The Most Powerful Man in the Universe

So who would you think is the most powerful man in the universe? Power is measured in lots of ways – politically, economically, militarily. Obviously the most powerful man would have the ability to influence others, even to affect the course of history itself. Certain names would come to mind from the record of human experience – military leaders like Alexander the Great, who conquered the known world of his time in stunning fashion. There are political leaders like the President of the United States, who because of the influence of this nation around the globe is often called “the most powerful man in the world.” One must think of moral and religious leaders like Mahatma Ghandi or Martin Luther King, whose strategies of non-violence brought massive change to oppressive political situations. Then there are economic leaders like Bill Gates, whose brilliance has opened the cyber-world to the masses. There are probably hundreds of individuals over the course of time who would be legitimate nominees for the top-ten list of most powerful people.
Some might caution us to remember that true power has the elements of humility and benevolence in addition to mere strength or brute force. Surely power in its best and highest form would involve more than the simple ability to enforce one’s own will on someone else. There would have to be an element of appeal to the hearts of the people under this person’s influence, a place where the power of this individual was welcomed and embraced. This heart appeal would come as the person in power showed their willingness to use their power to benefit others, to bring liberty, to work for justice and the dignity of mankind. It is at this point that we invariably run into problems with powerful people – they are all flawed, most of them fatally so. And we find ourselves once again faced with that nagging issue: what does it mean to be truly human and have power?
Deep in our hearts we know that power should be exercised in a right way, and when the flaws of our leaders are exposed, we wrestle again with this dilemma. Is there not a leader, a person of power, who will exercise that power in the right way? If there is not such a leader, why do we keep looking for him? If there is one like this, when will he ever show up?
There is in fact a leader like this, although His name seldom if ever appears on any list of the most powerful people. His name is Jesus Christ. There are several reasons for this, I suppose. One is that most people don’t consider Him to be an actual man, a real live person who is vitally interested and unbelievably active in the affairs of men on the earth today. Some would consider Him to be merely a historical figure whose time came and went. Others might acknowledge that He is a man, but that He is distant and unavailable, probably not that interested in the things of earth. Most people would think of Jesus as merely a religious figure, one whose concerns are focused on the spiritual realm, and who is only marginally interested in other matters, if He is interested at all.
The fact is, however, that the Scripture paints a very different picture of this man Christ Jesus and His place of influence in the current situations of life on this planet. He is vitally interested and deeply invested in planet Earth. His full intention is to return to this place, and establish a literal physical kingdom that will bring the reality of Heaven and Earth together in perfect union. Jesus’ goal is not merely to take Christians out of this world to a surreal and ethereal place called “Heaven.” Rather, His goal is to bring Heaven to Earth, to dwell among His people, and to establish an eternal kingdom that will bring the human race to the full realization of our power potential.
Join us again next month as we explore the arenas of Jesus’ power.