Global Good News
"I bring you good news ... for all the people," Luke 2:10.

The Advent-Christmas season is my favorite time to study geography and world
religions. Why? Because the first words proclaimed about the newborn Christ
Child are good news of global proportions. The angel of the Lord declared: "I
bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people."

Note the future orientation of this promise. Christ's coming meant "Joy to the
World" not only for the shepherds of Bethlehem, but also for everyone in the
twenty centuries and beyond since that "Silent Night."

In Luke 2:10, the Greek word translated as "people" is "laos," which
commonly refers to Israel, the people of God. However, whenever people
anywhere bow in repentance and faith before Christ the Lord, the Christmas
angel's mission promise is fulfilled. God receives them as His "laos," His
people "on whom His favor rests" (Luke 2:14).

This global good news is why I set aside time in December to learn about
geography and world religions. I invite you to do the same. Even an average
of ten minutes a day will make a difference. Start with a bite-size, do-able
activity, such as:
* reading one chapter about Hinduism,
* watching a video about Buddhist Thailand, or
* visiting a Mosque.

You are already plenty busy this time of year. Why bother with such
activities? First, because these exercises will help you witness to people of other religions. Second, they will enrich your appreciation of Christmas. Salvation
by Christ alone will stand in bold contrast to religions that strive
to attain salvation by human efforts. Global references like "for all the
people" and "on earth peace" (Luke 2:10, 14) will jump out and grab your
heart.

Perhaps you barely survived high-school geography class. If so, learn from a
conversation that occurred in Liberia, West Africa, in the 1980s. The two
speakers are a Kisi tribesman named Falla and missionary Bob Roegner.

After a lay preacher's class one Sunday afternoon, Falla said, "I want to
study geography."

Startled, Bob replied, "Falla, you were baptized only two months ago. There
are more important things for you to study first."

"Yes, I have much to learn," Falla admitted, "but I insist on learning
geography!"

"Why?"

"To know the names of more places and peoples, so I may ask God to bring them
the Gospel as He is doing for my own Kisi people."

Even though no geography books existed in the Kisi language, Falla did study
geography and learned to pray for distant places and peoples by name. As you
rejoice in the birth of Jesus Christ, the only Savior of the world, I invite
you to follow Falla's example. You may find it to be a refreshing new
Christmas tradition.

1. How busy are you in December?
2. How realistic is the proposal of this column?
3. How might learning about people groups and religions heighten your worship during the Christmas season and broaden your mission vision?