THE GOOD NEWS IS THE BAD NEWS IS WRONG
Num. 13:26-33
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: The expert insurance agent
1. Gary has had a tremendous year selling life insurance policies and is asked by one of his colleagues for the secret to his success.
2. Gary replies, "After I outline the benefits of life assurance, I go into costs. And if the prospect then seems to be undecided, I say to him,
3. “OK, I understand that you might need some time to think it over, so why don’t you sleep on it. Then let me know what you think tomorrow morning - IF you wake up, that is."
B. TEXT
26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.” 30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there. Num. 13:26-33.
C. SCARY THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED
The devil is a master at making things look worse than they actually are. The world has its problems, and if we focus on the negative, we will lose our peace and our victory. Here are Examples of Eight Catastrophes that Never Happened:
1. NUCLEAR WAR. As an elementary school-kid in the 60’s, we had to do nuclear drills, crouching against the walls. There
was a high level of fear of imminent death. But here I am as a grandfather. All those fears were needless.
2. THE Y2K BUG. Because computers weren’t programmed to switch from 1999 to 2000, people predicted all heck might break loose. Planes could fall out of the sky, electric grids could crash, and the world banking system could collapse. There was media hysteria. But it passed with only a sigh.
3. THE IMPENDING ICE AGE. In 1975 Newsweek and Time Magazine ran articles about an impending Ice Age (based on 25 years of cooling temps). Media hype caused a stir of unease. Since then? No Ice Age.
4. THE LARGE HADRON COLLIDER. Doomsday believers were sure that when the Large Hadron Collider powered up for the first time in 2008, it had the potential to open a black hole that would consume the entire world. Britain's Sun newspaper read "End of the World Due in 9 Days." It’s been 8 years and no black hole has opened nor has a new big bang destroyed the Earth.
5. WORLDWIDE FAMINE due to World Overpopulation
Remember Soylent Green? Since the 1960's, fears about population explosion have troubled social planners and spawned many apocalyptic books. But starvation has been caused more by corrupt leaders than by lack of food.
6. “OZONE HOLE SCARE.” There was a global scare about the Ozone layer, when a hole opened up over the North Pole. The Ozone layer protects us against cosmic radiation. Suddenly we were told to quit using all propellants with chlorofluorocarbons (CFC). So we rushed to throw away our hair sprays and deodorants, and we didn’t look or smell as good for a while. Now you rarely hear about it. The big talk now is about CO2.
7. VIRUS/ BACTERIAL EPIDEMICS. Swine flu, mad cow, SARS, bird flu, Ebola — take your pick about which disease was going to be the next global plague. At least for now, modern medicine and strong public health policy have been able to stave off the next great pandemic.
8. PLANETARY ALIGNMENT 2012. The public was whipped into real concern with books and movies as the year 2012 approached with its unusual alignment of planets. Tidal waves, earthquakes, disruption of the moon, etc., were predicted. Again it was a no-show.
D. THESIS
1. I’m talking to somebody tonight: You’ve been listening to an evil report, you’ve been listening to what your circumstances are saying, you’ve been listening to what your feelings are saying and what your enemies are saying, and what your friends are saying.
2. Tell your neighbor: Here’s some good news for you today; “The good news is, the bad news is wrong.”
I. BIBLICAL EXAMPLE OF A BAD REPORT
A. PREDICTIONS OF DISASTER
In Num. 13:28-29; 32, the 12 spies were sent out. All 12 saw the same thing, but 10 saw with eyes of doubt and two saw with eyes of faith. The 10 stated the following:
1. “There’s 5 NATIONS GREATER THAN US living there!” [Implication: ‘We’re outnumbered 5X over!’]
2. The CITIES are FORTIFIED and VERY LARGE. [‘We’ll NEVER be able to conquer them!]
3. The PEOPLE who live there are POWERFUL. All of them are OF GREAT SIZE. We saw GIANTS there (the descendants of Anak); even worse, we saw the NEPHILLIM there (SUPERNATURAL GIANTS from before the Flood of Noah!) [What chance do we have against giants, let alone, supernatural giants?]
4. “Even THE LAND DEVOURS people. A TERRIBLE CURSE IS ON IT. [Why would we want a land that anyway?]
5. WE seemed LIKE GRASSHOPPERS in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” They got everybody worked up, they doubted God, and got themselves into a world of trouble.
B. BUT THE FAITH PERSPECTIVE WAS RIGHT
1. Nothing of the kind happened. The Israelites easily defeated them all. Their enemies were seized with fear of them. It was the reverse of what the doubters said.
2. God caused the walls of Jericho (the strongest city in Canaan) to fall. In approximately 6 years (1451-1445 B.C.) most of the kingdoms of Canaan were subdued.
3. 31 Kings were defeated. Quite a remarkable feat when they were supposed to be beaten by giants, Nephilim, fortified cities, and cured lands!
