This Sunday we see Jesus in the town of Capernaum. He has spent the morning preaching in the synagogue, followed by driving out a demon from a possessed man who dared show up for worship that Sabbath morning. Then Jesus went to the home of Peter and found Peter’s mother-in-law sick in bed with a fever. So he healed the older woman.
News about Jesus spread throughout the city, so that when the Sabbath was over, the lame and lepers, the injured and possessed were brought to Jesus to heal. He spent all evening healing. But there were still more injured and diseased the next morning. But Jesus was nowhere to be found.
When Peter and the other disciples finally tracked Jesus down, he told them that his mission wasn’t to perform miracles or heal people. He announced his true mission saying, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because that is why I was sent” (Luke 4:43).
The Son of God must proclaim the good news. As sons and daughters of God, we, too, must proclaim the good news of Christ. We are called to do that in this Sunday’s Hymn of the Day, number 901 - O Christians Haste.
The first verse: “O Christians, haste, your mission high fulfilling, to tell to all the world that God is light, that he who made all nations is not willing one soul should perish, lost in shades of night.” Then the refrain: “Publish glad tidings, tidings of peace, tidings of Jesus, redemption and release.”
There is no higher mission than telling people about their Savior. You cannot keep this message of salvation to yourself. You cannot be lax or lazy in your calling. You must make “haste.” That means “go fast.” God doesn’t want a single soul to perish – to be lost in the shades of night. You may be the one God uses to shine his light into a dark soul. You may the one God uses to rescue a perishing soul.
Verse two: “Behold how many thousands still are lying bound in the dreary prison-house of sin
with none to tell them of the Savior's dying or of the life he died for them to win.”
As you drive to work or look at the people in the grocery store or get to know the people in your neighborhood, how many of them are trapped in the prison of their sin? Are they dreary in their unbelief? Are they dying without knowing about their Savior dying for them?
Verse three: “Proclaim to ev'ry people, tongue, and nation that God, in whom they live and move, is love; tell how he stooped to save his lost creation and died on earth that they might live above.”
Jesus’ entire mission was to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God. That was why he was sent. What a privilege that Jesus now invites – and expects – you to be part of the mission to proclaim this good news. Tell people of every shade of skin color, every language, and from every nation about their God. A God who loves them enough to have his Son stoop down low enough to become a lowly human. Stoop low enough to save dying sinners by taking their sin upon himself in his death. Stoop low that he might bring us high through faith in him.
Verse four: “Send heralds forth to bear the message glorious, give of your wealth to speed them on their way; pour out your soul for them in prayer victorious; O Christians, haste to bring the brighter day!”
We pray regularly in the Lord’s Prayer for God’s kingdom to come. When we pray that prayer, we are asking for God to send heralds into the world to share the glorious message. Those heralds are pastors and missionaries. But those heralds are also every one of you. You can open your mouth to share the good news of Jesus.
Along with opening your mouth, you can open your wallet, purse and checking account to give of your wealth to support pastors and send missionaries so that many more might see the brighter day as they are called out of their darkness of sin, shame and death.
Publish glad tidings, tidings of peace, tidings of Jesus, redemption and release.