Good News Weekly Message

While the world around us becomes obsessed with what's "in stores" (whether that’s a real physical place or somewhere in cyberspace), the Christian Church turns its attention to what God has "in store" for the world and its people. By revealing to us everything about the future that he wants us to know, God also helps us get ready for what he has planned. This week we look ahead to the final statement that each one of us will receive on the great day of judgment. While being judged in any way by anyone isn’t usually a pleasant thought, we can actually look forward to this judgment, knowing that it will be done by our Savior Jesus Christ.

While the world around us becomes obsessed with what's "in stores" (whether that’s a real physical place or somewhere in cyberspace), the Christian Church turns its attention to what God has "in store" for the world and its people. By revealing to us everything about the future that he wants us to know, God also helps us get ready for what he has planned. This week we hear God’s promise of a physical resurrection on the last day. Life after death is not just a spiritual one. With his death on the cross, Jesus redeemed us—body and soul. Just as he rose from the dead, so shall we. Jesus has dealt a fatal blow to death. As a result, his reversal of sin’s curse will one day be complete.

While the world around us becomes obsessed with what's "in stores" (whether that’s a real physical place or somewhere in cyberspace), the Christian Church turns its attention to what God has "in store" for the world and its people. By revealing to us everything about the future that he wants us to know, God also helps us get ready for what he has planned. This week God points us to the hidden reality of our lives as his saints. Based on outward appearances, Christians are no different from anyone else. We're just as weak, just as fragile, just as sinful. But God declares us to be something different: his holy ones, his children, blessed, heirs of eternal life. Why? Not through any merit of our own, but all because we've been washed in the blood of the Lamb.

We live in a noisy world. Opposite opinions on just about every issue seem to be getting louder and more entrenched, both claiming to represent the voice of God. But as noisy as the world is, God still gets through to human hearts with his voice - the gospel or good news. This week we take comfort in God's promise that the gospel will be heard throughout the world until Christ's return. Despite Satan's best efforts, the gospel will never be silenced. In fact, God often uses Satan's best efforts, including persecution, to cause his gospel to ring out all the more loudly and all the more clearly. Not only is sharing the gospel our mission. It's God's certain promise as well.

We live in a noisy world. Opposite opinions on just about every issue seem to be getting louder and more entrenched, both claiming to represent the voice of God. But as noisy as the world is, God still gets through to human hearts with his voice - the gospel or good news. This week we see how the voice of God is contrary to the conventions of the world. What the world views as weakness, God views as power. What the world views as folly, God views as wisdom. The cross is the epitome of both. What seems like weakness and folly to the world is the means through which God showed his might and arranged for our salvation. Through the message of the cross, the gospel, he brings that salvation to those who believe.

We live in a noisy world. Opposite opinions on just about every issue seem to be getting louder and more entrenched, both claiming to represent the voice of God. But as noisy as the world is, God still gets through to human hearts with his voice - the gospel or good news. This week we see that part of what's important in hearing the voice of God is tuning out the voice in our own head. By nature, we are helplessly inclined to pursue a right relationship with God and an eternity in heaven by doing what God commands and avoiding what God forbids. Thankfully, in the gospel, God reveals a completely different message. Salvation is a free gift through faith in Jesus Christ. That is the good news that we hold onto in faith and hold out to the world in love.

We live in a noisy world. Opposite opinions on just about every issue seem to be getting louder and more entrenched, both claiming to represent the voice of God. But as noisy as the world is, God still gets through to human hearts with his voice - the gospel or good news. This week we see that God doesn't resort to typical tactics in order to be heard. He doesn't raise his voice. He doesn't shout at the top of his lungs. Rather, the gospel is described as a whisper, a still, small voice. And yet, because that gospel is filled with God's power, it breaks through to human hearts all over the world.

The popular approach to life is simple. Might makes right. The strong survive. The good are rewarded. Jesus promoted a way of life that is completely different, a way of life that is often unpopular. Thankfully, Jesus was interested in saving souls, not winning polls. This week Jesus reminds us that following him will not always make our lives easier or happier at the surface level. In fact, following him may very well make our lives more difficult - on the surface. At the same time, he assures us that when it comes to our deepest needs and the things that matter most, those trials and challenges will serve for our good. Just as his cross led to his eventual glory, so the crosses we carry will eventually lead to glory for us too.

The popular approach to life is simple. Might makes right. The strong survive. The good are rewarded. Jesus promoted a way of life that is completely different, a way of life that is often unpopular. Thankfully, Jesus was interested in saving souls, not winning polls. This week Jesus urges us to seek those who are lost as urgently as he does. While we are tempted to become content with those who are in the family of God and those who aren't, God never is. God is willing to go to any distance to find even one brother or sister who is lost. He expects us to do the same.

