‘ I have overcome the world’ John 16

The life of Jesus Christ changed the world forever. At a basic level we are reminded of that everyday by simply writing the date. For billions of believers and non believers alike today the year is 2020 AD. But far more changed as a result of a child born in a stable in Bethlehem to a carpenter and his wife in a third rate province of the Roman Empire than the date. Ironically the reign of Caesar Augustus is regarded by many as the pinnacle of the Roman Empire he was declared a God and was arguably the most powerful man that has ever lived. But where is he today placed beside the memory of a crucified criminal ? Three hundred years later the Roman Empire became Christian.

Before Christ power was God .The greatest Gods were those that wielded power the same applied to the rulers of men. Power that was absolute , merciless , total and was not only accepted as the norm but regarded as a virtue. Torture slavery wars were part of the everyday fabric of the world and the poor regarded with contempt.The beatitudes of Christ love,equality,charity , forgiveness ,humility were seen as ridiculous to the point of madness.

Yet today the conscience of the world is the morality of Christ. Did things change overnight ? Are things perfect today ? No obviously not but slowly but surely over the centuries almost counter intuitively humanity has moved in the direction where poverty,slavery,torture and war are regarded as wrong , absolute power evil . Equality as a strength not a weakness ‘ loving your neighbour ‘ as the right thing to do. In the life of Jesus God showed us his soul and eventually all paths lead to God. I don’t think it’s strange that God chose to reveal his will and essence when he did. In comparison to Augustus Christ was totally insignificant but ‘ that which I shut can never be opened and that which I open can never be shut’.

Lake Garden, Tai Ping