What Difference Does it Make?
Have you ever considered what difference it makes to the driver who ignores the signs at the four-way stop? The fact the signs are there makes no difference in his life. The same is true of the laws about speed limits, wearing seat belts, and dimming headlights to oncoming traffic. The laws have no impact on that person who chooses to ignore them.
Christ makes all the difference in the end.
Now think about this. The fact that Jesus came makes no difference in the life of that person who chooses to ignore His presence on the earth.
What difference does it make if Jesus was born of a virgin in Bethlehem? To those who are seeking to find God, the birth of Jesus announced the beginning of God’s eternal plan for mankind. But to that person who makes no changes in his life, it makes no difference. Jesus might as well not have been born.
What difference does it make if Jesus ever taught any lessons at all? So what if He taught about morality, marriage, self-control, dealing with enemies, prayer, the abundant life and the resurrection? He might as well have never said a single word—if one chooses to ignore Him.
What difference does it make if Jesus showed His deity by undeniable miracles? Even if He had healed every sick person on this earth, fed all mankind with loaves and fish and emptied every tomb on planet earth, it would make no difference to that person who chooses to ignore such manifestations of heaven’s power. As far as that person is concerned, Jesus wasted His time in every miracle.
What difference does it make if Jesus was raised from the dead? The empty tomb—the ultimate manifestation of His deity—has no meaning to those who ignore Him. His enemies arrested Him, mocked Him, beat Him without mercy, and took His life. So what? Let those accounts of His life close with a lifeless body hanging on a cross—so what? It makes no difference.
What difference does it make—look at the real difference the events make. Ignore every event of His life, pretend they did not happen, consciously choose to ignore reality—yet, one truth remains—Jesus lives! He lived, He died, He was raised and He lives eternally!
God did not just raise Him, He highly exalted Him above all creation. God gave Him all authority in heaven and on this earth. God has appointed a day when He will judge the world by the one He raised from the dead. All mankind will be raised to give account for the decisions they have made on this earth. You can ignore His birth, His teaching, His miracles and His resurrection—temporarily. On that final day, these things are all that matter. Do not be so foolish as to ignore Him.