If you’re gonna bring me somethin’
Bring
me somethin’ I can use.
But
don’t nobody bring me no bad news.
Words from the
Wicked Witch in the Broadway show, The Wiz.
(If you want
to hear a lively version, google Bad News
by Mabel King.)
The Wicked
Witch is not alone, nobody wants bad news.
Nowadays,
there’s a lot in the news about fake
news.
It’s been
around since the Serpent in the Garden.
But never more
widespread and repeated—and evidently believed—
Than in the
past couple years.
And it only
recently got the catchy name.
A term born of
the total lies posted in social media in the 2016 election.
But now it’s
the cry from the accused
Whenever their misdeeds are reported.
Fake news, and
false cries of fake news, are direct attacks on Truth.
Fake news is bad news.
Nobody wants to
hear it.
How about some
good news.
We all do want
to hear that; and believe it.
But we’ve all
had to build up our defenses against fake news.
Filter and
assess what we’re hearing to try to determine if it’s true or not.
So, we have to
treat all news as suspect—including good news.
We're conditioned to be
wary, cautious, skeptical, even cynical.
Did
I really win that free, all-expense-paid trip to the Bahamas?
Has
this dying former Finance Minister, from half-way around the world, Whom I’ve
never met, really chosen me to receive his millions?
We’ve
all been taught, If it sounds too good to be true—it probably is.
We
mustn’t believe good news just because we want to believe it.
We have to ask, Does this make sense?
Can I
believe this?
Can I verify
this?
Who can I
trust?
So, how should we deal
with the really major, important good news?
The Good News Jesus brings
us.
Today we hear him say:
The Kingdom of God is at
hand.
Repent and believe the
Good News.
We've all heard Jesus’ Good
News hundreds of times.
But do we fully believe it?
Do we fully understand it?
His words are so old and
familiar
We can hardly call them news anymore.
But a deeper realization,
a deeper appreciation of them can
still be news.
And good news.
In news of the Kingdom of
God, Jesus doesn’t say it’s coming some
day.
He doesn't say that it's almost
here.
He says that it's at
hand.
It's here—now.
According to
the Cambridge Dictionary at hand means:
Happening or present at
this time.
Within easy reach.
Of course, Jesus didn't
speak English.
But the Aramaic words he
used meant here and now.
And Jesus' announcement of
the Kingdom of God is just an introduction.
Just the very beginning of
the Good News Truth he reveals to us.
He goes on to expand and
elaborate on that Good News
Throughout his ministry.
He tells us that we have a
God who loves us so much
That He forgives our
wrongs.
A God so intimate with us we
can call him Father—even Daddy.
A God who was willing to
suffer for us.
A God who sends his Spirit
to dwell within us.
A God who will raise us
from the dead to share eternal life with Him.
Does this sound too good
to be true?
Should we be cautious and
skeptical before believing this?
Yes.
And some do find this too
much to believe.
Many of the Pharisees and
Scribes and Herodians.
And many people still
today.
But Jesus has earned our
trust.
Through his healings and
miracles,
Through the obvious, solid
goodness of his message—
Love one
another, take care of each other.
Through his faithfulness
to that message in his life and in his teaching.
Through his sacrifice, and
through the testimony of millions.
And through the test of
time.
Jesus is eminently credible.
And whenever we feel a
twinge of doubt about that,
We can give thanks for the
gift of faith that helps us hold on.
The Kingdom of God is at
hand, here and now, easily reached,
Open for our entry.
Jesus instituted it two
thousand years ago.
It's not yet Heaven on
Earth.
It won't be until we help
spread the Kingdom,
And until Jesus comes again.
But this Lent is a very
acceptable time to enter the Kingdom more deeply.
Jesus has said that not
everyone who calls to him, Lord, Lord—will enter.
That it's easier for a
camel to pass through the eye of a needle
Than for rich people like us to enter.
He doesn't say they're
barred from entry.
He warns that they might
not choose to enter.
They might pass up their opportunity to enter.
So, to the extent his
warning applies to us, let's repent.
Let's change our minds.
Let's enter the Kingdom
more fully.
This Lent, today, now.
We possess that Good News Truth.
Jesus brought it to us as somethin’ we can really use.
Somethin’ to give us joy and
hope.
Somethin’ to guide our
lives.
Somethin’ to get us
through the bad news times.
This Lent we can fully embrace that Truth,
Fully appreciate it, and fully
believe it.
We can direct our Lenten prayer
and fasting and good works
Toward deepening our own faith.
Toward being better models
and guides.
Toward spreading the Good
News Truth.
Making it more available
to those who don’t yet believe.
Bringing them, somethin’ they can use.
