Embodying the Good News: A Call to Action

The original version, the original version was so good that it was compelling. And the original version was so compelling, it was worth telling. And as we said, in week one, it was so worth telling that no one had to pay anybody to tell it, that Luke tells us that many people, this is and there's no parallel and in ancient history, that many people endeavored to document the life and the teaching of Jesus, not because they were paid to do so, but because they knew the story needed to be preserved. [00:05:38]

Because when Jesus' birth was announced, it's so interesting, it could have been announced in lots of different ways with lots of different words. But here's the initial announcement, here's the headline, here's the breaking news, good news. This is the terminology used, this was the phrase good news of great joy that is when you understand this it's going to light something up on the inside of you. And it's not just for the people in that city, not just for people in that part of the world. [00:04:09]

And the way that you treat and the way that you love other people, that's good news. And every single generation, every generation of Jesus followers, every generation of Jesus followers is responsible to ensure that our news is the original news that our news is the good news. Again, Jesus could not have been clearer. How do we miss this? I have a feeling I know how we missed it. But I'll ask the question anyway. [00:12:48]

He says: Therefore, if you have any encouragement, from being united with Christ, now that you're in Christ, now that you're in this brand new covenant with this brand new understanding now that you've entered this new kingdom that's forever if there's anything encouraging about that, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing among those of you in the community of these little Ecclesiastes, these little churches, in the spirit have any tenderness and compassion. [00:18:13]

He says: Okay, here we go, number one, do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Wow, that'd be good, wouldn't it? Wouldn't you like to work for somebody like that? If you're hiring people wouldn't you like to hire people like that. Don't you wish your father had been that way? Aren't you glad your father is that way? Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, rather, he says in humility, value others above yourself, value them above yourself not because they're more valuable. [00:19:29]

The essence of the Gospel is that God put you first not because again, you should come first or I should come first. He chose to put you first he said, "Now you're going to follow me." This is how I want you to treat people, all people, the people that you think deserve it and even more importantly, the people that you're sure don't it's what Jesus followers, not believe, we got that down, it's what we do. [00:21:07]

He leveraged his power and his influence for the benefit of those with less power and less influence. He leveraged his power and influence as God for the benefit of those who had less power and less influence. There are communities in our country and there are nations around the world that that one simple idea would liberate so many people would free so many people would increase the lifespan and the lifetime and the quality of life for millions and millions and millions of people. [00:24:52]

And when that baby grew to be a man, and stepped onto the pages of history as Jesus of Nazareth, he extended a simple invitation to all of you and all of us. He said, "Follow me." And it was an invitation to good people. It was an invitation to not so good people. And it was an invitation to people who weren't sure there was anything left good in the world. So is the message of Jesus true? That's a question for another day. [00:39:55]

And the good news for somebody becomes bad news, when you're bad news. When the news becomes more about what then a who, when the news becomes more about a view than a you when that happens, it is no longer good news. So, one last time and we're done. Are you good news? Am I good news? Because come on, you know this. If the good news lives inside of us, shouldn't there be something about us that's good news for our world? [00:37:24]

And the original version, the original version was so good that it was compelling. And the original version was so compelling, it was worth telling. And as we said, in week one, it was so worth telling that no one had to pay anybody to tell it, that Luke tells us that many people, this is and there's no parallel and in ancient history, that many people endeavored to document the life and the teaching of Jesus, not because they were paid to do so, but because they knew the story needed to be preserved. [00:05:38]

And when we do that, good things happen around us. The perversion of the Gospel says this, "No, good things happen to us." The apostle Paul would say, "No good things happen around us." And when we embrace that perversion, it becomes about us. And we are no longer good news. He wraps up with this he says: Look, do everything without grumbling or arguing, talking about Christians and Christians so that you may become blameless. [00:30:24]

And when you hear good news, you want it to be true, you don't resist it, you hope it's true. And the original version, the original version was so good that it was compelling. And the original version was so compelling, it was worth telling. And as we said, in week one, it was so worth telling that no one had to pay anybody to tell it, that Luke tells us that many people, this is and there's no parallel and in ancient history, that many people endeavored to document the life and the teaching of Jesus, not because they were paid to do so, but because they knew the story needed to be preserved. [00:05:38]