Time Out: Weekly quiet times for the youth worker’s soul.
(by Benjer McVeigh)

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a specific look at Advent through a series of posts with Benjer McVeigh

Scripture: Luke 2:15-20, Matthew 25:14-30 (Take a read before continuing on)
When the angels brought the Good News to the shepherds on that fateful night, they didn’t just stand around dumbfounded. They went to see for themselves this newborn King. And once they saw him, what did they do next? Organize a synagogue potluck? Start a shepherd Torah club where they could study the Hebrew Bible together? No. “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child…” (Luke 2:17). One of our primary expectations as followers of Jesus is to bring the Good News of Jesus to all people. William Temple is often credited with the now-famous statement, “The Church is the only society that exists for the benefit of those who are not its members.”

Jesus once told a story about a very rich man who went away on a long journey (Matthew 25:14-30). The rich man asked three of his most trusted servants to help manage some of his investments while he was away. Each of the three servants received a certain amount of gold to invest. Though they each received a different amount, it was more than any of them could dream of earning in a lifetime. Their boss had put a lot of trust in them!

Two of the servants earn their master a big return on his investment. The third, however, does not. The difference between how the first two servants approach their task and what the third one does—or more accurately, does not do—can be summed up in one word: risk.

We have been entrusted with much more than bags of gold: as followers of Jesus, God expects us to tell everyone we can about the saving love of our Savior. There is much risk in bringing the good news of Jesus to others—and it’s a risk God very much wants us to take. Risk can be a scary word, but for those who have been transformed by the love of God, how can we respond any differently than with an almost reckless passion to share about this free gift of salvation with all people? This Advent season, let’s remember that we’re not just supposed to be receivers of the Good News; God expects us to be bringers of the Good News as well.

Questions for Reflection:

What might be holding you back?

____________________________________________________________________________________________
Benjer McVeigh is a youth pastor in Ogden, UT, where he works with students in grades 9-12 and their families at Washington Heights Church. You can read more from Benjer at www.benjermcveigh.com or follow him on twitter

Posted on December 13, 2010