How would you describe what the minister or preacher does at the sermon time in church? You get a good clue in the verse above! Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed the word of the Lord in all the places they had visited. Proclamation is preaching — it is announcing publicly what God wants us to hear.

The Apostle Peter used the word proclamation when speaking about the prophets foretelling the coming of Jesus (Acts 3:24). It is also used when we read that the Lord's Supper 'shows forth' (proclaims) the death of the Lord Jesus. Going to church should take on a new meaning for us if we took seriously the expectation that we were to listen to the proclamation of the word of God. It is not something to be just accepted as another part of the service — it is the main part — it is the public 'sending forth' of God's eternal word.

As we are coming up to Christmas let's remember that God proclaimed Jesus as the great Messiah through whom all the promises of salvation were to come. It was a proclamation of Good News to a dying world — and it still is. Let us be thrilled by it!

Prayer

Almighty God, we pray that you will bless the proclamation of your word wherever it goes out. Amen.

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