Sharing Faith With Those Around You

Last week my wife Felicity and I and my sister-in-law Jennifer went for a walk to the top of Mt Maunganui. It was a beautiful day with the sun streaming behind our backs making the challenge a real pleasant experience. The opportunity to catch up with family news is always a connection point of conversation as we talk about life, work, children, and their families. It is amazing how much you discover about one another with intentional conversation.

The opportunity to catch up with family reminds me of the opportunity for us to share the good news with those we love. Jesus commands us to share the Good News. But sometimes it’s not as easy as it might seem. Sometimes we struggle with fear, embarrassment, or just plain forgetfulness as we get caught up in doing other things. I want to encourage you to make use of the opportunity to share about your faith with your family. Even sharing in grace before a meal, or talking about an answered prayer, allows the Spirit to move in that space. May you be filled with joy as you take the opportunity to share the Good News with your “neighbour”.

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two ^a others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

22 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”