What News Do You Cling To?

There is just too much news coming at us these days. Whether it is good news, bad news or inspiring news it is coming all at once and we have to wonder which news we will cling to. Which news will have the greatest impact on how we live out our lives? How will the news we cling to guide us in making decisions? Which news will effect the way we treat each other?

In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 28 we encounter a scene full of news.  When Mary Magdalene  and the other Mary went to see the tomb they encountered the news that Jesus who was crucified had been raised.  They were instructed to go and tell the news to his disciples.  As they were on their way, Jesus appeared to them and greets them and immediately the women worship him.  And now Jesus gives them instructions to go and give the news to his disciples to go to Galilee and they will see him there.  Both the angel and Jesus tell the women to go and share the news.

After hearing the news, the disciples go to Galilee and they finally meet up with Jesus. It’s interesting in their encounter that Jesus does not talk to them about his death, but talks to the disciples about their life.

Now there is another group in this story. They are not told what to do or what news to give.  The guards took it upon themselves to share the news with the chief priests.  Honestly,  I think they shared the news with the religious leaders because they were afraid of what was going to happen to them. They just lost the body they were supposed to be guarding!  So a plan was devised and a story was invented.  And guess what, they were paid for that story.  And this is a story that is still being told…the disciples came and stole the body while they were sleeping! I don’t know about you but I think the rolling back of a big rock and the disciples carrying a dead body would probably wake me up!

The news that the women and disciples were told to go and tell continues from generation to generation. Basically, Jesus tells them, this is what I want you to do with this news, “go and make disciples!”  Go, and make followers of me.  Go, and make Christ-centered communities!  Be a disciple and make disciples.

Go! Baptize! Teach! Remember!  This is the news that has the greatest impact on how we live out our lives.  It is the news of forgiveness, love, compassion and grace.  This is the news that effects the way we treat each other. Remember Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”

So what news will you cling to?  May we cling to the news of the Resurrected Christ!