Seeing Jesus Generates Effortless and Overflowing Evangelism
David W Palmer
(Luke 2:17 NKJV) Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.
What was the “saying” which was told to them by the angel about Jesus? He said that he was bringing “good tidings of great joy,” and that it would be for “all people” (Luke 2:10 NKJV). In other words, what the angel declared to them was a gospel for the entire human race. (The word, “gospel,” simply means good news.)
The angel also told them that a Savior was born that day in the city of David, who is “Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11 NKJV). Wow! That is a mouthful, and it is extremely good news; we all need a savior—someone to save us—and he is Jesus. What’s more, the angel said they would see something that was a “sign to you”; a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger. Then, to top it all off, as if seeing one angel wasn’t enough; “suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God” (Luke 2:13 NKJV).
The shepherds obeyed: “They hurried to the village and … there was the baby, lying in the manger” (Luke 2:16 NLT). I can only imagine the euphoria and revelation that hit them when they saw Jesus. It was just as the angel had told them; this wasn’t a dream, an hallucination, or a fantasy; this was very real.
They had had a personal and very profound encounter with the Saviour, Christ, and Lord. Suddenly, these true shepherds didn’t need any evangelism instruction or special classes on effective outreach; they were instantly fully qualified evangelists:
(Luke 2:17 WEB) When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child.
The shepherds were so overwhelmed by the heavenly sights, the glorious revelation, and the sheer magnitude of what they had witnessed that: “They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed” (Luke 2:17–18 MSG).
Jesus may have only been an infant in this story, but his effect on people was supernatural and good. Even more so in his adult life did his glorious presence affect people and create spontaneous evangelism.
For example, after Jesus healed a man of leprosy, he instructed him to keep quiet about it …
(Mark 1:45 NKJV) However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.
A Samaritan woman that Jesus met in a midday meeting by a well, was so transformed in one conversation with Jesus that she evangelized a whole city:
(John 4:28–30 NLT) The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, {29} “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” {30} So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
Jesus’s amazing ability to empower people to spread the gospel is also seen in the story of the ex-demonized man—an astonishing transformation brought to a complete outcast:
(Mark 5:18–20 NKJV) And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. {19} However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” {20} And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.
Who could ever forget the effect that one encounter with Jesus had on Zacchaeus?
(Luke 19:5–6, 8 NKJV)
