Awake to the Good News!

Text: 1 Thessalonians 1:5, ......because our message of the gospel came to you not in words only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit.” 

There’s an old French nursery rhyme which begins, “Brother John, Brother John are you sleeping, are you sleeping,” Today I ask, “Are we at St. John’s awake to the Good News of Jesus Christ? Can we share it with others so that the Church will grow? Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians gives us three pointers that I find helpful: word, power and the Holy Spirit. 

1. Word! 

Of course the Gospel of Jesus Christ is passed on by word. Hearers have to know what the Gospel is all about. The old Prayer  Book quoting 1 Tim. 1:15 reads, “This is a true saying and worthy of all to be received that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners....” 
We know that but do other people know that? Paul is making the point that there is more to the Gospel than just words! There  must be something else. There must be examples to follow! What has  Jesus done for you in your life? 

2. Power!

Paul speaks from his own experience on the road to Damascus. There he was awakened, so to speak, by a vision of Jesus himself. He changed from being a persecutor of Christians to being a true believer.                                                              I once asked an elderly woman in Hamilton why she believed and she replied,”My father was in great difficulty, but the Rector showed great kindness and helped him. Kindness can be a power to change people’s lives!                                                                                                                                
Simon Qitsualuk told me that travelling by dog team on the sea ice, there was a strong wind which broke up the ice and he was taken out to sea by a strong current. Then he prayed to God to save him. After a while the wind changed direction until finally he was able to get ashore with his dog team. From then on, he said,”I believe in the power of prayer.” The Gospel will have punch and power if we believe what God can do for us. 

        3. The Holy Spirit! 

Much is said about the Holy Spirit in the Church! Do we really believe we can be transformed by the Spirit’s power? Traditionally the Holy Spirit  is expected to come upon those who are being confirmed, ordained or consecrated. Does this happen? There are those who feel that the Holy Spirit should be experienced by speaking in tongues. I can only say that learning to speak Inuktitut was and is hard work. I can say that the Holy Spirit has been a source of inspiration through the Innuit I talked and met with as I struggled to make the Good News real and alive to all who would listen. I was moved by the hymns and spiritual songs we sang together. Still here also the  Spirit can move each one of us. 

Conclusion:                                             
Wake up brothers and sisters in St. John’s. Are you sleeping? We have the words to speak about Jesus.
By our example we have the power to share our faith with someone else. Believe in the promises given by the Holy Spirit  and keep trusting in the God who gave us His son Jesus Christ.