One of a Kind
What Makes Jesus Unique?by Paul Litten
In a world filled with so many religious points of view, it can be hard to give a reason for following Jesus. Can we make the claim today that Jesus was, and is, God come in the flesh? When asked to defend the “hope that lies within us,” we long for the power to produce a perfect argument. For years, Christians have been schooled to answer the question of Jesus’ reality with profound, airtight arguments complete with historical evidence and solid logic. If we lack the training and memorization necessary to give a wonderfully complex answer, we may just opt to change the subject. Our silence surrenders to the wimpy relativism of the campus mind, and our inquirer walks away unaffected.
Why do the old arguments seem less convincing today? One reason is that the ground rules of belief have changed over the last thirty years. The perceived nature of truth has become more fluid and personalized, rather than unchanging and absolute. Students view truth as being like jello, conforming to any new idea that captures it. Personal taste is the ultimate measure for validity. When this happens, religious beliefs become an eclectic collection of mix-and-match choices rather than a quest to find meaning and truth that lasts a lifetime.
Is Jesus real only because he fulfilled prophecy and rose in history? Or are there other aspects of Jesus that make him unique among religious leaders? Can we communicate that Jesus is special and demands special attention in all the static of competing spiritual beliefs? I think we can. But we need to communicate that truth in ways that appeal to the experience of the people around us. A recent news story may give us some clues.
The story amazed me. A year earlier, a drunk driver had run down a woman on a sidewalk. An aspiring model, the young woman lost her career, her health and the use of her limbs in the accident. Damage led to a year of painful surgery, recovery and rehab. On the day of her assailant’s sentencing she was invited to speak out.
I, and perhaps everyone in that courtroom, expected to hear an angry list of the ways in which this man’s actions had destroyed her life. But instead of ranting vengeance, judicial ears heard a surprising song of grace. The woman testified of her forgiveness toward this man and pleaded for leniency in his sentencing. She reminded the judge that the defendant was a family man with no prior record who got drunk one night and made the tragic decision to get behind the wheel. And she paid the price for his decision.
Chins dropped. A collective gasp was heard as this wave of quiet absolution washed over the courtroom. No one expected a response so vulnerable and loving. No one expected her to forfeit her rightful chance for retribution.
After the woman in the wheelchair finished her plea for mercy, the defendant was invited to speak. He did not plead for clemency. Contrite, he confessed his terrible wrong, thanked the victim for her forgiveness, and pledged to do everything in his power to assist her lifelong recovery. Sacrificial love conquered a room of jaded skeptics.
So can the real story of Jesus.
Let’s get this straight
Simply put, many religious systems focus on making humans into gods. The story of Jesus portrays a God who became a human. That alone separates Jesus from many others. Jesus of Nazareth is known not just for his power, but for his love, humility and sacrifice.
Many today see Jesus as what one author calls, “separatist, segregated, institutional, irrelevant, judgmental, controlling and authoritarian.” Sad to say, people didn’t learn this idea about Jesus from the Scripture; they learned it from Christians. They see Jesus as just like “all the others” because they lack an understanding of who Jesus really was. How can we respond to this popular but defective understanding of our Lord? One way is invite our friends to describe the Jesus they don’t believe in. Many times you may find common ground by agreeing, “I don’t believe in that Jesus either.” After listening, the door to share the story of the true Jesus is wide open.
At the end of his ministry, Jesus rode into the capital city of Jerusalem for the annual Passover celebration. The crowds heralded his entrance, thrilled by the power and influence he had shown their oppressive conquerors. Hope fueled the cries of “Hosanna! Lord save us.” The people had been awaiting a Messiah who would loose them from their chains of bondage under the Roman Empire and return the nation to its former glory. This mighty king would help them regain their power, pride and prestige. They hoped Jesus was that king.
What they got was a failure. Within a week their hope would be betrayed, beaten, condemned and killed. With seemingly morbid resignation, Jesus stopped the disciples from defending him when he was arrested, stood silent before most of his accusers, suffered an unjust trial and was executed in the most hideous form of capital punishment. The man who claimed to be God could not rescue himself from a shameful death. He seemed powerless. Had love lost the battle? People shook their heads. He was just like all the other failed prophets of the day. Or was he?
A similar historical event sheds light on this same principle. At a critical moment in the Indian national movement to throw off oppressive British rule, Mahatma Gandhi and his followers challenged the unlawful capture by colonialists of an important national salt mine. Instead of responding with an armed attack, the men of Gandhi’s peace movement formed a long line, five across, in front of the gate to the mine. They demanded that the British leave immediately. The colonial army, armed and ready, refused to go. Announcing their plan to enter the gates of their property, the first row of unarmed Indian men stepped forward toward the soldiers.