The popular approach to life is simple. Might makes right. The strong survive. The good are rewarded. Jesus promoted a way of life that is completely different, a way of life that is often unpopular. Thankfully, Jesus was interested in saving souls, not winning polls. This week Jesus urges us to count the cost. He wants us to know going in that being his disciple might come at great personal expense. Certain relationships, possessions, and ambitions might be incompatible with our life as Jesus' disciples. However, part of counting the cost is also realizing all that we gain. When we accurately assess everything we receive as Jesus' disciples, everything else appears worthless by comparison.

The popular approach to life is simple. Might makes right. The strong survive. The good are rewarded. Jesus promoted a way of life that is completely different, a way of life that is often unpopular. Thankfully, Jesus was interested in saving souls, not winning polls. This week Jesus warns us about self-glorification. As human beings, we are created to desire great things. Sadly, in our sinful state, we seek the wrong kinds of greatness and assume we must achieve it ourselves. Today Jesus reminds us that the greatness we desperately crave cannot be seized. Rather it must be received as a gift of his grace.

The popular approach to life is simple. Might makes right. The strong survive. The good are rewarded. Jesus promoted a way of life that is completely different, a way of life that is often unpopular. Thankfully, Jesus was interested in saving souls, not winning polls. This week Jesus warns us that we cannot rely on any superficial or formal connection to him for our salvation. When it comes to the kingdom of God, there are no "insiders." Each person must have a true and genuine connection to him through faith. Those who don't are out. Those who do - regardless of background - are in.

The popular approach to life is simple. Might makes right. The strong survive. The good are rewarded. Jesus promoted a way of life that is completely different, a way of life that is often unpopular. Thankfully, Jesus was interesting in saving souls, not winning polls. This week Jesus tells us that the nature of his work causes division. His work as our Savior divided him from his Father. Our attitude toward him may divide us from people and things near and dear to our hearts.

Christian author C.S. Lewis once said, "If false, Christianity is of no importance. If true, it is of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important." When it comes to our faith, casual is the enemy of crucial. Thankfully, Christ pleads with us in his word to treat our faith as the crucial thing that it is. This week God urges to keep our focus on heavenly treasures rather than earthly ones. Everything that we might earn on earth will perish, spoil, or fade. Therefore let us keep watch for our Savior’s return and eagerly look forward to our heavenly home.

Christian author C.S. Lewis once said, "If false, Christianity is of no importance. If true, it is of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important." When it comes to our faith, casual is the enemy of crucial. Thankfully, Christ pleads with us in his word to treat our faith as the crucial thing that it is. This week God warns us about the dangers of loving money and possessions. Just as God can and does use money for so much good, the devil can and does use money for so much evil. It is probably the thing with which he most tries to steal our hearts away from God. Thankfully God reminds us: full pockets do not mean full lives.

Christian author C.S. Lewis once said, "If false, Christianity is of no importance. If true, it is of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important." When it comes to our faith, casual is the enemy of crucial. Thankfully, Christ pleads with us in his word to treat our faith as the crucial thing that it is. This week Jesus teaches us about prayer. Finding time to pray often seems difficult. Doing so boldly and confidently often seems impossible. But when we remember who God is and where we stand with him, we will pray to him with the same shameless audacity with which children make requests of their parents.

Christian author C.S. Lewis once said, "If false, Christianity is of no importance. If true, it is of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important." When it comes to our faith, casual is the enemy of crucial. Thankfully, Christ pleads with us in his word to treat our faith as the crucial thing that it is. This week Jesus helps us prioritize the hearing of his Word. Many things in life are good. Many things in life are important. But one thing is needed. Just as Jesus came to earth to serve us by giving his life, so now he comes to serve us through his Word to give us faith and eternal life.

Christian author C.S. Lewis once said, "If false, Christianity is of no importance. If true, it is of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important." When it comes to our faith, casual is the enemy of crucial. Thankfully, Christ pleads with us in his word to treat our faith as the crucial thing that it is. This week Jesus illustrates what exactly it means to love one’s neighbor. By nature, we like to put boundaries on whom we are expected to live. Usually those who are not like us—or those whom we just plain don’t like—fall outside the line. However, true love—the kind that God shows us in Christ Jesus—knows no boundaries and has no conditions.

Christian author C.S. Lewis once said, "If false, Christianity is of no importance. If true, it is of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important." When it comes to our faith, casual is the enemy of crucial. Thankfully, Christ pleads with us in his word to treat our faith as the crucial thing that it is. This week Jesus asks us to see the big picture when it comes to the resources he puts at our disposal. Very often we get caught up counting pennies and doing the math of how far we think our dollars can go. Jesus wants us to consider the much greater impact our resources can have as we apply them to the work done in his kingdom, work he compares to the gathering of a ripe and abundant harvest.

Christian author C.S. Lewis once said, "If false, Christianity is of no importance. If true, it is of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important." When it comes to our faith, casual is the enemy of crucial. Thankfully, Christ pleads with us in his word to treat our faith as the crucial thing that it is. This week we see that following Jesus means being willing to leave behind things we hold dear. Those things will vary from person to person, but the challenge is the same. Thankfully, as we look at the resolute determination Jesus showed to be our Savior, we will be resolute in being his followers.