Declaring the Word
“What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.”
My wife and I have four kids. Recently, we have been teaching my oldest daughter when it is okay to keep something a secret her brother tells her and when she needs to say something. This is a hard lesson for a parent to teach, because we have all heard the phrase, “Snitches get stitches.” Additionally, we want her to feel like she can come to us with anything, but we also want her to grow up to be someone who can be trusted by others. It's a delicate balance for sure…except when it comes to the Gospel.
In Matthew 10 Jesus warns His disciples about the persecution that will come to them when they preach His message to the world (Matthew 10:22–26). The Jewish religious leaders, for one, will call them heretics for saying that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. But the lesson Jesus teaches His disciples is one that is so important. If I could summarize it, it would be, “No matter what happens, declare the Word.” Proclaim the truth that Jesus is the Messiah on the housetops.
So often we feel this tension over when we should talk about what God is doing in us, and when to keep it to ourselves. Can I let you in on a hard truth? That tension is not from God. When we look at gospel transformations in Scripture, they have one thing in common…they are in Scripture! Which means they were declared. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful. There are times when declaring the Word means sharing what God has done/is doing in your life. How do we do that?
1) Realize we are all works in progress
None of us have “arrived.” This is the beauty of Ephesians 2:8, grace has saved us, not our works. The sooner we recognize that all of us are in the process of sanctification (being set apart from sin, made pure and holy), the sooner we can declare the beautiful work that is being done in us.
2) Declare the small and the big things
We have all heard the testimonies of people who have been through terrible situations and God has done miraculous things in their lives. And we praise God for that! However, the temptation that arises in others is that what is being done in their lives isn’t as important. Recently I have been intentionally focusing on the “small” things I see God doing in my life. Moments where I was patient with one of my kids or didn’t say what I wanted to say when someone cuts me off on the highway. These may seem like small things, but friends, this is the gospel at work in you. Declare it.
3) Start with those closest to you
Some of the most powerful conversations my wife and I have are centered around what God is doing in us, as individuals, and as husband/wife. This can be intimidating, but it can also be extremely empowering. Share with a spouse, a family member, a close friend about how God is working in your life.
Declaring the Word is so much more than the preaching you hear on Sunday morning. It also occurs when each one of us shares how the gospel is at work in our own lives.
“Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!”