What is Good News, Webmaster220?

A foundational question in the US and beyond

What Is Good News — Really? I don't know about you, but my experience of 2020 so far has been less about 'Good News' and more about 'travail' and 'uncertainty'. As we enter November, we remain in the midst of a global pandemic. In the United States, with an election looming, there is a dark cloud over our heads. We simply don't know what to expect, no matter what the outcome. So, where's the Good News? I was welcomed to this day with the reminder that November 1st is 'All Saints Day'. It is the day when the church celebrates the lives, and the continuing 'living', of those who have passed away in faith in Yahweh, the God of the Covenant. Of course, that includes us who remain alive and walk the earth in faith in Jesus, who, as revealed in both His life and as declared at other points in the Scriptures, is Yahweh himself. God has become King in Jesus and we are part of that great 'cloud of witnesses' that the of which author of Hebrews speaks. Hebrews 12:1-3 (KNT) 1 What about us, then? We have such a great cloud of witnesses all around us! What we must do is this: we must put aside each heavy weight, and the sin which gets in the way so easily. We must run the race that lies in front of us, and we must run it patiently. 2 We must look ahead, to Jesus. He is the one who carved out the path for faith, and he's the one who brought it to completion. He knew that there was joy spread out and waiting for him. That's why he endured the cross, making light of its shame, and has now taken his seat at the right hand of God's throne. 3 He put up with enormous opposition from sinners. Weigh up in your minds just how severe it was; then you won't find yourselves getting weary and worn out. The text in Hebrews recalls the lives and the deaths of those who preceded Jesus but who lived in the fullness of faith in Yahweh. They persevered. It is widely regarded that the author of the Book of Hebrews addressed the letter to a group of persecuted Christians who may have been challenged to fall away. But they were urged to carry on. They continued on by envisioning Jesus, who 'carved out the path for faith, and he's the one who brought it to completion' (Heb 12:2). Our admonition is this: 'Weigh up in your minds just how severe it was; then you won't find yourselves getting weary and worn out'. A number of years ago I determined that it was time to run a marathon. I needed to enter a sanctioned race, pay the fees, get my official jersey, train, and compete. My goal was not to win that marathon, but to finish it. I had done the training and read the books that described the right diets and exercises needed to get ready. But the one thing left to do was to run the race. As I arrived on race day, gathering with the thousands of runners, it was rather clear that some were determined to win; but most others were simply hoping to finish the endurance test. I was clearly no threat to the real athletes competing for the winner's prize. In fact, we were instructed to allow the true contenders to get to the front of the throng of runners. Those who were simply trying to finish were to wait back. Off we went. There was the official starting gun to get us going. But it took about five minutes for me and the group around me to get to the starting line! That was hardly encouraging. But off we went. Enthusiasm was high; chatter was abundant. By the fifth mile, things had changed. We spread out into a long line. There were occasional words from the sparse crowd or from fellow runners. For the most part, we simply put one foot in front of the other, marking mile after mile. I vividly remember coming to mile 15 on the route. At this point, runners often 'hit the wall' and are tempted to give up. The muscles in the body rebel and the determination in the mind starts to fade. On that day, however, I remember the sight of some dear friends who were in the crowd cheering me on. They may even had signs, though I can't remember that very clearly. It was amazing, however, how suddenly my resolve came back and my muscles seemed to limber up. I ran faster and with more determination. Their encouragement as a 'cloud of witnesses' made a great difference at that time. To my delight, there they were again at mile 21, though I was not breaking any speed records. Nonetheless, they were there to urge me to keep on going. At that point, I did speed up, strengthened my will and carried on. I marked every mile sign as I counted down: Mile 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. Then, with a great throng of spectators watching and cheering all those (late) finishers, I came down the home stretch. Now my pace quickened and my jog turned into a run for the last 100 metres. I crossed the finish line, received my medal (of participation!), and went to rest my body and gain energy by drinking appropriate liquids and eating some food. I had done it; I had finished the race. But I ask myself. Had others not run the race, would I have tried? Probably not. Would I have finished if it were not for those cheering me on? Who knows? But others had finished the race. I had friends who urged me to keep going. And the finish line was sweet. I didn't break any speed records, but that wasn't the goal. I wanted to run the race with perseverance. I did that. Today, entering November 2020, we face all kinds of obstacles that may get in the way of standing firm with King Jesus. We must persevere in our walk with Him. Let us look to those from past centuries who have run the course and finished the race. The main point is to keep our eyes on Jesus, who 'carved out the path for faith, and he's the one who brought it to completion'. He is our guide, mentor, and model. May All Saints Day of 2020 be a reminder to carry on, no matter what may happen. We are not merely human. We are truly human, part of a New Creation people who, by the power of the Holy Spirit, live in a new and different way. It is the Way of Jesus, the Anointed King. This is Good News for the world. David P. Seemuth, PhD N.T. Wright Online SAVE THE DATE Register Copyright © 2020 Wisconsin Center for Christian Studies, Inc., All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you expressed interest in online courses by N.T. Wright. Our mailing address is: Wisconsin Center for Christian Studies, Inc. 221 N Grandview Blvd Waukesha, WI 53188-3264 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? 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