the Great Big Good News

I've been thinking recently about how big the Good News is. Firstly though, let me say that I prefer the term Good News over the term Gospel, because the word Gospel has lost its meaning for me. We've got Gospel music, Gospel radio stations, Gospel rap, Gospel this, Gospel that. We use it in phrases like, "The Gospel According to the Simpsons" (a real book title). Seriously, the first thing that comes to mind when someone says 'Gospel' is a genre of music that my recently deceased grandmother adored, but that I really don't enjoy. All that to say that I prefer to say Good News.

Anyways, the Good News is big. I mean really big. When I say big I mean it in the sense of it being great. And by great I mean it in the way Webster (the dictionary, not the TV character played by Emmanuel Lewis) defines it: remarkable in magnitude, degree, or effectiveness

The Good News is way bigger than the whole, 'ask Jesus into your heart thing.' Jesus didn't ask people to ask Him into their hearts; He told them to follow Him. Its way bigger than the way we express it in American culture; ours is an American gospel. Its way bigger than any ministry, local church, or even mega church. Its bigger than any group of people, country, and bigger and greater than the world.

Here's how big/ great it is:
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."" Revelation 21:1-5

The Good News is big. Its great. Its cosmic. And I treat it so lightly.