Have You Heard the Good News?

Matthew 11:5

The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

I have been thinking a lot about religious differences lately. It seems to me that there is only one religion that is based on some kind of good news. We all may know the word “gospel” actually means good news, but have we every really stopped to think about what that means deep down?

Well, the word gospel comes from the Greek word euaggelizō which means; to bring good news or glad tidings, but it also has with it this deep feeling of joy; unspeakable joy! I think that is what we have lost sight of in the culture of our day. That this news is so joyfully good! And it is just that; news. It is not a set of regulations or something to be accomplished, but something that in history has been accomplished for us. Does that make sense?

Tim Keller puts it so well in his new book “King’s Cross” when he says, “Right there you can see the difference between Christianity and all other religions, including no religion. The essence of other religions is advice; Christianity is essentially news. Other religions say, “This is what you now have to do in order to connect to God forever; this is how you have to live in order to earn your way to God.” But the gospel says, “This is what has been done in history. This is how Jesus lived and died to earn the way to God for you.” Christianity is completely different. It’s joyful news.”

It truly is such joyful news that as one comes to hear it, to believe and accept it, it is truly life changing. And out of that joy you want to be around others who believe, you want to learn more and more, you want to help and love others, you want to share the good news with a world so desperate for good news.

And in case you were wondering; just what is that good news? The good news is that we have a true Lord, Savior and King in Jesus; that we have a King that loves us so much he was willing to sacrifice all to restore our relationship with God. He sacrificed all so that our self-centered, broken, greedy, non-caring (I could go on, but you get the point) hearts are forgiven and transformed. We have a king that loves us no matter how unlovable we are, no matter our past, no matter what; and that is truly amazing grace!

So my friends may we all be spiritually raised up, able to see; to walk, to be cleansed in the joyful good news of Jesus Christ! Amen.

Grace and Peace!