Good News Is for Sharing

When I was in seminary, I had to buy a book for one of my classes by Leighton Ford, who was with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. It was titled "Good News Is For Sharing."

I enjoyed reading the book, and still have it, and often when I am searching for another book in my library I will come across that title again on the spine of the book. It's a good reminder, in the busy-ness of church business, that the good news of the gospel is worth sharing and doesn't need to be kept to ourselves.

That reminds me of a story about a man who traveled regularly on business trips. He returned home late one night from one trip, during a strong storm, with plenty of lightning and booming thunder. As he came into his bedroom, he found his children in bed with his wife, apparently scared by the loud storm. Not wanting to unsettle the kids, he resigned himself to sleep in the guest bedroom for the night.

The next day, he talked to the children, and explained that it was okay for them to sleep with their mother when the storm was bad, but on nights when he was expected home, it would be better for them not to sleep with their mom that night. They said okay.

A few trips later, his wife came to pick him up at the airport, with the children tagging along.They were ready to meet him at the baggage claim after his flight arrived, and since several planes had landed around the same time, there was quite a crowd to fight through to see when dad arrived.

As the weary traveler finally arrived in the designated area where he could meet his family, with literally hundreds of others gathering nearby to pick up their luggage, his son saw him and came running to him, shouting loud enough for all to hear: "Daddy, daddy, I've got some good news!" As the man came closer, he hugged his son and asked, "What's the good news?"

"Nobody slept with Mommy while you were away this time!", the little boy shouted. 

The airport became very quiet, as everyone looked at the little boy, then turned to the dad, and then searched the rest of the area to see if they could figure out exactly who his mother was. Something tells me she wasn't hard to pick out.

You know, good news news is worth sharing, and some is just worth shouting! I wonder how excited you are to share the good news of the gospel with our world? Have you noticed that it's getting pretty dark out there, and that there's a shortage of hope in this world? Jesus called us the light of the world, and his gospel is the only hope for humanity. Share the good news with those near and far this week.

What a joy it is to be your pastor, and I look forward to seeing each of you this Sunday.

--Pastor Ken