Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Two unbelievers were on a train together to Indianapolis. One was an agnostic Colonel, the other an unbelieving Union General. They were discussing Christ’s wonderful life and debating religious theology. One said, “I think an interesting novel could be written about Him.” The other replied, “You are just the man to write it. Set forth the correct view of His life and character. Tear down the common feelings as to His divineness and paint Him as He was, a man among men.” The suggestion was acted upon and the novel was written. The man who made the suggestion was a Colonel Ingersoll; the author was General Lew Wallace, and the book was BEN HUR.
Wallace did extensive research on the life of Christ and the book became the best selling novel of the 1800’s. It was not surpassed on the all-time best-seller list until 1936 and “Gone With the Wind.” Once the movie came out in 1959 and won 11 Academy Awards in 1960 the book was once again at the top of the best-seller lists.
As General Wallace wrote his book, first in Crawfordsville, Indiana and then in New Mexico, he found himself facing the unaccountable Man Jesus. The more he studied Jesus’ life and character, the more completely he was convinced that Jesus was more, exceedingly more, than a man among men. The power of the Holy Spirit had worked on the heart of General Wallace until at length, like the centurion under the cross, he could not help but cry out, “TRULY, THIS IS THE SON OF GOD.”
A Blessed Easter! TRULY, THIS IS THE SON OF GOD.
In Christ,
Pastor