"The 365 Challenge"

By Gobel Brockman


     A few summers ago I attended a Christian music festival. I walked by a tent where a Bible study was being held, and since it had already started I quietly slipped in and sat on the grass in the back. They were discussing something they were calling "The 365 Challenge." Basically the idea was this: "If you were given 365 seconds to tell someone about Jesus, what would you say?" During the drive home after the festival, I spent a lot of time thinking about that question. (A lot longer than 365 seconds.) This is what I came up with:

(Start the clock:)

     "In His lifetime Jesus made a lot of claims about Himself. In John 14 He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by Me." In John 10 He said, "I am the door; all who came before Me were thieves and robbers." In John 8 He told the Jewish leaders, "Before Abraham was, I AM." (They knew what He meant by that, because they immediately wanted to stone Him.) At various times He said such things as, "I am the bread of life," "I am the good shepherd," "I am the light of the world," and "I am the resurrection and the life."

     "There are many, many other things He said about Himself, and many things others said about Him that He didn't discourage. All of this leads me to the conclusion that Jesus is one of two things: either He is the biggest liar and fraud that has ever walked on this planet, or He is exactly who He claimed to be. There is no middle ground. There's no claiming that "he was a good moral teacher." People who are good moral teachers don't make such outrageous claims about themselves and attempt to deceive all who are listening. He's either a liar or He's everything He said He was. So how do we know which is true?"

     "At one point Jesus said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." (He was talking about His crucifixion and resurrection.) They indeed destroyed the "temple" on the cross, but three days later Jesus was raised from the dead. In that moment, every "I AM" statement Jesus made about Himself was confirmed. He was – and is – "the resurrection and the life." His death paid the price for humanity's sin, which proved that He is indeed "the way, truth, and life." Millions have found their way out of spiritual darkness because He is indeed "the light of the world." 

     "There are some in Christianity – especially American Christianity – that seem to be presenting Jesus as some sort of product to be obtained, as if His primary role is to cater to our whims and needs. "Is your life a mess? Come to Jesus - He'll make it all better!" seems to be the message. I submit to you that He is not that at all. Jesus Christ is the sovereign King of Kings and Lord of Lords who deserves obedience and worship. There's a story in the Bible of a woman caught in adultery who was brought to Jesus. After exposing her accuser's hypocrisy and watching them walk away, He then told the woman, "Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more." There are many who love the Jesus that says, "Neither do I condemn thee" but want nothing to do with the Jesus that says, "Go and sin no more." The problem with that is the same Jesus said them both - and they are equally valid. It is this Jesus that you and I will one day stand before and give an account of our lives. You may say, "I don't believe that." That doesn't matter - you'll be there anyway. Every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Why? Because Jesus loved the unlovable, gave hope to the hopeless, and offered grace and mercy to all who will receive it. He defeated sin, death, Hell, and the grave, and is forever Savior and Lord. Yes, Jesus made many claims about Himself, but He then backed up those claims with powerful actions that no man or demon could (or can) defeat."

     "In His life, death, resurrection, and in everything that He's done since, Jesus has proved that He's exactly who He claimed to be. Jesus Christ was, is, and forevermore shall be King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords."

(Stop the clock.)

     (I'll reserve the remainder of my time for another devotional.)