How Word Got Out

By Pastor Dan Hickling  

“Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.’ And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.”—Mark 1:27-28 (NKJV)

After a dramatic demonstration over the Kingdom of Darkness, word of what Jesus had done got out! We’re told the people who witnessed this event were so amazed they spread Christ’s fame across the region. 

Now, we can read that and sort of think that this sort of goes without saying. In fact, we might even ask ourselves, “Why even put a detail like that in the Bible? Jesus does what He does and of course, people are going to share and spread it around.” But let’s stop to consider something here. 

It goes without saying that all of this happened centuries before any streams of mass communication like radio, television, or the Internet. In fact, it would be about 1,500 years before the world would witness the birth of the first printing press! From our vantage point in history, doesn’t it seem like the timing is “off” here when it comes to spreading the news about Jesus? Why didn’t God just accelerate man’s communicative inventiveness or delay Christ’s coming so they could both intersect at an exact point in time?

God is deliberate in all He does, especially when it comes to His timing. And when we consider the priority He places on people, it’s not hard to see why Jesus came when He did. Technological tools are wonderful, they enable us to accomplish a lot more than we would without them. In fact, you’re probably reading this thanks to the modern technological advancements in communication. 

But there’s a potential downside in all of this: An aspect of humanity can be lost in the mass media mix, a personal quality God wants to use. The countenance on one’s face, the timbre in one’s voice, the language of one’s body as they share what they saw Jesus say and do . . . that’s what God originally used and what there’s no substitute for. 

Again, advancements in technology have their proper place in sharing the message of Jesus, but so do people! They haven’t been replaced, nor has the power that comes from sharing the gospel that spread across the region of Galilee so long ago. God does His best work through the medium of relationships. He has and always will use people to personally spread the word about His Son . . . make sure you’re one of them.

PAUSE: What should we take note of in this passing passage?

PRACTICE: Spend time this week sharing your story with someone. And take some time to hear their story!

PRAY: Father, I ask You to use my life in new ways by opening new opportunities to share Your truth and Your Word more personally with the people around me and beyond. Amen.