Too-Good-But-True News

This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, (Romans 1:1-3 NLT)


How would you feel if someone credible came and told you that an uncle that just died left you several millions of dollars in his will? Or that someone made a deposit to your bank that wiped out all your debts worth several hundreds of thousands of dollars? You would probably break out in joy, praising God. You would call that good news.

There is a lot of bad news going around. Have you noticed that most of the news stories on TV are depressing? Crime, natural disasters, the financial meltdown, war, terrorist attacks, impending global natural catastrophes or some disease or epidemic- these are the headline makers. Sometimes they slot in a "feel-good" story, after a deluge of bad news, about a baby whale recently born or a dog that saved a cat. It bears no need to mention that if you are looking for good news, the daily news is not your best pick.

But we all need to hear something good. In the drowning negativity surrounding you, you need to hear something that communicates hope about your present circumstances and future. You need something that cheers your heart. You want to make meaning of your existence. You want to understand your destiny. So in this quest, you turn from the daily news and head off to church or you punch over your remote to "Christian" TV.

You then are bombarded with a different kind of negativity and bad news. You are a sinner and you are doomed. God is going to get you. God is teaching you a lesson with your sickness. God does not heal anymore. Your faith is weak and no matter how you try, if you don't live perfectly, Hell is your final destination. These are the sort of bad news you pick up in church that leave you mortally depressed and worse off that the dailies got you.

However, from our text, and from the commission Jesus gave his disciples, we are to proclaim good news to the world. We are to preach a message though it may cut at people's heart, gets them all excited and full of joy at God's amazing grace and mercy. We are to lift up people's hopes about their current circumstances and their future destinations. We are to tell people the delivering and transforming news of God's grace in Jesus and his great kingdom which has become ours through him.

Whenever this news was preached in the bible people were delivered from diseases and oppressions. Whole cities broke out in ecstatic joy. People ran to Jesus and surrendered their lives. People broke out in praises to God. This good news from God is power. It is the message of Jesus, the Christ and the kingdom he brought to us. It is about his death on the cross and his resurrection to restore humanity back to what they were created for, Edenic living. It is the news of the grace and mercy of God that has dealt a fatal blow to sin and its power. It is the good news of rescue from sin and its consequences available to all from now till eternity who will believe and accept its report. It is the good news of how we can become children of God, sharers of his righteousness and joint heirs with Christ of all that the Father has. It is the report of freedom, healing, redemption and blessings available to all who believe. It is the good news of the healing and restoration of the brokenness of the entire creation. Most importantly, it is the Report of a work that has already been accomplished.

What are you to do with this glad tiding ? Accept it. Believe it. Proclaim it. This is the most potent news item that has ever been shared. It sounds too- good-to- be-true but it is indeed too-good-but-true. It is yours to receive. Fill your mind with this Good News, and life, despite inevitable challenges, becomes an exhilarating experience.

Decision of the Day

I thank God for the Good News. I will fill my mind with its claims. I will believe and receive the Report of the Lord.