What's So Great About the Good News?

What’s So Great About The Good News?
John R. Petrilli

With all the negative and discouraging information dished out on the evening networks these days one might wonder if there even is such a thing as good news anymore? Well, I have some “good news” for you. There’s not only good news, there’s actually some great news! Great is an admittedly overworked adjective in our culture, but some things truly deserve such an appellation. During a recent Sunday School class on the book of Acts I noticed the repeated occurrence of the phrase “good news”. My curiosity got the better of me so I began scanning the pages of this New Testament book to see what it had to say about the “good news”. To my amazement and joy I discovered a cadre of features related to the good news of gospel of Jesus Christ.


THE GOOD NEWS IS GREAT BECAUSE IT GATHERS FOLKS INTO A LIVING,
DYNAMIC COMMUNITY! Acts 2:38-47

As never before, people in our world are crying out for meaningful connection with others. Superficial friendships, an overemphasis on privacy and unprecedented relocation has left our population longing for relationships that have substance, transparency and longevity. While the human experience has always sought out such fellowship, the introduction of new technologies has served to separate us from each other even farther, resulting in an ever greater sense of alienation and aloneness. To best counter this undesirable proclivity toward a virtually solitary existence, it’s helpful to understand what is it that drives it.

The simple reality is that mankind was never created to live in isolation. Right from the beginning God pronounced that the design of the human being was such that he needed companionship (see Genesis 2:18). Thus commenced the process by which God began to supply man with someone else that looked, thought, sounded like, and felt like himself, in this case, a woman. For the purposes of this article, the important thing to note is that man needed company right from the get go.

We see this same principle surface in the formation of the early church. If fellowship and ca sense of community weren’t all that important, those 3,000 plus Jewish proselytes would have heard Peter preach, accepted the Messiah into their hearts, and made their way back to their homelands after the festival. But to the contrary, the lingered on in Jerusalem to enjoy the benefits of mingling and interacting with each other. Having experienced the life-changing miracle of the new birth, I would venture to guess that they had a whole lot to talk about! Their relationship during this time was anything but superficial. Not only did they shared ideas, they shared their very possessions! Now that’s what I’d call true community! The result of this seminal Christianity was a community of faith that not only expressed their joy in praise to God, but that also had quite an impressive impact on their community at large. There wasn’t a soul in Jerusalem that hadn’t gotten wind of the love, joy, peace and hope demonstrated through their dynamic faith in the risen and living Messiah!


THE GOOD NEWS IS GREAT BECAUSE IT REVEALS THE SOURCE OF MAN’S BEST
HOPE! Acts 5:42

We just came off of a presidential campaign that got a great deal of traction out of the theme “hope”. In fact, one candidate used the word in the title of a book he wrote. These developments clearly indicate a growing sense of despair beneath the surface of American society, and perhaps the world as a whole.
Whatever may be the legion of causes behind this dip into despair, one thing’s for sure, we need hope. One poet has said, “Hope springs eternal in the heart of man”. If this is the case, its time we find that wellspring and recapture a life perspective that is forward-looking an anticipating better things to come.
That’s just what the gospel offers. It never has been and never will be “pie in the sky by and by”. The Christian faith fills its adherents with a hope that has supernatural roots and incredible staying power. Much of this has to do with what I’d call, for lack of a better term, “sound Christian psychiatry and sociology”. Jesus wants His people to focus on the good things in their lives (the psychology, Matthew 6:22-23 ; Philippians 4:8) while also addressing the needs of those around them (the sociology, Matthew 7:12; Galatians 6:10. )

When Peter and John first introduced their audience to the good news of the gospel, they found themselves frequently camping on the theme of hope. The people they were speaking with had experienced life under the Law of Moses, and found it to be pure drudgery! They knew what it was like to try and fulfill the law’s impossible demands. They wanted deliverance from the law, and something that they could rest their hope of salvation squarely upon. Peter and John were more than happy to announce to them that such a Hop had arrived. It had done so in a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. The forgiveness He offered would give each of them a fresh start and a new life lived in the energy of the Holy Spirit, not their own weak and unreliable resources.