Clubs and fists rained down as the soldiers tore into the men, savagely beating them to the ground. Nearby groups of women provided first aid. They helped carry the men away as the next line came forward to be pummeled. This vicious process continued over and over into the night as a steady stream of men continued to stand up for justice. Many were injured. By the next morning, the British still held the salt mine. Justice had seemingly lost the battle.
The movie Gandhi recreates this scene in vivid color. As the beatings continue, a breathless news reporter dictates his story into a nearby phone. Realizing the magnitude of what he has witnessed, he punctuates his story with the comment, “Today the British empire has lost all claim to a moral high ground in the battle for India.” The story circled the globe and world opinion suddenly shifted. Gandhi’s small act of humility and sacrifice had the power to change the entire course of the once mighty British empire.
Overpowered by love
What do Gandhi’s victory, Jesus’ death and a young woman’s forgiveness have to do with each other? They are all bold examples of the impact of love and grace in a pained world. The forces for evil in all these cases were powerless in the face of true humility. When no one thought it possible, forgiveness and love dismantled evil. Philippians 2 tells us that the all-powerful God of the universe humbled himself and became a human being out of his great love for people. Though he had the power to control us, he did not seek to use it, but sacrificed himself so that we might enjoy all the beauty of a restored relationship with him, others and our world. When we share the true story of Jesus, with our words and our actions, those around us begin to see his uniqueness and experience his reality. We don’t have to resort to an argumentative battle of wits.
Inherent in that great historical story is the key that will affect your friends in a deeper way—God is willing to come into our wounded and defeated lives. We live in a world desperately estranged from our Creator and Father. Consequently, we live lives desperate for unconditional love, healing mercy and guilt-liberating forgiveness. This can only be found in the God who came among us and became vulnerable because of his love. This truth separates Jesus from all others.
A friend told me the story of one of his roughest moments as a chaplain in a large urban hospital. A nurse came flying into his office urging him to come to the emergency room and speak with a badly wounded woman. She had been snatched off the street, brutally raped by a group of men and thrown from their van at a high speed. Her body was mangled and her soul was in agony. She kept crying out, “Why did God let this happen to me?” Unhinged by the question, the doctors could give no answer, but still she kept on asking.
The young chaplain prayed feverishly as he headed to the room. What can I possibly say to her? he wondered. The last thing she wants to see now is a man. He took a seat next to her as the doctors and nurses continued sewing up her mangled body. And the question came to him, “Why?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. My friend didn’t know why God had allowed this. Instead he shared with her what he did know, that God became human in Jesus. And God was beaten, humiliated, shamed, naked and unjustly punished. “Jesus knows your pain and difficulty,” he continued. “He has been through the same ordeal, and he is with you now.”
A sense of relief came over her face as these words sank into her heart. She quieted down. The doctors finished their work, and my friend never saw her again.
The story of God’s compassion in Jesus started to break the chains of fear, anger and confusion in this woman’s heart. Deep inside, those around us are hungering for that same liberation. They are longing to see a real Christian who shares the Spirit of Jesus. And so, the story of Jesus and his compassion cuts right through, helping authenticate his reality in a world of confusing options.
Love was not defeated that day at the cross. Out of Jesus’ death came the power of resurrection. Scripture defines this as a triumph, evoking the imagery of a conquering leader parading the prisoners and spoils of his conquest through town. Simply put, good triumphed over evil. God revealed his true nature through sacrifice, a sacrifice that can still impact our friends’ understandings of Jesus today.
Here are some simple principles to consider when communicating how Jesus is special.
Live a life that reflects the authentic Spirit of Jesus. We must start with our own lives. We aren’t talking about self-righteous perfection. We are talking about a life where we are becoming more like Christ in our motivations, attitudes and actions. Live an honest life. Value others highly. Be willing to share your faults as well as your victories.
Maria was a roommate of Sarah, who was not a Christian. One night Sarah came home devastated. Her boyfriend had broken up with her after a three-month relationship that had gotten fairly intimate. She was in pain and began to cry as she entered the dorm room.
Of course, Maria, defender of the faith, listened to Sarah’s lament, and then began to share how she doesn’t have those problems now that Jesus is in her life. Pain has no place in her life, and she is always happy and fulfilled now. She has the power to not get herself entangled like that—
Hold it! Stop right there. Christian “power play” rejected! Actually, Maria replied in a different way. Instead of a “look how shiny, happy and together my life is” approach to sharing her faith, Maria listened and understood. “Sarah,” she began, “do you remember that guy, José, who I dated most of last year?” Sarah nodded through the tears.
