Posts Tagged: good news
“You Can’t Hear Good News Too Often!”
There was some sort of threat the other morning against the campus of my university. I teach online only, but I still care very much about what goes on at our campuses. So, I sent an email to a couple of people I know on campus, to let them know that I was praying for them. My supervisor fired back an email in which he told me something I had already heard: The authorities had already investigated and given the all-clear signal. I responded,
“Dear Anthony,
That’s great news! I had received the email sounding the all-clear, but I am glad to hear it from you as well. You can’t hear good news too often!” And then I added, “Hey, that sounds like a good title for an upcoming post on my website!”
And it really is a good title and a good saying, too. Why? Because you can’t hear good news too often!
When my wife says she loves me, that is good news. I don’t get bored when she says that. When a friend prays for me over the phone or texts me to let me know that he’s thinking of me, that’s good news! Even when someone says that dinner is ready, that is good news.
The Greek word that is translated “gospel” or “good news” is all over the place in the New Testament. In fact, it occurs some 73 times in the New Testament. The first four books of the New Testament are called “the Gospels” for good reason.
And indeed, the coming of Jesus into the world was and is good news. At least, there are many of us who feel that way. I am among that group. That God, the creator of the universe, would become one of us, teach, do miracles, forgive people (which is the greatest miracle of all), would die for the sins of the whole world, and be raised from the dead—that is really good news. And you can’t hear good news too often!
A twelve-step participant said the other day at an online meeting, “We do not simply carry the message to other addicts. We are the message.” Yes indeed!
Not all of those who name the name of Jesus Christ are good news, and none of us is good news all the time. But that is what we are called to be: good news. And you can’t hear—or see—good news too often!
“GOD’S KINGDOM: SOME REALLY GOOD POLITICAL NEWS AND OUR RESPONSE”
“Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel’ (Mark 1:14 NAU).”
Are you ready for some really good political news? I know I could stand some.
Well, here it is: No human being is in control of this world. God is!
Now, I’m not stupid, and I do pay attention to the news a bit. It certainly seems as if human beings are in control of our world. And (also certainly) God does allow humans to have a lot of freedom to mess up our own lives, the lives of others, and even the planet.
However, ultimately, God is the King! I believe that this is objectively true, even though many people aren’t sure there is a God. Even those who do believe that a God (or Gods) exist may have a very difficult time believing that God (or the Gods) actually rule this world in any meaningful sense.
About two-thousand years ago, a man came to this planet proclaiming that, against all appearances, God was in control. That man was Jesus.
There was a problem—a HUGE problem: This was the area where this man appeared (Judea) was at the eastern curve of the Mediterranean, and the Romans thought they were in control of this area.
And, in a sense, the Romans were in control.
But along comes Jesus who says, “No, God is in control.”
Now, at this point in the blog, I need to go all scholarly on you. Scholarship is often very boring. Believe me: I know this, because I am a scholar!
However, there are also times when it is fascinating. More importantly than being fascinating, there are times when it really matters—a lot. So, slog with me through this swamp of boring. I promise you that this slog will bring us onto solid ground, and that the view will be well worth the slog.
Mark 1:14-15 comes right after Jesus’ baptism and the account of Jesus’ temptation. Mark is giving a summary of what Jesus was proclaiming from the beginning of his public ministry. God’s good news, which Jesus proclaims, is that the time is fulfilled, that the kingdom of God has come near, and that Jesus’ hearers. His words includes us, if (as I believe) the Bible is for everyone and for every time.
God is king, and not the Romans! That is both good news and fairly easy to understand.
But even here, in these seemingly simple words, a little knowledge of the Greek is helpful.
For example “[t]he time is fulfilled” is in the perfect tense in Greek. The perfect tense usually signifies action completed in the past with ongoing results. Is it not a wonderful thing that the time for proclaiming the good news (which is what the word “gospel” means) has been completed in the past, but has ongoing results?
