The Word of the Lord

Proclaiming Jesus

In Luke 2 we read where an angel announced to the shepherds that he was bringing good tidings (news) of great joy which was for all people. That news was the birth of Jesus Christ the Savior.

Then God sent forth a heavenly host to join the angel and praise God saying, "glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." THIS CHILD WOULD BRING GLORY TO GOD AND PEACE TO MEN ON EARTH. John 14:27 we read where Jesus said "My peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." What a birth announcement wouldn’t you say.

Remember when Jesus was making His triumphant entry into Jerusalem on the Sunday before He is to be crucified on Friday. Such fanfare, shouts of acclamation, excitement and what a sight it must have been to see them putting the palm leaves for the Master on his donkey to walk over.

But alas, we meet the great religious leaders again, the Pharisee by title. Their desire of Jesus was to make the people be quiet. In Luke 19:40, Jesus said, "I tell you that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." I don’t want a stone to praise the Lord Jesus Christ in my place. God gave us a mouth to use as a witness for His glory. Psalm 50:23 says, "Whosoever offers praise glorifies me (God)." Also Revelation 12:11 tells us "They overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony."

I want to introduce you a to a woman in the Bible; her story is found in John 4:1-42. In verse 4 we see a beautiful verse, "And He (Jesus) must needs go through Samaria." Now the Jews and the Samaritans were enemies and avoided one another at all costs so this was a strange thought Jesus had. Who knows the mind of Christ that he may instruct Him? Then the answer comes in verse 7, "There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water." One person matters to Him and He goes where He must to reach that person. Thus begins a dialogue that absolutely was not proper for that time of history. He is conversing with a Samaritan and a woman at that. She refers to him as a JEW in the beginning of their conversation when He ask for water. Then He informs her He could give her LIVING WATER. She addresses him now as SIR and begins to ask about this water. JESUS explains that whosoever drinks of the living water will never thirst again. When she ask for it He does a strange thing; He tells her to call her husband. Here she is truthful and admits to not having a husband. Jesus gently begins to reveal her past to her. Not in an accusing manner but just as facts that need to be reckoned with. She now calls Him a PROPHET. She goes from Jew, to Sir, to Prophet in her recognition of Jesus.

The woman states that she knew that the Messiah which is Christ is to come and will tell them all things. Jesus said "I AM HE." The woman left her water pot (which by the way she went to the well at noon because the other women would not have anything to do with her) and went into the city and told them she had met The Christ. In verse 39 we read, "Many of the Samaritans believed on Him for the saying of the woman."

The woman of Samaria proclaimed Jesus to her city of Sychar. She didn’t keep the good news to herself and because of her proclaiming Jesus even though she was held in contempt in that place God used her to lead many to salvation. God is still using people today to tell the good news. Are you allowing Him to use you in your home, community, city? We will give an account for our words.