Who is the most outstanding personality of all time?
• Who is the greatest leader?
• Who is the greatest teacher?
• Who has done the most good for mankind?
• Who lived the holiest life anyone has ever lived?
Visit any part of the world today. Talk to people of any religion. They will have to admit that there has never been a man like Jesus of Nazareth. He is the most unique personality of all time.
Jesus changed the direction of history. Even the date on your morning newspaper testifies to the fact that Jesus of Nazareth lived on earth nearly 2,000 years ago. B.C. means "before Christ"; A.D. Anno Domini, "the year of our Lord".
His coming foretold
Hundreds of years before Jesus' birth, Scripture records the words of the prophets of Israel predicting His coming. The Old Testament, written by many people over a period of 1,500 years, contains more than 300 prophecies describing His coming. All of these details came true, including his miraculous birth, His sinless life, His many miracles, His death and His resurrection.
The life Jesus led, the miracles He did, the words He spoke, His death on the cross, His resurrection, His ascent to heaven - all point to the fact that He was not merely man, but more than a man. Jesus claimed, "I and the Father are One", "He who has seen Me has seen the Father", and "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me."
His life and message bring changes
Look at the life and influence of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, throughout history and you will see that He and His message always produce great changes in the lives of men and of nations. Wherever His teachings and influence have gone, the holiness of marriage, women's rights and voice in society have been acknowledged; schools and universities of higher learning have been established; laws to protect children have been made; slavery has been abolished; and a multitude of other changes have been made for the good of mankind.
Who is Jesus of Nazareth to you?
Your life on this earth and for all of eternity is affected by your answer to this question.
Take Jesus Christ out of Christianity, and there would be nothing left. Biblical Christianity is not just a philosophy of life, nor an ethical standard or obedience to religious ritual. True Christianity is based on a vital, personal relationship with a risen, living Saviour and Lord.
A risen founder
Jesus of Nazareth was crucified on a cross, buried in a borrowed grave, and three days later was raised from the dead; Christianity is unique in this regard.
Reasons for belief
The resurrection is central to the Christian faith. There are several reasons why those who study the resurrection believe it is true:
Foretold
First, Jesus Himself foretold His death and resurrection and His death and resurrection came about exactly as He had predicted.
The empty grave
Second, the resurrection is the only plausible explanation for His empty grave. A careful reading of the biblical story shows that the grave where they laid the body of Jesus was closely guarded by Roman soldiers and sealed with an enormous boulder.
Personal encounters
Third, after His resurrection, Jesus appeared at least ten times to those who had known Him. The Lord proved that these appearances were not hallucinations: He ate and talked with them and they touched Him.
Birth of the Church
Fourth, the resurrection is the only reasonable explanation for the beginning of the Christian Church. The Christian Church is by far the largest institution that exists or has ever existed in the history of the world.
Transformed lives
Fifth, the resurrection is the only logical explanation for the transformed lives of the disciples. They deserted Him before His resurrection; after His death they were discouraged and fearful. They did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead.
Yet after His resurrection and their experience at Pentecost, these same discouraged, disappointed men and women were transformed by the mighty power of the risen Christ. In His name, they turned the world upside down.
No-one who has honestly considered the overwhelming evidence proving the Deity and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth can deny that He is the Son of God, the promised Messiah.
A living Lord
Jesus Christ lives today and faithfully blesses and enriches the lives of all those who trust and obey Him, including many who have greatly influenced the world.
French physicist and philosopher Blaise Pascal spoke of man's need for Jesus when he said, "There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man, which only God can fill through His Son Jesus Christ."
