What to do with good news

2 Kings 7:9 Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come; let us go and tell the king's household.”

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to spread good news? I mean the really exciting news taht you love. Think about the times in your life when you got engaged, had a child, got a promotion, or even shot your biggest buck or lowest round of golf. And ladies how about the new clothes or how great the deal you got on a purse or shoes? Chances are you told someone about it. Chances are you told many people about it, because it was not only good news but it was exciting and you had a personal interest in the story.

The background to the verse above helps us see a better picture of the verse's meaning. The "they" in the verse refers to four lepers who sat in the gate of Samaria, as it was under heavy siege from a Syrian army. God had caused the Syrian army to flee by His majestic power and the Syrians who just the day before had total control and power over the city of Samaria had fled in haste and left their tents, food, money and supplies in a desperate flea for their lives. Since God did all of this over night, with the help of no man, the Israelites are not aware of what happened to the vast army that had so overcome Samaria that they were starving and eating their own children. The four lepers finally became so desperate that they decided to go and try to surrender to the Syrian army so at least they would not starve in broad daylight. As they timidly enter the Syrian camp, it is apparent that the Syrians have cut and run and the lepers begin to feast on the food and hoard and bury the wealth left behind by the huge army that fled before the Lord. As they are having their fill and feeling really good about their new found wealth, something inside them kicks in and they say the verse above about the need to share the good news of God's work.

Why was it so important to tell the good news? Because the whole city of Samaria was starving just down the road and people were in drastic need of the news, so they could act on it and be blessed by God's provision of food, riches and supplies. The lepers new that the good news must be shared or the God who provided this miraculous blessing would be angered at their lack of desire to pass the blessing on to others that were in great need of it. So what happens next is pretty cool. They go and tell the gate keepers what has happened and the king thinks it is a trap. His adviser's basically tell Him it does not matter if it is a tactical trick by the Syrians or not, they were all soon to die of starvation so he sends out a scouting party which reports the route is greater and extends all the way to the Jordan. The gates are raised and the people rush to feast on the blessing of the Lord and the city is saved. God's prepared blessing is consumed by His people.

There are many Gospel points to be shared in this story, but there are a couple that are glaringly large. There is a huge need to share the Good News of Jesus Christ because there are people dying all around us and they need the Good news that God has provided a redemptive salvation for their souls through Jesus. Secondly, this should be easy to do if we truly are convinced it is indeed good news. Thsi will only happen if we have tasted and seen that the Lord is indeed good and satisfying and we are in true communion with him. If Jesus and the gospel are merely things you know about, and have not feasted on and been filled with, you will have little desire or reason to spread the good news. Why? It really isn't that great of news to you, but only a theory in your mind that has not been acted upon. It will not be truly good news but rather a church thing that someone is making you do. Those are two extremely different things, as one is sharing the Life and Love of God by the blessing of God through Christ on us, and the other is a mere religious attempt to please God in our strength. Lastly, we must realize that there is a privileged responsibility upon us to share the blessing of Jesus. It should be good news, it should be fulfilling to you to the point of "broadcasting your excitement in Christ to the nations".

So what type of good news has your life produced? Do the people around you know more about the grace of Christ in you or about your achievements, children's accomplishments, and the other things in life that are defining you as a person?

What is the focal point of your life that you can not stop sharing? If it isn't Jesus, something else has you fulfilled.