Keeping the Good News a Secret!

On Christmas night, Kim and I received some incredibly good news from our son and daughter-in-law, Jonathan and Danielle.  They are having a baby!  That means, Kim and I are going to be grandparents! How cool is that!  When we found out, we were filled with so much excitement and joy, we wanted to let everyone know. But the parents-to-be, asked us to wait at least another month before sharing the news, and rightfully so. Thus, we had to keep our good news a secret.

Well, last weekend we were finally allowed to tell our friends and family about the new baby that’s coming in August…and, tell them we did!  Admittedly, the past month was a really tough one as we tried to keep our secret to ourselves. And as the month wore on, it got tougher and tougher!  Thankfully, we can now share our good news—we even did so from the pulpit in church last Sunday!

Have you ever had a piece of good news that you had to keep a secret?  Although at times it’s understandable (as it was in our case), it doesn’t feel natural. When you have received a word of good news, it’s just natural to want to share it with everyone, and just about anyone. You don’t normally want to keep good news a secret. In fact, I even find myself wanting to tell complete strangers my good news—e.g. guys in the gym, the cashier in the supermarket, the guys in the bagel shop!

Well, I’m thankful that, when Jesus came, the good news of his coming wasn’t kept a secret. At his birth the angel made the announcement to the shepherds, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.” (Luke 2:10). We are told that wherever Jesus traveled, he went “proclaiming the good news of the kingdom.” (Luke 8:1) Reading from the prophet Isaiah, Jesus publicly said of himself, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoner and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19a – NIV) When it came to the work of Jesus there were no secrets; after all, it was incredibly good news! 

One old song said, “It is no secret what God can do!” And, I’m so thankful for that; I’m grateful that the good news of Jesus has not been kept a secret but has been proclaimed that you and I might come to know his saving work within our lives.

We’ve received such good news. Let’s not keep it a secret!

Have a great day!

Pastor Tim Harris

P.S. – Can you tell I’m excited to become a grandfather?