Explain the impact of Jesus upon the world of his day and today’s society. Essay

In the beginning of John’s gospel there is a description of Jesus as ‘The Word’. Verse 2 ‘He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him. ’ Later in the same chapter John says ‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. ’ If that is true then Jesus was involved in the act of creation and so we must say that his impact is total. During his lifetime Jesus’ impact would have been relatively small – no media circus to follow him about and publicize his words and actions. He met thousands in a relatively small area, rather than millions world wide, and then, as now, he made both a positive and a negative impact upon individuals. H e would have been less well known than some modern figures such as Gandhi or Winston Churchill. But in Matthew 28 verse 19 and 20 Jesus tells his disciples to go to all nations and make disciples. This order, known as the Great Commission , was carried out by his followers in the years that ensued and they took the gospel message all round the world. Today, according to Adherents Web site there are estimated to be 2. 1 billion people who claim the name Christian, 33% of the world’s population, though it must be admitted that the title Christian means slightly different things to different groups, and has done throughout history. There are various calendars in operation in today’s world. Islam and Judaism for instance count the years differently for religious purposes, but for business purposes as well as religious ones, most of the world counts the years from the approximate date of Jesus’ birth. I have not yet discussed the spiritual impact, but this has been tremendous. Because of Jesus missionaries have explored the world, children have been educated and lives have been changed. The impact hasn’t always been a positive one, as when there have been differences between religious groups, both within Christianity and between Christians and those of other groups. In some parts of the world the impact is lessening, but in others it rises rapidly. Jesus continues to make a difference.