One Solitary Life He was born in a

simple, remote village the

child of a peasant woman. He grew up in still another village where he worked in a

carpenter shop until he was 30 years old.

Then for 3 years, he was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or

owned a house. He didn’t go to college. He never traveled 200 miles

from the place where he was born.

He did none of the things one usually

associates with greatness.

He had no credentials but himself.

He was only 33 when public opinionturned against him.His friends ran away.He was turned over to his enemies ...

… and he went through a mockery of a trial.

He was nailed on a cross between two thieves.While he was dying his executionersgambled for his clothing - the only property he had on earth.

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

Nineteen centuries have come and gone,

and today he is the central

figure of the human race,

the leader of mankind’s progress.

All the armies that ever marched, All the navies that ever sailed, All the parliaments that ever sat, All the kings that ever reigned put together, Have not affected the life of man on earth as much as that ONE SOLITARY

LIFE!

Who is this man?

“You are the Son of the

Living God”

“ My Lord and My God!”

“Who do you say I am?”

“ Great God and Savior”

“Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest”

“

“

(Matthew 11:28)

I am the way, the truth & the life; no one can go to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Seeing how much faith they had, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, ‘My son, your sins are forgiven.’ Some teachers of the Law… thought to themselves, ‘How does he dare talk like this? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!’”( Mk. 2:5-7)

“I am telling you the truth …

Before Abraham was born, ‘I am.’ Then they pick

up stones to throw at him ….

( John 8:58-59)

“Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?”

‘ I am,’ answered Jesus.”

(Mk 14:62)

Carl S. Lewis: Mere Christianity

“ A man who was merely a man & said the sort of things Jesus said wouldn’t be great teacher, he’d either be a lunatic…or else he’d be the devil of hell. You must make a choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse.”

Who is Jesus Christ?

Great TeacherMad ManGOD

Who is Jesus for you?

This Jesus Challenges Me

I am FURIOUS, and he tells me : FORGIVE!

I am AFRAID, and he tells me: TAKE COURAGE!

I have DOUBTS, and he says: HAVE CONFIDENCE!

I feel RESTLESS, and he says: BE CALM!

I prefer to go, MY OWN WAY, and he tells me: COME and FOLLOW ME!

I make MY OWN PLAN, and he says to me: FORGET ABOUT THEM!

I like to UNDERSTAND, and he says: BELIEVE!

I like VIOLENCE, and he says: PEACE BE WITH YOU!

I think of REVENGE, and he says: OFFER THE OTHER CHEEK!

I choose HATRED, and he says: LOVE YOUR ENEMIES.I like to be the GREATEST, and he says: LEARN TO BE AS SMALL AS A CHILD!

I like to remain HIDDEN, and he says: LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE!

I look at the BEST PLACE, and he says: SIT IN THE LAST BENCH!

No, I don’t understand this Jesus.

He provokes me. He confuses me. Like so many of his disciples, I, too, would like to follow another Master who would be more certain and less demanding.

But I experienced almost the same as Peter:

“I don’t know of anyone else, WHO HAS THE WORDS OF ETERNAL

LIFE!”

“ I am way, the truth and the life; no one can go to the Father except

through me.”