Good News

On June 17, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Mark 16: 15        (NIV)

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
This passage is from when Jesus commissioned his disciples after his death and resurrection. He told them to go and preach the “good news” to all creation. Sometimes as Christians we forget how Jesus phrased this and we lose sight of our commission. He did not tell us to go into all the world and correct others and criticize their life styles. He did not tell us to go and preach fire and brimstone on them until they repent. He told us to tell them the good news; that he, Jesus, came that they might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10: 10). We are supposed to preach that he came into the world so that all could be saved and can enter into a personal relationship with the Father of all creation. He breached the gap between people and God so that we could be reconciled to Almighty God as our own father. This world needs love. People everywhere suffer from a lack of love. We need to tell them that our Father is love and that he loves them. Don’t preach John 3: 16 and skip the word love. Preach it the loudest.

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No Shame

On April 20, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Romans 1: 16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Paul was definitely a good evangelist. He did share the good news everywhere he went. I wonder why lots of us don’t tell the good news any more than we do. I think in a sense we are ashamed. Perhaps we are not ashamed of the gospel per se but we are embarrassed or ashamed of sounding like a Jesus freak. Maybe were are afraid of rejection. Paul certainly wasn’t, though, and life could be pretty dangerous for his exhortation of the gospel.

Paul had a revelation of the power of the gospel. Maybe that is what made him so bold and me so timid. Or do we get so caught up in the busyness of our life that we don’t take a moment to be concerned over anyone else. Looming on my horizon is my next twenty to do items and the three big projects sitting on my desk. What will happen in eternity if I get none of that done? I mean, how important are they really? Are my deadlines arbitrary? Does any of it matter that much? When I think of this in light of the eternity of someone’s soul I feel a bit embarrassed. Is it really too much for me to take five minutes to ask my banker if he knows the saving power of the gospel?

You know, I heard a good story the other day about a woman who took the time to notice someone else and when she did she saw that other person suffering. She offered to pray for the woman who’s countenance was forlorn. You know what? Her bravery afforded her the opportunity to meet someone’s need. But I am too busy. Maybe I walked right by that same woman and never even looked at her.

Lord God, give us all the courage of our convictions. Give us joy bubbling up out of us that begs to be shared. Help us to be like Paul and see not the consequences to ourselves but the significance to others. Help us to share the power of the gospel with those who are in need.

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Gospel of Good News

On April 19, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Mark 16: 15

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Glory to God, the message of God, the message of the cross is good news. Did you know that “gospel” means good news? In fact, many Bibles translate this passage with the use of the words “good news” instead of “gospel.” One example is the Common English Bible which reads, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the good news to every creature”. The story of Christ, his coming and his ultimate victory is good news indeed. Think about this also, what are the first four books of the New Testament called? The gospels, right? They are the good news about Jesus, the Messiah.

I have a great exercise for you and I think it will change some passages for you and maybe even the context of the New Testament. Go to your Bible, if it has a concordance, or a search engine like www.Biblegateway.com and search the gospels in the New American Standard for the word “gospel.” It produces 20 verses. Then read that list substituting the word “gospel” with the words “good news.” I believe you are going to feel good after you do this little exercise.

Here is the point I really wish to make though. People talk about a vindictive God. I hear them saying how God took their loved one, caused some bad thing to happen or other doom and gloom pronouncement. I think not. If He is such a vindictive and harsh God then why is His news good news? We have good news to take to people. When humanity was in its fallen state from its own actions, God sent a savior. This good news savior came to rescue us from the pit and restore our earthly and eternal lives to ones of glory and joy. That is good news brother.

I wrote in yesterday’s Word of the Day on Isaiah 52: 7 that beautiful and blessed are the feet of those who bring good news. I also posited that this idea is the perfect evangelistic model. Read today’s verse again. Jesus did not tell us to go into all the world and tell people that they are sinners and that they are doomed to hell. He said to tell them that a savior has come. I saw a car in my hometown which was plastered with damnation messages and it grieved my heart. Really? Is that the love of God on display? Is that the love that put Jesus on the cross for us when we were full of sin and rebellion? Is that the message that saved you? How do we read John 3: 16 and manage to miss out on the word “love?” “For God so loved the world . . . .”

Go into all the world or, everywhere you go, tell the good news of Jesus, our Christ and our beloved. Give away the joy of the Lord. He is not damning people to hell, He is saving them. Glory to God!

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