THE POWER OF GOOD NEWS

Gloom and doom hover over us as we listen to and read about the "news" events. Seldom do we hear of anything encouraging and uplifting. The economy, bizarre crimes, and disgusting political campaigns dominate the media. Even more depressing than the news is the slanted reporting of it. Sadly, we cannot always trust the media to give us a clear and accurate report of current events.

How marvelous it is that God has given us good news! That good news is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The word gospel means good news, or good report. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the top news story of all history, and it is good news. What exactly is this good news? In chapter fifteen of his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul defines the gospel. The gospel is the death of Jesus Christ for our sins, his burial, and his resurrection from the dead according to the Scriptures. How can this be good news?

The Bible tells us that the gospel of Christ is the power of God. This good news has the power to rescue lives from the shipwreck of sin and eternal loss. Many people are either unaware of or deny the effects of sin. News reports bulge with the effects of sin and the entertainment industry grows wealthy promoting it. Let all who read be aware "the wages of sin is death," (Romans 6:23). The Bible describes the person without Christ as dead (Eph. 2:1), lost (2 Cor. 4:3), spiritually blind (2 Cor. 4:4), and condemned (John 3:36). The good news is that Christ died to rescue us from all of this. Those, and only those, who accept His sacrificial death are rescued from this awful results of sin. The gift purchased with His precious blood is eternal life (Rom. 6:23). Those who receive that glorious gift are no longer under the condemnation of God (Rom. 8:1). What magnificent news this is! The gospel of Christ rescues us from eternal separation from God in the lake of fire.

This good news is also the power of God to free lives from the temporal devastation of sin. The havoc brought upon our society by individual sin is impossible to measure. The money spent to correct the damage makes our national debt look like a change purse. The gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to deliver the individual from slavery to passion. The Bible says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." The power of this gospel can deliver the alcoholic from drink, the addict from narcotics, and the gays, lesbians, and other fornicators from their passions. By this gospel, deadbeat dads can face their responsibilities and child abusers can gain self control.

Dear friends, we have the greatest news that can be told. The news media will not tell it and Hollywood will not portray it. We must give it out by word of mouth and demonstration of life. May we have the same confidence as Paul when he said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ." Help us distribute this life giving, course changing news. Join us in our evangelism ministry as we tell the good news.