Who would you say is the most important person who ever lived? Some of you would say, “My mom is.” Maybe you would answer, “My dad.” Those are both good answers.
Let me tell you about an important man. His name is Edward Jenner, and he saved many lives when he lived about two hundred years ago.
He was a family doctor and surgeon who realized that vaccinations could save lives. What is a vaccination? Do you remember when the nurse poked your arm with a needle so you wouldn’t get the flu or the measles? That’s a vaccination.
Dr. Jenner discovered how to save people from the smallpox disease. It was a disease that gave people little red spots on their body, and then they would die or go blind. It affected many, many children and some grown-ups too. In those days in Europe, 400,000 people died from that terrible sickness every year. That’s a lot of people! Dr. Jenner changed all that. Some people say that he saved more human lives than any other person in history. Imagine that!
Now I’m thinking about another important Man. He also lived a long time ago. With great love and care, He touched the sick lepers in Israel and healed them so they could come back to live with their families again. He gave eyesight to blind people. He raised the dead! That must have been amazing! His outstretched arms welcomed sick people, beggars, prisoners, children, mothers and fathers and others.
But he did a much greater work than any of this. Even though He was the Son of God from heaven, He allowed Himself to be taken outside the city walls of Jerusalem, and there He was crucified. It wasn’t a surprise. He had said it would happen. In fact, the prophets, five hundred years before, said it would happen. And so it did, just as the Bible said. His name was Jesus.
He was called “the Lamb of God.” Jesus was judged and rejected by the people, but on the cross He also took the blame for my sin. I did the sinning; He did the suffering. That is truly amazing! I can say with the Apostle Paul, “The Son of God, ... loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:2020I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)).
How many people’s souls has He saved? It must be a really huge number! Around the world, in every country and in every city we find people who love Him, because He saved them by washing them from their sins and changing their lives. For me, the Lord Jesus Christ is the most important person to have ever lived!
And don’t forget, He still lives. The resurrection of Jesus really did happen! And do you know what else is really amazing? The Bible says, “He is able also to save them [completely] that come unto God by Him” (Hebrews 7:2525Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)). You can come to the Lord Jesus Christ. He can save you and wash away your sins. And then your name will be added to that big number.
ML-03/24/2013