The Good News

The “Bridge” illustration is a simple ­visual of “the gospel”.

The word, “gospel” comes from the old English “god spell” (god with a long ‘o’) It meant good tale, story, message, or news. It was transliterated into ‘gospel’ (good news)

The scripture uses the word gospel in many ways: 123 times in the New Testament. The gospel/good news of: a. God, concerning His Son.

b. Jesus Christ, the Son of God – good news that Jesus is the Christ

c. Our Lord Jesus Christ – good news about Jesus and the resurrection

d. The glory of God, the grace of God, the Kingdom of God

e. Salvation

f. Peace

g. The eternal good news

Paul referred to “my gospel” – 2Tim. 2:8 “Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel.”

He also referred to it as “our gospel” – “2 Cor. 4:3 & 4 – “But even if our gospel is veiled……”

A condensed form of the “gospel/good news” = death, burial, resurrection of Christ. I Cor. 15:1-4 –“…..I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you……”

NOTE: This is especially good news when defined by the bad news!

THE BAD NEWS IS:

1. Man is separated from God.

Bible words:

LOST – (no longer in possession of, no longer present) Ex. The lost sheep, lost coin, lost son. Luke 15 – three parables about LOST

DEAD - Eph. 2:1 – “And you he made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins.” Illustration: cut flowers in a vase – they look alive, they continue to open, they stay pretty for several days. BUT, they are dead – they have been separated from the source of life, the plant or root. Even though they look alive, they are dead. Man is not physically dead, but is separated from God, the soursce of life, and therefore is spiritually dead.

CONDEMNED – John 3:18 – “He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, …..” Notice “is”. This is the present condition of man, but it can be fixed.

2. Man is separated by choice. Even though we have a sin nature by birth, the primary problem is that we CHOOSE to sin. Isa. 53:6 – “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one to his own way; ……”

3. Man can do nothing about it. Religious efforts are not morally wrong, the are just totally ineffective. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me.”

4. You are a ‘man’. As are your family, friends, loved ones. We are all part of generic ‘man.’

NOTE: The BAD NEWS is bleak, offensive, unpopular, etc. BUT it is Biblical. We need to recognize our separateness.

BUT, there is Good news also! John 3:16-18a – “For God so loved the world,…..”

When people come to an understanding of this, it turns them to the Good News.

THE GOOD NEWS IS:

1. In and through Christ you can be reconciled with God.

Reunited – “2 Cor. 5:18 & 19a “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ,……”

Repossessed – Luke 19:10 – ”for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Re-rooted – Eph. 2:4 & 5 – “But God,………even when we were dead in trespasses, ade us alive together with Christ…..”

Re-routed – off the wrong path

2. You qualify. (if you haven’t already done it – accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior)

3. It’s offered freely. Eph. 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not or works, lest anyone should boast.”

Rev, 22:17 – “………Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”

This includes repent, commit – and is offered freely to all.

By grace you are saved by actually crossing the bridge.

How to Receive this free gift?? Simple as A, B, C

Admit

Believe Rom. 10:9 & 10 – “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in you heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ….”

Confess

THE GOOD NEWS (New Testament Gospel/the Gospel of Jesus Christ)

We ought to:

1. Know it - this is NOT about going to church, reading the Bible, praying, doing good, being good, etc. Those are all important things, but this MUST be about confessing and accepting Christ and making the choice to “cross the bridge”.

2. Receive it (make it “my gospel”/ “our gospel” – it’s personal good news for me.

3. Share it Mark 16:15 – “…..Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

4. Not be embarrassed by it Rom.1:16 & 17 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,…..”

This Good News is NOT old fashioned, archaic, out-dated. We should not be ashamed because it is real and it works. It can change the hearts of mankind.