The Greatness Of Christ Jesus Series

Christ is great for a number of reasons.

He is Great

1. Because of his impact upon the world:

Dr James Allan Francis © 1926. Said the following about Jesus:

“He was born in an obscure village The child of a peasant woman

He grew up in another obscure village Where he worked in a carpenter's shop -

Until he was thirty when public opinion turned against him

He never wrote a book He never held an office He never went to college

He never visited a big city He never travelled more than two hundred miles from

the place where he was born

He did none of the things usually associated with greatness

He had no credentials but himself

He was only thirty three

His friends ran away One of them denied him

He was turned over to his enemies And went through the mockery of a trial

He was nailed to a cross between two thieves

While dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing The only property he had on earth

When he was dead He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend

Nineteen centuries have come and gone

And today Jesus is the central figure of the human race

And the leader of mankind's progress All the armies that have ever marched

All the navies that have ever sailed All the parliaments that have ever sat

All the kings that ever reigned put together

Have not affected the life of mankind on earth

As powerfully as that one solitary life.”

H G Wells, the bard, though an unbeliever, agrees. He says:

I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very centre of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history.

Someone else has said:

“Socrates taught for 40 years, Plato for 50, Aristotle for 40, and Jesus for only 3. Yet the influence of Christ's 3-year ministry infinitely transcends the impact left by the combined 130 years of teaching from these men who were among the greatest philosophers of all antiquity.

Jesus never wrote a book, yet more books have been written about him than any other of the billions who ever lived on this planet.

He never painted a picture or composed poetry or music, but nobody's life and teaching has been the subject of so many songs, plays, poetry, pictures or films.”

Jesus is truly beyond compare:

2. Because of the things some rather significant people said about him.

Before he came into this world, prophets spoke of him:

Isaiah for instance said: for unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulders. And his name shall be called...

When the angel announces Jesus' immanent arrival in Luke 1:32, he says:

"He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David."

In Luke 2 when Jesus was taken to the temple to be dedicated as a child to the Lord, Simeon that man of God took him in his arms and praised God saying: Lord now let your servant depart in peace...: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation...a light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

Even he's predecessor in ministry declared his greatness: in John 1:15 we read:

John testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'"

3. Because of his claims about himself

Matthew 12:6 "But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here

Matthew 12:42 "The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

Matthew 12:41 "The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

John 14:1 Jesus said ‘Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, BELIEVE ALSO IN ME’ ‘

In verse 6-7 'I am the way, the truth, and the life: No Man Cometh Unto The Father, But By Me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him’ .

Jesus declared ‘I and my Father are One’ Jn10:30.

Kindly note: Buddha never claimed to be God. Moses never claimed to be Jehovah. Mohammed never claimed to be Allah. Yet Jesus Christ claimed to be the true and living God.