And He breathed on them, and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." Good news!

And He breathed on them, and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

And just like that, they did.

That’s brilliant. For that is why we need. The Holy Spirit to sort out our spirits. To give us wisdom. Self-control. Temperance. Peace. Calm.

And as Jesus says, we receive this gift just by asking for it.

The Gospel is indeed good news.

Many years ago, I was in a Bible study with a large, dramatic lady. When the regular leader was away, she was asked to lead the study.

She enacted the exchange of David and Jonathan with Jonathan giving David everything in this covenant between a prince and a shepherd. It was like the exchange we have going with Christ. I give you my love for what it’s worth, Jesus, and you give me….Everything!

As she enacted it, she broke down and became tearful. I told Roy with some displeasure, “What a loud, overly dramatic woman.”

Roy said, “Maybe as you grow older, you appreciate it more.”

And so indeed one does.  The free gift, the free goodness, the free comfort, the sheer generosity of the Gospel is indeed, as its name says, Good News.