One of two possible responses is certain after hearing something over and over again: we become dull to the idea, or, it becomes embedded in our heart, mind and life. Someone says, “I love you” repeatedly and we either grow cold to the comment or become more warm toward the affection of the person.
I fear that many in the church read or hear the biblical term “good news” so frequently that it becomes a benign marker that someone is preaching something somewhere. It might not create the warmth in many that it did in the lives of those touched by it for the first time in the first century.
The term occurs over 120 times in the New Testament- where the historic foundation of the good news occurs. It is really one word tying “good” with “message” in the language in which the New Testament was written (Greek). It was never intended to be a term shared with all possible, incidental good news items that one might experience- like getting a birthday gift or news that you made the cut and are on the team. It was never intended to be “a good news” item but “the good news.”
What strikes me about the “good news” is the thorough goodness of it. There really is nothing bad about it. There is no waiting for the other shoe to fall. There is no expiration date. There are no exceptional cases where it cannot be applied. There is no fine print that limits its impact or accessibility. It is simply “THE good news” from which any news can find goodness at all.
There is still no other way that anyone has been able to find and secure forgiveness for sin, eternal life, abundant life, the comfort of God, deep and meaningful relationship with God and indescribable connection with other people through the Holy Spirit in an incomprehensibly close community of faith- the church. The “good news” is that God has made all of this possible through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection.
At the time of writing this article, I have spent about two months in a hospital- not due to my illness, but the illness one of our children, Mitch. Unfortunately, he has spent more than 11 of the past 16 months in the hospital. Through this many months, however, we have experienced “the good news” in more ways that makes conventional sense.
The “good news” of standing clean before God with a deep relationship and profound hope has been wonderful. Mitch has testified to the closeness of God through this whole ordeal. That is truly good news. The family of God has been a collective expression of “good news” that is completely good in every way. Expressions of love have been inexpressibly good. The faith in God that refuses to doubt God’s goodness or be consumed by fear is impenetrably good news. Opportunities to witness of God’s goodness to others who have not yet experienced it is an extension of the good news. The “good news” with which we daily live is far greater than the periodic “bad news” that comes to all who live in a fallen, broken and hurting world. “This is the message of good news . . . that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all” (Acts 10:36). No better news has ever been experienced. Experience it; revel in it. Never become dull to the sweet mention of “the Good News”. It is good in every way.