Be Not Afraid To Share The Good News

Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant." 

                                                                        (Jer 1:4-10 KJV)

It has often amazed me that when we leave the sanctuary after hearing the word of the Lord we don't talk about what we have heard. The talk is about things like our latest ailment or fishing or football.  We talk about everything except our excitement for the love that God has in us in Christ Jesus. 

If we cannot talk about Jesus with our brothers and sisters in Christ then how do we expect to talk about what he has done with those who we see during the rest of the week? We are after all called by the Great Commission to go and share the Good News of the Kingdom to all people. 

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

                                                                               (Matt 28:19-20)

Are we so afraid that people will not like us; that they might even persecute us for speaking about Jesus that we dare not mention his name? Are we afraid that we won't know what or how to proclaim God's Kingdom through Jesus? God told Jeremiah that he was putting his words in his mouth. He would know what to say. When Jesus sent his disciples out to proclaim the Good News he did warn them that they might be persecuted for what they would say. He knew that they were uncomfortable not knowing if they would know how to speak or defend the word of God so he assured them that it would not be out of their own minds that they would be speaking but the Spirit of the Father would be the one speaking through them. He said:

"But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." 

                                                                   (Matt 10:17-20)

God had called you into his Kingdom. Share that Good News! Trust that he will put the words into your mouth and be not afraid of the enemy for the Lord is with you always! You are a child of the most high God.

God's Peace - Pr. J.