Proclaiming Good News

Will you proclaim by word and example the good news of God in Christ?

On this our third week of Lent we consider the baptismal promise of proclamation. I think of all the promises this is probably the hardest one for many people because it takes faith out of the private realm and places it squarely in the public one.  As we will see in the questions that follow a “good person” could easily answer affirmatively, but this one can only be affirmed by someone who has faith in Jesus Christ and is willing to speak and act on it. Like the disciples asked by Jesus, “Who do you say that I am?” there is a vulnerability, a risk in publicly declaring what we believe. What if what I say is wrong? What if it offends someone? How might others respond or react? These are all questions that can trip us up.

To respond to this promise honestly, we need to think about what is the good news and specifically the good news for me. During Lent we prepare to celebrate the core of this good news, that through Jesus’ death our sins are forgiven and through his resurrection we are offered new life, a life in relationship with our creator. This is the foundation of the good news we share in word and example, but each of us has a story to share, our own story of faith, what God and Christ mean to us, of our experiences of God in our life. One of our fears is that someone will ask a question or challenge what we say and we will not know how to respond. Honesty is best, and I think people respect that when we say that we don't know or we have to think about it. 

There was a time when it was enough to proclaim the good news in example, by what we did and how we lived, because everyone knew the basic Christian story even if they did not go to church. Serving others was a primary means of evangelism, of sharing the good news and everyone knew why we were doing what we were doing. Now in our Post-Christian society when so many have never heard the story, having no “Christian memory” to give reference to our actions, we cannot rely on our actions only, we need to speak too.  May our lives be a living testimony to the good news of God in Christ. 

Reflection Questions:

1. What is the good news of God in Christ for me? What is it that is important enough about faith, about Jesus, that I have chosen to follow him?
2.  If I was charged with a Christian, would what I say and do be enough evidence to convict me? 
3.  Who have I proclaimed the good news to recently? Who can I proclaim it to this week or month? How?