November 25th

Sunday November 25^th

First Missionary Journey and Jerusalem Conference

Have you ever had really good news? I don't mean that awesome cup of coffee you had or that you found five dollars in the pocket of your jacket. I mean news so big that you wanted to tell everyone from your mother to the person sitting next to you on the train to a random stranger walking by you on the sidewalk. News so amazing that you need to share it, you are compelled to share it. This is the feeling missionaries get when they spread the Word of the Lord. Today's reading chronicles Paul and Barnabas' mission through Asia Minor as they share their news with the world.

Now, your news may be amazing to you, but it is certain that people will have mixed reactions when told. Some people will tell you your news is amazing, and love that you shared. Others will reject your news, brushing it off as trivial nonsense or have a cold indifference to it. And some people will scold you for sharing your news with everyone, saying some things should be kept private. It is no secret that the Jews of this time despised the Gentiles, so when they saw that Paul and Barnabas were sharing their news, the Word, with the Gentiles, most were outraged. They felt that the Gentiles were unworthy of hearing the Word, because they were unclean in their eyes. But Peter and Barnabas knew how important spreading the Word was. It didn't matter who was listening, just that there were listeners. What did matter was the Word itself. The focus of any mission should be the Word, not the audience, because whoever accepts God into their hearts has a spot reserved for them in His own heart. Think of the news today: everyone has access. Whether you're a billionaire watching the news on your 72 inch television or a homeless person reading a second hand paper, the news is out there for the taking, unprejudiced in the way it spreads. God's Word is the same. He wants His people to know Him, all of His people.

Something to think about this week is how you can share God's good News. It could be anything- showing someone a favorite hymn, telling a story, or even tweeting a passage from the Bible. It's so easy to share news in this generation, why not share God's news?

Hope you all have a great week!

Gina :)