Good News

Acts 8:35, Revelation 19:10

At the end of the gospels, Jesus declares to His disciples, “And you shall be my witnesses.”  It is called the Great Commission, and from the apostles until now, it is the primary mission of the church of Jesus Christ.  To be a witness is to be someone who declares what they have seen and heard.  God’s son has come to the world to declare righteousness.  He died to pay the penalty for sin, and was raised to new life so that we could live in Him, free from sin, alive to God, and filled with the Holy Spirit.  As a Christian, we are a witness to what Jesus has done, both in our own lives, and for humanity as a whole.  It is the good news of Jesus Christ, the savior of the world.
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There is no better job than to be a messenger of good news.  In Revelation, it is declared that the ‘testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’  A prophetic word is a word that encourages, lifts up, and exhorts all those who hear and believe it.  As messengers of Jesus, we spread the news of joy, hope, and love; that Jesus came into the world to redeem humanity, and provide new life.  His death brought an end to the punishment of sin, and His resurrection brought a new life filled with a power over all the works of sin and the devil.

As we proclaim this message, we are reminded ourselves.  In the midst of life, the news of Jesus Christ can bring clarity to who God is and what He has done.  It brings encouragement in the midst of trial, hope when our situation seems lost, and victory in the midst of temptation.  Just as the message of Jesus Christ brings life to all those who accept it, it brings light by the Holy Spirit to our own life and situation.  Today may the gospel of Jesus Christ rise from your heart and be declared over you, your life, and to all those around you.