Our modern world has, for a long time, valued success, strength, wealth, and external beauty. According to these values, was Jesus a failure?
Value | A Failure? | An Amazing Success |
Success | After three years of ministry, he was executed and had only 120 followers | Rose from the dead victorious over the greatest enemy – sin and death (1 Cor 15) |
Strength | In the end, easily captured and killed | Restrained his ability to defend himself with the forces of heaven (John 19) |
Wealth | None to speak of, died a pauper | He owns everything and has all the riches of heaven! (Phil 2) |
Beauty | None to speak of, very plain (Isaiah 53:2) | Radiated the glory of God on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt 17) |
Jesus was a fantastic success. He achieved all he came to earth to do, to reveal God to man, to defeat sin and death and to offer salvation to mankind. He did not prioritise worldly success, strength, wealth or beauty, yet even according to these measures, he was triumphant.
Jesus, the Saviour of the world, is he your saviour?