Good News (Part 2)
by Micky Galloway
As most have learned by now, fourteen were slaughtered and twenty one wounded on December 2, 2015 when Muslim terrorists entered into the Inland Regional Center, in San Bernardino, CA (a community facility for those with developmental disabilities), and began shooting. On September 11, 2001 Muslim terrorists hijacked four jet airliners, crashing into the twin World Trade Center towers in New York City, one into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and one into a field southeast of Pittsburgh, PA. More Americans were killed on that day than on any other single day since the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862 in the War Between the States when over 20,000 died.
We have been immersed with bad news, but don’t forget that there is some very good news. The wisdom writer said, “(As) cold waters to a thirsty soul, So is good news from a far country” (Proverbs 25:25). “Jehovah is far from the wicked; But he heareth the prayer of the righteous. The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart; (And) good tidings make the bones fat” (Proverbs 15:29-30). Good news is uplifting; it brings joy to the heart. When the four leprous men of I Kings 7, departed from the city of Samaria, they hoped that the opposing Syrian army would spare their lives. Instead, they found the Syrian’s abandoned camp. The Syrians had heard, “… a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host.” They concluded that, “the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.” In fear the Syrians, “arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life” (II Kings 7:6). The four starving leprous men began to plunder the camp. They determined that it was their moral obligation to share the good news with Samaria’s starving citizens. “Then they said one to another, We do not well; this day is a day of good tidings, (This day is a day of good news, NASU), and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, punishment will overtake us; now therefore come, let us go and tell the king’s household” (II Kings 7:9).
The gospel is good news. Paul declared that the “gospel” is the power of God to save (Romans 1:16-17). It is the message of salvation. The word “gospel” euággelos is defined as “a reward for good tidings; good tidings” (Thayer). W.E. Vine tells us the word, “originally denoted a reward for good tidings; later, the idea of reward dropped, and the word stood for ‘the good news’ itself.”
The prophets spoke good news when they spoke of the salvation to be offered in Christ. “Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that (should come) unto you: searching what (time) or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them” (I Peter 1:10-11). It is evident therefore, that the prophets understood they were not writing for themselves, but for those who would live afterward, who would hear and obey the message of salvation (gospel, good news) proclaimed by others. As Paul rehearsed the history of Israel and God’s promise to David in the Jewish synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia, he declared, “Of this man’s seed hath God according to promise brought unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus” (Acts 13:23). He continued, “… to us is the word of this salvation sent forth” (Acts 13:26). “And we bring you good tidings (euaggelizo) of the promise made unto the fathers … Be it known unto you therefore, brethren, that through this man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins” (Acts 13:32-38). Good news indeed!
Jesus came to bring good news. The book of Mark opens, “The beginning of the gospel (good news, mg) of Jesus Christ, the Son of God …” (Mark 1:1). The angel said to the shepherds who were watching over their flock, “I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). Early in His preaching Jesus read in the synagogue in Nazareth from the prophet Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:17-19). He then said to them, “Today hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:21). They did not understand that He was preaching to them the “good tidings” of the kingdom of God (Luke 4:43-44), the forgiveness of their sins.
Good news was preached by the apostles. This good news, “that the Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46-47). The good news of salvation from sin was preached for the first time in Jerusalem. In Acts 2, the apostle Peter addressed the Jews, “Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words …” (Acts 2:14). When they asked what to do about their sins, Peter replied, “Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, (even) as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.” (Acts 2:38). In Acts 5:28 the leaders of the nation of Israel accused the apostles, “ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching.” Good news is not to be kept quiet!
Response to good news. The result of the gospel as preached in Jerusalem is evident, “Now when they heard (this,) they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? … And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation. They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added (unto them) in that day about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:37-41). What a day of rejoicing. Acts 6:7 tells us, “And the word of God increased; and the number of thedisciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.”
Later, “Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed unto them the Christ. And the multitudes gave heed with one accord unto the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard, and saw the signs which he did. For (from) many of those that had unclean spirits, they came out, crying with a loud voice: and many that were palsied, and that were lame, were healed. And there was much joy in that city” (Acts 8:5-8). Philip preached to them, “good tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.” The results of preaching the gospel among the Samaritans is seen in that “they were baptized, both men and women” (Acts 8:12). It was good news that their sins could be forgiven in Christ, and a great day for rejoicing. The gospel is to be obeyed.
Failure to respond to the good news. The failure to obey God’s call has terrible consequences. After describing the relief offered to those who have been obedient and therefore subject to suffering (“to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer” (II Thessalonians 1:5)), Paul then describes the condition of those who have not obeyed the gospel. The Lord will come, “rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus: who shall suffer punishment, (even) eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (II Thessalonians 1:8-9). The coming of the Lord will serve two radically opposed purposes: punishment for those who do not obey the gospel, and reward for the faithful.
Brethren and friends, everything is not bad. There is good news! We can be forgiven of sin and have the hope of heaven. Isn’t this a message that needs to be preached with urgency? Indeed, “We do not well; this day is a day of good tidings, (This day is a day of good news, NASU), and we hold our peace …”