Good News

Good News

Psalms 34:8 NIV

“Taste and see that the LORD is good;

blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.”

God-fearing people have a right to expect Good!

But be forewarned….

  

 

One taste of God’s goodness

and you will always want more!

 

I have to confess there have been times

when I wondered if there was any good news.

There were times

when it was easy to believe

that bad news was coming

and seriously doubted good news

would be coming any time soon.

This is a set up

and lie from the devil,

who is the father of lies

and very good at what he does.  

John 8:44

Jesus knows our need for good news.

The focus of Jesus’ preaching was Good News.

Luke 4:18

Jesus knows how hard it is for us to believe good news

and exhorts us to believe the Good News.
Mark 1:15

Philip preached the Good News in all the towns

he had traveled until he reached Caesarea.

Acts 8:40

Now in Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius.

Cornelius believed the Good News

and became a God-fearing man.

He demonstrated this by

meeting the needs of the poor and praying.

One day probably not much different

than the day before,

an angel appeared to him and said,

Acts 10:4-5 NIV

"Your prayers and gifts to the poor

have come up as a memorial offering before God.

How long did he pray?

How long was life, day in and day out, the same?

Who knows,

but he kept believing in the God of Good News

and brought good news to others

and the God of Good News answered.

God used an angel

and then Peter to bring

Good News to Cornelius

and his family and servants.

One of the things Peter said to him

was Jesus not only went about preaching Good News,

but He went around DOING GOOD.

Acts 10:38

Jesus is still doing good

and He hears the prayers of God-fearing people

who are doing good!

So expect Jesus to do good for you!

And don’t listen to the father of lies (the devil)!  

Scripture Reading

Acts 10 NIV

10:1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius,

a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.

2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing;

he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision.

He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"

4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked.

The angel answered,

"Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.

5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.

6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea."

7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone,

Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants.

8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.

9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat,

and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.

11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet

being let down to earth by its four corners.

12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals,

as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air.

13 Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." 

14 "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."

15 The voice spoke to him a second time,

"Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." 

16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision,

the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate.

18 They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.

19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision,

the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you.

20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."

21 Peter went down and said to the men,

"I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you come?"

22 The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion.

He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people.

A holy angel told him to have you come to his house

so that he could hear what you have to say."

 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

The next day Peter started out with them,

and some of the brothers from Joppa went along.

24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea.

Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.

25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence.

26 But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself."

27 Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people.

28 He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew

to associate with a Gentile or visit him.

But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.

29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection.

May I ask why you sent for me?"

30 Cornelius answered:

"Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon.

Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31 and said,

'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor.

32 Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter.

He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.'

33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come.

Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord

has commanded you to tell us." 34 Then Peter began to speak:

"I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism

35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.

36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel,

telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

37 You know what has happened throughout Judea,

beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—

38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power,

and how he went around doing good

and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

39 "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree,

40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen.  

41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen — by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

44 While Peter was still speaking these words,

the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.

45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.

46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Then Peter said, 47 "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have."

48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.