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GOOD NEWS FOR MODERN PEOPLE by Pastor Paul

The gospel is good news for 21st century men, women and children of ALL nationalities – in fact it's the BEST news there is.  The trouble is, most people, at least in the sophisticated western world, have not seen it that way yet.  This series sets out to show what the gospel has to say to different kinds of people in our society today and provide ourselves with key thoughts and scriptures to present the gospel to them.

 

Please feel free to use/adapt this material in your ministry

The Gospel for "New Age" People

The New Age movement is an umbrella term for any number of different beliefs, ideas and lifestyles.  It has no single (human) leader, no organisation, no headquarters.  

 

Caryl Matrisciana who was a New Age person for many years and became a Christian gives a very good insight into it with her recipe for New Ageism:

 

2 cups of hope (carefully sift out all fear)

2 cups of altered consciousness (Yoga, drugs or meditation to taste)

3 tablespoons each of self-awareness, self-improvement & self esteem (melt away anything negative)

1 heaped teaspoon of peace,  1 large dollop of love,  1 handful of holism

1 generous pinch each of humanism, Eastern mysticism (Hinduism & Buddhism) and occultism

1 scoop of mystical experience

Mix thoroughly together.  Bake in a warm, friendly environment.  Fill with your most appealing dreams.  Garnish generously with positive thoughts and good vibrations.

 

The Apostle John speaks of the spirit of antichrist being already at work in the world in his day (1 John 4v2-3).  "Anti" means both "against" and "in place of."   New Ageism is not necessarily directly opposed to Christ, indeed He is often regarded as one of the gurus (what an insult), however every single thing they believe effectively replaces Christ, therefore it is of that spirit.  We as Christians can hopefully see this quite clearly but we also need to understand that most New Agers are genuine seekers after spiritual things.  They are therefore more open than many materialistic people to spiritual truth, but at the same time are deceived by the spirit of antichrist.

 

According to New Age people we are now living in the "Age of Aquarius" which is symbolised by the rainbow. According to New Age philosophy the Age of Aquarius will last 2,000 years and will be an era of spirituality, and of world harmony.  It replaces the "Age of Pices" which has lasted 2,000 years and is symbolised by the sign of the fish – the symbol of Christianity. During the last 2,000 years materialism and science have flourished but have only produced inequality and a devastated planet (hence the emphasis on ecology and an alternative spirituality to Christianity in New Age).

Good News for New Age People

GOD is not an impersonal, abstract force.  He is the transcendent creator of the universe and because He created us that makes Him our father who loves everyone of his creatures more than we can ever imagine.

 

JESUS is not just one of the "ascended masters" of New Ageism. He is the crucified, risen (no one else has done that), ascended eternal Son of God who is "THE (ONLY) WAY, THE (FULL) TRUTH, and THE (GIVER OF) LIFE" (John 14v6)

 

New Agers look for spiritual power, experience and transformed lives, through altered consciousness, yoga, TM, visualisation, rebirthing, astral travel etc. (which all have a sting in the tail).  Through Christ we can experience transformed lives through the power of the HOLY SPIRIT, in "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14v17 & Galatians 5v22-23)

The Gospel for Materialistic Man

There's Bad News and Good News:

 

Bad News: Material things do not satisfy (see Ecclesiastes 2v4-11 & 24-25) but we keep pursuing them - why? (they are attractive because they are tangible, and its enjoyable to have nice things) but is this all there is to life - what else is there?

 

Good News: Jesus offers a fully satisfying life here and now Jesus said, "I am the door whoever enters through me will be saved… I have come that they may have LIFE and have it to the full" (literally - above the ordinary) (John 10v9-10)

 

Bad News: Material things are subject to corruption, loss and theft and then what are we left with? (Matt 6v19)

 

Good News: There are other intangible things which last forever (such as faith, hope & love) (Matt 6v20)

 

Bad News: Seeking material things can lead to frustration and stress

– life becomes a treadmill going round and round getting nowhere in order to maintain a certain level of lifestyle. (see Ecclesiastes 5v10&11 and Matt 6v25)

 

Good News: Those who seek heavenly things first and foremostly will not only save themselves a lot of stress, but will also be well looked after (Matt 6v33)

 

Bad News: Material things are for this life only - We have to leave all our material things behind when we die but worse still, if all we have lived for in this life is material things, we are left with nothing for eternity  (Luke 12v15-21).  Jesus said "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world yet forfeit his soul?" (Matt 16v26)

 

Good News:  Whoever commits his life to Jesus and lives for Him will inherit the earth (Matt 16v25-27 & 5v5)

The Gospel for Pleasure-Seekers

"In the last days people will be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God"  

(2 Timothy 3v4)

Bad News for Pleasure Seekers

The pleasures of the world have a high price tag for pocket and soul (Proverbs 21v17)

Pleasure seekers end up with leanness of soul (Psalm 106v15)

Pleasure seekers end up working to serve their pleasures (Titus 3v3)

The pleasures of this world are a dead end (Ecclesiastes 2v1)

The pleasures of this world choke out the life of God (Luke 8v14)

The pleasures of sin are but for a season (Hebrews 11v25)

The pleasures of sin end in death (Romans 6v23)

Good News for Pleasure-Seekers

God is not a kill-joy He wants us to have pleasure - at the right time in the right way:

"God… gives us all things richly to enjoy"

(1 Tim 6v17)

 

A special message for Pleasure-Seekers - God says:

"Why work hard for something that does not satisfy?… Come to Me and live."  

(Isaiah 55v2-3)

 

Jesus gives us life:

"I have come that they may have LIFE and have it to the full" (literally - above the ordinary)

(John 10v9-10)

Having sins forgiven (no guilt!), knowing that you have EVERLASTING LIFE – that is life above the ordinary!

 

With God there is GREATER & GROWING PLEASURE to experience:

 

In His presence – there are PLEASURES FOREVERMORE (Psalm 16v11)

In His provisions – He gives us times of pleasantness (Psalm 23v1-3, 5-6)

Good News for those who fear death

There are various ways in which people cover up their fear of death:

•They think that the event is a long way off and get on with living

•They avoid anything to do with it – until it touches them

•They claim that death is the end – there is no life after death

- and yet they want to believe that there is more to life than this

- they want to believe that they will see their loved ones (and pets!) again

•Others formulate their own theories about what happens after death

- maybe some form of reincarnation (which incidentally Hindus generally hate & fear), or nirvana (the final state of reincarnation – the extinction of individual existence – absorption into blessedness (Buddhism) or as Hinduism teaches, absorption into Brahman).

 

Christ offers something far more wonderful than all of that – ETERNAL LIFE for those who believe in Him – HEAVEN where everyone will be recognisable, and individual with an eternal resurrected body – alive and enjoying all of God's recreated creation forever!

 

The Good News is that Jesus came to "release those who through fear of death  were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Hebrews 2v15)

 

Hebrews 2v14 shows that this is based on solid facts:

•Jesus became flesh and blood - like us

•He lived and died - like us

•He overcame death by His resurrection from the dead – for us

 

By Jesus "Death is swallowed up in victory – 'O death where is your sting? O hell where is your victory?'  - The sting of death is sin… but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15v54-57)

 

"The wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6v23)

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