The day after our youngest son’s wedding, we invited family over for a brunch at our house. In preparation for the brunch my wife, Donelle asked me to go to the grocery store and pick up a few items we needed. Going to the grocery store is not high on my list of preferred activities and quite often I don’t have a great attitude fulfilling that task. So that morning I drove the extremely long mile to Von’s to purchase what we needed, eggs, rolls, clementines, bananas, which they were completely out of, substituted for grapes, and real whipping cream. On one of my trips through the store searching out the needed items, I walked past the check out stand and saw a magazine, that caught my attention. Life Magazine had published an edition called “Jesus, Who Do You Say that I Am?” In that moment I did something a rarely do. I purchased something that was not on Donelle’s list. I purchased the magazine, from a grocery store checkout stand.
One of the many things I found fascinating about this publication was the chapter titles. The first chapter is: “The Carpenter’s Son, Who Changed Everything”. The last chapter: “He Is All Things To All Men”. In its conclusion, we read: “In such a meager sampling – a round of phone calls, a few sitdowns – such a wide range of opinion on, and use of, Jesus. One fact is overarching: Jesus today is not only present, He is potent.” (Jesus, pg. 92) Let me remind you, Life is not a Christian publication. It is currently owned by Dotdash Meridith, who some time ago took over the Time Warner assets. In other words, a publication that would definitely be considered non religious, has recognized both Jesus’ presence and potency in the world today. Do you realize how amazing that is?
Referencing Napoleon Bonaparte, the authors of the Life publication quoted Bonaparte’s observation of the uniqueness of Jesus’ influence. He observed that Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and Bonaparte himself had all built empires through the use of force. However, Jesus alone built his kingdom upon love and millions would die for him. Founding father, Thomas Jefferson wrote of his considering himself a Christian due to his adherence to Jesus’ doctrines in preference to all others. Many of the founding fathers of the United States shared Jefferson’s admiration for Jesus while some like Jefferson rejected the miraculous. More recently, Life quoted Dr. C. Everett Koop, former surgeon general of the United States, who observed that either Jesus is exactly who he said he was or was a deceiver and liar. Koop further believed that a person’s faith could assist in their healing process.
As Life observed, we live in a day and age that has been profoundly influenced by Jesus. The treasured values that we hold dearly, such as compassion for the weak and needy, equality for all people regardless of ethnicity, social standing or gender, all find their roots in what Jesus taught and demonstrated. So then, Jesus’ question addressed to his disciples is not merely a historical observation but very relevant for us today 2000 years after Jesus lived. Who do you say that I am?
David Freitag 