4. WE HAVE THE SAME KIND OF NEGATIVE TALK TODAY:
II. BAD/ GOOD REPORTS TODAY: USA
A. THE BAD NEWS VIEW OF AMERICA
1. America’s ROTTEN to the core. The forces of evil have taken over.
2. There’s almost NO GOOD PEOPLE left. From Hollywood to Wall Street to Washington D.C. to Silicon Valley – all are corrupt.
3. LAW & ORDER are on the verge of breaking down leading to anarchy. Our YOUTH are all going to hell in a hand-basket.
4. The ECONOMY’s about to collapse. Our NATIONAL DEBT will bankrupt our nation and make all of us slaves to the money lenders.
5. We will POLLUTE planet Earth and drive humanity to extinction.
6. The MUSLIMS will take over America and outlaw Christianity. Our KIDS/GRANDKIDS will live in terrible times.
7. BUT WHAT ABOUT GOD? ARE YOU LEAVING HIM OUT OF THE EQUATION?
B. THE TRUTH IS:
1. All your worst fears are unfounded. The country’s not about to dissolve into anarchy, you will not starve, there are many good people left in this country, there are abundant forces of good, God is alive and still guiding the world to His determined goal. PTL!
2. Look at the Great Depression. People had a hard time, but even without a safety net, which we now have, people didn’t miss too many meals. They survived & thrived! God looks after His own!
3. WRONG VIEWS
a. I came tonight with a word in my spirit; I came to tell somebody that everything is not as it appears.
b. I came to tell somebody who has been overwhelmed by their circumstances - there is more to this than meets the eye!
c. I have got to get somebody to shift out of the natural into the supernatural, Out of the visible into the invisible, out of the realm of the senses into the realm of faith.
III. ALTERNATE SOURCE OF NEWS: GOD/BIBLE
We need to listen to a different source of info: the Bible!
A. THERE IS LIFE AFTER DEATH/ RAPTURE
1. The Bible tells us the wonderful news that death is not final, the grave won’t hold us, and the Earth can’t keep us!
2. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” 1 Cor. 15:51-52. The Rapture’s going to happen!
3. We’re going to survive death, be transformed and get new human bodies, that will never get old or have aches & pains. We have an awesome New Life ahead of us which our feeble mind can’t conceive!
B. OUR DESTINY? A NEW WORLD/ HEAVEN
1. Jesus is preparing a place for us that’s been under construction for 2,000 years!
2. The Ark of Noah was under construction for 120 years, the underground city of Petra, in Jordan, took 850 years, but Jesus has been working on your mansion for 2,000 years!
3. “We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness” 2 Pet. 3:13.
4. 2 “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” Rev. 21:2-4.
C. NO MORE TIME: ETERNAL LIFE!
1. Isa. 25:7-8; “On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.”
2. On top of a new body, a new life, a new world, and new mansions – we’re going to be given an infinite life to dwell with God and be the subjects of His blessing “time without end.”
3. Eternal life is more than a length of time, it’s a quality of life/ joy, as far above this life as the heavens are above the earth.
4. God’s only description is “IT’S SOOOOO GOOD, YOU CAN’T POSSIBLY IMAGINE HOW GOOD IT WILL BE!” Wow! When God doesn’t even have the words, it must be good!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: TRASH OR TREASURE?
1. Craig Randall drives a garbage truck in Peabody, Massachusetts. In a garbage container one day, he noticed a Wendy’s soft drink cup bearing a contest sticker.
2. Having won a chicken sandwich the week before, Randall checked it, hoping for some french fries or a soft drink.
3. Instead, he peeled a sticker worth $200,000 toward the construction of a new home, reports “U.S. News and World Report” (11/6/95). [Bob Weniger, Ft. Collins, Colorado]
4. God has the ability to turn what looks worthless into a treasure. That’s what He’s done for us, and that’s the kind of God whose planned your glorious future!
B. THE BAD NEWS VS. THE GOOD NEWS
1. The bad news says: “You’re going to die,” but the good news says “You shall live and not die!”
2. The bad news says: “You’re going to lose your mind;” but the good news says: “God will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee.”
3. The bad news says: “Your blessing is gone, your marriage is dead, that son or that daughter is hopeless.”
4. The bad news says: “You’ll never see your dreams fulfilled, you’ll never have that ministry you’ve envisioned.”
5. But the good news is: The bad news is wrong!
C. THE CALL
1. How many of you have been listening to the wrong report and have gotten discouraged?
2. How many want to jump on the “Train” of God’s Good Report for you and start traveling with your Heavenly Father?
3. Let’s gather at the front and accept God’s Best for us and embrace a future of Blessing that is better than we can imagine! Prayer.
[This is a rewrite Terry Sisney’s message of the same title.]
