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The
World's Greatest Revolutionary
The
greatest revolutionary of all time lived as a second-class
citizen of an oppressed nation, at the beginning of the
first century A.D. Born into a Jewish Family of Galilee
during the Roman occupation, he lived in a time of violence
and clearly proclaimed a message of peace. Although the
target of much hatred, he boldly taught and lived a life
of love. He courageously showed the way to God, but the
jealous religious leaders of that day arrested him and beat
him, condemning him to death.
Roman
soldiers whipped him with leather thongs spliced with pieces
of bone and metal. Thorns were pushed into his head. People
spat upon him and pulled out handfuls of his beard as they
cursed and swore at him. Large crude nails were hammered
into his hands and into his feet. A spear was thrust into
his side. So greatly was his influence feared that they
even placed soldiers to guard his grave!
Yet,
this revolutionary has continued to affect millions of lives
down through the centuries! His grave is empty and hundreds
of witnesses claim that He rose from the dead. Historical
and manuscript evidence all agree that this man who was
executed on a cross actually came alive from the dead! His
Revolution is the greatest of all because it has continued
and increased even after His death and resurrection for
nearly 2000 years!
Here
was a man who didn't care what people thought of Him. He
was never influenced by public opinion or group pressure.
He was not afraid of being seen with the outcasts of that
day. He openly befriended the despised prostitutes and the
hated tax collectors. So great was His effect on them that
even the worst sinners would change their whole way of life,
and devote themselves to serving God. He inspired simple
fishermen to be the Revolutionaries who carried His powerful
message to India, Ethiopia, Greece, Rome and to all the
Middle East. He sparked a fire that flamed into a blaze
that swept the whole Roman Empire. His enthusiastic followers
could not be stopped or dissuaded from proclaiming His uncompromising
message. Opposition seemed useless to stem the rising tide
of support for his radical teachings.
A
vicious persecution, such as the world had never before
seen, was inflicted upon the followers of this great man.
The whole might of the Roman Empire sought to destroy the
teachings and support of these brave disciples.
Those
who refused to compromise or give up their dedication to
this man's principles were stoned to death or burnt at the
stake. In their hundreds they were torn apart by wild animals
in arenas while thousands cheered in the grandstands. Thousands
were tortured and massacred. They had a supernatural ability
to give back good in return for evil; to return love for
hate; to forgive and suffer with a joy and faith that shocked
their most hardened enemies.
Far
from being defeated, it seemed that the blood of these martyrs
became seeds for the continuation of the whole of the movement.
For every one who died in the arena, ten stood up to take
their place. Despite being the most powerful empire in history,
the Roman Empire lost this conflict and found itself defeated
and taken over by these peace-loving people, whom it had
determined to annihilate!
A
revolutionary life with a revolutionary message, Jesus Christ
has continued to make a revolutionary impact on countless
individuals all over the world.
Lenin,
Trotsky and Stalin masterminded a revolution that swept
Czarist Russia into history and established a Communist
Republic where the principles of Karl Marx could be implemented.
After seventy years of intensive propaganda against the
Bible and for Communism, not only had this `Socialist heaven'
and `workers paradise' failed to materialise but alcoholism
and inflation was on the increase among the disillusioned
and oppressed Russians. In spite of exhaustive propaganda
and brainwashing against Christianity and the Bible, Soviet
officials were dismayed to see how the young in the USSR
were flocking to the churches. A Soviet newspaper editor
complained that the only ideology that seemed to interest
the young was Christianity! Why, he protested, did they
only want to hear about Jesus Christ! What had happened
to Marx and Lenin?
History
has shown that humanist revolutionaries like Marx and Lenin
are no match for the mighty revolutionary Jesus Christ!
While Marx aimed to change society, Jesus has continually
succeeded in changing people!
Recently,
mission's researchers have fixed the number of Christians
in Russia at 80 million! In the pressures of the past decades,
in Russia, it has been Marxism that has failed, and Christianity
has proved to be more enduring!
Mao
Tse Tung headed the Communist Revolution that defeated Chiang
Kei Shek and took a vicious control of Mainland China in
1949. An unprecedented persecution of the Christians followed.
Bibles were confiscated, churches were closed, pastors were
tortured and believers were imprisoned. Thousands were massacred
and crucified; hundreds had nails driven through their eyes.
The small, struggling Church in China seemed to have been
wiped out. Yet, today the Church has grown over 50 times
as large as it had ever been before! O.M.F. estimates that
there are over 80 million Christians meeting in flourishing
home fellowships and churches throughout Red China. While
Mao's little red book is discredited and generally disregarded,
twenty thousand enthusiastic Chinese believers in the middle
of the night eagerly welcomed a million Bibles! Mao's revolution
has long ago run out of steam and has been eclipsed by the
Revolution of Jesus Christ!
Time
after time man-made revolutions have failed to have a lasting
effect. Century after century the revolution of Jesus Christ
has continued and increased its impact upon millions of
lives all over the world!
I
became part of this revolution when I experienced the new
birth. I was "born again" into an exciting spiritual
dimension that showed me a whole new perspective on life,
where God is the centre, and the source. This experience
of the reality of God has changed me from the selfish and
materialistic person I used to be. Now I have become a revolutionary
for Jesus!
How
did all this happen? It all began when I started reading
the Gospels and Acts in the Bible. Try it out for yourself
- see what the most revolutionary Book in the world says
about the Greatest Revolutionary of all time!
Peter
Hammond
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