The Shepherd's Good News (Part 4)

The Shepherd's Good News (Part 4)

Verses 17,18 say,“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.”  

These shepherds realized that the good news is not something you keep to yourself, especially the good news of Jesus’ birth. I don’t know if you realize it but the word “Gospel” in Greek is pronounced “euangelion.”

Does that pronunciation sound familiar?

It should be because we get another word from it, which is “evangelical.” I am aware that this word, “evangelical” has become a bad word in today’s culture. I won’t get into why, but I will say it should not surprise us. I say that because this is the Bible’s teaching. 1 Peter 2:8 says that the Good News of Jesus’ coming can be a “stumbling block of offense to some.”

Because it is offensive many don’t share the gospel or evangelize.  Some even prefer not to be known as “evangelicals.” They live sort of “under-cover.” 

If we know Jesus personally and are obedient to His Great Commission command then we are evangelical bearers of good news that the Savior has come. Our God-given job is to GO AND TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN AND OVER THE HILLS AND EVERYWHERE that Jesus has been born to save us from our sins. It’s our calling to give people an opportunity to respond in faith. If we don’t share the good news of the gospel that we celebrate 365 days a year then who will?

In Romans 10 Paul says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  But—how can they call on the One they have not believed in?  And how can they believe in the One of Whom they have not heard?  And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?”

And then listen to this next part: “As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”

I recently came across the story of a Muslim man named Samuel. After watching the Jesus film and listening to Christian radio, on July 15, 2001, Samuel took a monumental step for an Afghan and Muslim as he received Christ as his Lord and Savior. Soon thereafter, as Western aid workers were either arrested or expelled from Kabul, the Taliban came for him.

They told Samuel he was guilty of “working for foreigners,” which had been legal, and threw him in jail. For the next 14 days, they beat Samuel at least once a day with a five-foot steel cable.  After the last of these sessions, he fell unconscious in his prison cell. That night, Samuel had a dream. In it, a luminous man wearing bright white clothes appeared.  The visitor, whom Samuel would later describe as having “very beautiful feet and shoulder-length hair,” spoke kindly to him.  Then he said, “Get up.” In the dream, the visitor led Samuel out of the cell. Going to the front gate, the ex-Muslim met another man who was wearing bright green Many Muslims associate green with God’s blessing. This man led him out of the prison. Then Samuel awoke, finding his cell door open. “He walked through it to find the front gate of the prison unguarded and open,” a close Western associate says. “He walked out and into the night.”

As Christians, we have the same job that angelic visitor had. It is our task to tell others that Jesus has come to free us from our sins. Using our feet for that purpose makes our feet beautiful when we use them to get us to people who need to hear the GOOD NEWS that Jesus is born.