by Jerry Senn
What is the best news you’ve heard lately — news that would have a lasting effect on the rest of your life. Wouldn’t it be nice to go the entire week without a single bit of bad news? The media’s focus is mostly from bad to very bad news.
We live in a wonderful world, except for the fact that it is cursed spiritually. The day will come when this earth and its works will be melted down and pass out of existence (2 Pet 3). This is bad news if our focus for life is found here on earth. But, that sadness is turned to overwhelming joy if we know we’re going to a place especially prepared and suited for us by our loving God. That is good news — in fact the best news ever.
I, for one, would be very happy if my chronic cough would just “go away.” That would be very good news. The cure for cancer would be great news. Or, a reconciliation of a broken earthly relationship is also great news.
But, if we are living with confidence in Jesus, the really best news is the gospel. Here is a short definition of what that gospel is:
“By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I [Paul] preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins … that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day …, and that he appeared” (1 Cor 15:1-5).
This message radically changed the life of the apostle Paul, from a prideful law keeper to seeking the pleasure of God by human effort. His conversion was bad news to his pride, but humility received Christ’s loving sacrifice as the best news he could possibly imagine. He lived on the strength of that news in a living hope. To us also it should be seen as “of first importance.”
“How great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” This is the believers reason we possess a “peace that passes all understanding.” To young Timothy Paul wrote: “We have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand … be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 5:1-2; 2 Tim 2:1-4).
I read the following statement somewhere, I posted it on my mirror: “You cannot expect God to be the source of your peace if the world is the source of your satisfaction.”
Jesus’ love is the “Best News Ever.”