August 2 What’s Good?

Luke 3:17-18 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.
 
THERE are times when the Bible at first glance doesn’t make sense. It fact, a passage can seem contradictory. This passage is one of those.
    Do you see what I mean? Look at verse 17. John the Baptist is preaching about the Lord God’s judgment on mankind. He depicts the Lord as a farmer who is on a threshing floor, separating the good wheat grain from the useless chaff of straw and leaves. When the wheat is safely stored, he burns the chaff. John is preaching God will send to the fire those who are useless to his Kingdom. Then Luke writes, “And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.” Where is the good news in John’s fiery illustration of judgment?
    You can see the good news when you look more at the wheat. Let’s fix our eyes on the good news that God separates his own from those who oppose him. Keep your mind on the good news that God has a means to keep you safely with him forever. Know the good news here is God’s plan: repent and be saved.
    As Luke records John using “many words” to exhort, to impress upon the crowd of their need to repent, he also tells us John was urging God’s people to be prepared for the Messiah, who was soon to step onto the stage. The good news is that God is holy and just. He does remove the evil. He surely does save his own. This is, indeed, much good news to urge people to know.  
 
Prayer: I am grateful, Father, for the way you have separated me from sin. Thank you for the good news of salvation in Jesus’ Christ. In his name I rejoice. Amen.