Good news has to enter into a not-as-good situation, or else it’s not good news.
Let me explain.
Every kid wants to go to Disney World. Literally every kid. If you think your kid probably doesn’t care that much, you’re probably wrong. It was on Christmas morning, when I was 6, that my parents told me we were going to Disney, and that morning couldn’t have gotten more joyous, because every kid wants to go to Disney. And when kids are told they are going to Disney, it’s the best news ever to them. If you don’t believe me, go search YouTube for “kids get told they are going to Disney” and watch the results. It’ll melt your heart. It is such good news to them, because Disney promises that it’s a place where magic happens and dreams come true! Kids are promised that, no matter their lives are like now, Disney will make them better. To kids, it’s the best news because it promises them something that is better than where they currently are.
In order for it to be good news, it has to enter into a not-as-good situation.
As we saw on Sunday, that’s what makes the Gospel such good news. The Gospel brings the best news possible into the worst situation imaginable. The Gospel brings life into a world of death. The Gospel turns enemies of God into friends of God. The Gospel changes children of flesh and wrath into children of the Spirit, mercy, and grace. It’s the best news entering into the worst situation.
As Christians, it’s so important for us to remember who we were before the Christ. Not to make us feel guilty or shameful, but to make us remember how precious the Gospel is to us. It can be so easy for us to get caught up in the everyday stuff of life that we forget how desperate we were — and continue to be — for Jesus.
So today, remember who you were. Remember where you were going.
Then, remind yourself who you are. Remind yourself of how the Gospel has changed you, and ask God for the grace to live out of that truth.