Living Letters

In sports, we use the word GOAT to describe the “Greatest of All Time.” But greatness isn’t limited to athletic achievement. When we look across the landscape of human history, one figure stands above every name, every leader, every movement. That person is Jesus Christ, the only One whose greatness is unmatched in birth, life, death, and resurrection (1 Timothy 2:5).

Every place we look in Scripture, Jesus stands alone in greatness! His words, His works, His love, His sacrifice, and His resurrection testify that there is no one like Him (Titus 2:11-14).

History’s Greatest Birth

Jesus’ arrival into the world was not random (Gal. 4:4). It was promised from the very beginning. In Genesis 3, God declared that a Redeemer would come, “He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” This first announcement of the gospel set the stage for centuries of anticipation.

Isaiah later prophesied, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son” (Is. 7:14). Seven hundred years later, that promise was fulfilled when Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ birth is recorded in history and written in the Scriptures(Luke 2:1-7).

Even world history bends around His arrival. Our calendars hinge on His birth — BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini, Latin for “Year of our Lord”), because His coming changed everything. As John writes, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). God stepped into time so that we could step into eternity (2 Cor. 5:21).

History’s Greatest Person

Jesus didn’t just come to live, He came to reveal God. When He asked His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered correctly: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:15-17). Jesus affirmed this truth again and again: “I and My Father are one” (Jn. 10:30).

His words carry unmatched authority (Matt. 4:4, 24:35; Ps. 19:7). Even His enemies (temple officers) admitted, “No one ever spoke like this Man!” (John 7:46). Warren Wiersbe said, “The temple officers returned to the Jewish council meeting empty-handed. It certainly should have been relatively easy for them to arrest Jesus, yet they failed to do so. What stopped them? ‘Never a man spoke like this Man!’ was their defense. In other words, ‘This Jesus is more than a man! No mere man speaks as He does!’ They were ‘arrested’ by the Word of God, spoken by the Son of God.”^[1] His power was undeniable—He calmed storms, cast out demons, healed the sick, and raised the dead. His character was flawless: “He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22).

We cannot afford to be wrong about Jesus! It is impossible to be right with God and wrong about Jesus!

History’s Greatest Fact

Jesus is mankind’s only hope for salvation. We cannot save ourselves (Rom. 3:10; Is. 59:1-2)! We are not good enough (Is. 64:4), nor can we work for our salvation (Eph. 2:8-9). Jesus is the only way (John 14:6). Jesus is the Man of salvation. Peter said, “There is no salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

History’s Greatest Act

Jesus’ greatness is not measured by earthly power but by the cross. He lived a sinless life and then willingly laid it down as a ransom for humanity. Paul reminds us that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). History’s greatest act is that Christ died for our sins.

He predicted His own death multiple times, proving that the cross was not an accident, it was the plan. He died for the ungodly, for the broken, for the lost. He died for ALL who repent of their sins and put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone! (Mark 1:15)

History’s Greatest Triumph

The story does not end at the cross. Jesus rose from the dead, conquering sin, death, and the grave. The tomb is empty & the throne is occupied!His resurrection is the foundation of Christian hope. Without it, faith would be meaningless (1 Cor. 15:19-20). But because He lives, we have a living hope that cannot be shaken (1 Peter 1:3-5). If we are in Christ, then we have a Living Hope that outlives the grave! “The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted” (Ps. 18:46)

The Greatest Question

If Jesus truly is the Greatest of All Time, and He is, then the greatest question we must answer is this:

What will you do with Jesus?

His greatness isn’t distant or just intellectual. It’s personal. The One who holds the universe also holds your heart, and He holds out His hand to you. He invites you to come, believe, trust, and follow Him.

History’s greatest record is not just that Jesus lived, it’s that He lives today. And He offers eternal life to all who call on His name.

^[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 318.