First the bad news . . .

 

1 Samuel 3; Psalm 17; Jeremiah 41; Romans 3

Psalm 14:3 says: “They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.”

Romans 3:10-11 says: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.” 

The good news is the same in both the Old and New Testaments — but it begins with the bad news, either illustrated or stated outright — we all fall short of the glory of God.

Another way to say it is an illustration about swimming. Line us up on the west coast of North America with the charge of swimming to Hawaii. Some would immediately drown. Others may make a few hundred meters. Some will swim for a day or two, but no matter how strong the swimmer, no one will get to the destination. The distance is too far, just as the righteousness of God is too much; we cannot reach it on our own.

The Gospel is good news, yet that bad news first must be realized and acknowledged. No one will go to their doctor unless they have a problem and know it. Some will know it but stay away for fear it is true. Others do not trust doctors and refuse to seek a cure. Only those who want a change of life will reach out to the Author and Source of Life. Without Him, all will drown and die, but there is the good news . . .

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:11–12)

The Gospel is that all our failures and our inability to be righteous are covered by Jesus Christ. His death secured forgiveness and His life secures our righteousness. This is not automatic. It happens because of a relationship. As His Word says, “All who receive Him, who believe in His name, He gives the right (the privileged authority) to become children of God.” (John 1:12) At that, He lives in us, He becomes our righteousness, our everything.

Everything I’ve read this morning points to the wonder of belonging to Jesus. In 1 Samuel He calls a mere little boy to serve Him. In Psalm 17 He assures a noted king that he is protected and will one day be like Him. Jeremiah, as this prophet usually does, tells part of the OT narrative that reveals the need of humanity. He makes plain that some cannot swim without destroying all those around them. Yet he also reminds me that no matter the degree of my sin, it is still sin — and sin separates all people from God. All of us need Jesus.

Romans 3 repeats it, but it also repeats the good news . . .

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21–26)

 Jesus is the vessel by which swimmers can get to the shore — but we must get in Him by faith and abandon travelling in our own power which has proved useless, even deadly. He takes us where we cannot go by ourselves. By trusting Him and by allowing Him to do it for us, we are treated differently and live differently. Instead of floundering sinners, we are cruising joyfully to our eternal destination resting under the banner of Jesus Christ and His righteousness.

APPLY: Some days I just need to think about the privilege of being a child of God. This new identity puts joy in my heart along with the peace of God and the delight of sailing with other sinners who also realize they cannot get there without Him. Today I am praising Jesus, again and again, for the wonder of what He has done and is doing.