Good News for America

img_4236Luke 7:34

Today is Election Day. Some will win; others will lose. Regardless of the identity and promises of the victors, there is no good news in them and their grand schemes. Long ago through the prophet, the Lord God warned us not to boast in the wise, the powerful, or the rich. Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord (Jeremiah 9:23-24 ESV). Yet today many worldly wise, worldly powerful, and worldly rich will be elected by our people. And we will see their boasts come to nothing. This election is not good news for America.

However, there is good news for America, if our people will listen. The good news is a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. In him, the One elected by God, God’s plan of victory comes to fruition. Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you” (Isaiah 49:7 ESV). It is the Messiah who will win ultimate victory. Every knee will bow to him and every tongue will declare that Jesus the Messiah is Lord for the glory of God.

You may ask, “Why is this good news for America?” The answer is found in who the Lord Messiah is. Listen to what Jesus said that people were saying about him. The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’” (Luke 7:34 ESV). Here is a description of our people: gluttons, drunkards, tax collectors, and sinners. We need to face what we are. We eat too much, while others starve. The nation is becoming progressively more and more intoxicated by strong drink. People cannot have a beer; they empty a six-pack. People cannot have a glass of wine; they have a bottle or two. We tax, and tax, and tax, so that no one can prosper. We commit sins by the truckload, and then wear ourselves out to invent new ways of doing old sins.

Yet Jesus owns the accusation brought against him. He, the Son of Man, though falsely accused of being a glutton and drunkard, is the Friend of sinners. He welcomes people like us to come to him. His message of acceptance toward sinners is always the same: “Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15). He will rescue us from our rebellion against God, our refusal to love God and others, and our rejection of God as God, if we turn from our sins and trust in the Lord. This is the good news we desperately need. It is the good news today, and it will be the good news tomorrow, regardless of who wins the election. The Lord is the Great Friend we need in our times.

Grace and peace, David

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