Are you thankful to hear bad news? Well, it depends on how that bad news affects you.

Let’s say that you and I are neighbors, and as I look across the yard over at your house, I notice that one side of your house is on fire. I mean, really on fire. And so I run up to your house, look through the front window, and see you there just sitting there inside watching TV. You have no clue your house is on fire. So, I beat on your door and scream, “Hurry, hurry. Get out of the house. Your house is on fire, and it is about to consume you.”?

And so you jump up and get out of the house, safe from the fire. We hate to hear bad news, but you’d be thankful that I told you that piece of bad news because it saved your life.

Well, in Romans 2, the Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul has some bad news for us. He says that on the day of judgment, God will justly give to each person what they deserve based on what they have done in this life. For those who have been “self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.” He goes on to say that “there will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil.” And He will show no partiality. It doesn’t matter who you are or the good that you have done. If you have done anything bad, which is to saying anything sinful, at all in your life, condemnation awaits you. That’s not just bad news. That’s awful news.

But I’m thankful to hear this bad news because it awakens me and alerts me to the absolute disaster that lies ahead for me if something doesn’t change.

And now that God has our attention with the bad news, we are ready for the good news of Jesus Christ! Because of what Jesus did on this earth in His life, death, and resurrection, every person who turns from sin and trusts in Jesus will be forgiven of all their sins and escape the wrath to come. So, I say to you today: turn to Him, and by God’s amazing grace and great mercy, you won’t get what you deserve. That bad news springs forth into good news through Jesus Christ! And may you receive it, and may your destiny be changed forever!

Change begins in you!