I love the incident in which Jesus returns to his home town synagogue and is invited to read a scripture. He opens to Isaiah and reads a messianic passage — to the effect that the messiah would give good news to the poor, heal the broken hearted, proclaim liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, liberty for the oppressed, and the year of the Lord’s favor.
In other words, the messiah was full of good news.
Then Jesus said he was that messiah.
Jesus is the good news that each person needs to hear. Many today will say that Jesus is the only one who could deliver them from addiction, or the only one who healed their marriage. Jesus was the only one who got the kids back, or the only one who healed from tragedy. Jesus was the only one who kept him sane after loss of a child, who got her through a chronic illness.
Hopefully people will hang with Jesus long enough for him to say, “You know, the good news you truly need is forgiveness of all your sins, that you may stay with me forever.” And that’s gospel.
(Leave a comment would you? How has Jesus been good news to you?)
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