This is Good News
When was the last time you were overwhelmed with the goodness and greatness of our God? I can think of a couple of moments this summer where I felt a sense of amazement with who God is. One moment was at family camp while viewing the incredibly clear night sky. I can’t begin to wrap my mind around how vast and beautiful the universe is, and it is truly humbling to think that it is just a dim reflection of its Creator. But even more importantly, another moment came this past week when sharing the gospel message with a few unbelieving friends. As I was sharing the gospel message of how Christ has saved us fully from sin which has caused eternal separation from Him, I felt like the Holy Spirit opened my heart to not just say the words I have said a hundred times but to truly be in amazement of what He has done for me once again! I wanted to make it so clear in that moment that this really is the best news!
The good news of the salvation given to us by God is not just meant for a one-time moment that gives us eternal life. Justification before the Lord is a big part of it, but it is also meant to transform our hearts into the likeness of our Creator daily. One book I appreciate is A Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent. In the first half of this short book, Vincent gives 50 reasons why we need to meditate on the gospel daily. One reason provided states:
“Outside of heaven, the power of God in its highest density is found inside the gospel. This must be so, for the Bible twice describes the gospel as ‘the power of God.’ Nothing else in all of Scripture is ever described in this way, except for the Person of Jesus Christ…Indeed, God’s power is seen in erupting volcanos, in the unimaginably hot boil of our massive sun, and in the lightning speed of a recently discovered star seen streaking through the heavens at 1.5 million miles per hour. Yet in Scripture such wonders are never labeled ‘the power of God.’ How powerful, then, must the gospel be that it would merit such a title! And how great is the salvation it could accomplish in my life, if I would only embrace it by faith and give it a central place in my thoughts each day!”
One reason that we meet as a church family is to remind ourselves on a regular basis of the good news of what Christ has done. There is nothing more powerful or beautiful in this world than who Christ is and what He has done for us. This is something that is so easy for me to forget but so important for me to remember. We are beginning youth group this fall by spending four weeks walking through the story of the gospel starting in creation and working our way toward the promise of our future dwelling with our Lord. If you haven’t in a while, I want to challenge you to join our youth by spending some extended time meditating on the gospel message this next month. If you are unsure where to begin, open to the book of Ephesians or begin with a book like The Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent or What is the Gospel by Greg Gilbert. I promise you that you will not be disappointed!
Jacob Abrahamson
Categories: Evergreen Connection