Fine times an’ good boots is about all anybody c’n ever hope to’ want.”
–Clair Huffaker (The Cowboy and the Cossack)
“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.”
–Ephesians 1:13(NKJV)
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Have you watched or read the news lately? It’s terrible. I seldom look at the news for most of it is negative and a person does not know who to believe. Crazy times, evil times: Afghanistan, Cuba, riots in the streets, the virus and now a new strain, murders rampant, earthquakes, famine. My mercy, it looks like a scene right out of the Book of Revelation.
However, today I want to focus on something different–the Good News.
“The time that was appointed has come, and the Kingdom of God is here. Repent and believe the good news.”
–Mark 1:15(Barclay)
The New Living Translation states it this way, “The Kingdom of God is near! Turn from your sins and believe this Good News!” Most translations use the term “gospel” which means “good news.” Jesus brought good news to men if they will accept it. The truth is in front of them, now they must determine whether they will believe the truth or accept the lie. Let’s look at this “good news.” (I’m borrowing from William Barclay’s, The Gospel of Mark).
1) It is good news of truth. With Jesus we have the light. Man can see the truth clearly.
Galatians 2:5; Colossians 1:5.
2) It is good news of hope. Man hopes this works, he hopes that works–he should put his hope in the good news of Jesus Christ. “The coming of Jesus brings hope to the hopeless heart.”
Colossians 1:23
3) It is good news of peace. Man strives for peace in vain. There is evil locked in the heart of man and there can be no peace without Christ–the Prince of Peace. There can only be peace with Christ and that includes victory of the self-warring soul.
Ephesians 6:15
4) It is good news of God’s promise. “All non-Christian religions think of a demanding God; only Christianity tells of a God who is more ready to give than we are to ask.” The promises of God are sure and He is faithful.
Ephesians 3:6
5) It is good news of immortality. Death and then it is over. “Life was the road to death.” Jesus came to give us life; we are on the way to life rather than death. In death, since it was conquered by Christ, there is now eternal life.
2 Timothy 1:10
6) It is good news of salvation. “It is not simply liberation from penalty and escape from past sin; it is the power to live life victoriously and to conquer sin.” There is that wonderful assurance that we are saved!
Ephesian 1:13
“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.”
–Ephesians 1:13(NKJV)
—————————————————
Have you watched or read the news lately? It’s terrible. I seldom look at the news for most of it is negative and a person does not know who to believe. Crazy times, evil times: Afghanistan, Cuba, riots in the streets, the virus and now a new strain, murders rampant, earthquakes, famine. My mercy, it looks like a scene right out of the Book of Revelation.
However, today I want to focus on something different–the Good News.
“The time that was appointed has come, and the Kingdom of God is here. Repent and believe the good news.”
–Mark 1:15(Barclay)
The New Living Translation states it this way, “The Kingdom of God is near! Turn from your sins and believe this Good News!” Most translations use the term “gospel” which means “good news.” Jesus brought good news to men if they will accept it. The truth is in front of them, now they must determine whether they will believe the truth or accept the lie. Let’s look at this “good news.” (I’m borrowing from William Barclay’s, The Gospel of Mark).
1) It is good news of truth. With Jesus we have the light. Man can see the truth clearly.
Galatians 2:5; Colossians 1:5.
2) It is good news of hope. Man hopes this works, he hopes that works–he should put his hope in the good news of Jesus Christ. “The coming of Jesus brings hope to the hopeless heart.”
Colossians 1:23
3) It is good news of peace. Man strives for peace in vain. There is evil locked in the heart of man and there can be no peace without Christ–the Prince of Peace. There can only be peace with Christ and that includes victory of the self-warring soul.
Ephesians 6:15
4) It is good news of God’s promise. “All non-Christian religions think of a demanding God; only Christianity tells of a God who is more ready to give than we are to ask.” The promises of God are sure and He is faithful.
Ephesians 3:6
5) It is good news of immortality. Death and then it is over. “Life was the road to death.” Jesus came to give us life; we are on the way to life rather than death. In death, since it was conquered by Christ, there is now eternal life.
2 Timothy 1:10
6) It is good news of salvation. “It is not simply liberation from penalty and escape from past sin; it is the power to live life victoriously and to conquer sin.” There is that wonderful assurance that we are saved!
Ephesian 1:13
So don’t get down in the sloughs of depression. Don’t be anxious about life and what tomorrow may hold. Grasp hold of the Good News. Despite what is happening in the world get into God’s Word and devour the Good News.
“To believe in the good news simply means to take Jesus at his word, to believe that God is the kind of God that Jesus has told us about, to believe that God so loves the world that he will make any sacrifice to bring us back to himself, to believe that what sounds too good to be true is really true.”
–William Barclay