In the day we live listening to the news can become disturbing as the airwaves are filled with bad news that is taking place in our world. We hear of the shootings, murders, robberies, wars and fighting that are taking place all over the world. We hear about the pandemic and anger that is rising all over the United States over various issues.
Then closer to home, when talking with others we hear about the unemployment problems, family problems, marriage issues, immorality issues along with the drug and alcohol epidemic that has attacked our society. We hear bad news after bad news. Occasionally television or newspapers will give us a nice human-interest story that will warm the heart, but they are very rare.
The devil has convinced so many that “good news” is not interesting to people. He has deceived society into believing this lie so that we will not share the “good news” of our Lord Jesus. One may ask, “Preacher, what is ‘good news’?” Paul said it this way, “The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes.”
The devil has convinced many believers there is no need to share this “good news” because it has no power to change lives that are in desperate need of being transformed. I want us to look at five truths concerning the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Truth One: The Gospel has power to quicken. Ephesians 2: 1 “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” The word “quicken” here means to be made alive. A person that has never received Jesus as Savior is dead in sin, meaning they are separated from a personal relationship with the Lord. The “good news” is that when a person prays and receives Jesus as Savior they are quickened or made alive in Christ Jesus.
When we read of the story of Lazarus, who was raised from the dead by Jesus, we get a picture of what Jesus will do for the person who is lost in sin and comes to Jesus for salvation. The “good news” is, if you have never been spiritually raised from the dead Jesus can give you a new life.
Truth Two: The Gospel has power to enlighten. Many places in the New Testament one who has not received Jesus as Savior is said to be walking in darkness. Darkness is a place where one struggles and stumbles trying to walk. Paul writes in Colossians that the “good news” found in Jesus Christ “hath power to deliver us from the power of darkness.” We read the story of blind Bartimaeus, how Jesus brought light not only to his physical eyes but also to his spiritual life.
The “Good News” today is that you may be stumbling through the darkness of this world searching for direction, but if you will call on Jesus He has the power to enlighten you through His glorious Gospel of Light.
Truth Three: The Gospel has the power to save. One may ask, “From what do I need to be saved?” The Scripture teaches that all have sinned and come short of God’s glory. They also teach the wages of sin is death or a separation from God. A person cannot do anything on their own to bridge that gap of separation from God. We cannot live good enough, give enough, go to church enough, read the Bible enough, stop doing bad things or anything else enough to be saved. It is only when we have been “born again” through the shed blood of Jesus can we be saved. Jesus told the Pharisee Nicodemas, “Ye must be born again to see the kingdom of heaven.” Praise God the “good news” found in Jesus still has the power to save.
Truth Four: The Gospel has the power to protect. When I was a child, I knew that daddy and momma were always there to watch over and protect me no matter the situation. When we walk through life as a child of God, we can be assured that He has the power to protect us at all times. The three Hebrew boys that were thrown into the fire by King Nebuchadnezzar knew the protecting hand of the Lord. When you read that story, we find that three were tossed into the fire. However, when the king rose up to gaze into the fire, he saw four men in the flames. We can rejoice today that Jesus is still in the fires of this world with power to deliver His children.
Truth Five: The Gospel has power to brighten the future. Everyone wants to know what lies ahead tomorrow. No one knows what tomorrow truly holds, but as a believer we can share the “good news” that we know who holds tomorrow in His strong hands of security. We can face these troubling days we live in because our future is sealed by the blood of the Lamb of God. It is my prayer today that you know Jesus so your future is settled, and you can experience life eternal.
This world is filled with bad news but as Christ-followers, we have the greatest news: Jesus loves you and wants to quicken, enlighten, save, protect and give you a future that is out of this world.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com