Public relations is the state of the relationship between the public and a company, organization, or famous person. Press conferences and press releases are both highly effective tools to drive public relations. It might surprise you to learn that Jesus used both methods during His ministry. He certainly relied on different tactical elements to achieve His objectives in the first century, but the fundamental concepts were the same then as they are today.
The Most Important Press Conference
For example, Jesus fasted forty days and then entered the local synagogue on the Sabbath. He read the portion of Isaiah that speaks about the promised Messiah. “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:17–19).
As the people watched in amazement, Jesus capitalized on the moment with perhaps the most profound words recorded in the Bible. “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). To underscore the importance of this moment, New Testament scholars agree that Jesus spoke these words to publicly announce the start of His ministry. He chose the most important location in the region, during the most significant Jewish tradition. None of this happened by accident. It was the first century equivalent of a modern-day press conference.
The Former Demoniac Press Release
The press release is another effective public relations tool, which is a factual document used to deliver information to the masses. However, press releases in the first century were not as they are today. Most people were illiterate and there was no media apparatus or Internet to get the word out. Instead, people sent messengers to deliver news verbally.
Jesus spent the first two years of ministry focused predominantly on the Jewish people. He eventually began to reach beyond the Jewish boundaries to include gentile people. However, crossing the cultural boundaries would require a special type of press release. When the time was right, Jesus and the disciples traveled across the Sea of Galilee, where a demon-possessed confronted them. The demoniac lived near an area occupied by the Gerasenes, which was part of a larger collection of cities well-populated by gentiles.
The demoniac represented the living embodiment of what it means to exist under the control of Satan. With one touch, however, Jesus transformed him into a completely normal person. Only now, he was the living embodiment of the power and love of God. Jesus needed to inform the gentile people that redemption belong to them too. The former demoniac was the perfect messenger to deliver the good news.
When it was time for Jesus to leave the region, the man wanted to go with Him (not surprisingly). However, Jesus told the former demoniac, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19). When the former demoniac returned to his hometown, the people were all amazed that he was healed.
There was no denying the miraculous nature of the former demoniac’s turnaround. One can only imagine the surge of belief that spread among the people following such an incredible display of power. The press release was carefully written in heaven for the expressed purpose of reaching the gentiles, and the former demoniac was the perfect messenger to deliver the good news.
You Are God’s Press Release
There was a time when you were just like the demoniac living among the tombs. You had no ability to rescue yourself out of the dominion of darkness. You had no light within yourself to give to other people. However, Jesus traveled across the sea to meet you right where you were and changed your life forever. He took you out of the darkness and filled you with the glorious light of God. Like the former demoniac, you have been sent into the places you live, work and play to shine light into the world.
The power of the former demoniac’s ministry was not based on his abilities and strengths. It was based solely on what Christ had done in his life. The same is true for you. To be clear, you don’t have to do anything special to become the light of the world. You are the light of the world because Jesus lives on the inside. Now, let your light shine!
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