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Reflections: Daily Devotions in Disability Ministry

Good News - Bad News

July 3, 2010

Romans 3:23-24
…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (NIV)

Many times people say that they have good news and bad news. Then they ask the question - which news you would like to hear first.

Our Bible reading today also has good news and bad news. Verse 23 of Romans 3 has the bad news, and verse 24 then gives us the good news. The bad news is that everybody has sinned. All people are sinners, and that includes you and me. We don’t always say yes to God, and what He wants us to do or not do. We break nearly all of God’s rules, the Ten Commandments, every day. We not only sin often by doing what is wrong; but we don’t do what we should do, or what is right very often, either.

And the bad news gets even worse. What we deserve is nothing but punishment. We deserve to die and spend eternity in hell. If God would give us a grade for how we live, we would get an F. We are poor miserable sinners. No good news there!

But verse 24 gives us the good news. As a matter of fact, it is the best news, the best possible news. It says that Jesus paid the price for us and our sins. He died on the cross to wash away our sins. He redeemed us from sin, death, and hell. We have done nothing to deserve it. Jesus did it out of His great love for us and all people. We are saved to live as His people now and forever in heaven.

When we read verse 23, the news couldn’t be any worse. No hope at all. But when we read verse 24, the news couldn’t be any better. It is a sure hope of life forever with our Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in paradise. Know, believe, and share this Good News!

Thank You, Jesus, for turning the bad news of sin and death into the Good News of forgiveness and eternal life. Amen.

Harold Kopplin, Chaplaincy Representative – WI
http://bethesdalutherancommunities.org/resources/spiritualResources/pmc.asp

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