The word for “is at hand” regarding the kingdom is also in the perfect tense. The kingdom of God has been made to come near to us in the past, but it also has ongoing results. The kingdom is an accomplished fact, says Jesus, and it continues to be an accomplished fact.
However, the next verbs are in the present tense. The present tense is used for actions that are and must be continually going on. Jesus is saying that his hearers (and we) need to respond to God’s completed-in-the-past-but-with-ongoing-results kingdom with an ongoing, continual, life-style repentance and faith.
What is repentance? It is often said that it is “a change of mind.” This is both true and false. If what we mean by this is merely changing our minds about who God or Jesus is, I would say that this is only part of the equation. Repentance is a deep change in how we think of Jesus and God, ourselves, other people, and the world. Repentance is also about transformed action that is based on transformed thinking.
And faith? The word faith does not mean (as one twelve-year-old was reported to have said it meant) “believing in something that you know isn’t true.” Faith, in both the Old and New Testament, seems to have three meanings:
- Faith is believing certain things about God, humankind, salvation, the church, and the Bible.
- Faith means a personal relationship with God. Most Christians (and I include myself at this point), believe that personal relationship comes about through a commitment (faith) in Jesus Christ.
- Faith also means fidelity in how we live our lives.
So, according to Jesus, the kingdom of God is an accomplished fact with ongoing results.
Of course, there is a catch; there’s always a catch. The catch is that, if we wish to enjoy the good news of Christ’s kingdom, we must commit ourselves to a life-style of repentance—transformed thinking that leads to transformed actions and transforming actions. And we must commit ourselves to a life-style of believing, personal relationship, and fidelity.
That sounds pretty grim, doesn’t it? However, did you notice the word “gospel” at in both of the verses that led off this post? The word “gospel” is an old-fashioned translation of the Greek word that is used in both these verses. Many modern translations use the term “good news.” The truth is that this kingdom is governed by a King who knows us fully, and who truly desires the best for us. And if we live as citizens of this kingdom, it is good news for us, and for all with whom we come into contact.
And that is good news, no matter who are you are, what you’ve done, or who we have elected to lead our very provisional earthly kingdoms.
DOWN TO EARTH BELIEVER
- “Even a Sliver of Light” April 9, 2024“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:6, English Standard Version) I missed the total eclipse yesterday. There were a number of good reasons for this, but […]
- “The Process in Miracles and the Miracle of Process” March 11, 2024“2 Kings 5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids […]
- “The Power of Encouragement—Even for Old People” March 10, 2024“But encourage each other every day while it is ‘today.’ Help each other so none of you will become hardened because sin has tricked you.” (Hebrews 3:13, New Century Version) Yesterday, I was walking at a nearby park. There was a large group of young people some of whom were running while other young people […]
- “Endurance” March 10, 2024“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” (Hebrews 10:36, English Standard Version) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us […]
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- “Delighting in Being Told What to Do?!?” February 23, 2024“Psa. 112:1 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! 2 His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures […]
- “Character is the Real Lesson” January 19, 2024I am often confused about what lesson I’m really supposed to be learning. For example, this morning I was trying to knock out several Spanish lessons. My intentions were a lot better than my internet connection. I’ve done three lessons. Or rather, I’ve done two lessons. One of them I did twice because the internet […]
- “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked” January 1, 2024Each year, I try to come up with one word or a short phrase for what I intend to work on in the upcoming year. 2024 is “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked”. What?!! What does that even mean? So glad that you asked! Jesus said to his disciples, “Why do you look at the speck […]
- “Searching for the Noble One” December 26, 2023My wife and I were reading Luke, chapter 2 on Christmas Day. Luke 2 talks about the shepherds being told to look for this very special child—in fact, this King—in a stable. I prefer the word “barn”. I grew up on a farm. I know what a barn is. A stable is entirely too biblical […]
- “That Don’t Impress God Much” December 14, 2023DTEB, “That Don’t Impress God Much” “That Don’t Impress Me Much” (Song by Robert John Lange and Shania Twain) Micah 6:8 (MSG) “But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be […]
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