Saturday, August 07, 2010

What is the Good News?

So actually what is the Good News?

John 3:17
17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.


John 12:47
47"... For I [Jesus] did not come to judge the world, but to save it.

So ... we have our answer in the Bible. The Good News is that Jesus saves us. But this raises another question. "Saves us from what?"

Many may say He saves us from sin. Well more accurately He saves us from the effects of sin and that is He saves us from the righteous wrath of God upon us. Why would God judge us like this and show His wrath toward us? Because all have sinned and broken the law of God. And God will judge all. But.... back to the Good News. Jesus offers forgiveness of those sins that incur God's wrath) and offers reconciliation with God who is our heavenly Father. Whilst this is offered to all it is only given to those who repent.

CONVICTION -> REPENTANCE -> FORGIVENESS -> SALVATION -> HOLINESS -> ETERNAL LIFE (and in this order)


“In answer to your inquiry, I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell.” William Booth


On 5 September Oxford Citadel Corps of The Salvation Army with the help of Regent Hall Band will be taking the gospel of Good News into the city.
It's St Giles fair week and the city will be full of shoppers, tourists, locals going about their business, homeless people and others. We will tell them of Jesus and His love, call them to repentance, lead them to the cross and make clear the way to be saved. We will do this with gentleness and love and with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Where does this power come from? Much fervent prayer, a pure heart, clean hands, sacrificial giving, Holiness and obedience. Pray to God for this power... that His name may be glorifed and His Kingdom extended.

Some words of encouragement from Catherine Booth to those he feel they cannot easily tell others of this Good News. For those who feel fear and feel weak.

The masses of people look upon Christians as a separate and secluded class, with whom they have no concern and possess nothing in common. They watch them go past their houses to their various places of worship with utter indifference or bitter contempt; and, alas! has there not been too much in our past conduct calculated to beget this kind of feeling, much of Pharisaic pride and selfish unconcern? If the zeal of the Lord's house had eaten us up,--if we had realized more fellowship with Christ in his sufferings,--if we had understood the meaning of his words, "Compel them to come in," if we had been baptized with Paul's spirit, when he could almost have wished himself accursed from Christ for his brethren's sakes, should we not have gone out amongst the people as our Master did, by the road-side and into their houses, to have spoken to them the "words of this life,"--to have persuaded, implored, and compelled them to come in? Alas, we are verily guilty; nor has it been in many instances for want of light, or for want of the leadings of the Holy Spirit; but it has been for want of OBEDIENCE, and because of our pride, or shame, or fear.I think I hear some timid one saying, 'Ah! I wish I could: the Lord knows how I long to be doing some real work for him; but I am so weak, and so little adapted to this kind of labour, I fear I should not succeed.'My dear brother, sister, we are of little use in any department of the vineyard until we have been made to realise our own weakness. The weaker we feel ourselves to be, the better. It is not a question of our STRENGTH, but of our FAITH. "Why look ye so earnestly on us (said Peter to those who marvelled at the miracle wrought on the lame), as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? . . . Faith in the name of Jesus has made this man strong, whom ye see and know." God does not call us to any work in our own strength; He bids us go and do it in His. "Give ye them to eat," said He to the Disciples, but He knew who must supply the bread; so now he requires us to break the Bread of Life to the multitude, trusting in Him for the supply. He hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty. Why? That the excellency of the power may be seen to be of God, and not of man.No matter how simple the words, or how tremulous the voice, if He blesses, then it shall be blessed


God help us all in this.
For His Glory and His Kingdom.
Saved to Save.Amen