God's Good News

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

– Isaiah 43:19

What is it that every Bible-believing church will celebrate this weekend (and every weekend to come)?

It’s the Gospel — the Good News that God loves his creation so much that he sent his only Son to personally pay for the mess we’ve all made of our lives and a once-unspoiled creation. And with this immense debt now cleared from our accounts, every believer — through faith in Jesus Christ — is free to help build his kingdom by serving as his hands and feet throughout the community and across the globe.

Although that’s amazing news that we should both spread and celebrate, Christ-followers are in a predicament these days. Relativism rules America, and what’s obviously right or wrong is no longer considered so black and white. Popular culture smears those who believe in Jesus and his teachings as old-fashioned and intolerant. And those who dare to point out our nation’s retreat from God and crumbling morals are labeled as bigots, hate-mongers, or similar insults.

Of course, Christ-followers should be happy to embrace certain narrow and politically incorrect beliefs. The biggest is that Jesus is the one and only way to God. And since he lived a perfect, blemish-free life, he was the only sacrifice that was worthy to pay for our sins. But that’s Good News that most people reject because they love their own sin ... but hate accountability.

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,” responds God, “who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”

Although the headlines are bleak these days, it’s reassuring to know that Christ-followers continue to serve as our Creator's hands and feet in the communities where they live and work. Jesus encourages every Believer to shine their light upon a dark world that’s in dire need of guidance, truth, and character. And rest assured that the world is watching to see if our words match our deeds. May it be that this weekend — and every day, for that matter — we celebrate God's Good News through changed lives marked with love in action!