WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PREACH THE GOOD NEWS?
Acts 8:35
If I told you, “Now, I want you to build a house for me!” what would you think? How can my words make sense to you? Of course, for this to happen there needs to be some conditions met. There is an assumption that we have talked about. There is also an assumption that you know how to do it, or you are told how to do it.
In Acts 8:35 we read, "Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus." After Philip has preached him about Christ, this Ethiopian officer immediately responded to the message. Luke leaves us with a tension at this verse. He does not record for us Philip’s sermon to the official, but from other Scriptures in Acts we can build a case and answer the question, “What does it mean to preach the good news?” The book of Acts is the book of the progress of the church in fulfilling Jesus’ Great Commission, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16).
We answer this question, by answering three other questions. These three questions will spell out for us the meaning of our question.
I. What is the good news?
II. How to prove the validity of the good news?
III. How to effectuate the good news?
{The first question for us to answer is “What is the good news?”}
I. WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS?
A. Lost in its sins, the world needs Christ. Sin causes the death and separation of man from his/her Creator (Rom. 3:23; 6:23). Because of sin, man’s relationship with God is broken. And the Good News is that God has offered a remedy in Christ so that people can be restored back to God.
B. What stays in the essence of the Good News?
1. Paul defines for us the gospel, the good news in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 when he writes, " Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures," (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
2. All the sermons, which are recorded in the book of Acts contain:
a. The death of Christ for our sins.
b. The resurrection of Christ for our justification.
3. This is the good news! This is “the good news about Jesus” that Philip preached to the Ethiopian officer!
{There are some natural questions that come from answering this first one. Can I trust the good news? Are the proofs to validate its authenticity? How can one prove the validity of the good news?}
II. HOW TO PROVE THE VALIDITY OF THE GOOD NEWS?
A. It is possible to prove the validity of the Good News! Though these elements are present throughout Acts, Peter has condensed them in one sermon in the first sermon preached at Pentecost. These evidences prove that Christianity is not some occult practice that was shaped in hidden, “…because it was not done in a corner.” (26:26).
B. These evidences are:
1. Prophecy. According to Peter, the events in the Day of Pentecost had their origin in Old Testament prophecies. What they experienced that day was long spoken by the prophets. The Old Testament contains over 300 prophecies in regard to Christ. These prophecies give us an address in time to identify Messiah / Christ. They also help us understand the love of God and His long-lasting plans to restore humanity back to Himself.
2. Miracles. Peter said in his sermon "…Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know." (Acts 2:22). He called them to verify the evidence that they had experienced just recently. None of them could deny the facts! Why? Because, they were facts!
3. Resurrection. Christianity stands or falls with the truth of the resurrection. Can the resurrection be verified? These men were changed from a bunch of running cowards to powerful preachers of Christ. What caused the change? They said that it was the resurrected Lord. When faced with threats they answered “We must obey God rather than men!” (5:29). Most of them died for having preached the resurrected Christ who had appeared to them. I am not quite willing to die of something I have not seen or am not sure of. Are you?
4. Eye-witness. (2:32). Are the witnesses reliable? Yes they are! They had been with Jesus from the beginning of His earthly ministry and had seen with their eyes the Lord Jesus performing miracles. They had seen Him resurrected. They lived and died to testify Him as Lord and Savior of the world. This was so much their life, that even though threatened they were able to say “…we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (4:20).
5. The Holy Spirit. The coming of the Holy Spirit in the day of Pentecost is a fulfillment of the promise of Jesus to send the Holy Spirit and a proof of His resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father (2:33). At the night of His betrayal Jesus said to His despaired disciples, "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." (John 16:7). The fact that the Spirit came, as evidenced by the miracles that were performed is a proof of the validity of Jesus’ claims and of the Good News.
{Now that we have explained the good news, and have given proofs to the validity of the good news we want to answer the question “How to effectuate the good news?”}
III. HOW TO EFFECTUATE THE GOOD NEWS?
A. This question is a very serious question. It is one thing to know the facts and it is completely another to have the answer make sense to us. One of the things that have frustrated me most in university was some of the classes that did not touch base with the reality. In my judgment I thought what is the purpose of taking these classes, gaining this new knowledge and knowing that I will not use it? I have always believed that if science can not be applied, then it is meaningless and it is a waste of time.
B. So we ask ourselves how are we to effectuate the good news for us. How can the good news have effect on us or other people? In order for the gospel to have effect on us we need to…
1. Believe in Christ as Lord and Savior. The belief in Christ as Lord and Savior is strongly implied in Acts 2:36-37. Peter proclaimed Jesus as Lord and Christ (36), and this caused the people to be cut to their hearts at the knowledge that they had crucified the Lord and Christ (37). If they had not believed what Peter said to be true, they would not feel such a deep sorrow in their hearts. The idea of belief is seen in all the cases of conversion in Acts. It was on belief that they acted in obedience to the good news.
2. Repent of your sins. To this heart-pierced crowd Peter said “Repent…” (2:38). The idea of repentance signifies a deep sorrow for sin, that would make a person want and will to change his/her heart and life to a committed life to Christ as Lord and Savior.
3. Confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior. The Ethiopian official said “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” (8:37). Luke quotes from Jesus’ words when He said “I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.” (Luke 12:8-9).
4. Be baptized in the name of Christ for the forgiveness of sins.
a. When asked by the crowd at Pentecost “What should we do? Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38, NIV).
b. A sorrowful Saul / Paul who has seen the resurrected Lord, has prayed and has gone without food for three days, was told by God through Ananias "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’" (Acts 22:16). Sins washed away means that they are no more, and if they are no more they are forgiven.
c. We should note that each of the eight conversion cases in the book of Acts has baptism mentioned! Do you think that this just happened to be there? I don’t!
{In conclusion, all comes back to us.}
CONCLUSION
We have seen together the good news that Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected for justification (Romans 4:25). We have proved through the evidences of prophecy, miracles, resurrection, eye-witness, and Holy Spirit the validity of the good news. Now the question is: What are we going to do with it? Have you effectuated the good news for your life? How? By believing in Jesus as Lord and Savior. By repenting of your sins. By confessing him as Lord and Savior. By being baptized in His name for the forgiveness of sins.
If you have done so, then I have one more question. Do you believe in the power of the gospel, the good news enough to share it? The early church believed it and proclaimed it. Will you?
