Mark 1:14–15 

After John had been committed to prison, Jesus came into Galilee, announcing the good news about God, and saying, ‘The time that was appointed has come; and the kingdom of God is here. Repent and believe the good news.’ 

I can think of no better time for a little Good News. There is plenty of bad news to go around…the world and back. In the book of Mark we are reminded that there is some good news to be shared.Two simple verses, if I counted right, 39 words. Dominant in these verses are The Good News, Repentance and the word believe.

Let’s start with the Good News. This being the news that Jesus brings to all of us. What is the content of this message that Jesus brings to all of us? It is the good news of truth. Before Jesus we had no ability to see and to know. Job cries out…‘O that I knew where I might find him,’ (Job 23: 3) The Good News being those falmilar words ‘I can see clearly now’. With the coming of Jesus we can see clearly who God is. We no longer have to guess or wonder, now we know. It’s the good news of hope. The ancient world always looked to see the worst, a doom and gloom attitude, despondent and depressed. The coming of Jesus brought hope to the hopeless and today that hope abounds in the heart of the believers. It is the good news of Peace… Ephesians 6: 15

 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.

As mortals, sin and goodness are always fighting a battle for our souls. The coming of Jesus brings together the waring factions of the mind and body and we find victory as our warring within is conquered by Jesus Christ.

It is the good news of God’s Promise. Ephesians 3: 6

6 that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Those not of the faith tend to believe God to be a demanding God. Christianity tells of a God who is willing to give more than we could ever ask.

It is good news of immortality… 2 Timothy 1:10

 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 

To the pagan you are born to die and life was the road that got you there. Jesus brought the good news that we are on the way to life, not death. 

It is good news of salvation…Ephesians 1:13

13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit

Salvation is a positive thing in that it is not just liberation from past sin, it gives us the power to conquer sin. We are left with two more words. 

There is the word repent,  a word I feel is often misunderstood. In Greek the word means change of mind. Yes, sin can make us sorry for what we have done but often leaves us more concerned with the consequences and the sorrow  brings. Truth is most people would do it again if they thought they could escape the consequences. As Christians we must understand that to repent means to change our actions, the way we live. We must learn to hate sin. 

There is the word believe. Believe in the Good News!  We can believe that God is the kind of God Jesus has told us about. This is the one time that something is to good to be true…is true! Have faith, believe the Good News, God loves you and will make any sacrifice to bring you back to him.

Life is Good

jk