SPREAD THE WORD
Isn’t it wonderful that, no matter how long you’ve been studying the Bible, God still points out things you haven’t seen before? That happened to me recently in the Christmas story. It’s in Luke 2. The shepherds, after seeing Jesus,” spread the word concerning what they had been told about this child.”
The first thing they did was spread the word. They didn’t form a group to study the angels’ words. They didn’t make rules for others who wanted to become part of their group. They didn’t sit around practicing what they would say. They didn’t worry about what they would do if someone asked a question they couldn’t answer. They didn’t fear the rejection of those who wouldn’t believe them. They went right out and told the wonderful news they had received.
That’s what a witness does. A witness tells what he knows. Unlike a lawyer, who tries to argue people into his way of seeing things, a witness simply passes on what he has experienced. God tells us to be witnesses, not lawyers. Yet often we feel we need to be trained as a lawyer and theologian before we will share our witness. We don’t have to have all the answers. We just need to do what the shepherds did and tell others what we have experienced. What our listener does with what we say is between them and God. Our duty is simply telling them.
It’s like a quarterback on a football team. He is responsible to throw the best pass he can, but once the ball leaves his hand there is nothing more he can do. Then it’s up to the receiver. Sometimes you will throw a great pass, but the receiver will drop the ball. Other times your pass may wobble and be off target, but the recipient makes a circus catch. It’s not the quarterback’s fault if he drops the ball, he is just responsible to make the best pass he can. That’s what we are to do when we tell others about Jesus.
Or responsibility is to tell others what Jesus has done for us. We, like the shepherds, are to share the good news of what we have seen and what we know about the Messiah. God will take it from there.
The shepherds went out looking for people they could tell about Jesus. We must do the same. Who can you talk to today? Who has been on your heart lately? Perhaps a visit, phone call, letter or email is in order. Share the good news. (August 8 2022 Doylestown, PA)
Luke 2:16-18 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 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.
cto Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
(India Outreach, Spiritual Warfare, Family Ministries, Counseling, World View)
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