Hooray! Good News Has Come! – Luke 2:8-11

During the times of ancient Greece, there was a war against Persia and a decisive battle took place in the field of Marathon. When Greece had somehow won, a man was sent to run from Marathon to Athens. After running the whole way, he announced, ‘Joy to you, we have won!’ and died from exhaustion. Meanwhile, the whole city rejoiced at the good news.

People always look forward to good news and react with joy. However all good news is temporary, subjective, and some can even be immoral. There is only one good news that is eternal. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Without this good news, we cannot be saved. In general, everything God says is good and eternal, because He is good and eternal. The gospel, specifically, the death and resurrection of Jesus is the good news by which we receive God’s blessing and gift of salvation. All other good news stems from the Gospel.

The arrival of the good news.
The good news came to shepherds who were watching their sheep near Bethlehem. The angel appears in an amazing scene of light, reflecting the glory of God. Why did the angel appear to them? Because they were sinners. In the end, everyone is just a sinner, and as sinners, they were frightened before God. No matter how holy one may seem, before God we hide or tremble or despair because of our guilt. (Gen3:9-10;Is6:5) The good news has come because we are sinners. If you do not acknowledge your sinfulness (Jer17:9), then you have not yet figured out salvation.

The angel brought the good news in regards to our sin (1Cor15:21-22). The good news is here because of our reality, the Gospel’s availability and our responsibility.

• Our reality: We must accept the fact that God, at first, made the world good (Gen1), yet we have cooperated with Satan to overthrow God’s authority (Mt13:27-29).

• The Gospel has come and is available today for repentance and salvation (2Tim2:9)

• Our responsibility is to tell others the good news of Jesus Christ (Rom1:16). Some of us might need experience, confidence or conviction, yet preaching Christ to the world is our responsibility.

Of Great Joy
The word great means large and impactful. Our great joy is something we share based on our salvation. The moment of our conversion is the greatest and most joyous moment in our lives (Lk15:7;Is12:1-3;Rom14:17;1Jn1:1,4).

Why does salvation bring great joy? Because, like many of those that Jesus healed, we are spiritually healed from our sin. Like the lame man who had been ill for more than 38 years, we have been dead in our sin (Jn 5:5-9). What great joy he must have had at being able to walk! Our joy is the same, like being instantly healed or being raised from the dead, we are saved from sin and death. The good news brings the joy of salvation.

In our great joy, we experience the blessings of salvation.

• The forgiveness of sins through the atoning work of Jesus Christ

• God’s redemption: We were slaves to sin but God redeems us (Jn 8:34)

• Reconciliation to God and a right standing before Him. Before we had no way to reach God, but now we are reconciled.

• Eternal life and going to heaven. We can live life without regrets since every day brings us closer to our heavenly home with God and without sin.

Even though we may suffer here on earth, we can trust in God. He is sovereign and we have been made perfect in His eyes through Jesus Christ. This is the good news of great joy that is for us to receive and share.