Best News Ever

The Best News Ever

Acts 2:39

Three quick insights about the Good News:

1. This Good News is for you!

2. This Good News is for your children.

3. This Good News is for those far away from God.

What a great weekend this has been—in fact, it’s been the Best Weekend Ever! (Give a few highlights)

We want to finish the BWE, Best Weekend Ever, by talking about the BNE, Best News Ever.? Over the weekend the children learned about 3 very important parables that Jesus told to describe how much God loves people and how he has a heart to be reunited with them. The word parable comes from 2 Greek words; para=alongside (build these 3 statements) and ballo=throw or throw down. So A parable is a story thrown down beside a truth to illustrate it.? The 1st parable is known as the parable of the lost sheep. This shepherd had 100 sheep but one of them wandered away. So the shepherd was concerned about the one sheep and left the 99 to go find it and bring it home.? The 2nd parable is known as the parable of the lost coin. A lady had 10 valuable coins but misplaced one, so she turned her house upside down looking for it.

The 3rd parable is known as the parable of the lost son. We also know it as the parable of the Prodigal son. In this story, a father had 2 sons. The younger one decided he knew what was best for his life so he rebelliously left home to live a destructive lifestyle. But then one day, after he was broke, he ended up in a pig sty eating with the pigs he was so hungry. Jesus said that the young man “came to his senses” and decided to return home. And when he did, his dad ran to him and embraced him and welcomed him home. ? These 3 parables demonstrate vividly the love that God has for those who are far from Him; who have wandered off; who have rebelled against; who are living apart from Him.

Of course, Jesus tells these parables to as a precursor for His impending death on a Roman cross. He had said earlier, “God loves the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever would believe in Him, would not perish, but have everlasting life.”John 3:16

This was Jesus’ mission. He said He said he came “to seek and to save those who were lost.” Luke 19:10 Those who were separated from the Father. This is the Best News Ever: that Jesus would condescend into this cesspool we call the world and live a perfect life so that He could die a perfect death for each of us.? The Bible says that “For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God.”.1 Peter 3:18? His death removed the barrier between a holy and perfect God and mere mortals who are anything BUT perfect. ? Record book of sin. Let’s say that in this book was a detailed account of every sin I ever did—actually, it would fill a whole library, right? But let’s just say they’re all in this book on microfilm. The Bible says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6 (NIV) (motions)

This is the BNE, Best News Ever. It’s also known as the gospel. The word gospel means Good News!? So this thing called the church was established by people who believed the Good News and the promise of God for salvation. And genuine Christ-followers have been telling others about this Good News ever since.? The Apostle Peter was preaching one day and said this to a group listening to him, “For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off.” Acts 2:39

Three quick insights about the Good News:

1. This Good News is for you! It’s for you. Not the person next you or sitting behind or in front of you. It’s for you! Jesus died for you! He extends His forgiveness to you! He offers His gift of salvation to you! The way you receive it is by faith. Not just believing that something is true; but that this Good News is true for you! You can believe something is true without really depending on it to be true, right? Example. This good news is for you and available to you by faith. If you would like to visit with me about accepting this Good News for yourself, I’ll be right over here after the service and would love to visit with you.