The One Man

Can one person make a difference? Well, in history one vote has significantly changed the course of nations and political careers. Notice the difference one vote has made.

ONE VOTE made Texas part of the United States. (1845)
ONE VOTE saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment. (1868)
ONE VOTE changed France from a monarchy to a republic. (1875)
ONE VOTE admitted California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho into the Union. (1850, 1850, 1889, 1890)
ONE VOTE elected Rutherford B. Hayes to the Presidency, and the man in the Electoral College who cast that vote was an Indiana Representative also elected by ONE VOTE. (1876)
ONE VOTE made Adolf Hitler head of the Nazi Party. (1923)
ONE VOTE maintained the Selective Service System only 12 weeks before Pearl Harbor. (1941)
ONE VOTE per precinct would have elected Richard Nixon, rather than John Kennedy, President. (1960)

Last night, I preached from Romans 5:12-21. My sermon was entitled "The Free Gift of Love."

Paul wrote, "But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many (Romans 5:15, NKJV)."

Throughout Romans 5, Paul contrasts Adam and Jesus. The ultimate contrast is Sin Condemns All to Death (Romans 5:12-14) vs. God’s Grace Overflows to All (Romans 5:15-16). These spiritual realities run in opposite directions. However, you can run a million miles away from God, but it is just one step back.

Jesus is the one man who lived a perfect life on earth and was fit to serve as the one perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. Also, he was the one man who was God in flesh. He proved this when he was resurrected from the dead. The truth of His Resurrection inspired a small group of men to tirelessly spread the news about His life throughout the world.

What a difference one can make. Well, I guess I should say what a difference THE ONE can make.