WHY JESUS MATTERS

The Eternal Impact of One Extraordinary Life

More books have been written, more songs have been composed, and more lives have been given in the name of Jesus Christ than of any other person who ever lived. The beginning of his life on earth was the beginning of our calendar, and the end of his life on earth was the most dramatic event in history.

Even though Jesus left this world nearly two thousand years ago, more than two billion people living today identify with him in one way or another. By all measurements, Jesus is the central figure of the human race.

All this from someone who was born in a small town in the Middle East and live an uneventful life as a carpenter until he was thirty years old. Only then did he announce to the people around him that he was the Son of God who came to give eternal life to all who believe in him.

Rather than embracing him wholeheartedly, many people—especially the religious leaders—were skeptical of Jesus and his incredible claims. They were outraged at what he said and did. How could a man be the Son of God? What made him think he could forgive sins? And even more incredibly, how could this man Jesus call himself God?

It was more than the religious and political leaders could tolerate, so they put Jesus to death on a cross. They thought this would silence Jesus and his followers for good.

But when Jesus came back to life after lying dead in a tomb for three days, the story of Jesus and what he taught came alive, too. From the resurrection day to the present day, history has not been the same.

Jesus has had a huge effect on culture, science, and the arts. The principles Jesus taught and the life he lived have set the standard for ethics and morality. Jesus dramatically changed and improved human relationships, and he redefined what it means to love.

Finally, Jesus brought a new dimension to the issue of faith and belief. In no uncertain terms, Jesus said he was the only way for humankind to escape spiritual death and inherit eternal life.

When you consider all of this, you can see why Jesus still matters in the world. In fact, he matters more today than ever before.

From Why Jesus Matters by Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz (Barbour Publishing)