“When we broke up it was painful too,” Maria said. “We made some mistakes and got way too intimate, entangling our lives in ways that hurt us and our relationship. All I can say is how God met me at that place of disappointment and began healing me.”
Sarah looked up with surprise, “You? Really?” she exclaimed. “When I met you last year I thought you were just some hypocrite with all your religious stuff. But over time, I found out you were genuine. So I thought you lived in a different world than mine, one that wasn’t so difficult. How did you handle it?”
Maria’s honesty, love and humility brought their friendship to a different level. Instead of assuming Maria couldn’t relate, Sarah opened up and really listened. Perhaps God wasn’t as far away as she thought. Taking the risk of vulnerability and humility opened the pathway for the truth of Jesus to be shared. Maria’s actions magnified the reality that a God of love was reaching out to her friend.
When asked about the reality of Jesus, answer with the true story of Jesus. Simply tell the story of who Jesus really is, why and how he died, and what he has accomplished through his resurrection. You’ll be surprised at how many people just haven’t ever put it together. Let your friend see the compassion and humility of this God who became like us. Help them understand that God has chosen to love his wayward people.
Be willing to tell your story of Jesus. I have found that our generation will believe a friend’s story far more quickly than any statistically verified “factoid” in the news. Personal experience validates truth in our society. Yes, Jesus stands firmly as a historical figure and the Scripture is an authentic record, but the story of his transformation in your life is usually far more important to those who inquire. There may well be a time to present the facts and information to back up your faith, but that should come after you have told your personal experience of Jesus.
Have the courage to listen and correct. Many times people think they understand Jesus, but from a Scriptural point of view, they have misconceptions. Don’t be afraid to really listen to their questions, no matter how scandalous. Answer them honestly, willing to admit when you don’t know something. But also, be willing to stand by the “scandal of the gospel”—that Jesus, fully God, died and rose from the dead. This message was at the heart of the early church’s witness. It still stands true today. If our friends are offended, let them be offended by the scandal of Jesus’ death and resurrection, not by our own poor attitude and actions.
Realize that coming to Christ is a process. Most people don’t become Christians after only one person witnesses to them. It usually takes many conversations. You don’t have to unload your entire apologetic arsenal in one sitting. It’s okay to begin with Jesus’ story of love, knowing there will be more to say later. The point is to be committed to the long haul of loving and challenging your friends as they seek out spiritual truth.
Janey was a student I worked with at a local community college. One day she called me and cried, “My English teacher, who eats Christians for lunch, has assigned pornography for us to read for class! What do I do?”
She went on to describe that the teacher assigned a book that had pornographic material in it. The teacher lamented to her class that every year some Christian student would get all offended about it, but, “too bad,” she said, she was assigning it anyway.
Janey was terrified. Would she give in and read offensive material or would she ask the teacher to change her assignment? We both prayed and decided that she must meet with her teacher to discuss this. Janey’s final words to me were, “She’s so smart. She’ll rip me to shreds. Please pray for me.” I did.
Janey met with her teacher and told her she had concerns about the assignment. “Every time I watch a video in sociology or psychology class, I’m just waiting for the moment when they describe some wacko as being a ‘born-again Christian,’” she said. “When that happens I want to crawl under the table.”
Janey told her teacher that the God she serves is different from all those media cliches and stereotypes. She serves a God who is just and compassionate, offering sacrificial love. Her whole life has meaning and a sense of peace now that God is in it. A long silence filled the room.
Then, surprisingly, the teacher began to tell Janey her story. She had grown up in a religious family but had left that long ago. While preparing for ministry, her son had been “run over” by leaders of his denomination. In bitterness, he also walked away from God. Those experiences soured her view of Christianity as a whole and Christians in particular.
They talked for quite a while. Then she thanked Janey for being so open and caring towards her. Janey left with a different assignment and an offer from the teacher of an introduction to her son for a date! She graciously declined the date but laughed because of the trust that was built that day as she shared her heart and the story of her compassionate God.
Jesus’ reality is evident in the stories of changed people like Janey and the young model who offered grace in the courtroom. His claims are validated by his love, compassion and humility. His love disarms the skeptic and displays how he is unlike any other god in our world today.
Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this article for educational purposes provided this permission notice, and the copyright notice below are preserved on all copies. Not to be reprinted in any other publication without permission. © 2000 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA. All rights reserved. This article first appeared in the Fall 2000 issue of Student Leadership Journal®.
Unless otherwise noted, all materials on the urbana.org web site are Copyright InterVarsity Christian Fellowship / USA. All rights reserved.
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