There is good news...

In a world filled with bad news, many are looking for good news. News that promises life, hope, and purpose, over death, despair, and disillusion. Many years ago, people were also looking for good news when the following announcement was made. “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: he is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11) And though these words were spoken in another time and place, this promise of good news is for “all the people”, for all time, including you and me. This good news is about a Savior Christ the Lord, and what follows will reveal why Jesus Christ is such “good news”.

Good News and the Nature of God
Who is God? What is He like? People often answer that question by talking about a god, that they’ve created in their image, according to what they’d like God to be. As a result God has been subjected to a lot of “rumors” about who He is that are very misleading. The good news is that God has revealed Himself through His Word, and two key aspects of His nature are noted next. First of all, God is Holy. He is perfect, pure, and above all things. “…Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty: the whole earth is full of His glory”, and, “…God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” (Isa. 6:3, 1 John 1:5) God is also loving, He cares for the good and well-being of all that He’s made. “..I have loved you, with an everlasting love, I have drawn you with loving-kindness”, and, “..God is love.” (Jer. 31:3, 1 John 4:8)

The Good News of Life
From the holiness and love of God, life began. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1) Then God created human beings in His image. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Gen. 1:27) Life is extremely good news, when we realize that God isn’t a distant impersonal force. He’s real, and desires to have a personal relationship with each of us. “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (Rev. 4:11)

Self-Centered Living and a Need for Good News
Sad-to-say, instead of honoring God, and trusting in His goodness, each of us has rebelled against Him, believing there was something better than God’s perfect will and design. At the root of this rebellion was our desire to “…be like God..” (Gen. 3:5). To be the leaders of our own lives instead of trusting and following God. The bible calls this rebellion sin, and sin is characterized by self-centered living versus God-centered living. This self-centered living affects our relationship with God, as well as our relationship with others.  To help us understand what a sin is, God unveiled His perfect standards for relating to Him, and to each other. We’ll paraphrase these below. 

The Ten Commandments:

*Jesus’ words relate anger with murder and lust with adultery. (Matt. 5:21-22,26-27) If we’re honest, we can see how we’ve all fallen short of God’s holy standards. The bible also reveals God’s view of things, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10)… and…“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23)  Our sin leads to death. “For the wages of sin is death..” (Rom. 6:23) . And this means more than just a physical death, it also means spiritual death. The result of which is separation from a Holy God for all eternity in hell. (2 Thess. 1:9, Rev. 20:11-15) Thankfully this isn’t God’s desire.  Thankfully God’s love is everlasting. Through the Ten Commandments, God in His great mercy, revealed our need for a Savior (Gal. 3:24-25). And the good news is that a Savior has been sent. And this Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ is the answer for the “wages of our sin.” “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (Rom. 6:23)

The Gospel, Good News of the Savior
“For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) The word “gospel” means “good news”. And the following verses provide a summary of the gospel: "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." (1 Cor. 15:3-4) "The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the fullness of God in bodily form (Col.2:9) was born of a virgin (Luke 1:34-35), lived a perfect life fulfilling all the requirements of God’s law (Heb. 4:15) and then, …He took our place. Jesus, “..the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”, (John 1:29) died on a cross shedding his blood to pay the price for our sins. Jesus took upon Himself the judgment of God that each of us deserved, and in exchange offers us His perfect righteousness. “God made Him (Christ) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:21) 

Through the cross, God did more than say “I love you”, He proved it. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8) Through the cross Jesus provided the way for us to be restored to God. “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God…” (1 Peter 3:18) “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Then, three days after His death, Jesus Christ bodily rose from the dead, conquering death, and opening the door to eternal life.
(1 Pet.1:3-5) As a result, you and I are invited to return to a personal, eternal relationship with the living God Himself. The thing He desired from the very beginning.

Good News and Faith
What Christ did is certainly good news, the greatest news the world’s ever known. But the facts of the gospel won’t reunite us with God. God has given us His grace in Christ. But, returning to God requires a faith response. A response whereby we… “…turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.” (Acts 20:21) To repent, means to change our mind, desiring to turn from our sin to a “Christ-led” life. “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” (Acts 3:19) To have faith, means to rely solely on Jesus Christ, His death, and resurrection for the forgiveness of our sins, and eternal life. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 5:1)

It isn’t faith to:
... just believe the facts about the gospel. (Matt.7:21-23)
... combine Christ’s finished work with our own good works for eternal life. (Rom. 11:6, Gal. 2:21, Gal. 3:10-14)
... try to earn God’s favor through religious rituals. (Eph. 2:8-9)

True faith is to
... trust Jesus Christ alone for your eternal salvation. (1 Tim. 2:5)

Jesus promised, “…whoever comes to me I will never drive away…For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:37, 40)

Good News and God’s Offer
The bible says, “..now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. 6:2) Therefore by believing that Jesus died for your sins, rose from the dead, and is the only way to God the Father and eternal life, today can be your day of salvation. If this is your heart’s desire, then in your own words tell the Lord Jesus that you want to repent of your sins, and receive Him by faith as your Savior and Lord. Feel free to use the prayer below as guide if necessary.

Lord Jesus, I need a Savior. I’ve sinned against You and can’t save myself. I believe You died on the cross for my sins, and rose from the dead. I now repent of my sins and by faith receive You into my life as my Savior and Lord. Help me to follow You. Thank You for saving me, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Good News and a New Life
Once we become a child of God through Christ (John 1:12), our new life begins. Our sins are forgiven and God’s purpose for our lives begins to unfold. (Eph. 2:10) God desires all of us to grow in our relationship with Him, and lives within us to help us. (John 14: 15-18, Phil. 2:13) Ask Him each day for the grace and strength to follow Him, regardless of the cost. (Luke 9:23, Heb. 4:16) The following will help us to grow in our new faith-based relationship with Christ. These aren’t things that earn the favor of God, but help us to grow in the grace He provides, enabling us to follow and draw closer to Him, and His Body the Church.
1) Find a bible-teaching church to grow in and serve. (Heb. 10:24-25, Eph. 4:7-16)
2) Read the bible, to get to know Christ and learn all of God’s teachings. (1 Pet. 2:2-3, 2 Pet. 3:18)
3) Talk with and listen to God in prayer. (Matt. 6:6-13) (He won’t contradict His word)
4) Confess our sins. Believers still battle between the old and new nature. (Gal. 5:16-17) This is not a license to sin, (Jude v.4) but for us be aware of God’s ever-available mercy and forgiveness. (1 John 1:9)
5) Look for an individual or a smaller group to help you follow Christ. (Ecc. 4:9-12)
6) Actively look to share your faith in word and deed. (Phlm. v.6) 7) 

Finally, No matter what happens, go back to Jesus one more time. (Psalm 103:8-14) --When crosses, trials or doubts emerge...go back to Jesus one more time. --Whenever we’ve failed...go back to Jesus one more time. --When we don’t “feel” like serving, worshipping or loving God...go back to Jesus one more time. --When we don’t feel loved, or like loving others...go back to Jesus one more time.  Jesus will never give up on you, (Phil. 1:6) therefore let’s all repay the favor and never give up on Him or His Body the Church. (2 Tim. 4:7) “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Rom. 8:37) Thank You for taking the time to read of God’s Good News of a Savior in the Lord Jesus Christ.

For further help and assistance in your walk with Christ, or if you have any questions feel free to contact us through this website or at…pdmeduri@msn.com.

May God Bless You,

PJ

Scripture quotations taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, International Bible Society. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 P.J. Meduri (All emphasis by this author) (c) PJMM, January 15, 2007