For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. Matthew 10:20
Frank McKenna, who served as a very popular premier of New Brunswick, was later appointed Canadian ambassador to the United States. In that role, he appeared to perform very well. But when the Liberal government that had appointed him to the post was defeated in a general election, McKenna resigned his ambassador position. His decision to do so was based on his belief that his views would no longer be in line with those of the new government. While he was comfortable speaking for the Liberals, he might well express opinions that would be at odds with those of the Conservatives. McKenna was like a wise Christian, who is careful to speak the views of our Heavenly Father.
Our text is part of Jesus’ charge to His disciples as He sends them to preach. They are going to let the nation know that their Messiah has come, and they will seek to bring followers to Him. In a way, their mission was not much different from ours. We are to let people know that their Saviour has provided salvation and they are invited to receive Him. As our text makes plain, the message is not ours, but the Father’s, and the power to present it is not ours but the Holy Spirit’s. Our mission is to be faithful presenters of the Gospel that we have received.
Not all of us are going out to preach. Some will, and they have the Word of God as their direction, and the Spirit of God as their power. Some will support those who go forth to preach. Some will present the Gospel in quiet and faithful testimony, speaking a word here or there, passing out Gospel tracts, inviting folks to meetings, living a godly and consistent Christian life. But we are all tasked with taking the same Gospel message to the unsaved. Nothing needs to be created or designed or choreographed. We simply need to pass on the message that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
When Jonah was in the belly of the great fish, he was made to confess that salvation is of the Lord. Let us never lose sight of the great truth that Salvation was planned by God, was paid for by God, and was presented by God. Our part is to simply take what God has provided and pass it on to those who are in need of it. We can never hope to improve on the message that our Father has prepared for us to give. With such a glorious message, let us deliver it joyfully, enthusiastically, and urgently, just as it was passed on to us by those who allowed the Father to speak through them. -Jim MacIntosh