The Good News

A month or two ago I finished 'Shaken,' by Tim Tebow. The last two pages were so eye opening and basically explained the good news of Jesus. I had it underlined and I knew that I wanted to use it for the blog in the future and today is the day. What I am sharing with you today comes from the book. I think it's a great reminder because we often forget the simplicity of the story of Jesus and the good news.

"You know that John 3:16 is the essence of Christianity, depicting the heart of God who loved the world so much that He willingly sacrificed His only son, Jesus, so that we could be free from the bondage of sing and live an abundant live. Sin is not an easy word for many people to swallow. Put in simple terms it means "missing the mark."We've all missed the mark. And even after inviting Jesus into our hearts, we continue to do so. Sin is what separates us from our heavenly Father. And no mate how many good deeds we rack up, no matter how king we are to strangers, no matter how many homeless people we shelter, no matter how many orphans we help, no matter how many sick people we courage, it will never be good enough to reconcile us to God. We can't bribe Him with our good works. Instead, we depend on what God did for us. He sent His Son, Jesus, to live on this earth, to die at the hands of those He came to love, and to break the chains of death through His resurrection. This is the Good News. In fact, it's the best news. The ultimate legacy we can leave is a life of faith, believing the gospel and living in a way that exemplifies Jesus. Two thousand years ago, a abby was born who could change the course of humanity. The Son of God left the perfection of heaven, a perfect relationship with the Father God, to come down to earth to die for the sins of the world. Jesus left it all for me. For you. Looking at scene from a human perspective, it's hard to believe. A simple teenage girl is chosen to carry the Savior of mankind. Nine months pregnant, tired, still trying to piece together the miracle in her belly, she simultaneously battles the fear of this task and cradles the wonder of the phenomenon. And she gives birth to the Son of God. In a barn. On a dirt floor caked with mud, scattered with rough straws of hay that bleating sheep and mooing cows trample on. The scene isn't pretty. It's not a delivery room with a soft bed, clean sheets, and the expert guidance of doctors and nurses. It's messy. It's unlikely. It's not how one would imagine the entrance of God into this world, what Christianity calls the Incarnation. It's ordinary. Without fanfare. Without flowers, balloons, and well wishes. God takes on human flesh. The Author of life enters our story. And for thirty-three years, Jesus walks with humankind. Taking His first steps while His parents clap their hands in delight. Skipping stones on the kegs. Horsing around with his neighborhood kids. As He grows up, Jesus works alongside His dad, a carpenter. And the same hands created to heal the lame and make the blind see chisel and sand oak into kitchen tables. At just the right time, Jesus begins His public ministry. He gets baptized, ignition a three-year run reaching and teaching those who would listen. People flock to Him, drawn to His powerful yet mysterious words, His gentle yet commanding spirit. Men and women alike are captivated by the way He looks into their eyes, drawing deep into their souls, knowing what lies in the depths and still showing mercy. He helps people. He offers peace for their longings, living water for their thirst, forgiveness for their wrongs. The religious elite of the day hate Jesus. They are infuriated by His claims to be the Son of God and the Son of Man, the Messiah. And ultimately, they plot to kill Him. Betrayed by one of His own followers, Jesus is arrested. Sentenced to die. And in one of the most excruciating forms of capital punishment, He is crucified on a wooden cross. Nails pierce through His hands and His feet. A crown of thorns presses into His skull. Jesus is hung like dead meat next to two criminals. One curses Him, demanding that if Jesus is who He says He us, He should get them out of this mess. The other begs for mercy. And as the man takes one of his final breaths, Jesus promised him eternal life: "Today you shall be with Me in Paradise." It's the pictorial definition of Romans 5:8, which says, "God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." When Jesus died for us, the weight of sin was upon Him. My sin. And your sin. And during that time, He experienced not just a physical death but the spiritual death of being separated from God the Father. Jesus was forsaken so we don't have to be. Jesus was abandoned so we don't have to be. God turned His back on Jesus, His Son, so He wouldn't have to turn His back on us. What people planned for evil, God planned for good. While Jesus dies on the cross, an unseen cosmic transaction unfolds. Jesus takes on the punishment for our sins, and as the same time, His righteousness, and new life, become available to us. Through His death, He abolished the barrier that separates us from God. Instead of being alienated from our Creator, we can actually have a relationship with Him. We have the opportunity to be reconciled with God, forgiven of our sins, adopted into His family, and to receive an eternal home in heaven. This is a free gift. We can't earn it, and our beat efforts will never be enough to deserve it. We only need to receive it by trusting Jesus. On the third day after Jesus was crucified, He rose from the dead. The Christian faith is meaningless without this fact. Former atheist turned apologist C.S. Lewis wrote that Jesus "has forced open a door that has been locked since the death of the first man. He has met, fought, and beaten the King of Death. Everything is different because He has done so. This is the beginning of the New Creation: a new chapter in cosmic history has been opened." I love was Josh McDowell wrote: "No matter how devastating our struggles, disappointments, and troubles are, they are only temporary. No matter what happens to you, no matter the depth of tragedy of pain you face, no matter how death stalks you and your loved ones, the resurrection promises you a future of immeasurable good."

That is it. It was a little lengthy but I love reading through that over and over again. I hope that it encourages you today and that you are reminded about the Good News and the amazing story of Jesus.