I hope this message finds you well and you’ve had a blessed week. I want to share with you one of my favourite quotes, often linked to St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the Gospel always. If necessary, use words.” I really dig this quote because it highlights how our actions can speak volumes about what we believe. It’s great to talk about the Gospel but living it out is even better! This year through our sermon series on the book of acts, we have studied about how to bring the Gospel to life in our everyday actions, and how we can uniquely express our faith wherever we go. It’s super important to walk the talk, showing others the love of Jesus through what we do.
Now, that doesn’t mean we should skip the words altogether. When it comes to sharing the good news about Jesus, we definitely need to open our mouths too! As Paul points out, at some point, we have to invite others to discover more about who Jesus is. How will they know about the joy of salvation if we don’t share it? If God is doing something amazing in your life, it’s something worth sharing! As Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 3:15, we should always be ready to explain the hope that’s in us.
Talking about what’s going on with God doesn’t have to be a complicated essay on the Gospel. You don’t need to have all the answers—just share Jesus. Kind of like the blind man’s response in John 9:25, “I don’t know everything about Jesus, but one thing I do know: I was blind, and now I see.” Or Philip’s invitation in John 1:46, “Come and see.” Let’s invite others to discover Jesus for themselves! It could be as simple as saying, “I had an amazing experience at church last Saturday, you should join me this week!” Or, “I love my church community because they {fill in the blank}. If you’re looking for a genuine place to belong, come with me this Saturday to Park Ridge Church.” Maybe you share a cool insight from the sermon, or even have a laugh about your pastor’s latest blooper. Seriously, it could go either way!
So, let’s keep on loving and serving others in truly Christian ways wherever we find ourselves. Live out the hope and life we have in the Gospel and be open for those conversations about your faith. You never know who might be inspired to ask about it!
"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns.'".
Blessings! David Peñate
