Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. -John 20:30, 31
I was reading this past week about some events that are said to have changed the world. And while that’s a broad category, there are indeed some events that have taken place that changed forever the way we look at the world around us. Because this happened, our lives are affected and to some extent changed.
–The invention of gunpowder. This was discovered around 850 AD by Chinese alchemists who were actually trying to concoct an elixir that would increase lifespan. Their invention would become the basis for almost every weapon used in warfare from then on – even into the modern era.
–The Black Death of the 14th CE. As the Bubonic Plague swept Europe, an estimated 75 million people died. That lead to changes in the way people viewed God, the church, disease, and life in general.
–The discovery of sugar. Suddenly this white crystal substance made nearly everything taste better, and everyone wanted it. With the demand for sugar in the 1600’s, the slave trade in the Americas brought millions of Africans to this continent. According US News and World Report, the average American consumes around (brace yourselves) 140 lbs. of sugar every year. As a side note, we are only consuming around 8 lbs of broccoli every year and around 25 lbs of lettuce.
–The Declaration of Independence signed by the Founding Fathers in 1776. This one act would forever affect the history of the United Stated and would have implications for the entire planet as we have become a leading world power.
All of those are significant in their own way, and the list could go on and on. However, one event stands above them all: The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. No event in human history has so changed the world, so changed mankind, and so affected people on a personal basis as has this one event. The world will view it as inconsequential or perhaps mere myth and fable. But to the faithful, it has brought salvation, life, and we see it as historical fact.
