Great news demands a great messenger—or so we might typically think. When we think of big news and major events, we often expect that a skilled and talented messenger might be required. With that in mind, it’s interesting to note that in regards to the greatest news in the world, it was first told by some very unlikely people.

Consider the birth of Christ. His birth was the greatest event in the history of the world to that point in time! Christ’s birth had been foretold of since the Fall (Gen. 3:15). At His birth the eternal Word became flesh (Jn. 1:14). At His birth God was with mankind (Isa. 7:14; Mt. 1:23). Given the magnitude of this event, surely God would have a special messenger prepared to proclaim the birth of His Son! Now, Luke tells us (Lk. 2:8-14) that an angel announced Christ’s birth and a multitude of angels sang praises. But to whom did they make this announcement? Shepherds. Not emperors or kings, priests or religious leaders—shepherds. It was to common, ordinary shepherds that the angel proclaimed the history-altering news “…there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!” Of course, the shepherds went to Bethlehem to see the child, after which Luke tells us, “…they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds” (Lk. 2:17-18). At first it might seem amazing that the birth of the Son of God would be announced by simple shepherds. But who better to announce the birth of the Good Shepherd?

Most people are aware of Jesus’ commissioning of the Twelve and later the Seventy to go forth and preach. But before sending either of those groups Jesus sent one man with the commission to go tell others about Him. Mark records that when Jesus and the disciples sailed across the sea of Galilee, they came to the country of the Gadarenes. It was there they were met by a man possessed with a legion of demons. The demons were terrified of Jesus, and begged that they be allowed to go to a herd of swine nearby, which Jesus allowed. Once they did, the herd of some 2,000 swine ran off the cliffs and into the sea. When the village came out to see what had happened, upon seeing the demon-possessed man cured and in his right mind they also became terrified of Jesus. They pleaded for Him to leave, and once again He complied. As He was departing the cured man begged to go with Jesus. It seems natural that this man, plagued as he had been by the demons, would want to go with the One who saved Him. For the first time in the narrative though, Jesus would not comply. This might seem shocking at first, but we see Jesus had a greater plan. He told the man, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you” (Mk. 5:19). And with that, Jesus sent out the very first person to spread the good news about Him. When you realize this man was likely a gentile (given the area and the local economy which included swine herding) and that he had been demon-possessed, his resume doesn’t seem to fit the bill for the honor of being essentially the first preacher sent by Jesus. But he did his job very well. He didn’t just tell his friends, but he “began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.” The Decapolis was an area of ten major cities in northeast Palestine, and at least some of the cities became receptive to the gospel. This area was well primed to receive the full gospel because previously the healed demoniac had simply shared his story about Jesus and His saving power.

What about Christ’s resurrection? Surely that event, the most important event in human history, would first be told by a mighty, powerful person right? Well, once again this incredible news came from a very unlikely source. It might stand to reason that Jesus would first appear to one of His disciples, particularly one of the closer ones like Peter, James, or John. Instead, we find that the first person Jesus appeared to was Mary Magdalene (Mk. 16:9). We are told little about Mary Magdalene except that she had demons cast out of her and that she followed Jesus loyally. It’s interesting that the first person who got to share the good news—the news that Jesus had risen from the dead—was not a to-be apostle or to-be preacher, it was a woman. Mary and the other women were the first people to ever be commissioned to go and tell others (the disciples) that Jesus was risen! Sadly, the disciples did not believe this report. This fact is also a testament to the legitimacy of the resurrection. In the first century, the word of a woman was not considered as the word of a reliable witness. If the disciples fabricated the resurrection story, why did they have a woman being the first to see the risen Lord and tell others? That would weaken their story. The only reason to include those details is because that’s the true story. What a privilege though it was for Mary and the other women to get to share that great news, the greatest news with the disciples—Jesus is alive!

Lastly, consider the disciples/apostles themselves. If Jesus was creating a spiritual kingdom, it would make sense if He gathered disciples that had religious training. But that’s not what He did at all. While we don’t know the original occupations of all the apostles, it’s clear they were made up primarily of fisherman and at least one tax-collector. Not exactly the group of men you would expect to become the pillars of God’s new Israel, the Church. And yet they were the men picked and trained by Jesus, and the men entrusted with the Gospel at the inception of the Church. How amazing to think that fishermen, tax-collectors, and other ordinary people, who otherwise might have no impact on history, were picked by Jesus to literally change the world. These men, along with the later appointed Apostle Paul, would spread the Gospel across the world, each one (save John) literally laying down their lives to spread the good news about the Savior of mankind.

It might not be the way we would do things, but clearly God’s ways are higher than ours (Isa. 55:8-9). Throughout history, God has often called the most unlikely people to the greatest of service. This is a fit reminder that all Christians can play a role is spreading the gospel. You don’t have to be a leader in the Lord’s church, a preacher, or even a teacher. If you are a Christian, remember the great gift of salvation you have received. And whatever you think your talent or ability is, remember that God can use the most unlikely of people to spread the good news when people are willing to simply tell others the good news about Jesus!