If you really long for hope (and I’ve never met a person who didn’t), the great news of Jesus Christ is where you’ll find that hope. Peter later described this hope in a letter he wrote to some friends as a “living hope” (1 Peter 1:3). That hope, said Peter, was based on the fact that Jesus had risen from the dead, the same exact message of hope he and John had shared years earlier with the people in the streets of Jerusalem. The incredible part is that this same hope can be ours, it’s just a prayer away as we repent of sin and accept Jesus’ payment of our sin debt on the Cross. How about some hope?


THE GOOD NEWS IS GREAT BECAUSE IT FULFILLS THE LONGING OF ALL WHO ARE
SEEKING TRUTH! Acts 8:35

What is “truth”? Pilate’s searching query has been echoed down through the centuries by millions. It seems we all have an innate need to discover truth, not just as theory but as a living experience. That’s what the truth of the gospel offers. It’s not some kind of metaphysical gobbly-de-goop, but reality truth. Jesus said of Himself, “I am the way the TRUTH, and the life”. So, according to Christianity, truth is actually found embodied in a Person. How much different than every other system of religion or philosophy!

Most people find themselves grappling with the meaning (truth) of their existence at one time or another. They search for some kind of abstract or personal revelation that will bring their lives together into one integrated whole that satisfactorily explains their meaning, purpose and ultimate destiny.
Christianity and faith in Jesus Christ is THE source for this experience, for Jesus also said, “No one comes to the Father EXCEPT through Me.”

The evangelist named Philip found himself face to face with one such seeker. The man was well on his way down the road to salvation, having traveled a great distance to perform his religious duties, then spending his drive time immersing his mind into the Scriptures. By a stroke of divine providence he landed in the book of Isaiah, and in particular, in the eye-opening 53rd chapter of that book of Messianic prophecy. God providentially arranged for Philip to “appear” on the scene to end this man’s diligent search and effectively answer the spiritual longings of his heart.

Philip didn’t beat around the bush. After exchanging some social courtesies, the budding evangelist helped this individual see the light of the gospel in the face of Jesus Christ. The One about whom Isaiah had been speaking had arrived on planet earth, died for our sins, rose from the grave alive, and ascended into Heaven! Now THAT was great news! Just look at the JOY in that man’s heart as he drove away forgiven by Jesus’ blood and totally renewed by the regenerating work of the Spirit in his once empty life!



THE GOOD NEWS IS GREAT BECAUSE IT OFFERS GENUINE PEACE ! Acts 10:36

I’ll never forget one noisy holiday family gathering when I heard my brother mumble the words, “If only I could get a moment’s PEACE!” I’d venture that this same request is mouthed by millions and billions every day. Whether its turmoil from circumstances without or disturbance from the heart within, we all long for a little peace and quiet now and then. It gives rest to our souls, something we all could definitely use a little more of.

So just where do we tap into this kind of tranquility? Is it found in television? Alcohol? Drugs? Relationships? Money? Fame? Popularity? If the truth were known, true and lasting peace can’t be found in ANY of these outlets. If you have difficulty believing this, just take a close look at the people who already have these things in their lives. Do they look at peace? They’re some of the most pathetic people around, not because of who they are, but because of the disappointment they’ve experience in not finding peace in the place they sought it out.

In the first century when the early church started out, the world of that day was anything but peaceful. Granted, the Pax Romana of Rome had secured an enforced stability and law and order. But external conflicts between rival nations and internal turmoil in broken human hearts was a very real experience.
Peter here enters the home of a Gentile, a risky move at best considering Jewish laws governing the uncleanness of certain actions and behaviors. But went he did under the direct orders of Jesus Christ. Why? Because God looked down to earth and had seen this Roman military officer’s heart seeking after Him, and He wanted to answer that man’s sincere and devoted search for Him.

When God looks down from heaven upon your heart what does He see? Is your heart at peace with Him? It can be through Jesus Christ our Lord. You no longer have to muddle through life with no peace of heart or mind. You can know, even this very day, the peace of God which transcends all earthly circumstances and experiences. This peace can be yours as you invite the Prince of Peace to take up permanent residence in your heart and life today!


