Living With The Full Message of Good News

[Donn Jibben]

LIVING WITH THE FULL MESSAGE OF GOOD NEWS.

Donn Jibben  4-18-14

We’ve all had those days, a day in which we received some bad news.  The news was probably hard to swallow at the time. You may have most likely stood in disbelief before your emotions, pain and shock set in. Most of us had endured this scene and picture in many areas of our ranching lives.  Life sometimes just doesn’t seem to be fair!

In contrast to this scene of difficult life experiences we have also been the receiving end of good news.  Believe me, we all know the huge difference that there is between bad news and good news.  It is natural as human beings to want to be on the side of experiencing, encountering and receiving only good news, and rightly so.

During the battle of Waterloo, news of the outcome was communicated to England.  The message was sent by various means, by rider, by ship across the English Channel then form semaphore from ship to shore.  The message was at first short, just two words.  The two words seem to be bad news indeed.  The words that came were thru were, “W-e-l-l-i-n-g-t-o-n d-e-f-e-a-t-e-d.”  That’s all that the Winchester Cathedral saw. England for the next 24 hours lived in great disappointment. But thankfully it was only half the message and appeared to be bad news.

When the message was sent, there was dense fog and when the fog lifted the full message was then completed, “Wellington defeated the enemy.”  What good news this was for all of England!

Followers and believers of Jesus Christ around the world are celebrating the foundation of their faith, the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ this Easter weekend. When Christ was crucified on Golgotha’s hill on the cross and his body was laid to rest in the tomb, it appeared to be all “bad news” for His followers. But “Christ defeated”, was only half the message!  On the third day there was “good news”, “Christ has defeated the enemy!” Christ is Risen and He is alive!

As Christians we don’t have to live with the only half the message.  Our message is a full message of good news, “Christ defeated the enemy and He is alive!”  What great HOPE this good news brings to all our hearts that believe in and receive Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.  Let’s live with this full message of good news in our hearts and lives and show the world the difference that Jesus Christ truly makes!

1 Cor. 15:3-8. “For what I received I passed unto you of first importance, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures and that he appeared to Peter and then to the twelve. After that, he appeared to over 500 brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen to sleep. The he appeared to James, then to the apostles and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” (Cf. John 20)

Look at all the evidence before our very eyes friends!  Jesus is alive according to the scriptures and many eyes witnesses!  The disciples and the early church never wavered in their faith because the new the good news of Jesus Christ to be real and true!  Their faith, built upon these facts and truths radically changed their lives!  It should radically change your life as well!

"For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." I John 3:8

What incredible good news we truly have as believers!  Christ defeated the enemy and He is alive!  This is the HOPE of Easter and Resurrection Sunday!  This is HOPE FOR YOU TOO!

HAPPY RESURRECTION SUNDAY EVERYONE!

In Christ's love                                                                                                                                                 Donn Jibben                                                                                                                                                     Hope For The Rancher

2 Cor. 5:15. “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”