HAVE YOU HEARD THE GOOD NEWS? Gwenda

The shepherds certainly hadn’t done a course in personal witnessing, nor read any how-to-do-it books. Yet, when they had seen IT ( the babe lying in the manger ) they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this Child. That ‘saying’ was the good news of the angel, ‘Unto you is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord.’

We can only imagine the reaction of the shepherds as they looked on the Babe, the Word made flesh. But we do know the result as they shared in personal witness and testimony. Luke record that ‘all they who heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.’ To wonder is to admire a miracle.

Has anyone ever been made to ‘admire a miracle’ because of your personal glimpse of the Saviour. It happened with the shepherds. While we cannot see Him in the manger, nevertheless, we see Him by faith, that is, Jesus Christ the Lord. Here is good news to those who still wait to hear it.

You don’t have to be a lawyer or a Billy Graham to witness to the Lord. These men were shepherds. The difference was that they had seen the Lord, and therefore they had something to tell, and were obviously excited about it.

At this Christmas time, consider our responsibility to make known abroad the good news that Jesus Christ the Lord has come. Look around and see those in desperate situations. Broken homes. Drug addicts. Drunkards. Hate. Deceit. Graft. Their only hope is that they hear and respond to the good news of the love of God in Christ Jesus. Last Sunday our Pastor asked, What tangible effort have you made to win your mother, father, sister, brother, neighbours, or workmates for the Lord?’ How would you answer tha question?

A personal encounter with Jesus Christ, with the power of the Holy Spirit, are the requirements to communicate this good news.

Recently I was in a city shop standing in a long queue. As I took my place the lady ahead turned, and with a sigh, said to me, ‘I’ve been standing in queues all the morning. I’m sick of Christmas queues.’ I smiled at her, ’Well, there’s something you don’t have to queue for.’ ’What’s that?’, she flashed back at me. ’God’s love. It’s quite free to everyone.’ I didn’t preach her a sermon. In 2 minutes I simply told her what Jesus Christ had done for her on the cross , adding that this is the true meaning of Christmas. ‘Oh,‘ she said, heaving a sigh, ‘I’ve been waiting all the morning to hear someone speak like that.’

A moment later, our ways parted. I believe the Lord gave that short opportunity to tell of His love.

I asked Lillian, a 19 year-old Chinese girl from Singapore, ‘How do you talk to girls about the Lord Jesus?’, for she constantly witnesses for the Lord at her University. She told me,

‘ Sometimes while eating my lunch, I thumb through a magazine of pictures, like a National Geographic, and I say to someone, ‘ Look at these mountains. Isn’t that a delightful picture?’ and when they agree, I say, ‘Would you like to know the One who created the mountains?’ Of course, they usually say, ‘Yes,’ so I tell them about the Lord Jesus.’

No wonder she came tripping into our church services with a string of oddly-dressed, young people from her art school, all hungry to know God because Lillian witnessed.

Travellers from the pharmacies visit regularly a Doctor, whom I know. After they have shown their literature about new medicines, the doctor says, ‘I have listened to you for 10 minutes. Will you be kind enough to listen to me for 5?. I have something important to tell you.’ In that time he talks to the representative about the Saviour.

A gentleman selling books visited a lady friend. After a conversation of 15 minutes, the lady said, ’ I too am very interested in books. May I tell you about one that interests me?’ ’Go ahead’, said the salesman politely. He listened eagerly as she told him about Jesus Christ, the heart of the Book, the Bible.

Has your postman, your newsagent, your grocer, your deli proprietor , the women who serve you in those stores, ever heard that God loves them? I’m sure the shepherds would have told them the good news if they had been here today! However, we are here to tell them of God’s love in Jesus. The matter is urgent if you believe that Jesus Christ is coming back very soon.

There is not always opportunity to speak when the shop is full, but you can offer a small book which tells of the Lord. Booklets or tasteful tracts are seldom refused when kindly and courteously given. ‘Here is the best news. It tells that God loves you.’ Tell them you trust they will have the best Christmas ever. The secret will be found in that little book. Or for relations or friends buy suitable books, such as ‘Guide to survival’ or ‘Does anyone here know God?’

The angels said the good news was for EVERYONE. Some will miss out if we forget to tell them.

Have you heard the good news? Pass it on.