DeeGeesLifeBlog ~ Life as Art ~ Or is it Heart?

The emperor Napoleon in the early nineteenth century spoke convincingly of the truth of the Bible’s claims about Jesus:
I know men, and I tell you that Jesus Christ is not a [mere] man. Superficial minds see a resemblance between Christ and the founders of empires and the gods of other religions. That resemblance does not exist … I search in vain in history to find the similar to Jesus Christ, or any thing which can approach the gospel. Neither history, nor humanity, nor the ages, nor nature offer me any thing with which I am able to compare it or explain it. Here every thing is extraordinary. The more I consider the gospel, the more I am assured that there is nothing there which is not beyond the march of events and above the human mind … You speak of Caesar, of Alexander; of their conquests, and of the enthusiasm which they enkindled in the hearts of their soldiers. But can you conceive of a dead man making conquests, with an army faithful and entirely devoted to his memory. My armies have forgotten me, even while living, as the Carthaginian army forgot Hannibal. Such is our power! … Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and myself founded empires. But upon what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ alone founded his empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for him.

Vincent Van Gogh, the great Dutch painter and mysterious personality, commented: “Christ is more of an artist than the artists; he works in the living spirit and the living flesh, he makes men instead of statues.”

Lord Byron, the British Romantic poet from a generation earlier, stated even more concisely: “If ever man was God or God man, Jesus Christ was both.”

 And classic science-fiction novelist H.G.Wells wrote in 1935:

It is interesting and significant that a historian, without any theological bias whatever, should find that he cannot portray the progress of humanity honestly without giving a foremost place to a penniless teacher from Nazareth .. [One] like myself, who does not even call himself a Christian, finds the picture centering irresistibly around the life and character of this most significant man … the world began to be a different world from the day that [His] doctrine was preached.

Why is this? Because Jesus is the Word of God in flesh. He was resurrected to fulfill that living Word, and He lives today.

The prolific and eloquent nineteenth-century novelist Charles Dickens wrote: “I now most solemnly impress upon you the truth and beauty of the Christian religion, as it came from Christ Himself.”

The American statesman Daniel Webster said: “If I could comprehend Jesus Christ, he could be no greater than myself. Such is my sense of sin, and consciousness of my inability to save myself, that I feel I need a super-human Saviour.” A short time before he died in 1852, he wrote: “My heart has always assured and reassured me, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be a Divine Reality .. The whole history of man proves it.”

Swiss-born theologian and historian Philip Schaff, wrote this assessment:
This Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science and learning, he shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of schools, he spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of any orator or poet; without writing a single line, he set more pens in motion, and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and sweet songs of praise, than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times.

This man, Jesus, lived among us, died at our sinful hands, and rose from the grave to give us life everlasting.

Ernest Renan, French historian from the nineteenth century and an expert in ancient civilizations, said: “All history is incomprehensible without Christ … Whatever may be the unexpected phenomena of the future, Jesus will not be surpassed .. all the ages will proclaim that, among the sons of men, there is none born who is greater than Jesus.”

Sholem Asch, a Polish-born Yiddish writer from the early twentieth century, wrote:

Jesus Christ is to me the outstanding personality of all time, all history, both as Son of God and as Son of Man. Everything he ever said or did has value for us today and that is something you can say of no other man, dead or alive. There is no easy middle ground to stroll upon. You either accept Jesus or reject him. You can analyze Mohammed and Buddha, but don’t try it with him.

Asch was also the writer who penned this memorable line about Jesus: “He became the Light of the World. Why shouldn’t I, a Jew, be proud of that?”

When the Pharisees told Jesus to silence his followers for proclaiming him the King of glory, Jesus said, “I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” (Luke 19:40) Archaeology is a sought-after adventure. Some enter this field, studying antiquities, to disprove the Bible. But when many brush the dust off the earth from their knees, they confess that Jesus is Lord! The very rocks do cry out that Jesus lives.

Archaeologist William Albright, born in Chile of missionary parents, stated: “There can be no doubt that archaeology has confirmed the substancial historicity of Old Testament tradition. Jewish archaeologist Nelson Glueck said: “It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a Biblical reference. Scores of archaeological findings have been made which confirms in clear outline or in exact detail historical statements in the Bible.”

The eternal question for every soul on the planet becomes: “Where do you stand among these men of history when it comes to Jesus Christ?”

Jesus Christ the same yesterday,
and today, and forever…

Sole` Deo Gloria!

A rose by any other name is still a rose..

 

Sourced from “The Reason for my Hope” by Billy Graham

And if you missed the first part go here..