the Good News: read all about it, part 3

The Word for today:
Acts 15:1-12

mark this:  Acts 14:7

And there they preached the Good News.

Over the last couple of days, we took a look at what the Bible means by "the Good News" (also know as "the gospel.")

The Apostle Paul stressed that the Good News--Jesus' life, death, and resurrection--had been written in the Old Testament (which were the only "Scriptures" Paul had).

And now I want to remind you, my friends, of the Good News which I preached to you, which you received, and on which your faith stands firm. That is the gospel, the message that I preached to you: that Christ died for our sins, as written in the Scriptures; that he was buried and that he was raised to life three days later, as written in the Scriptures.  (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

Jesus proclaimed the Good News with the greatest clarity, because--in the Sermon on the Mount-- he was able to paint the darkest background in scripture:

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire. 

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.   (see Matthew 5:21-30)

Against that hyper-darkness, the Light off the World shines even brighter, the Good News sounds even better.

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The Good News should be told like Jesus told it.  It can't be painted in colors all sweet and light, because we can't perceive it against that background.  The telling that will be heard, the telling that will engender faith, will be the telling of the whole Word of God:

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)

The Good News should be told like Jesus told it.  He ratcheted up the law to the nth degree, in order that we could perceive the grace of God more clearly:

Law came in, to increase the trespass; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. (Romans 5:20)

Then he played the John 3:16 card.

He knew how to tell the Good News because he is the Good News:

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.  (Acts 5:42)

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