All too often we feel the buzz of a smartphone and see our news feed light up the screen—another shooting, another natural disaster, another crisis. We also see the lavish lifestyles of so many people on social media chasing another adventure, another lover, another outfit. Then we go to the coffee shops and sit with our friends. We use buzzwords like shame, trauma, and abuse. We self-medicate with sex, fame, and food. We look for rescuing from our books, our celebrities, and our vacations. The whirring chaos of false security and empty promises takes its toll, and we keep hitting refresh waiting for tweets and grams to tell us something good. We need something to cut through the noise, something to refresh the soul, something to bring hope to a world marked by despair. We need good news.
We Need Good News
The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes the bones.
Watch Session One: Created for this
A Big Enough Gospel
Complain about Uber Eats forgetting your Mexican Coke or dressing on the side, and you know to brace yourself for the snarky “first world problems” rebuttal from a frenemy. While your missing tahini-garlic dressing should not register as a big problem on a human level, these interactions leave us wondering if our problems matter in the face of global epidemics we see on our news feeds. Does it matter that I am heartbroken about my singleness when babies go to bed hungry? Does it matter that I struggle with depression and anxiety when refugees wander this planet looking for a home? Does it matter that I am addicted to my smartphone when women and children endure sex trafficking in staggering numbers? What if God is compassionate and big enough to care for every person hurting? What if God’s gospel is big enough to comfort the lonely, set the captives free, minister to us in our despair, and mobilize a generation to push back against the evil we see in our world? Is the gospel big enough for all of this?
the gospel everyday
The gospel of God—the good news that the kingdom of God has been inaugurated by Jesus— means good news for the world. Rather than thinking of the gospel as a one-time event in the life of the believer, we recognize that the gospel is a worldwide proclamation that Jesus has come to deliver us from our sin, comfort us, strengthen us, and mobilize the cavalry to go into the world “gospel-ing” it through word and deed. The gospel bears witness that we live in a kingdom, we belong to a king, and we have faith, hope and love at our disposal for every moment—big or small.
Daily Question
How can the gospel—the good news of the kingdom of God—be a way for you to bring hope, joy, and peace in your own life and in the lives of others?
Comments (10)
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What a time to share my peace that transcends all understanding…in the midst of a pandemic. My reason for lack of fear, for lack of anxiety is that I "belong to a King" and my hope in Him is secure. He has already won; therefore I am emboldened in the face of this virus. Emboldened not to act rashly or to be ignorant or heartless, but to be free of fear and to love and comfort those who are afraid.
Light.
I simply have a light that shines brighter, the darker it gets. And that light is not of me or from me but in me.
Light.
His word brings peace to my chaios. When I’m listening to God it makes me feel a purpose and cope with others that he wants us to love.
For myself, continuing to feed myself daily in God’s word gives me my daily portion of hope.
*Listening to Pastor John’s daily Hope devotions
*Tuesday night prayer time/ Thursday night worship time
*Reading through Proverbs and Psalms with my husband and praying with him
*This 6 week study
*Attending weekend online services all
This all keeps me centered and more sensitive to those around me that have a need.
The Gospel is refreshing … through times of happiness and despair. It serves as a beacon of light to remind me of what is good. Finding ways to immerse in the Word regularly brings hope, joy and peace to my soul. I attempt to share that with others
Because it does just that, change us. The Good News makes us a new person in Christ. Its a way to see ourselves through our Fathers eyes. Its a way of knowing true love.
A reminder of how much God loves me!
Reminder of how to live and meditate and keep our perspective.
This is where I feel that I have failed. SO many people need to hear the message of hope in this chaos. We’re months into it and I feel buried. I want to turn that around and bring peace thru the Good News.
First of all, I rely on God for my strength, direction, and peace through prayer and the Word. I have learned this through the years and when I was broken by my infertility and heartache. Before that I had a lot of pride, relying on myself to make the decisions, thinking I knew what was best for me.
Second, I know that all things are possible through Him which gives me joy and peace during tough times.
I share my struggles with others in hopes it helps them and maybe know Jesus in a new way.