Jesus - The Man of IMPACT
33 Years – An Eternal IMPACT
INTRO: What Makes the Difference for a Lasting IMPACT?
Defining Impact, in general, can refer to the influence or effect of an object. In science it can refer to the collision of two objects. (wikipedia)
Time’s Man of the Year (see list and do quiz – Maybe Jeopardy Format??)
Great as they have been, none of these impacts by these men are eternal. They will soon be forgotten. Only one man has made a lasting—AN ETERNAL--impact on our world. He only lived for 33 years, yet He has left an eternal impact. He is not the man of the year…He is the Man of Eternity!
John 1:1-14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it. 6 There was a man named John who was sent from God. 7 He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 9 The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not recognize Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. 12 But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God. 14 The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
IMPACT – CHRIST REVEALED
• Beginning with Adam and Eve.
o Sin in the garden.
o The Need for a plan of redemption from sin.
o God was the only one who could give us the plan.
Clothed them and their nakedness
Demonstrated the need for sacrifice to pay the price
• Announced through the Ages
o By the Customs and Traditions (Passover)
o By the Word of the Prophets
Acts 13:26-27
26 “Brothers, sons of Abraham’s race, and those among you who fear God, the message of this salvation has been sent to us. 27 For the residents of Jerusalem and their rulers, since they did not recognize Him or the voices of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled their words by condemning Him.
• Consistent Throughout History
o Not just Sacrifice on Altar, but Something Deeper (Psalm 51.16-17)
Faith in the Coming Messiah – Christ
Faith in the Sacrificed Savior - Cross
IMPACT: CHRIST RECONNECTING
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (HCSB)
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. 18 Now everything is from God, who RECONCILED us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of RECONCILIATION: 19 that is, in Christ, God was RECONCILING the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of RECONCILIATION to us. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ; certain that God is appealing through us, we plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be RECONCILED to God.” 21 He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
• Reconciliation supposes a breach of friendship
o Sin made the breach
o Christ is the mediator
IMPACT: CHRIST REVISITED (Reviewing His Life)
• The Promised Son of Almighty God
• Born of The Virgin
• At age 12 — teaching in the temple.
• Tempted by the Devil himself, but without Sin
• Cast out demons, Healed the Sick, Preached the Kingdom
• Arrested and Killed by those He’d come to Redeem
• Resurrected from the Grave on Day Three, just as He’d said
IMPACT: CHRIST REJECTED?
• Where does the world stand today?
o 80% of the people in the United States believe in God.
Greece 85%
Austria 75%
Great Britain 62%
Sweden 50%
o On the belief in life after death — 58% of people in US believe
o While 58% believe in After Life, 80% of people in US don’t believe in Hell
(Barna Research Group, 1997).
• Why are Teens/Youth Rebelling today?
o They’re searching for something that they can’t seem to find
Relationships and Experience are key elements for these people
o What IMPACT has Christ had on their life?
o What IMPACT has Christ had on your life?
o Can they see the IMPACT He has had on your life?
They explain their actions of rebellion by saying they are searching for peace and the good life.
If you talk to one of them who has found Christ as his personal Savior, he will tell you he found that peace and joy in Christ.
• Some People today seem to be daring God to chastise them.
IMPACT: CHRIST REDEEMING
• SALAVATION FOR THE WORLD – CHRIST’S GLOBAL IMPACT
o The ONLY way for the salvation of the world is God’s Way (John 14.6)
Does the World Need to be Rescued?
The condition of the world today (Jude 5-7).
• Before the world can be changed, man must be changed.
o It doesn’t help you to put on clean clothes if you don’t frist take a bath.
• SALVATION FOR THE PERSON – CHRIST’S PERSONAL IMPACT
o What does salvation mean to the individual?
If you have it — Eternal security with God.
If you don’t — eternal separation from God.
IMPACT INVITATION: CHRIST RECEIVED
• ETERNAL IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE.
o What impact has Christ made on your life?
Are you seeking His will, or are you rejecting Him?
Christ makes an impact on each life. You must decide today — right now — what this impact will be.
What will your decision, concerning Christ, be today?
