If you’ve been around the church for some years, it’s likely that you’ve heard many Bible stories multiple times. Maybe you’ve even studied certain books multiple times. I’ve done lots of different formal studies of the four gospels, and even though God teaches me new things each time, it’s embarrassing how unexcited I can still find myself initially at the prospect of beginning yet another gospel study. For example… My Bible Study Fellowship class studied John last year, and in my own personal Bible time I went through Mark recently, as well. Then, at the start of 2025 when I was ready for a new book/plan during my “solo Scripture” time, the Holy Spirit nudged me to embark on the gospel of Luke. I will be completely honest; my response was to be less than thrilled. Really? I thought to myself. I’ve just done pretty thorough studies of two other gospels in the last 1.5 years! What about something different? 

But who am I to deny the Holy Spirit, right?! So I’m making my way through Luke, and of course, it’s been incredible. I love the way God brings out different people, patterns, ideas and insights each time you open His Word. Sometimes it’s the tiniest little detail—one that you’ve heard so many times before—that ends up blowing your mind. 

Here’s the little detail that jumped off the page at me a few weeks ago… The main goal of Jesus’ ministry on earth was to preach the good news to people who needed to hear it. Not to heal the sick or raise people from the dead, although those are the things that perhaps raised the most eyebrows. He came to teach! Proof: 

But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” -Luke 4:43

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” -Luke 19:10

It’s pretty clear! Several different times in Luke’s gospel, he points out how Jesus’ preaching and teaching preceded a miracle He performed. When He healed, removed a demon from somebody, or resurrected a person, it was often almost as if that miracle was simply a sideshow, for lack of a better word. His primary mission was not to parade around as a miracle worker. It was to teach people the good news that He had come to forgive sins and save us from ourselves and to eternal life with God. 

Of course, this got me thinking about how aligned I am with that same mission. …or not. As I walk through my life journey, am I prioritizing sharing the good news of Jesus? Several times in the first few chapters of Luke, we read the words, “news spread,” as Luke recounts the word-of-mouth process by which people heard about Jesus and His ministry. How am I helping His news to spread in my own circles of people and community? How are you? 

Jesus didn’t just walk around only healing people, He first taught them the Scriptures. Just think… If He’d prioritized the miracles, it’s possible that people would mostly remember that He did amazing things rather than realize the reason He was doing them—to showcase the power of God so that people would turn to Him. The miracles without the message is like trying to eat a pie without a pie crust on the bottom. That fruit filling looks beautiful and tastes delicious, but without the crust as its foundation, it’s no pie at all! It’s more like a big, messy pile. Yummy? Yes! But a pie? No. 

How can you challenge yourself to be intentionally aligned with the mission of Jesus’ ministry on earth? How can you purposefully and specifically interact with people in such a way that you’re helping the news of the gospel to spread? Is there something you’re doing that looks/feels great, but on closer inspection, is perhaps missing the foundational pie crust? 

Here’s one thought that may get your wheels turning as you consider these questions. When I thought deeply about them for myself, I thought about this… Whenever I can non-annoyingly work it into conversation, I try to casually (but not so casually, if you know what I mean 😂) mention going to church or Bible study to my non-believing friends. For example: 

Non-believing friend: How was your weekend? What did you do? 

Me: Oh, I went to a basketball game on Saturday, and on Sunday I went to church and then just relaxed!

But what about if I said this instead: 

Non-believing friend: How was your weekend? What did you do? 

Me: Oh, I went to a basketball game on Saturday, and on Sunday I went to church and then just relaxed! Church was so good. We talked about _____________.

See what happened there? Not only did I casually but not so casually mention going to church, but I also slid in a quick little line about the WORD that was being studied and preached. Instead of just being satisfied with the pie filling, I added in some of the groundwork, too. 

This is one way I’m going to be better about prayerfully playing a more integral role in spreading the good news of Jesus. …for now. Who knows how the Holy Spirit might prompt and prod me in the future. What about you? Is there something you’re already doing that could simply use a little pie crust added in? Just imagine what that might do for one of your loved ones who doesn’t know Jesus. Would you rather just toss a seed in her direction, or actually set it into her heart with loving intentionality and purpose? Of course, our human efforts alone are fruitless without Holy Spirit power. But I’d like to think the Holy Spirit must love it when we try to do our part to help the Good News spread.