GOOD NEWS FOR GOD’S CHILDREN
Prov. 25:25
INTRO. There is no denying the fact that there are those times when the child of God longs to hear some good news. We live in a sinful world made even more corrupt by the rulership of sinful men. Crime, drugs, murder, arson, wars and rumors of wars, etc. It seems that the most depressing hour of my day is 5:00 p.m., when I sit down to watch the evening news.. waiting, longing, hoping for some good news.
The saints of God are like soldiers in a foreign land. We are engaged, mind, body and spirit, in a battle that leaves it’s scars on our very souls. We don’t need more instruction manuals. We don’t need more training seminars. We don’t need more emotional hype telling us how to make bad times better. What we need more than anything else is some GOOD NEWS FROM HOME!!
So we ask, "Is there any news from heaven?" And the answer is YES! YES! Take heart my Christian brother and sister. Your prayers and sighs and tears, and praises and thanksgivings have all been received at their proper destination. What glorious news...they have not been lost en route. They have reached the heart of God and, what is more, messages have come down to us from Him in response to them.
I. HOW GOD SPEAKS TO HIS CHILDREN.
A. Jn. 16:12-15 and Jn. 17:8, 17
B. Someone might ask, "How do the messages of God reach His children...are there new revelations?"
1. No. That which is perfect has come and so that which was imperfect has been done away with.
2. The answer is in John 16 and 17. The Holy Spirit takes the promises of God’s Word and "hand delivers" them to you in your unique situation and time of need.
a. Have you ever noticed that every now and then, some blessed portion of Scripture seems as if it were set on fire? Perhaps you have read it dozens of times before but it never jumped off the page at you as it does on this one particular time.
b. That is the Holy Spirit leading you into the truth of Jesus Christ. Not only does He bring good news from our home beyond the river, but the knowledge that He still works with men in this manner is good news in and of itself.
C. But just in case it has been some time since you have received good news from the homeland of heaven, I want to rejoice with you in some truths that will make your heart glad.
II. HERE IS YOUR FIRST PIECE OF GOOD NEWS ----- ROM. 8:28-29
A. We hear the verse quoted often, but do you really understand it’s full meaning?
B. See Psalm 137:1-4 (explain)
1. Is this where you are? Is your heart heavy? Is your harp hanging on a willow? Do you know what it means to be in spiritual turmoil?
2. Here is your good news. God has neither left you nor forsaken you. He is allowing these things to happen for your good. He will ultimately receive honor and glory and that will be to your greatest benefit.
3. When you are ill you may find that you have to take medicines that make you nauseous, but they are meant to work together with other things for your good benefit.
C. Your tears are but drops of paint on a canvas and God is the Master Artist. Patiently endure and in the end you will find that all the colors and all the patterns are brought together to create a glorious masterpiece.
1. "...All things WORK TOGETHER for good..."
2. You may be in such a desperate situation that all you can think is, "What good can possibly come from this?"
3. "...to be conformed to the image of his Son." This is your greatest good and His highest glory.
III. THE NEXT PIECE OF GOOD NEWS IS -- HEB. 7:25
A. Jesus is ever acting as your advocate with the Father.
1. Is it encouraging to know that your brothers and sisters are praying for your strengthening and consecration? Then how much more comfort can you take from the knowledge that Jesus Christ the Righteous pleads His own blood in your stead...and that He beseeches the Father’s mercy on your behalf?
2. Remember how he said to Peter, "Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not."
B. Jesus has not forgotten you. Let the modern-day Pharisees boast of their own good works if they want; I will rest assured in the good news that my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteous.
IV. HERE IS ONE LAST PIECE OF GOOD NEWS.
John 14:1-4
A. Jesus has gone to prepare a place especially for His children of grace.
1. Rev. 21:9-11
a. A city 5 miles high, long, and wide.
b. 12 gates; each of a single pearl.
c. The foundations of the city are all manner of precious stones.
d. The streets are of pure gold transparent as glass.
e. Running through the middle of the city is a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb. On either side of the river grows one huge tree, which is the tree of life; which bears 12 different kinds of fruit every month.
f. No sun, no moon. The Lamb is the light and there is no night.
2. The Bible speaks of crowns that may be earned by those children of God who are faithful in obedience and service. These crowns will be awarded to the faithful by Jesus Christ Himself.
3. We also see that those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb will be clothed in robes of purest white and they will reflect the glory of their Saviour.
4. But the greatest thing by far is not the city, not the crowns, not the robes. The greatest promise that Heaven holds for the believer is that there we shall behold Christ as He is and we shall be like Him. Rev. 19:1-7
B. Not only has Jesus prepared all this for those who will accept His precious payment for sin, but He is anticipating coming back to receive us into glory. "I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
1. (I Thess. 4:16-17) – "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
2. See I Cor. 15:54-58 (note that verse 58 is essentially telling us to take heed of this good news.)
CONCLU. This is all good and welcome news from the far country of heaven to all those who have been born again. But there is one more piece of good news this morning.
If you do not know Christ as your Saviour you have graciously been given one more opportunity.
