December 18 2011
“The Clause of Good News”
Luke 2:10
There are some things best left unsaid. And then there’s some things are better said.
Why is it that some things like juicy gossip of the “he said, she said” twisted stories of untruth are told without hesitation? When there is good news better told and yet it remains untold.
Roger was a friend of mine from middle school. He was a menace in his words and actions toward others. Well liked he was, but he just was rude and obnoxious at times … but he was my friend. I remember one of the things he always bugged me about was why I went to church, and attended a high school prayer group. He called me, “Jesus Boy.” I never said anything to him about my faith … just let the comments roll off and kept being his friend.
Years later while I was in seminary (cemetery) my sister called me to say she saw Roger and he told her he “got saved” in the vernacular we understand. She said he was teaching a junior high Sunday school class. I was blown away! After graduation from seminary I moved back to my hometown and I saw Roger. We talked a bit and laughed that I was now a “gonna be preacher” and then with all seriousness he said, “Bob you knew Jesus in High School and you never told me about Him. You should have told me.”
some things ARE better said THAN LEFT UNSaid
And here at the Christmas season we have the heralding of the angels with a divine message.
But in the scope of Christmas one might wonder what’s all the fuss about as we have grown accustomed to hanging stars, shepherds watching, sheep bleating, angels singing, baby in a manger … and Mary pondering.
The heralding words of the angel being so familiar we tend to marginalize and minimize the message to nothing more than a line in a Christmas drama.
Luke 2:10 ESV And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
God in ways only He can do sends not only the announcers and announcement but also sets the audience to hear the heralding GOOD NEWS.
And God sets the example of telling the good news of what He would ask of me and you.
Those angels were the first “evangelists” to tell the “EUAGGELIZO” … the good news.
Now here’s the deal … for the Good News to be good news man has to recognize there is also “bad news.” Now no one likes to be the bearer of bad news … but
some things ARE better said THAN LEFT UNSaid
The bad news is … man is a sinner and the good news is … a MESSAGE … about the GOSPEL
VIDEO: THE GOSPEL
- A Savior … Jesus
- A Savior for all the people
- A Savior to do what man cannot do
- A Savior to die in man’s place
- A Savior to atone for sin and sins
- A Savior to make lost man found
- A Savior to give man righteousness (right with God)
- A Savior to give man eternal life with God
We may not like it but Christmas is not about … holidays, candy, gifts, trees, cantatas, and nativity on the lawns, lights on the gutter, office parties, or bonus’, cookies, pies, or fruit cake (thank God), or a fat fellow in red.
No Christmas is a message about how God came to deal with sinful man … to save him from his sin. And it has a PROVISIONAL CLAUSE that states … Christmas is about LIFE & DEATH … LOST & FOUND … HEAVEN & HELL.
some things ARE better said THAN LEFT UNSaid
So here’s a question … “Among all the bad news in the world how do we transpose the Good News of Christ?”
I believe it starts with the UNLIKELY as it did the night angels TOLD the shepherds … as it had been told them. (vs 20)
I know this sounds highly UNLIKELY but to transpose the Good News it has to begin with me and you.
- Restore to me the joy of your salvation. (Ps 51:12)
- Tell & retell the way of salvation (John 14:6 Way, Truth Life)
Paul says it like this … “The good news shows how God makes people right with Himself – that it begins and ends with faith.” (Romans 1:17 NCV)
Let it not be said of me and you … “You should have told me.”
There is no Good News or joy in hell. And we cannot rest on assumption or presumption that people know where we stand or they know from our life actions. No, God with the most unlikely way TOLD of the way.
Let us pause to TELL the Clause of Christmas … “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy … For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord”
some things ARE better said THAN LEFT UNSaid
Amen!
