Hundreds of years before His birth, prophets predicted his coming.
The Old Testament, written by many people over a period of 1,500 years, contains more than 300 such prophecies. All of these details came true, including his miraculous birth, his sinless life, his many miracles, his death and his resurrection.
There is so much historical and archeological evidence to support his existence that every reputable historian agrees he was not just a legend.
Here is a Man who was born in an small out of the way village of Bethlehem,Judea, the child of a peasant woman, descendant of David.
He grew up in another small village Nazareth, worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty, and then for three years he was an itinerant preacher.
He never wrote a book, He never held an office, He never owned a home, He never had a family, He never went to college, He never put his foot inside a big city, He never traveled very far from the place where He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness, and He had no credentials but Himself.
As a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His disciple friends ran away. One of them even denied he knew Him, three times. He was turned over to his enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial and was nailed to a cross and was on display between two thieves. His executioners gambled for his cloak, while He was dying, the only piece of personal things He had on earth. When He was dead, He was taken down and laid in a borrowed tomb of a friend.
Twenty centuries have come and gone, and still today He is the centerpiece of the human race and the leader of the Christian church. He stands for everything good in the world. Humanity, decency, love, compassion, forgiveness, and above all, everlasting life.
We even measure one of the most important things we have, our time by Him, christian and non christian alike, wear watches, have calendars, not thinking each day is judged by the time He was born and when He died. Our ancestors came to America and founded this great county on the belief in Him.
Throughout history, the influence he has had on the lives of people has never been surpassed. No other great leader has inspired so many positive changes in the lives of his followers. People who encounter Him are totally transformed. Their outlook on life is changed forever. To uphold their faith, they do not hesitate to face hardship, persecution and even death. Many consecrate their lives to serving others, disregarding their own needs and desires.
Today in some parts of the world to stand up and be a Christian means death,
After the September 11th Attack, many people realize just how much of an impact He has had on our lives and many lives in the whole world. That people still want to kill Christians after all these years. Christians who believe in life, love and freedom for all people. Christians who are the most compassionate of people and help and give the world over.
Whatever people think of him, nobody can deny that he stands at the very crux of human history.
It is far within the realm of knowledge to say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever were built, and all the governments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, all put together, have not affected the life of the human race, upon this earth, as powerfully as that
One Solitary Life,
Jesus Christ
The power of Christ knows no boundary of time or space. In our own age, many skeptics have been convinced just as thoroughly as their first-century counterparts. For example, Lew Wallace, a famous general and literary genius, was a known atheist. For two years, Wallace studied in the leading libraries of Europe and America, seeking information that would forever destroy Christianity. While writing the second chapter of a book outlining his arguments, he suddenly found himself on his knees crying out to Jesus, "My Lord and my God."
When confronted by solid indisputable evidence, he could no longer deny that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Later, Lew Wallace wrote the book Ben Hur, one of the greatest English novels ever written concerning the time of Christ.
Many other men and women in our century have dedicated their lives to spreading the Christian message, often braving torture and death. In modern times, Mother Theresa was an outstanding example of a life poured in the service of Christ. Of her well-known ministry among the poor, she said: "Our work is only the expression of the love we have for God."
Like her, many others have given their lives to serve the destitute and the outcast, either in their homeland or abroad. William and Katherine Booth, founders of the Salvation Army, believed that ministering to the poor was like ministering to Christ himself. The movement they launched enlisted the tireless efforts of enthusiastic people who wanted to make a difference in the world around them.
All Christian men and women find fulfilment and joy in following the teachings of Jesus. We are transformed when we meet Christ and yield our lives to him.
Each of us and you can made a positive impact on the world.
By:Gayl Ramey Wells, December 2001