go and tell Archives – Sonshine's Journal

August 16, 2022August 16, 2022

Go and Tell

Isaiah 61-63, Luke 4:17-19 Jesus quoted part of this chapter as he stood in the synagogue in Nazareth. He knew that God had anointed him to speak of the gospel’s good news and not of the vengeance of the Lord. So when Jesus stopped reading at the end of verse 2, the listeners were first praising God but also wondering why he did not read about God’s vengeance. Why did he not finish that verse? It was because vengeance was not on God’s calendar at that time. Many prophecies needed to be fulfilled before God would exact His vengeance against His enemies.

We, too, often wonder why God is waiting. We are impatient people who want God’s justice NOW! But, as Isaiah so eloquently reminded the reader: God’s plans and timing are not like ours. [Is 55:8-9] He is a patient Father, not willing any should perish. [2Peter 3:9] Thus, He waits for the perfect moment, and as we wait, we should be busy with the Master’s business. And what is that business? Isaiah reminds us that it is to “tell of the faithful acts of the Lord, of the Lord’s praiseworthy deeds; tell about all the Lord did for us, (and yes) the many good things he did for the family of Israel, because of his compassion and great faithfulness.” [Is 63:7]

The Master wants us to be busy going and telling the good news: God loves! Jesus saves!

Are we going? Are we telling?

October 12, 2021October 12, 2021

Go and Tell

Matthew 11: What are we to go and tell?

As John sits in prison, he may be set apart from the goings-on, but he is not unaware of what is happening beyond those prison walls. He still has connections with his advisors/disciples, and in their discussions, he sends them to Jesus to ask: “Are you for real?” Jesus lovingly answers the questioners with this statement: “go and tell.” At the end of Matthew, Jesus will again use those words: “go and tell.” So what are we to go and tell?

It is this; it is Messiah who can give spiritual insight. He alone can heal the lame both spiritually and physically. He alone can heal the outcasts of society so they can worship freely and openly. He alone can open the ears of the deaf and the eyes of the blind so that they can take in the wonderful words of life. He alone can raise to new life those who were spiritually dead and give them new life. He alone can fill the coffers of the poor with spiritual riches that are incomparable in this world.

This is the same message we have before us to “go and tell.” And, lastly, Jesus told them to say to John; those who are not offended by all of this are blessed indeed. Are you “going and telling?”

October 27, 2020

“Be My Disciple”

Luke 8:26-39 Dr. Luke uses his pen to share with us that a true disciple loves as God loves and shows compassion as He does. In Luke 8:26-39, the focus is on the principle that works must accompany a disciple’s faith. James shared this same principle: “faith without works is dead.”

Dr. Luke shares the vibrant story of the healing power of Jesus. He removes the stigma of the devil’s works, which are impotent to His power, and as we read this story of the demoniac, we are confronted with the power of sin versus the healing power of Jesus. Jesus’ heart was touched with the compassion and love the Father has for the lost. It is His love that draws him to this Gentile that the question asked by the disciples might be answered: “who is this man?” This is a question Dr. Luke continues to present to his audience and answers through Jesus’ healing, rebuking the wind, and as he reverses the effect of the evil one’s power. In doing so, the disciples are given evidence that “the gospel, …is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” [Romans 1:16]

Lastly, Jesus, full of mercy for the swine herders, leaves them a disciple who is a witness to God’s power lest they say to God that they did not know. They are now without excuse, as Paul noted in [Romans 1:20b]. The healed demoniac is a lesson in discipleship. We are to be God’s witness, and reveal what God has done for us.

October 21, 2020

Where is Your Decapolis?

Mark 4 to 6 The demoniac freed from his prison desired to follow Jesus, much like the blind Bartimaeus, but this is not the time. Jesus needs the “man freed from demons” to be left behind to go and proclaim what the Lord had done for him. Obediently he did, and all marveled. The herders in the region of Gadarenes may have asked Jesus to leave, but God’s message must be proclaimed. He removed the evil influence so he could be his missionary, ready to go and tell. Jesus is not wanted, but the message of who He is needed.

The demoniac will always be known as the “man freed from demons” and will be the first missionary to carry the “LIGHT” to his pagan land. The swine herders did not want to hear the good news of the kingdom, for they “loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil,” however, God had a love message that needed to be shared, and who better to do it than one through whom the LIGHT pierced the darkness.

Today spiritual darkness hangs like a pall over our culture, but we have the LIGHT within us. Where is your Decapolis that needs the Light of the World to come and pierce their darkness?

You have been redeemed to be His witness. How are you doing on this task?

September 28, 2019

Don’t Shoot the Messenger!

Amos 1 to 3 messenger2a Amos 1-3 I True story: I encountered a pastor after a morning service and wanted to speak to him about his sermon. I began, “Pastor..” but was rudely interrupted by this: I am Dr. Jones.” I left and never returned and perhaps you may feel that way too. You relate more to Amos the Sheepherder from Tekoa than someone who wears their Ph.D. on their sleeve. But, Amos is just a sheepherder, right? Why would should we pay attention to him? Don’t shoot the messenger that God has chosen!

God had a message for Israel and He has a message for us because He reveals the profound and hidden things whether we are a sheepherder or not. God used Amos to reveal a simple message of warning: For three things…no make that four is his repeated refrain.

So what are we to glean from Amos? It is this: Certainly, the Sovereign Lord does nothing without first revealing his plan which is: God is not willing that any should perish but all come to repentance. Perhaps you feel like Jeremiah when that happens and you say to yourself that someone else will tell them. But, God has chosen what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong.

Jesus said: go and tell.

November 6, 2015

“Go and Tell—Come and See”

Consider this question: What has God done for you? He has restored you from captivity of the enemy. You are now, as the Paul told the Galatians, free from his dominion and his ways. You are now free to rejoice and walk in the Spirit. Listen to the psalmist: “we thought we were dreaming.” And when we experience new life through Christ and the scales of darkness have been removed, it seems just like that. We are so overcome with the blessings that have been poured out upon us that we “laughed loudly and shouted for joy.” The Lord has indeed accomplished a great work in our lives at the point of salvation and because of that we should “Go and Tell” saying “Come and See.”

It begins with prayer: “Father, there are many who are captive in sin; release them by your power. Prepare me to plants the seed of the GOOD NEWS. May I shed tears as I plant so I can shout for joy when the harvest of souls happens.”

Jesus taught the parable of the sower to show us what will transpire as we seek to share the GOOD NEWS with others. Our seed will fall upon many different soils but there will be one that will bear fruit and we will rejoice with the angels in heaven when they are released. We will come in with a shout of joy carrying our sheaves of grain. “Go and Tell—Come and See.”