Good News? Jesus

 "Do not be afraid; for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all people."  --Luke 2:10

As I sit in the office today looking at the snow and the possible cancellation of dinner plans and other things, I sit and think of the news I have received this week.  Honestly, none of it is good news.  The shooting at Michigan State, or the death of a church member, or the death of a mentor for one of our youth.  Then there are those government news briefs that I generally don't call good news.  

It is an intentional choice and with the hope and promise of Jesus that I write about good news this day!

As we read and discuss chapter 6 of "We Are Witnesses of These Things" (Craig Satterlee and Chelsey Satterlee), we must first realize that bringing good news is a choice. It doesn't just happen most of the time, we have to be intentional and thoughtful about it.  

The good news we share is Jesus!  We share Jesus with others, and that is the good news.  Jesus is the focus of who we witness.  So often we feel the need to witness with the hearer in mind, and maybe that is when we get caught in the trap of thinking and telling people how they need to change their lives to live according to Jesus, at least as we see it.  Witnessing to Jesus puts the focus on the one who saves, the one who brings and who IS the good news.  

Good News does not promise or guarantee that things will always work out the way we wish them to, or that bad things will not happen.  In times of tragedy, we often hear platitudes that I believe people use to comfort the other, or themselves.  They are trying to make sense out of the tragedy.  I imagine some have said to others in trying to make sense of the shooting or untimely deaths, "everything happens for a reason" or "God must have needed them."  Let me be clear, I don't believe there is any reason anyone can give me for what happened at Michigan State, or at Oxford, or anywhere else.  You can give me facts, anticipated motives, but God does not have a reason for these things happening.  God grieves, God cries, I believe God says you people need to figure this out and stop this--this is not my way of living.  Sin abounds in our world, and we are called as instruments of peace, to bring the transforming love and good news of Jesus to a world that is in clear need of transformation!

Good News in this situation is the promise that God is with us, always. Those who died were not alone and they were not and will not be forgotten. Good news to those students who are afraid to return to their school or class, you will not be alone.  Jesus, and the community will be with you.  Good News are the events that other MSU students are putting together to welcome students back, to say we are strong together.  

Good news depends upon God, made known to us in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.  

What would your testimony look like?  How would it read?  What would you share in your good news testimony?  

1.  What is an experience you have had witnessing to Jesus?  Describe it, bring people into the experience.  What emotions were you experiencing?

2.  What Bible story helps you connect to that experience?  The story doesn't need to be memorized, or even quoted--it is the story in your own words as you remember it.

3. What is the good news in this experience?  What ties your experience and the Biblical text together?

4.  Condense your story into what Satterlee calls an elevator speech. What can you say about your experience of Jesus in a short time, from 20-30 seconds to 5 minutes?

This week I encourage you all to reflect back on an experience you have had and tie it to a Biblical narrative.  Go through the above four steps and begin to draft a testimony.  Some of us will come up with many, and for some of us this will be difficult to do.  In the words of my seminary professor who taught about preaching (which is a method of giving witness!), pray, pray, and then pray.  

I would love to see some testimonies.!