“A Christian Gives Good News”
Matthew 5:14-16
Rev. Tom Harris
November 8, 2009
There is a fine line that we walk in the Christian Faith. Unfortunately, many people do not even know that this line exists and many people have been turned off from the Christian faith because Christians cross the line so freely. The fine line that we walk is between sharing the Good News of a faithful life verses pushing our way of life on people who do not want it or are not ready for it. Another way to express that is that we walk a line between sharing the joy that our faith and life can bring us and enforcing our joy upon others.
For instance, a person might attend church every Sunday and find that commitment to be life affirming. That person might make it such a priority that nothing keeps him from attendance on Sunday. This person loves the community, loves the messages, loves the music and his whole week is positively energized by worship attendance. It is natural for that person to want others to experience that same positive effect. It is reasonable for that person to share with others the way that commitment to weekly community worship changes his life for the better. But, at some point it is possible for that person to cross a line from sharing the good news about the practice of weekly community worship to trying to enforce through guilt or manipulation a way of life that someone else might not be ready to experience. The same could be said for any spiritual practice that benefits a person including a practice of daily prayer or meditation, bible study, tithing or participation in a particular ministry. It is reasonable to share the experience we have with a spiritual practice and it is easy to cross a line that makes us cause another person to feel pushed or threatened or guilty.
However, as Christians we need to be willing to get pretty close to that line and even stand upon it. The third answer in the sermon series, “What does a Christian Give?” is “A Christian gives Good News.” The first passage from Luke tells of Jesus beginning his public ministry by reading a passage about his mission to share Good News. He has come to “bring good news to the poor.” He has come to literally and figuratively, “proclaim release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” A few verses later, he refuses to stay in one place because he, “must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose.” Then in the passage from Matthew he tells us, “You are the light of the world. Let your light shine before others.”
The message is clear, if we are following Jesus, if he is our spiritual example and leader, then we too are called to share good news. We are called to live the good news by practicing a particular way of life and we are then called to share that good news. We are called to get right up to the line.
One problem is that there are lots of people out there who have experienced that line crossed in pretty offensive and aggressive ways and they are very sensitive when people get close to it. When we mention our attendance at church, or if we talk about a daily prayer discipline or if we say “you know I was reading my Bible the other day” there are lots of people who think that we are about to coming barreling across their line and they get pretty defensive pretty quickly. We can’t blame them for that. You can’t tell a good news Christian from a bad news Christian just by looking at them.
This might seem like a strange topic for a stewardship sermon series, but we have already talked about giving money and time and talent to the church. But, there is more that we can give than money, time and talent. In addition to these things I believe we are called to be good stewards of the good news. Our positive, enlightening, helpful experience of the Christian faith is a gift that not everyone is given. We have been given the ability to be nourished by the practices and symbols and community of the Christian church. And we need to be good stewards of that gift by giving it away generously. We have not been given the gift of our faith experience so we can keep it to ourselves. We have been given it to share with others. It is one of those gifts that increases when we give it away.
The way we effectively give it away and share the good news is by knowing it, living it and learning to say it. We are good stewards of the good news when we know it, live it and learn to say it. Most of us do know it, though there is a part of each of us that doubts. But most of us know that a life of faith is a joyful, meaningful, positive, love filled life. We know the infinite love of God through faith, we know the benefits of life in a faith community. But, if we don’t, we need to start there and every morning open our hearts to a faith filled life as a wonderful life.
Knowing the good news it one thing, but living the good news is harder. It requires some discipline (which we might think is antithetical to joy, but its not). Living our faith means practicing our faith through weekly community worship, daily prayer or meditation, bible study, service to the church, nurturing the church family and giving. That is our way of life as Christians and it is a joy filled, positive, love filled life. We are good stewards of the good news when we know and when we live it.
But then there is learning to say it. It’s true you can preach the good news without words. St. Francis in fact said, “preach always and if necessary use words.” But, it is helpful if you can find a way to express it in words because most people really aren’t watching us that closely. So I want to close by sharing some expressions of the good news. Pick one that works for you. Pick one or two that you can say with integrity and without shame and in ways that assure people you are not about to cross their line. But, you have good news to share if they want it. One of the amazing things about the good news of the gospel is there are so many ways to say it. Pick one.
God is love. God loves you. God so loved the world that he gave his only son. We are created in the image of God. When God created us she called us good. We are children of God. Christ is within every person. Jesus loves you. You are forgiven. Jesus died for our sins. Jesus died so we might live. Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus is risen. Jesus is alive. We are saved by grace. Jesus loves the little children all the children of the world. A mighty fortress is our God. All things bright and beautiful all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful the Lord God made them all. Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now I’m found, was blind but now I see. Dance then where ever you may be, I am the Lord of the Dance said he. I’ve got peace like river. I’ve joy like a fountain. I’ve got love like an ocean. There is a Balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole. What a friend we have in Jesus. Hear the good news, the kingdom of God near. The kingdom of God is at hand. The kingdom of God is within you. Those walked in darkness have seen a great light. Peace and goodwill to all. God is with us. The peace that passing understanding will guard your hearts and minds. Peace I give you. You are the light of the world.
There are so many ways to say it. We have been given good news to share. So know it. Live it. Say it.
