Can You Make a Difference?

By Kenneth D. Christensen

What do you think? Can one person make a difference? How about in your place of employment or your school? You think you are the only Christian out of perhaps thousands in your school. Maybe your entire town is mostly comprised of another so called "faith". You say "Brother Ken, There are so many of them, I cannot possibly reach them for the Lord. I am the only Christian in my large high school."

Even if you are the only one, you can do SOMETHING! Try carrying your Bible (KJB of course) on top of your school books. Have a Bible on your desk at work! You do know that we are commanded to live right before the unsaved, don't you? Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Seems like God wants the world to recognize His people by just seeing them. Is there enough circumstantial evidence for people to come to the conclusion that you are a Christian?

Let's look at some examples of one person making a difference. One time a Preacher was holding a large outdoor meeting. Counting all of the women and children, there were probably between 15,000 and 20,000 people there. He preached a long sermon. It was hot out. People were beginning to get faint. They had not had anything to eat. (The local Mc Donalds had not been built yet!) The assistant pastors told the Preacher to send the folks home so they could get something to eat. But the Preacher was fearful that the folk would faint and not make it home. So what did He do? John 6:5-11 "When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, 9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? 10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would."

You say one person made a difference that time, but that was Jesus, the Son of God. That is very true, but where did He get the bread and fish? A young boy had gone out for the day. Mom had packed him a lunch to take. He came across this preaching meeting and was curious. He got close enough to the front that an assistant pastor noticed him. The boy said "I have a lunch, I could share it with the Preacher!" He did share it, and all of those folks got a good meal because of it. By the way, what do you think was done with all the left overs? I think the assistant pastors helped the boy carry it home. Imagine the surprise that Mom had when he brought so much food home! One person can make a difference!

Elijah was only one when he stood up to Ahab and Jezebel. He single handedly took on the 850 heathen from the local ministerial association. He was one, and he made a huge difference! The interesting thing to notice is this: Elijah got discouraged after that. He complained to God that he, Elijah, was the only Christian left. God encouraged him by telling him that there were 7,000 Christians. WHERE WERE THEY? It is great that there were so many saved people, but they were all in the "Secret Service." Nobody could tell that they were God's people. Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Elijah made a difference. A whole nation chose to serve the living God.

We could discuss Samson, Gideon and others, but lets look at one prime example of one person making a difference from the New Testament. Here is the true story as recorded in God's word. Mark 5:1-17 "And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. 6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. 14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. 15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. 16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. 17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts."

Notice that the people were fearful of Jesus, and begged Him to leave. They didn't know Who He was. The story does not end there, the continuation of the story is in: Mark 6:53-56 "And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. 54 And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him, 55 And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. 56 And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole."

Notice that now Jesus is welcomed. They are no longer afraid of Him. What caused this big change in the attitude of the people. Think about it. This article is about one person making a difference. Who do you suppose made the difference in this case?

You don't think that a man that used to live among the tombs spread the news of what Jesus did for him..........do you?

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