My heart sank and my breathing seemed laboured. He had but recently operated on me at the Marsden Hospital, in Surrey, for a leg tumour.

It is not customary for surgeons to phone their patients, hence my anxiety. But he was phoning with good news and said: "Your tumour was benign, with no traces of cancer."

As I put the phone down, I wept my gratitude to God. Good news of any description is in short supply in our world today and to get this kind felt really great.

How wonderful to know that God himself has a message of good news for all of us on planet earth. This is the meaning of the word gospel.

That is, through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, God offers us forgiveness, peace, hope, purpose, in the here and now and eternal life as well.

The apostle Paul put it this way: "The appearing of our saviour Jesus Christ… has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."

If we can but accept it, this form of good news is the best we could ever have during our whole lifetime.

Better than the solicitor's letter telling us we are heirs to a large legacy. Better than hearing we have won the lottery.

Better than anything we could ever imagine. The gospel of Jesus Christ, when believed and accepted, deals with our guilt, calms our conscience and brings hope where there is none.

The apostle Paul again: "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes."

Jesus said: "The time has come, the Kingdom of God is near, repent and believe the good news."