Do you know that every Christian is called to preach? If you’re a follower of Jesus, you have been called to preach. Are you doing it? If not, what keeps you from sharing your faith?

• Is it courage? You’re afraid of rejection?
• Is it confidence? You’re not sure what to say?
• Is it confrontation? You don’t want to argue with people?
• Is it conviction? You don’t feel the urgency to share?

These reasons may be common among Christians, but they don’t let us off the hook. During the Christmas season, while everyone is filled with joy and good cheer, we have an opportunity to explain why this time of the year is different from all other celebrations!

Christmas is a reminder that you and I possess the life-giving, world-changing, truth about Jesus Christ. This doesn’t mean that we need to stand on the corner hollering at people.

We live in a day where peoples appetites are at an all-time high for social interaction. Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, SnapChat, or text messages, people can’t get enough social interaction.

 Christmas is to be more than a day or an annual celebration, it is the announcement of God’s promise delivered to mankind. The first Christmas began in a grand way.

“⁹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. ¹⁰ And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Luke 2:9-10

 If you want to get someone’s attention, have an angel show up at their front door. Angels are not chubby babies with a harp or bow and arrow, they are fearless, GIANT, supernatural beings.

Likewise, shepherds were tough guys. If they were terrified, it’s because they felt outmatched. The Greek word translated as fear stresses the intensity of their fear.

This is exactly why an angel was sent to deliver the message. There could be no mistaking or question about whether the message was heard.

Christmas is not meant to be packed up on December 26^th but to live on through those who have been impacted by the message of Christmas. What does that mean and how do we do that?

The angel came to deliver “good news for all.”

• God has forgiven your sin!
• Jesus left heaven and came to earth to know you!
• He’s come to give you an abundant life!
• God has given you the Holy Spirit to help you live free from hurts, habits and hang-ups.
• God is preparing a place for you in heaven!

That’s good news!!

The phrase “good news” in Greek is the word, Euaggelizo, which means good, well, but the emphasis is on the proclamation of what is good. This is the word from which we get our word “evangelize.”

The good news is for everyone to be shared by everyone.

Sin is always the result of brokenness in a person’s life. Sin is a mask to cover some pain or insecurity. Jesus came to heal their hurt and to free and forgive humanity of sin.

God did not send a judge to condemn the world but a savior to save us. He accepts us as we are but loves us too much to leave us that way.

The hope of Christmas is to be proclaimed year-round. If Jesus has become your Savior, you are His messenger of hope to the people around you. Ask the Holy Spirit for discernment and seize the opportunity.