Mark 16:1-20
Tuesday, 10 January 2023
‘And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”’ – Mark 16:15 [NLT]
Good news is generally welcome to people in the world today as much of the time we hear otherwise. The Good News in context here is the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is very much relevant even this day as it was centuries when it was first given!
Paul gives the gospel in a nutshell in1 Cor.15:3-6: “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, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time...”
Part of the essential elements of the Gospel is recorded in our reading today. On the third day after the crucifixion and death of Jesus, the women who came to the tomb with the burial spices were the given the good news of his resurrection by the angel: “He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. Now go and tell his disciples…” (Vs6,7). They were commanded to “GO and TELL!” Later Peter and the other disciples saw the Resurrected Christ! The good news has been passed on by first hand witnesses and written as a testimony for our belief!
The death and resurrection of Jesus is of prime importance in our faith. Romans 4:25 says, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” Sin which had separated man from God needed to be dealt with-paid for, which required the shedding of innocent blood for the redemption/forgiveness of sin (Heb.9:22; 1Peter 1:18,19). All of our sin has been paid for by the death of Christ on the cross! God ratified Christ’s death as sufficient by raising Him from the dead and thereby by justifying us before Him! Therefore the death and resurrection of Christ is good news!
The Gospel is good news that God loved all in the world that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life (John 3:16). The gospel is for all: “…the gospel…..it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…” (Rom.1:16). Salvation is God’s free gift to all mankind through His Son! Isn’t that good news to rejoice?
The Gospel is the good news that there is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom.8:1). Now whoever rejects this offer stands condemned before God: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”(John 3:17,18). We would have lost hope of ever being reconciled to God, had not Jesus willingly taken our place in death to pay for our sins. It is the good news that we can never earn our salvation but has been paid in full on the Cross of Calvary (John 19:30).
The bad news is that the world and all in it will one day be destroyed: “…the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” (2 Peter3:7). When the Good News of His Salvation is given to all mankind to be saved before that day comes, would you want to refuse? Be saved today!
There are many yet to hear this Good News- would you believer, be the harbinger of the good news in the place God calls you to go?
Quote for the Day: “The Gospel is not good advice to be obeyed, it is good news to be believed.” ~Harry Ironside
Listen: 'Go tell the good news'