Good News & Bad News
January 25, 2009
Gospel: Mark 1:14-20
A doctor tells his patient, “I have good news and bad news.” The patient says, “Give me the good news first.” The doctor says, “The good news is that you have 24 hours to live.” The patient says, “That’s the good news! What’s the bad news?” The doctor says, “I forgot to tell you yesterday.”
Our readings today are about bad news and good news. The prophet Jonah, like many Old Testament prophets, was often a bearer of bad news. God sent him to Nineveh to tell the people that God was angry with them and was going to wipe them out.
Jonah was concerned more with his own skin than he was with the people of Nineveh. He was afraid of what the evil Ninevites might do to him as he walked through the city telling them that they were going to be destroyed in forty days. Besides - why bother warning them in the first place? Prophets had long thought that it was time for the Ninevites to get what was coming to them.
However, the people responded in an unexpected way. They repented - and went into mourning and fasting for their sinfulness. They turned from their evil ways - and God relented. The city - and all its inhabitants - were saved.
Jonah delivered bad news – but with a good result. You would think he would be elated that the people had heeded his warning and turned to God. However, if we read what comes after this passage we learn that Jonah became very angry with God. He felt that God had played him for a fool.
Here he is, telling the people that their city is going to be destroyed – and it does not happen. So he asks God to take his life - because no one is ever going to pay attention to any of his warnings again. Unfortunately, Jonah felt that his reputation as a prophet was more important than the results.
In contrast, Jesus brings good news: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” That is what the word gospel means – good news.
The news was good enough for Andrew and Simon to abandon their nets and follow him. They had just cast their nets into the sea and hoped to pull them out loaded with fish. This was their livelihood – this was how they supported themselves – and their families. But, when Jesus walked by - and called them to become “fishers of men” - they left everything behind - and followed him.
Likewise, James and John were helping their father mend their nets. When Jesus called them, they dropped everything to follow him. They left their father standing there – I am sure with his mouth open saying “What just happened?”
What was it that caused these men to leave business and family behind and follow this itinerant rabbi? Was it the man - or was it the message?
I think it was both. The message was clear and unambiguous: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” This is a moment unique in the history of humankind – come with me and be a part of it. But, what made the moment unique was the messenger.
Last week we heard Andrew tell his brother Simon, “We have found the Messiah!” He recognized – from the very beginning – that this was not just another prophet. This is the anointed one of God.
Do we realize how often God is revealed to us – or do we take those revelations for granted? Do we appreciate our encounter with God each time we participate in the sacrament of the Eucharist? Do we value this hour that we spend with God – in the company of other believers – as the most important hour we will spend this week? More important even than the quality time we spend with family and friends is the quality time we spend with God.
When they chose to leave their old lives behind and follow Jesus, those first disciples did not abandon their families. They united them with what would become an even greater family – the church. They may not have understood it yet – but they would come to realize that no relationship is greater than the relationship we have with God. Our connection with God strengthens all others – especially within our families.
“The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” This is very good news – if we respond to God’s call; if we embrace our calling and try to live as God’s disciples; if we follow the two great commandments to love God and one another; if we seek God’s forgiveness for the ways we have fallen short; if we praise God for his faithfulness - and thank God for the blessing of being his children.
We call our community Emmanuel – which means God is with us. God is with us - here, now and always – and that, my friends, is very good news indeed.
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