Good News – Share It!
One more thought about those shepherds who received good news from the angels that Christmas: “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” (Luke 2:17–18 NIV11)
Have you ever had good news that you were so excited about you just couldn’t wait to tell somebody?!
At the Church of the Nazarene Gauteng District’s Assembly in January, I received my district licence as a minister in the church. Months before the district decided that I should be a member of the COTN for a year before applying for the license. I was a little dejected when I heard that, I thought that perhaps my time in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa would have given me credit. But I was told it would take that extra year, and I accepted it. Then they changed their mind, for whatever reason! And our minister Pieter phoned me in excitement to tell me this! And I phoned Shereen right away! And it turned out that she also had some good news from her job, and so it was a great few minutes, sharing good news back and forth!
When you get good news, you just can’t keep it to yourself! In fact part of the joy of good news is in sharing it! Sharing good news is what makes it most exciting.
The Urgency of Good News: Sharing the Gift of Christmas
Now, it wasn’t really that urgent for Pieter to tell me my good news that quickly. He could’ve told me the next day, but the excitement got the better of him. It also wasn’t urgent for me to tell Shereen. I could’ve waited until we were having dinner that night. But again the excitement got the better of me.
There is news that is not always urgent to share. But the good news that Jesus offers us peace and joy through His salvation? This is URGENT news!
This is news that is too urgent not to share! Not sharing this good news can have eternal consequences for others! Time is short, and until people know the salvation of Jesus they are missing out on the best news and the greatest gift of all time.
What holds us back, I wonder, from sharing this good news? Paul wrote this in Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.”
‘Gospel’ is a word that literally means ‘good news’. So Paul says I am not ashamed of the good news. I’m gonna tell it. I’m gonna share it, because it is God’s power and it will change lives when people believe it.
How about us this Christmas? Christmas is all about good news. It’s all about glory, peace, joy, salvation.
Spreading Joy: Celebrating the Good News Together
Let’s share it. Let’s not be ashamed!
We may not be shepherds but if we’ve seen and loved and experienced what that little boy in the manger can bring to the human soul, it’s too precious to keep to ourselves.
And so a big thank you to you who help me to spread the good news through these devotions! I can’t do it without your help, and I am so blessed to receive donations from you that allow me to get the help I need in making these devotions each week. If you would like to donate, please go to lukepowellministries.com and all the info is there.
God bless you guys, have a wonderful weekend celebrating the good news of Jesus!
Even after Manasseh's conversion, the people around him didn't change. Our spiritual experiences don't automatically transform others. Be an inviting example rather than a pushy Christian!