THE GOOD NEWS IS GREAT BECAUSE ITS PROMISE APPLIES TO ALL PEOPLE!
Acts 11:20-21

Worldly peace is not only a fragile thing, in many parts of the globe its non-existent! Take Darfur for example, where each day is a life and death struggle for survival. Or other parts of the world where disease, famine and war create a turbulence that shakes people to the very core of their being.

While external peace is subject to time and chance, internal peace is available to everyone regardless of race, status, or health. We see this truth being played out as the early believers spread out into regions and cultures outside of their familiar Jewish environs. As they entered the diverse population living in the cosmopolitan city of Antioch, they saw God do a new thing. He led them to share the great news of Jesus Christ with people of non-Jewish descent. To their surprise, these hearts opened widely to receive this great news, and scores were brought into Messiah’s household of faith! God was no longer limiting His favor to the Jews; He was now pouring out His salvation blessings to all people of every coast and clime!


THE GOOD NEWS IS GREAT BECAUSE IT FREES US FROM OUR DEPENDANCE
ON CHEAP IMITATIONS. Acts 14:15

Nothing is worse than spending a chunk of change on an item, only to find out that it’s a “knock-off”, a cheap imitation. The same can happen in our spiritual lives. I know because it happened to me over and over again as I searched for truth and salvation. After being duped by several cults and isms, I finally settled in on reading the Gospel of John. It was there that I found the Lord Jesus and His wonderful and totally free salvation.

God tells us that there’s only one Savior. He’s Jesus, and He’s the “real thing”. Others may claim they have the way of salvation, but only Jesus Christ has provided the credentials of a risen body to substantiate His claims. If your religion, philosophy or other system of thought lacks a resurrected Savior, you have no real treason for hope beyond the grave, or even in this life for that matter.

As the church continued its outward geographical and cultural progression, it encountered some very interesting customs and people groups. One such group was found in the Turkish city of Lystra, where the citizens worshipped the Grecian gods of Zeus and Mercury. But that was no problem for the God Who’d made the very planets and galaxies after whom these idols were named. Paul gladly declared to these folks the great news of Jesus and His forgiveness of sins. Paul pointed them to the loving and faithful God Who gave them the rain and crops that became food that satisfied them in body and heart.

These people had long been the victims of a false system of belief that robbed them of the joy of knowing the true God. But that all changed when Paul and Barnabas told them about the Lord Jesus. They no longer had to waste their time and money on cheap imitation gods, now they could possess the real deal.

Which brings us to the question … have you discovered the real deal for yourself? There’s no sense in settling for the world’s cheap imitations. God has the thing you’re heart really seeks after. Why not turn to Him today and cash-in on the greatest offer the world has ever known?


THE GOOD NEWS IS GREAT BECAUSE IT ANSWERS THE KEY QUESTIONS ABOUT
LIFE. Acts 17:18

Children are notorious for asking strings of endless questions about everything they see and hear. But that natural curiosity usually carries over into adulthood, albeit in a much more subtle manner. The thinking person asks questions, and there was never a more important issue to grapple with than that of our origin, purpose and eternal destiny.

The apostle Paul met up with an august body of Greek philosophers in the city of Athens. When he entered into dialogue with them he made use of material from their own poets and philosophers as a bridge to help them get a better read on the true nature of God and the real meaning of life. The philosophers had lots of questions, and Paul graciously and gladly provided them with the answers. He patiently explained to them that God was seeking them and their hearts, and that God was already so close to them they could literally reach out and touch Him through the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ.

When Paul introduced the resurrection of Christ, some laughed it off, some doubted, but some also believed. Anyone can say they want the answers to life’s mysteries, but some reject that truth in the form of the great news even though it’s staring them right in the face. Pilate rejected the great news, but many received it. One thief on the cross to Jesus’ right rejected the truth, while the thief on the left accepted it and Him. The story continues as people make the one most important decision of their lives … one that will determine their eternal destiny. It’s great news, indeed, but it carries a huge responsibility for those who hear it. Choose well!