Proclaiming the Good News

Proclaiming the Good News

Debbie:

Psalm 96

It is interesting that I quoted this psalm on Wednesday evening during our Wednesday evening worship. We say this psalm and we hear the words of this psalm, but like so many things in our society today, do we live it? After we attempted a “new” hymn on Wednesday you could hear people muttering under their breath or even to the person next to them. It wasn’t an easy hymn. But the words and the tune fit well together and it was a hymn about Christ’s resurrection. We were singing “a new song” to the Lord for God’s grace and God’s love in entering time in Jesus, for his life, death, and resurrection. When we sing it again, which we will do, it will be as unfamiliar, but perhaps it will still be a new song as we get accustomed to the tune and we hear afresh the words. “Sing a new song to the Lord, O families of the people.” This is the very least we can do for what God has done and is doing for us.


Daniel 12:1-4; 13

This text is tough. But when I read this text, I heard a couple of things. Once again a prophet speaks of warning and deliverance. And the call to deliverance comes to the people. There is participation and responsibility associated with this text. “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” As the people of God we are called to share the good news with one another, but also with others. We do this with our words and our actions, with our lips and our lives.

Acts 4:1-12

Peter, who had lost his confidence and his voice before the death and resurrection of his Lord, found his faith and his voice, his courage and his strength. And all of it comes through God. With boldness Peter and John stand before this group of people that holds power over them and instead of “lying” to save themselves, instead of cowering, instead of skirting around the issues: they speak with boldness about Jesus. You and I are called to this same boldness in our faith, to share the goodness and grace of God with those around us. It is a gift, a privilege and our responsibility.

John 16:1-15

The promise of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate in the lives of the disciples, must have been a little odd. Jesus even tells them he isn’t going to say everything to them, because they “can’t bear to hear it all now.” And yet what a comfort now, in our present situations, that the Holy Spirit is a presence and a force in our lives. The Spirit will guide us.” The disciples may not have been ready to hear it then, but when the Holy Spirit came like a mighty wind into their lives, they spoke, proclaimed, and lived lives so that the gospel came alive. This is our challenge today, to live the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, the love of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit, in our community and in the world.