When the doctor comes back into the room where you are waiting and has the test results from your lab work, they might ask: “So...do you want to hear the good news or the bad news first?” Most people will opt for the bad news first, for all the reasons you might suspect.

I would think that in many situations, it’s hard to really appreciate ‘good news’... until you have heard the ‘bad news’ first; am I right?

Another example to illustrate this: You’re at home watching a ball game on TV and your neighbor calls to inform you that a fire truck just pulled up in front of your home. Your first thought or response might be to say: “Well that’s news!”; to which your neighbor says, no, that is ‘good news’.

“Why’s that?”, you ask. “Because your house is on fire!”, your neighbor informs you. Again, it’s hard to appreciate ‘good news’ until you have first heard the ‘bad news’, as it gives you more perspective on the ‘bigger picture’. Does that make sense?

Were you aware that the word ‘gospel’ actually means ‘good news (message)’? When Jesus began His earthly ministry, it was heralded in with His cry of “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel!” (Mark 1:15). Jesus was essentially announcing to the world: ‘Hey....I’m here and I have some really good news for you all!’

Today, we live in a country where there are a plethora of churches in every town claiming to be teaching/preaching ...the ‘gospel’. But for one reason or another, many if not most, have shied away from teaching in greater detail as to ‘why’...this gospel is good news.

Simply informing an ‘unbeliever’ that if they die without Jesus that God is going to send them to an eternal hell... has a way of landing with a ‘thud’; and not be well received. And I think we ‘get that’ if we are honest with ourselves. But then we like to follow up with a strong and heavy message about this ‘loving God’ who simply adores us and has a beautiful plan for our lives. We cover the key points that ‘everyone has sinned and Jesus died on a cross for our sins so if we believe and accept Him as our Savior...that He will ‘come into our hearts’ and bless us here and now; and the best part is- when we die...we get to go to heaven and live with Him forever in a nice mansion.

Then, the sooner we can get them to walk that aisle, raise that hand, and make that profession of faith...the sooner we can get them signed on to our local church membership and get them working, busy as a bee...volunteering in our church nursery or children’s church, or guarding cars in the parking lot...or teaching VBS...etc. And hopefully, they will come regularly, pay tithes, and their lives will be all the better for this ‘radical’ life change.

I don’t mean to sound so cynical here and cast such a pitiful shadow over what has become all too common in our ‘church world’ today, but I think some reading here might be nodding their heads in agreement. How many folks sitting on those church pews today look around and wonder...why do so many professing believers seem to be struggling, hurting, and suffering, not to mention battling with the same old sins...just like so many outside the ‘church world’ are doing. I remember doing some deep soul searching years ago and asked this question of myself: “How is my life really that different from the family living next door to us who never attends church?”

I mean...we continue to convince those sitting on our pews weekly...that they will remain to be ‘wretched sinners saved by grace’...and how they are ‘not perfect, but forgiven’...and how God ‘uses imperfect people...who will always continue to sin’.

Friends...I would submit to you today that many sincere believers know deep down in their hearts...that ‘something is not right’ amongst our small, separated sanctuaries; but we just can’t put our finger on it. And the last thing we want to do is start ‘casting stones in judgment’. Let me assure you...that simply acknowledging these observations is not ‘judging’ anyone. I would go as far to say that the Holy Spirit is trying to ‘awaken a sleeping remnant’. (Rom. 13:11-14; Eph.5:8-17; Matt. 25:1-13)

We all agree we love this concept of how much our Creator loves us and has this marvelous plan for our lives, but what we have failed to fully grasp is what makes this gospel message such great news...and there is more to it than offering some ‘eternal insurance policy’ that ‘guarantees everyone a mansion in the sky when they die’.

We humans, by nature...tend to avoid discussing unpleasant things. I mean...who really likes to hear ‘bad news’? And especially when it comes to attending church where we're doing good if we make it there once a week. Let’s be real...most have been out ‘in the world’ all week ‘battling all the things’ life throws at us, from family/friend relationships, to making a living, to battling health issues, etc. So when we do drag ourselves in to church...we are needing to be ‘uplifted’ with good singing and music, along with hearing ‘uplifting’ messages that we can hang our hat on and inspire us to hold on...until next week. We want to ‘hear smooth and pleasant things...that can ‘tickle our souls’ and make us feel good. (Isa. 30:8-11; 2 Tim. 4:1-5)

And how did so many end up in such a place that I describe here? I would submit to you that just maybe...we’ve been hearing ‘another gospel’, have ‘received another spirit’, which has led us to ‘follow another Jesus’, as Paul warned might happen. (2 Cor. 11:2-4; 14-15) And this comes about, I believe...because we have not heard the ‘whole counsel’ of God’s word, as Paul made clear that he himself had been preaching. (Acts 20:26-30)

In other words...we have not been fully ‘enlightened’ to the severity and serious of the ‘bad news’ ...where we might fully understand and appreciate the ‘good news’ of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And for this reason...God’s people continue to be ‘destroyed’, as Hosea declared. (Hosea 4:6). And let me assure you, it is not God’s will or desire...for any to perish (2 Pet. 3:9). Meet me here tomorrow...and I’ll fill you in on the ‘bad news’; Lord willing.