PASTOR’S CORNER: Good news in a dark world

I’ve got some good news this morning at church. No matter where you are. Extra, extra, read all about it! I’ve got a bombshell of a message this morning. “Good news in a dark world.”

Community, we live in a world where bad news dominates the headlines. It’s mostly what we hear about so much so that it can suck the life out of you and leave you drained if you are not rooted and grounded in your Christian faith.

Bad news travels like wildfire, especially a lie. As author Mark Twain said, “A lie will travel around the world before the truth gets to first base!” We all are reminded every single day that we live in a fallen world; a world of bad news. We all hear it and we see it — crime, murder, rape, child abductions, child molestations, kidnapping, school shootings of innocent children, tragedies, national disasters, the fall of people in high places, church splits, divorce, bereavement, and the list goes on, one bad thing after another.

Then on the spiritual front, other things disturb our spirits — immorality is at an all-time high. It boggles the mind at how Satan the prince of the power of the air and his cohorts are infiltrating the hearts and the minds of those who refuse to allow the light of the world into our hearts.

The god of this world, which is Satan, has blinded the minds of those who believe not, lest the glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Friends, there is not a week that goes by that we don’t hear something bad or negative in our community, our state or on the national front. Folks feel that they don’t have any hope. Some give up and others commit suicide. Still, others are depressed. The death of loved ones at this time of the year can drive people into some dark places. We all agree that when certain loved ones leave us life is not the same, with Christ or especially without him.

If we look around with spiritual eyes, we will see people wandering around with no real purpose. They eat, drink, and work but that cycle gets old after a while. There’s got to be something more to life than this!

I’ve been there and you’ve been there. When teenage girls who have everything to live for will shoot up a school and kill people, not understanding the sanctity of human life, then our world is indeed in a dark place. That’s why people need to come to church. It is the one place where good news is to be heralded out each and every Sunday morning; a word from God that speaks to a lost and dark generation. Here, at church, you will always hear a word of hope no matter how dark things may be. It’s the good news no matter how DARK things are.

The church this season has the answer to all of the world’s problems. Our hearts break for those who do not have a relationship with our blessed savior, those who do not give or deposit their lives to him; because when you refuse the gospel, you open up yourself to be influenced by Satan and his demonic forces.

On this Saturday after New Year, we the Christian believers have good news. We have the answer and we don’t need to forget it. The good news in a dark world and we need to share it. Despite what we hear on cable news, local news, social media or the cell phone; we have every reason to end this year on a good spiritual note; there is good news for a dark world! Go and tell somebody!

Because on a cold winters’ night something appeared out of sight; the Bible says “Mary brought forth, she gave birth to her first son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes (Luke 2:15-17). It was at this moment that LOVE was born into the world; before this day the world did not know love; it could not be felt in the heart of man like it is today. I sum it up like this: “Good news in a dark world, is language we all can understand; how God came into a dark world, to change the heart of man. He came unto his own, and his own received him not; thank God he came anyway, to warm our cold and sinful hearts; away in a manger, not even a crib for a bed; the little Lord Jesus, lay down his sweet head; he came into this world to set the captive free; we all ought to praise him, because he did it for you and for me; so let us go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere; the good news of our savior, and just how much he cares; how the world was changed that morning, on that first Christmas morn; the day Mary gave birth to Jesus, the day that he was born. “Good news in a dark world.”