Thursday, October 31

To listen to the audio version, click here. 

Acts 1:8

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on  you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

I’ve been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to visit many parts of world. While I am not as well traveled as some, I have had the chance to visit about 20 countries on five different continents. And in all my travels, from the Great Wall of China, to the villages of Africa, to an impoverished town in the Dominican Republic, I’ve almost always been able to find a cold Coca-cola! 

Think about that.

Coke is nothing more than caramel colored, uniquely flavored, carbonated sugar-water; it has no nutritional value whatsoever; and yet it has been marketed successfully to the whole world.

In fact, the current marketing slogan of Coke is “Open Happiness.”

I don’t often drink Coke these days, but when I do I think about the difference between Coke and the gospel. I think about what Jesus said in Acts 1:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on  you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus envisioned a day when the gospel would reach the whole world. Jesus envisioned a day when it would be easier to find the gospel than to find a cold Coke. 

Notice his plan for getting to that day!

He says, “...you will be my witnesses...” That’s it.

No fancy marketing campaign. No slogan. No logo. Just people. Just us. 

Yesterday I asked you to think about how you first came to understand the gospel in a personal way. My guess is that somewhere, sometime, someONE shared the gospel with you. It might have been a pastor, a Sunday School teacher, a parent or a friend; but someone explained or demonstrated the gospel to you in a way you could understand. And you believed; you put your faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Once you have identified the person or people who helped  you understand the gospel and come into a relationship with Christ, I want to encourage you to do two things.

First, find a way to express your gratitude. Thank God for placing that person or those people in your life; then find a way, if possible, to send a note, make a call, or simply tell them how thankful you are for their part in your spiritual journey.

Second, ask God to give you an opportunity to share the good news with someone today!

Pastor Brian Coffey