Sharing the Good News | UMC YoungPeople
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10
November 2015

Sharing the Good News

By Vanessa Small
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16 NIV).

The birth of a new baby. A wedding or engagement. When something exciting happens in our life, we want to share the good news with others. We may put an announcement in the newspaper, call or text a friend, or update our social media status. Modern-day technology makes it easier than ever to share our announcements with people all over the world. When we have good news, it is hard to keep it to ourselves.

Whether face-to-face or through social media, we are not ashamed to share the latest happenings in our lives. Shouldn’t we be even more excited to share the message of God’s great love and grace with the world? Events such as births, engagements, and weddings are certainly exciting, but what better news could there be to share than the good news of Jesus and His salvation?

Yet, why is it that we sometimes feel uncomfortable talking about our faith and salvation? Are we afraid that we will not have the right words to say? In our society of “political correctness,” are we afraid we might offend someone? Do we not feel qualified to share the Christian message, thinking evangelism should be left to the “professionals”?

Sharing God’s good news is more than just an occasional post on social media with a Bible verse (although those can certainly touch hearts). We are called to live a lifestyle that unashamedly declares that we belong to Jesus – a life of worship that glorifies God in everything, gives Him praise, and testifies to His work. Of course, this will look different for everyone. But as the early apostles were, so we too must always be sensitive to opportunities to speak truth and share God’s message. We are to proclaim truth, living God’s message and love through our words and actions, always ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope we have (1 Peter 3:15).

Paul declared that he was unashamed to proclaim the gospel. He understood the power of the gospel message in bringing God’s eternal salvation to all who put their faith in Christ. With the Spirit’s empowerment, the bold apostle would let nothing deter him from proclaiming the powerful message that people so desperately need. Centuries later, the same gospel message still has the power to transform lives. Let’s not be ashamed to testify to the good work God is doing in our lives and our world today.

Next time you click the “share” button to share a link or photo with your friends, take a moment to pray that God would open up opportunities for you to share His truth and love.

Discussion Questions: How do we share God’s good news with a culture that often turns “their ears away from the truth”? (2 Timothy 4:4)

For further study: Colossians 4:2-6; 1 Peter 3:15-16; 2 Timothy 4:1-5

To see more devotions from Vanessa and our other Young Adult writers, or find our how you can become a writer yourself, visit our By Young Adults for Young Adults devotion page.

Young Adult devotions from Vanessa Small. Originally published November, 2015.