What is 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. In fact, a passage can seem contradictory. This passage is one of those.
    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 condemn into 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 judgment preaching?
    You can see the good news when you focus on the wheat. Let’s fix our eyes on the good news that God separates the righteous from sin’s destruction and from those who reject him. Keep your mind on the good news that God has a purpose and method to keep you safely with him forever. Know the good news here is God’s plan: repent of your sins, confess Jesus is your risen Lord, and be saved. This is God’s glorious plan to redeem you from the judgment fire!
    As Luke wrote that John used many words to exhort – to impress – upon the crowd of their need to repent, Luke also tells us John was urging God’s people to be prepared for the Messiah. Jesus was soon to step into his public ministry. The time had come for God’s extraordinary Goodness to speak the good news directly to his people!
    Yes, the good news is that God is holy and just. He does cleanse evil from our lives. He surely does save his own to join in God’s harvest of salvation. This is God’s plan for the world. This is, indeed, much good news from heaven’s throne. Rejoice you can, “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:38)
 
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.