Proclaim The Gospel

"A reconstruction of houses within a walled city" from Bible-architecture.info

Sunday our congregation celebrated its 60th anniversary. I learned much more about its history over the last few weeks.  We’re short-timers, having been here just seventeen years. There was a funeral last week for one of the charter members and Sunday I discovered the families who started the church were in their 20’s, with young children. There are some remaining charter members – and many of their children are continuing our Lord’s service in this congregation.

That includes making a joyful noise unto the Lord, especially proclaiming the message from the lyrics “Jesus Saves.” Not the one found in hymnals – the one that tells us:

But the world still tells us daily,
That God is not alive;
Salvation's plan is just a fairy tale.
But their lies don't change the truth,
Jesus died for you;
And the word of His returning
Could happen any day.

I love the chorus!!

I'm gonna shout it from the housetop,
Proclaim it from the mountaintop,
Tell the world around me - Jesus saves;
I have made my choice,
I'm gonna make a joyful noise,
The world will hear my voice, Jesus saves!

How biblical is that chorus? Well, we know from many Bible verses that Jesus saves – I’ve used them often enough through the years. We know we’re supposed to make a joyful noise, too. But how about those housetops?

What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. (Matthew 10:27 KJV)

As the graphic shows us, a house in the Jewish city of Jesus’ time gives ample opportunity for a large number of people to hear what is being preached. My own housetop would garner more cows that people if I were to preach from it – so I choose to use this blog to pass along with I have heard – JESUS SAVES. Spread the tidings all around, Jesus saves.

That’s the joyful sound of good news proclaimed by angels:

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11 KJV)

The message hasn’t changed from the centuries before through those that followed. God loves His creation and has such tremendous plans for it that we cannot understand . . .

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV)

. . . except for what He has revealed through His word, as Paul describes:

That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: (1 Corinthians 2:5-7 KJV)

Where do you choose to shout and proclaim the message that Jesus saves?