Response

3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3

Are there moments in your life that are just too amazing to keep to yourself? Maybe you find sunsets to be the most beautiful sight in the world! Maybe you think nothing is more precious than a newborn baby’s laugh. Maybe roller coasters give you the biggest thrill ever! Many times when we experience moments that are truly amazing, our first response is to tell someone else about them. We can hardly keep it to ourselves; so we want someone else to share our amazement.
That is exactly what John said he did in verse 3! John saw and heard the incredible good news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. He got to witness the entire miracle for himself, and it changed his life. There is nothing more beautiful, precious, or thrilling than the gospel of Jesus Christ. So John couldn’t bear to keep that kind of good news all to himself. He had to share it with other people so that they could believe and be transformed by the gospel of Jesus too!
Before Jesus ascended from the earth to be with His Father in heaven, He commanded the disciples to teach people what He had taught them. And not only did He tell His disciple to teach some people but people of “all the nations” (Matthew 28:16-20). This is a genuine part of a Christian’s life—that not only do we hear the good news of Jesus Christ for ourselves, but that we spread this good news to the ends of the earth. And the more we see Jesus’ beauty from our personal relationship with Him, the more we will want to tell others about it! Sharing the good news is a natural response to truly seeing and hearing the good news.

Questions for discussion and reflection
1. When you are excited about something, who do you tell?
2. Do you want to share the gospel with others? If not, why not?

Dear God, thank You for the beauty that is Your Gospel. Thank You for the beauty that is Your love- the kind of love that sacrificed everything to be in relationship with us. Jesus, we pray that our response to a relationship with You would be a deep desire to tell others about Your love. Amen.