Announcing Good New to All Nations

 

After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and said, “Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News to every creature,” Mark 16:15. Apparently, Saint Fracis of Assisi took that command to preach to birds, animals, and all creatures, who, as rumor has it, were on their best behavior when he spoke to them.

Most of us are more apt to announce the Gospel (Good News) to people of every nation – a calling no longer confined to the work of missionaries. Thanks to God and the Internet, our biblically-sound writings, devotions, sermons, and inspirational poems can reach each corner or curve of the earth. The Lord Himself, of course, led the way.

As Acts 2 tells us in the King James Version of the Bible:

2 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

³ And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

⁵ And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

⁶ Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

⁷ And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

⁸ And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

⁹ Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

¹⁰ Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

¹¹ Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

 

 

from the FreeBibleImages website 

Because of the Jewish feast of Pentecost, people from all over the known world had gathered in Jerusalem, where the Holy Spirit fell upon them, thereby giving us the Christian celebration of Pentecost.

God knew that gathering would occur, making the perfect occasion to reverse the confused languages of Babel and giving everyone ear to hear in their own language! Since that made me curious about the location of the nations mentioned in Acts 2:9-11, a little online research produced this information found on the BibleHub website:

Acts 2:9

The Parthians, know for their power, lived in what is now known as northeastern Iran.

The Medies, an ancient people, lived in Media, part of today’s Iran.

The Elamites dwelled in the southwestern part of present-day Iran.

The people of Mesopotamia lived between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the area often known as the “cradle of civilization.”

Judea, a region of the Roman Empire, is in the Middle East.

Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia are in what is now known as Turkey.

Acts 2:10

Phrygia and Pamphylia, also in present-day Turkey, have been known for their diverse cultures, which helped to spread early Christianity.

Egypt has frequently held a prominent place in Bible history.

Libya in North Africa, includes Cyrene, the place which gave us Simon who carried the cross for Jesus,

Rome, at the time of Pentecost, was the heart of the Roman Empire.

Acts 2:11

Cretans lived on the island of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea.

Arabs came from the Arabian Peninsula.

On this amazing day, people of all ages and ethnicity heard the Good News of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, ushering in diversity from the very beginning of Christianity. With each person hearing about Christ in their own language and frame of reference, the Bible sets a precedent for us to recall today as we become aware of peoples whose ways of worship show diversity too. May God continue to help us understand, love, and respect one another in Jesus’ Name.

 

Mary Harwell Sayler

 

 

 

 

Witnessing Jesus’ Signature

In the Christian community, important words or phrases get tossed around one denomination or another – spiritually healing words, spiritually vital words such as “Savior,” “resurrection,” “redemption,” but sometimes the significance passes over us without registering the full impact such words can have.

Take “witness,” for example. Does the thought of a witness testifying in court come to mind? When we need to make a case for Christ, that’s exactly the kind of witness we most likely need to be.

A witness testifies or gives a testimony that's often based on a personal experience other people can relate to – or not! In other words, a witness gives evidence that might not be evident to everyone until we explain.

For the growth of the church and the encouragement of other Christians, we need to be witnesses, who spread the Good News by word-of-mouth. If we also happen to be Christian poets or writers, we have the opportunity and unique privilege of putting our witness into writing and signing our names.

But what about the Name of Jesus? We pray in His Name, but how does He sign His name?

In sign after sign, the Bible records Jesus’ miracles, teachings, parables, prayers, love, healing, and sacrifice.

Jesus is Himself the sign of God’s forgiveness and redemption.
Jesus is the sign of God’s mercy and love.
Jesus is God’s signature in the world and in our lives.

As we speak to others about Christ or give our testimonies or write in any genre, may we remain alert and eager to let our witness become a witness to Jesus’ signature.


© 2014 Mary Harwell Sayler - poet-author
…

Breaking the Good News to all sorts of readers

An article on the Internet this week talked about reasons young people no longer see the need to worship God in the churches in which they were religiously raised. Another article wondered about weird weather and natural disasters rising from global warming, while others warned of objects falling from space or spoke of the fall of politicians, sports heroes, and people who previously proclaimed themselves as parts of the Body of Christ.

What’s going on here? The economy seems frozen, families broken, and dreams of betterment crushed, but what can a Christian writer do?

Listen

Get comfortable. Get quiet. Pray, “Come, Holy Spirit.” Empty your thoughts. Quiet your mind. Give God a chance to speak to you. How? However, God chooses! Most likely, this may be through an impression, vision, inspired thought, or sudden recollection of a word from the Bible that seems especially timely, relevant, and well-balanced by a full, sweeping view of Holy Scripture.

Notice

Notice your reactions to people, ads, news, sermons, events. What troubles you? For instance, do you feel grieved, as I do, when you hear someone bad-mouth God, Christ, and Christianity? Do you wonder, as I do, what Jesus thinks of the bickering and “gang rivalry” that occurs between churches and among individual Christians? Do you notice a recurring problem you might effectively address in a poem, article, book, or Bible story that relates well to your contemporary concern?

Identify

To whom do you want to speak? If children, are you particularly drawn to a particular age group? If adults, do you feel a stronger connection with young people, middle-aged readers, retirees, or elderly seniors? Do you interact with prospective readers often enough to know what’s typically on their minds, in their emotions, and under their feet?

Focus

When you know the persons to whom you most want to speak, think about the topic or theme you most want to discuss. Then sharpen your focus as you identify the goal or purpose of a manuscript you plan to write. i.e., What do you want your poem, fiction, or nonfiction to accomplish? Do you want to make people think? Do you hope to encourage faith? Do you see yourself as an evangelizer whose writings can coax non-Christians to Christ? Or do you hope to write in any and all genres as a healer, mediator, and body-builder for the Body of Christ?

As you aim to write words that inspire all sorts of readers, bring hope, and help others to see the Good News of Jesus Christ as active in and relevant to their lives, prayerfully…

Consider

In what ways might the Kingdom of God and the Will of God attract our readers?

In what ways might the church adapt to a changing culture and widen its world view?

In what earthly ways can we take the first command in Genesis 1:28 to tend and subdue the earth as relevant to godly treatment of the environment? (Hint: “Dominate” does not mean “domineer,” and “subdue” does not mean to put down but to pacify, soothe, calm, and make peaceable.)

In what ways can we write to encourage readers to take the “wreck” out of recreation and put godly acts into action?

In what appealing ways might Judeo-Christian values be presented as desirable standards to the disinterested or un-churched?

In what way can our writings bring light to true love for God, one another, and “those people” we don’t relate to or even like?

In what winsome ways can we accurately, intelligently, empathetically, and lovingly break the Good News to our readers?

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© 2011, Mary Harwell Sayler, all rights reserved.

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