Good News
Teachers
Lesson Summary
The class began with an observation that contemporary media is dominated by negative stories, from international conflicts to celebrity gossip, which can heighten anxiety and diminish spiritual encouragement. The teacher asked whether these constant reports lift or lower our spirits, concluding that there is little we can personally do about most of the world’s problems from our living rooms. Turning to Scripture, the group opened their Bibles to Matthew 4:23‑25 and noted how Jesus actively proclaimed the good news of the kingdom, healed diseases, and attracted large, diverse crowds. From this passage, the teacher identified two essential elements of genuine good news: it must be directly applicable to the listener’s life and it must have a meaningful impact. Using the analogy of a gluten‑free Oreo that is unavailable locally, the teacher illustrated how news that lacks personal relevance fails to be truly good news. The class was encouraged to seek and share the Gospel’s transformative message that meets personal needs and creates lasting change.
Key Scriptures
Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease, and every kind of sickness among the people. The news about him spread throughout all Syria, and he brought him all who were ill, those suffering from various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics, and he healed them. Large crowds followed him from Galilee, and the Decapolis, and Jerusalem, and Judea from beyond the Jordan.