it was an issue for the salvation of Gentiles?
As is typical with Muslim wannabe Dawagandists, they deliberately ignore the context of the verse because it serves a narrow purpose for them. Yes, Jesus was initially sent to God’s chosen nation (Israel) so that the Jews would then preach the gospel of salvation to other nations. The Jews largely rejected the Messiah and the task eventually fell to the disciples, who were Jews, and to the early Christians.
The prophecy about the Messiah, the son of man, in the Old Testament book of Daniel 7:13-14 is that the son of man (whom Jesus many times said he was) is given, by the Ancient of days (the Father), a kingdom, glory and honor and will be served by the NATIONS AND PEOPLES OF ALL LANGUAGES, not just the Jews only.
He [Jesus] told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to ALL NATIONS, beginning at JERUSALEM. (Luke 24:46-47).
The message of salvation of ALL MANKIND is clear in countless statements God makes in the Torah where God blessed Abram by declaring that he would be a father to many nations. God changed his name from Abram to Abraham, which means father of MANY NATIONS (and not just the Jews only):
“I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and ALL PEOPLES ON EARTH will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:3
God, speaking through the prophet Isaiah, says the following of the Messiah:
“I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the GENTILES; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.” (Isaiah 42:6-7)
“And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse (Jesus the Messiah), which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the GENTILES seek: and his rest shall be glorious.” (Isaiah 11:10).
The book of Luke speaks of a righteous man of Jerusalem (Simeon) whom God had revealed to him that he would not see death until he had seen the Christ. When he saw the child Jesus, he said:
“For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the GENTILES, And the glory of thy people Israel (Luke 2:30-32).
Jesus promises the kingdom of God to a Roman officer—a GENTILE—who had faith in Him to heal his servant (Matthew 8:5-12). Jesus said that many Gentiles will share a table in the kingdom of heaven with Israel’s patriarchs.
About the Gentiles Peter says:
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy NATION, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
1 Peter 2:9-10
Was the gospel of the kingdom of God to be for the Jews only?
Jesus said:
“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto ALL NATIONS; and then shall the end come (Matthew 24:14).
The NATION which God will give his kingdom to is one which accepts the gospel of the DEATH and RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ!
Referring to the Gentile believers (Christians), Jesus said:
“And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd (John 10:16).