Listening today of some light history about one of the worlds most powerful leaders: Augustus, also known as Octavian… He was an incredible ruler: defeating vast lands and unifying his own republic, successfully making it an empire.
He promised peace (through violence), his influence so great that glimpses of his political structures are still evident today in many countries.
But the thing that is almost incomprehensible to me: he is virtually unknown as far as famous history figures go as *very* few people wrote about him. Only around 10 people wrote about this ruler who ushered in an unprecedented 200 years of peace. Moreover, the law commanded everyone to to worship him as a ‘son of god’ or be put to death.
Compare his legacy to another figure born around the same time… However this person:
– was from a low ranking poor family
– had no status, title or political position
– had no physical strength and never threatened anyone
– was from a race that was under oppression
– face determined attack from all sides
– had both the religious community AND the ruling ‘advanced’ community determined to ignore, deny and erase His name from history
Yet you have likely heard of this second Man and know *far* more about Him. Many more people wrote about this man, in fact, we have found tens of thousands of manuscripts about Him written by eye witnesses to His life.
They didn’t see Octavian as worthy of writing about, however they were willing to die for their testimony about this unknown upstart, Jesus of Nazareth.
Far from just having a month named after Him, our very dating system was changed to coincide with His birth. His influence has permeated, affected or is feared by every political structure in every part of the world since. In fact, His followers are renowned as the only group that can not be controlled such is His impact.
Octavian promised and delivered what the people wanted, success, power and supremacy. He used techniques that are known to work, with threats and incentives and had the backing of the people and the establishment. He claimed to be the very son of god!
Jesus? He had nothing…except of course His very identity.
In the physical, He was a vulnerable baby born in a manager in Bethlehem to a virgin, fled to Egypt and later grew up in Nazareth.
He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, made the cripple walk, fed thousands and even raised the dead.
He was hated and attacked by His own people, eventually being wrongly accused, tortured and killed by crucifixion.
3 Days later, He thwarted the Romans and Jewish leaders by rising from the dead and appearing to hundreds of different people.
As if all this wasn’t enough, hundreds of these strange details about His life were foretold in prophecies! Not just eager guesses or vague statements, they were pinpoint accurate and impossible to orchestrate. Over 300 of these prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus, the probability of just 48 of them being fulfilled by one man is 1 in 10^157 (157 zeros)!
Although this is mind blowing and demands an intellectual response, it is still not the main reason that so many follow Him and are willing to die for Him…
The answer to that lies in the power that He still has today. Octavian, as with all other historical or religious figures, has none. But Jesus has plenty!
He is still alive, still at work, still in control, still changing lives and still will return!
It’s historic fact: Jesus was forecast by many prophecies, Jesus lived, Jesus fulfilled prophecies, Jesus died and Jesus rose again. But if it stops there, it will hardly impact your life more than the compassionate undertones of most of the Western world.
But if you follow the evidence to where it leads, you end up at the feet of this Jesus – the forecast King. In His words:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
“I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM!”
“I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
“I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.””
“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.”
These are *huge* claims that destroy virtually all religions: Catholicism, Islam, Seventh Day Adventists, Mormonism, Jehovahs Witnesses etc: they all fall apart on the claims of the One they claim to follow!
Jesus claims to be the *sole* determiner of the soul. Not you, not any religion. Not what ‘good’ deeds you do or have done, not your parents, not the government.
Why not ask this famous man – king – God – to show you if He is real? Why not submit to what He says? There is ample evidence to show that He is credible and He will *never* let you down.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me,29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.30 The Father and I are one.”
John 10:27-30 (NLT)
Lord, please reveal Yourself to me. I know deep down that You are there and have been there throughout my life, but I have chosen to live my own way, rejecting You and Your ways. Please forgive me and change me so i can follow You. I am unable to be who I want to be without You. Thank You for giving me life & forgiving me.
NOTES:
Jesus rode a donkey, Octavian a stallion
Jesus led by example, Octavian by demands.
Jesus ruled by faith, Octavian through force.
Jesus sought humility, Octavian sought power.
Jesus pursued sacrifice, Octavian chased recognition.
Jesus praised the gentle, Octavian praised the strong.
Jesus encouraged compassion, Octavian revenge.
Jesus preached love, Octavian loyalty.
Jesus emptied Himself of being God, Octavian tried to make himself into a God
Jesus died for others, Octavian killed others for self.