Many of us are addicted to the news. We can tune into bulletins 24/7 to see news of events around the world. We may be avid readers of the daily newspapers or followers of online news. Have you noticed that almost all the news items are bad news? Because of this some people have stopped watching the news. Every day we are told of violent deaths, disasters, disease, wars, terrorism and economic troubles. Is it any wonder that some people suffer from depression?
I remember one man saying that he always turned first to the back pages of the newspaper, not so much because he was a sports fan, but because the back pages told him about human achievements rather than human failures. Sometimes, to alleviate the barrage of bad news items, newscasts finish with a short positive story, which is often humorous.
In daily life we may have to cope personally with bad news. Losing our job, being diagnosed with a serious illness or the death of someone we love causes us great stress. As we grow older, bad news tends to become more frequent. We all need to hear some good news.
The message about Jesus Christ is good news. This message is not telling us what we must do but telling us what God has done. When Jesus was born the message the angels announced to the shepherds was “good news of great joy.” At the beginning of his public ministry Jesus proclaimed the good news of God’s Kingdom as he called people to turn from their sinful lives and to trust in him. This emphasis on our sinfulness is often seen to be negative, but much of the bad news we hear is related to people who have done bad things. We all do many bad things and Jesus said that, whether we are religious or not, we can all change.
It is a wonderful thing to know that a new beginning is possible. Sinful actions may offer a temporary happiness but, eventually, only bring us grief. Through Jesus Christ our sins, however many they are, and however serious they may be, can all be forgiven. I remember watching a video of a church service in Moldova. The man leading the service and the four men leading the singing had all been members of the mafia but had become Christians. Their lives had been transformed. They have given up their lives of crime and are now telling people about Jesus. Their lives have a new direction and a new meaning. They want others to know Jesus too. Now that really is a good news story which offers hope to us all.