Why We Struggle to Share the Good News
In Mark 1:44-45, we find a stirring encounter between Jesus and a man He had just healed of leprosy. After this miraculous healing, Jesus gave the man a clear command: “See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.”
Yet, despite this explicit instruction, the man was unable to keep the miracle to himself. Overwhelmed by his healing, he went out and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, so much so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city but was without in desert places.
This account brings to light a peculiar contrast in today’s Christian church. While this healed man, instructed to remain silent, couldn’t help but declare his miracle, many of us today, commanded to spread the gospel, find ourselves holding back, often choosing silence.
Why is this the case? I believe the answer lies in Luke 7:40-47.
Here, Jesus is at the house of Simon the Pharisee, where a woman known for her sins anoints His feet with her tears and ointment. Jesus uses this moment to teach about forgiveness and love. He explains that those forgiven much, love much; they are compelled by their gratitude for grace.
This principle reveals a deep truth about our own hearts. Our reluctance to share the gospel reflect a lack of recognition of our own need for grace. Like the Pharisees, some of us might not see the depth of our sinfulness and, consequently, the vastness of God’s forgiveness. This lack of perceived personal sin leads to a lack of love and urgency in sharing the Good News with others.
In scriptures, we are repeatedly commanded to share the gospel. Mark 16:15 exhorts us, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
Similarly, Matthew 28:19-20 urges us to “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
These are not mere suggestions but commands to those who have been transformed by Christ’s grace through faith.
However, many of us remain silent, not because we lack the opportunity or the means but because our hearts may not be stirred by the magnitude of what we have been forgiven.
When we truly understand and appreciate our forgiveness, just as the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, our natural response should be to share this love with others.
As followers of Christ, it is crucial to continually examine our hearts and recognize our need for His grace. When we see our sins as they truly are, and grasp the extent of God’s forgiveness, our love will grow. This love, born out of gratitude for our redemption, will drive us to share the gospel passionately.
Let us not be like the Pharisees, who saw themselves as above others and beyond reproach. Instead, let us approach God and His commandments with a heart that understands our daily need for His grace, which will compel us to share His transformative love with the world.
