Sharing the Good News

Happy Sunday!

"Yes, “everyone who trusts in the Lord will be saved.”  But before people can pray to the Lord for HELP, they must believe in him. And before they can believe in the Lord, they must HEAR about him. And for anyone to hear about the Lord, someone must TELL them. And before anyone can go and tell them, they must be sent.  As the Scriptures say, “How wonderful it is to see someone coming to tell good news!”(Romans 10:13-15 Easy-to-Read Version).

Have you ever caught yourself smiling when you heard good news?  Sure you have!  Joy is contagious. Hearing about positive events, blessings and good outcomes brings joy to the hearer.  We are instructed to rejoice with others when they experience good things, and warned against rejoicing when our enemies fall.  Proverbs 24:17-18 says, "Don’t be happy when your enemy has troubles. Don’t be glad when they fall. The Lord will see this, and he might be upset with you and decide not to punish your enemy."(Easy-to-Read Version). OUCH! 

The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the most important good news we can share.  During the Christmas Season there will be opportunities to share the Good News.  Look for every opportunity to share the Good News. To make it easier, as children we were taught to use the Wordless Book to share the Good News.  We made them in Vacation Bible School out of colorful felt.  The cover was green. The First page was black, and we memorized Romans 3:23 to represent this page - "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"(KJV).  The second page was red.  We used 1 John 1:7 for this page - "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."(KJV).  The third page was white, and we memorized Psalm 51:7 - "Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."(KJV).  The next page was gold or yellow to represent the streets in Heaven, and we used - John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."(KJV).  The green cover also served as the last page.  We used 2 Peter 3:18, "Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." to represent the next steps after receiving Jesus. 

My mother-in-law, Minnie Pruitt used to say, "The Bible was so simple a child can understand it, and a fool would have no reason to err".  I thought it was a scripture, but haven't been able to find it.  But the important thing to remember is it's easy to understand, and easy to share.  Five scriptures to introduce someone to the greatest news that they will ever hear.  Luke 2:8-13 says, "That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly an angel appeared among them, and the landscape shone bright with the glory of the Lord. They were badly frightened, but the angel reassured them.  “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you the most JOYFUL News ever announced, and it is for everyone! The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem!  How will you recognize him? You will find a baby wrapped in a blanket, lying in a manger!”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God:"(Living Bible).

Love and prayers, Cynthia