As we approach the midpoint of 2021, we are starting to see glimmers of hope on the horizon as to the coming end of the lockdowns, and even the economy perhaps showing signs of improvement. We are hungry for good news because good news has been at a premium in the last year and a half.
A book that I find is always chock full of good news is the Bible. From cover to cover it tells us of how God has been chasing us, wanting to restore the relationship that was severed shortly after He created us as humans.
The Bible begins with the story of Adam, the first man, hiding from God in the Garden of Eden. He had committed the first sin, and God Himself went looking for him in order to bring back and restore the communication they had together
The Bible ends with Jesus promising to return and be with us forever. The verse that, in my mind, epitomizes the Good News is found in John 3:16, and I quote, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
“God so loved the world” means that He loved us, every one of us. There is not a person that ever walked on the face of the earth that God didn’t love. Sometimes our enemy, the devil, tries to convince us that we are too bad, that we’ve just done too many bad things, or that we’ve become unlovable...that there’s no hope for us. That is not true according to the Bible!
“He gave His one and only Son.” God wanted to restore the relationship with His people, us, His creation, so much that He gave His one and only Son, Jesus, to take our punishment for us. He came to earth as an innocent baby and in His early thirties allowed himself to be crucified. He died for us, and on the third day rose from the grave, victorious over death. That’s our God!
By Jesus dying a substitutionary death for our sin, He paid the price for all the sins committed in the world from the beginning of time until the end of time!
“Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The gift of eternal life is free; all we have to do is believe. All we have to do is accept the gift that Jesus bankrolled for us, and we will be with Him eternally! Forever! All we have to do is make a decision to follow Him, and He will deliver us from sin.
I invite you to make that choice today.
Roy Kroeker
Pastor of Virden Victory Church
