“Moreover, brothers, I declare to you the gospel (good news)… that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen..” (I Corinthians 15:1-5).
I think that all our readers are acutely aware of the immense mass of bad news
enveloping us on a daily basis. Broadcasters gloat with the ability to inundate
us with bad tidings, while depraved Hollywood
producers cram our programming with a barrage of cesspool immorality. Our
newscasts are filled with carefully filtered-out news of the most negative
kind, and, quite frankly, much of this negativity has now been made reality
through evil events, governments and people.
One is at a loss to find something decent or morally good in our society.
Amidst these seemingly prevailing evils, there is a major thrust of good news
that only God can and does guarantee – – that good news is that whoever
believes in God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, has everlasting life. Jesus
Christ came to earth in a human body so that He could identify with mankind
(but without sin), and die on the cross for my sins and yours. By the power of
the triune God, He was raised from the dead on the 3’’ day and was seen by more
than 500 eye-witnesses before He ascended to heaven at the right hand of God
the Father.
[The word for our English “gospel” is from the Greek euaggelion, composed of two words, eu + angelos. The eu is defined as “good,” and the angelos, as “news” or “message;” hence, good news]!
The following are verses from the New Testament that describe the content or substance of that great news:
“Moreover, brothers, I (Paul, the apostle) declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you – – unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen…” (I Corinthians 15:1-5a)
“In Him (Jesus Christ) 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)
“Because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel” (Colossians 1:5)
“’But the word of the LORD endures forever.’ Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you” (I Peter 1:25)
Summary
- The good news is about what Christ has done.
- The good news is about God’s great salvation for those who have believed.
- The good news tells us the truth about the hope of heaven for believers.
- The good news is that God’s word endures forever!
- In a world full of bad news, it doesn’t get any better than this!
Are you really searching for good news? The best news in all of human history
is that he who believes in Jesus Christ will be eternally saved and blest! The
opposite worst news is reserved for those who reject this good news. Which will
it be for you?
Teacher - Feature 