The Good News
When I was a 19 year old, brain washed by humanism, agnostic college student, I went to church one Sunday night. Which was not where I intended to go at all. Several of us had other plans, but one young man convinced us that the prettiest girls in that area attended that church. Our motives were not exactly the best, but we all went to church. “The roof didn’t cave in”, but we got more than we bargained for.
The pastor didn’t make any attempt to make us feel good. His message had nothing to do with self-esteem. He was a recent graduate of Moody Bible Institute and had experience witnessing on the mean streets of Chicago. He preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ! He gave us the Good News that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn us. He came to die in our place in order to save us. That was and is Good News!
He pointed out that we were already condemned. We were already lost. We were already subject to the wrath of God. In the message, he pointed out that our sins nailed Jesus to the cross. Jesus suffered and died for our sins so we could be given His righteousness. It made an impression on me. A couple of weeks later, I went back and trusted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. My life was changed forever.
What if that pastor had been trying to be politically correct, or trying to please the people of his congregation, or build their self-esteem? Thank God, he was preaching the Gospel; the Good News of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel does not flatter human beings. It gives us nothing to boast about. It is folly to the intellectually arrogant, a stumbling block to the morally self-righteous. It condemns idolatry, and calls sinners to repentance and a life of self-denial. It is the power of God unto Salvation to everyone who believes! It will make the difference where you spend eternity.
THE GOSPEL IS GOOD NEWS!