Down through the centuries there can be little doubt that the most influential person in human history has been Jesus Christ. And when we talk about impact, perhaps historian Philip Schaff summed it up best:
“This Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms conquered more millions than Alexander, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science or learning, He has shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of schools, He spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet; without writing a single line, He set more pens in motion and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and songs of praise, than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times.”1
There are so many ways to think about Jesus that I thought it would be fruitful to share the following provocative quotes about Him to help you realize that the more we meditate on His person and presence the more you will fall in love with Him. All the of quotes below are from the following website.2
“Jesus didn’t come to tell us the answers to the questions of life, he came to be the answer.” ~ Timothy Keller
“The single most loving act we can do is share the good news of Jesus Christ, that God saves sinners.” ~ Matt Chandler
“The birth of Jesus made possible not just a new way of understanding life but a new way of living it.” ~ Frederick Buechner
“The blood that poured from Christ’s wounds bought your salvation. If you want to truly value what He did, think of Him hanging on that cross just for you. With that thought in your mind, consider how you should live. He gave Himself freely for you; are you giving yourself fully to Him?” ~ Charles Stanley
“Outside of Christ, I am only a sinner, but in Christ, I am saved. Outside of Christ, I am empty; in Christ, I am full. Outside of Christ, I am weak; in Christ, I am strong. Outside of Christ, I cannot; in Christ, I am more than able. Outside of Christ, I have been defeated; in Christ, I am already victorious. How meaningful are the words, “in Christ.”” ~ Watchman Nee
“We must imitate Christ’s life and his ways if we are to be truly enlightened and set free from the darkness of our own hearts. Let it be the most important thing we do, then, to reflect on the life of Jesus Christ.” ~ Thomas a Kempis
“Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair.” ~ Blaise Pascal
“The power that flows from His name, the name Jesus, will be in proportion to our love for His Word.” ~ T. B. Joshua
“We must always bear in mind that the primary purpose of our work is not to get people to join a church, to give up their bad habits, or to do anything other than to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.” ~ R. A. Torrey
“Our world today so desperately hungers for hope, yet uncounted people have almost given up. There is despair and hopelessness on every hand. Let us be faithful in proclaiming the hope that is in Jesus.” ~ Billy Graham
“Humility is not a character trait to develop, it’s the natural by-product of being with Jesus.” ~ Louie Giglio
“Jesus Christ is not a security from storms. He is the perfect security in storms.” ~ Kathy Troccoli
“Jesus will always move away from religious drama and toward the needs of people who are hurting. Jesus will always go out of his way to find and minister to people who others will go out of their way to avoid. I love him for that.” ~ Steven Furtick
“Jesus comes not for the super-spiritual but for the wobbly and the weak-kneed who know they don’t have it all together, and who are not too proud to accept the handout of amazing grace.” ~ Brennan Manning
“Let me tell you how worthwhile you are. You are infinitely valuable to God. First, God created you. Second, Jesus died for you. Third, he puts his Spirit within you. Fourth, he wants you to be with him forever in eternity. That’s how valuable you are to God. You are infinitely valuable to God.” ~ Rick Warren
“From time immemorial men have quenched their thirst with water without knowing anything about its chemical constituents. In like manner we do not need to be instructed in all the mysteries of doctrine, but we do need to receive the Living Water which Jesus Christ will give us and which alone can satisfy our souls.” ~ Sadhu Sundar Singh
“When life caves in, you do not need reasons — you need comfort. You do not need some answers — you need someone. And Jesus does not come to us with an explanation — He comes to us with His presence.” ~ Bob Benson
“Who is Jesus? The answer to that question is a matter of eternal life and eternal death.” ~ Stephen Nichols
“So, I cast my lot with Him-not the one who claimed wisdom, Confucius; or the one who claimed enlightenment, Buddha; or the one who claimed to be a prophet, Muhammad, but with the one who claimed to be God in human flesh. The one who declared, ‘Before Abraham was born, I am’-and proved it.” ~ Norman Geisler
“The passion of Christianity comes from deliberately signing away my own rights and becoming a bondservant of Jesus Christ. Until I do that, I will not begin to be a saint.” ~ Oswald Chambers
“For the Christian, heaven is where Jesus is. We do not need to speculate on what heaven will be like. It is enough to know that we will be forever with Him.” ~ William Barclay
“Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, each of us can become clean and the burden of our rebellion will be lifted. Remember, repentance is not punishment. It is the hope-filled path to a more glorious future.” ~ Richard G. Scott
“If we believe in Jesus, it is not what we gain but what He pours through us that really counts. God’s purpose is not simply to make us beautiful, plump grapes, but to make us grapes so that He may squeeze the sweetness out of us.” ~ Oswald Chambers
“The most effective way to win people to Jesus is to treat them the way Jesus would day in and day out.” ~ Jacob Peterson
“My security as a Christian does not reside in the strength of my faith but in the indestructibility of my Savior.” ~ Sinclair B. Ferguson
“Everything I do and say tells a story of who I am serving. If I am acting out of anger and spite, I am serving the father of darkness and spreading his darkness. If I am honoring to the Lord with my actions, I am serving to further the name of Jesus and spreading His light.” ~ Lysa TerKeurst
“The Lord Jesus is a deep sea of joy; my soul shall dive therein, shall be swallowed up in the delights of his society.” ~ Charles Spurgeon
“The love of Christ always helps us see beyond the faults of others.” ~ Victor Manuel Rivera
“Do not worry about your career. Concern yourself with your vocation, and that is to be lovers of Jesus.” ~ Mother Teresa
“On the last day, Jesus will look us over not for medals, diplomas, or honors, but for scars.” ~ Brennan Manning
1 Quote by Philip Schaff: “Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conq…” (goodreads.com)
Curt…I love all of these quotes, but especially Rick Warren’s.
Elaine