Jesus Christ changes lives, even yours

Published 6:04 am Friday, April 14, 2006

By Staff
Even incidental contact with Jesus Christ can change the course of your life. Jesus Christ has changed, is changing, and will change lives.
Years before Jesus walked the earth as a man, Isaiah prophesied of Him in Isaiah, chapter 61, verses 1-3, “. . . the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness . . . .”
Nobody else anywhere, anytime can change people like Jesus can.
Jesus Christ lived on earth for thirty-three years. He had public ministry for three years and changed the course of history. After His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit of God continues to impact society at every level throughout the world.
The Bible refers to many specific individuals who were changed by Jesus. Let's look at some of those who met Him in the final twenty-four hours of His time on earth.
One such person was the servant of the Jewish high priest. Coming in the middle of the night to arrest Jesus, one of the disciples drew his sword and whacked off the right ear of the servant. Jesus immediately “touched his ear and healed him” (Luke 22:51). What impact do you suppose that incident had? One minute you are bleeding from a head wound and reeling from the blow. Your ear is laying in the dirt in the dark of night. The next thing that happens is the accused prisoner reaches and touches your ear and you are healed completely. That servant was likely never the same again.
Another person impacted by Jesus was the wife of Pontius Pilate. Her words to her husband in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 27, verse 19, were, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.” We do not know exactly what happened to her, but her thoughts were probably never far from Jesus again.
There was a centurion serving in Jerusalem at that time. His duty station required him to be involved in the execution of prisoners by crucifixion. Three crucifixions were planned. At the last minute Barabbas was released, and Jesus was added when the Jewish leaders demanded that He be put to death. The centurion assembled his men and carried out the grisly task. Three men, three crosses-and for some reason, Jesus was placed on the middle cross.
Pilate also ordered that Jesus be scourged. The centurion complied.
Crucifixion was a slow death. But on this day, Passover eve, everything had to be finished before sundown. The three men were crucified by nine in the morning. The centurion waited. At noon the sky went dark for three hours and a great earthquake occurred the moment Jesus died.
The centurion exclaimed in Matthew, chapter 27, verse 54, “Truly this was the Son of God!” I doubt he ever forgot that day and the events surrounding Jesus.
There were the two thieves hanging on crosses next to Jesus. One mocked and demanded deliverance (Luke 23:39). The other meekly in brokenness declared his own guilt while asserting that Jesus was innocent.
He requested that Jesus remember him when He, Jesus, received His kingdom (Luke 23:42). That transaction between two dying men resulted in a humble, repentant thief spending eternity with Jesus Christ while the other thief obviously went to Hell.
Nobody who meets Jesus stays the same. Exposure to Jesus is like being exposed to the heat of the sun; your heart is either hardened like the clay or melted like wax.
Jesus is the key ingredient for establishing your eternal destiny. Jesus said in the gospel of John, chapter 14, verse 6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
If you have not met Jesus, call out to Him. He will change your life.