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The Gospel


SGN is a show that has gone viral on YouTube.  With star power and home production quality, John Krasinski of “The Office” and "Jack Ryan" fame presents a simple look at various stories of hope during the current pandemic.  Bring plenty of tissues to watch these fifteen minute episodes.  Three have been posted at the writing of this blog.  The heart warming good stories are met with acts of kindness by persons doing something to make a difference during this time of social distancing.

As we are now in the Easter season, people often forget the simplest truth of Easter.  It was good news!  The simplicity of God’s love for the world can sometimes get lost in the pageantry of Easter.  But, when you look closely the word gospel even translates to mean good news.  Good news is something that we continue to desperately need in times that are often frustrating and full of despair.  In the gospel, the good news of Jesus’ resurrection entered into the world and reminded people that God was with them and that they were not alone.  God’s love for the world was revealed through an empty tomb.  The good news is so great that even death has been conquered and joy given to all who believe.  With smiles and tears, the story of God’s amazing love changes lives unto this day.

Has the good news sustained you during this time?  I don’t know John’s faith.  In the show John talks about the goodness of people and I applaud the decency, kindness, and general goodness in which this show presents itself.  As a Christian because we believe that the Holy Spirit has been poured out on all flesh and is calling all people to goodness, any good is from God.  My hope would be to never limit our understanding of good to human action alone though.  Through experience, a humanity alone view of good works will fail and decency and kindness alone will not save humanity from the darkness.  The realities of our lies, betrayal, and greed will exploit such naive views of human nature.  But, if God is the source of our good news and cleanses our souls with joy, good works become our way of life.  And, to be fair to John and the show, even if unintended, God is robust enough to be helping them in their good effort.

Watching the first episode led me to ask, what if Sunday morning felt more like an episode of SGN?  What if being the church meant being a part of making a difference in human lives and celebrating what God was doing to lift each one of us up through kindness and grace?  Or, put another way, does the church share the good works it does enough?  Because, week end and week out the people who follow Jesus at Williams are making a difference in real lives that are becoming transformed.  Just like the tear jerking scenes in this great show, God’s good news is bringing hope to our despair daily.  If we shared more the stories of God’s good news could the world becomes transformed and others even inspired?  How is God’s good news at work in you?  How have good works become your way of life (Ephesians 2:8-10)?

As you reflect on these thoughts, what is one good work you can do today?  And, if you do many good works each day, what is one thing you can share with other followers of Jesus that might inspire them in their good works?

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