Joy To The World
There was always a lot of proclamations surrounding Jesus.
- Declarations to foretell His coming.
- Declarations to introduce Him when He arrived.
- Declarations of who He was to those who did not yet know.
- Shepherds told others…
- Wise men left the comfort and safety of their surroundings and proclaimed…
- The Christmas story is filled with instances of never keeping the discovery of the gift to themselves but proclaiming it.
The declaration of Jesus is a vital part of the life of any believer.
We accept and believe that He is who they say He is and we declare our belief.
We pass on the good news by declaring it to others.
When we, just like the cast of characters in the Christmas story, encounter Christ or the proclamation of Christ there is always some sort of transformation that takes place that should lead to more proclamation.
The type of proclamation depends on the type of transformation that takes place.
Transformation that took some nameless country bumpkins and turn them into extraordinary world changers.
Transformation that made rich and learned men venture beyond the borders of safety because they knew that what lay beyond the horizon was worth chasing after.
Let’s face it though…
Proclamation of Jesus has become a dangerous activity today and if we are honest we much prefer safety than danger.
However if we are introduced to Christ and believe that He is the Son of God and receive him as our Savior and Lord then a transformation will take place that will require proclamation even when it is not so safe.
Jesus Himself tells us that we are to proclaim Him to the world around us even if they are not always open to it.
- • Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV) 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Does that sound safe to you? No way, it is why Jesus had to say don’t worry I will be with you as you do this, because he saw the look of terror on their faces.
The shepherds, Mary, Joseph, the Wise Men…these people that we have romanticized and made a
clean little story of were people who stepped out of their comfort zone and lived dangerous lives because they came face to face with God and it transformed their lives. Ultimately that transformation led to the dangerous life of proclamation.
