The Nicholas Impact
In October 1994, highway robbers killed Nicholas Green, a seven year old boy from California, while the family was on vacation in Italy. The robbers shot their rented car when Nicholas’ father refused to pull over. A bullet hit the head of Nicholas. He died two days later. The senseless, murderous act against an innocent boy shocked Italy. Newspapers bannered the words, “La Nostra Vergogna” (“Our Shame”).
But the Green family also surprised Italy when they donated Nicholas’ corneas, kidneys, liver, pancreas and heart. That saved the lives of seven Italians. Yet Nicholas did not only save seven lives. The sacrificial act inspired sign-ups for organ donation to triple in Italy. In 2002, the “law of presumed consent” passed the Italian Parliament. The law presumes that people who are not vocal against organ donation to consent to it. So upon their death, the doctors consider their organs donated.[1] One life literally saved thousands of lives. That’s the Nicholas impact!
There’s another sacrificial act. His death impacted not only the lives of billions of people here on earth but also there in eternity. Our Lord Jesus Christ “is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2, NIV) But this time there is no presumed consent. Even if Christ’s death is available for everyone, each person must avail of it by putting their full trust in Him alone for salvation. I like how The Message translated Romans 10:9: “Say the welcoming word to God—‘Jesus is my Master’—embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That’s it. You're not ‘doing’ anything; you’re simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That’s salvation.” And His death should inspire us to live for Him. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20, NIV)
Brethren, that’s the Jesus impact!
[1]Read more about it in http://www.nicholasgreen.org/rdigest.html
But the Green family also surprised Italy when they donated Nicholas’ corneas, kidneys, liver, pancreas and heart. That saved the lives of seven Italians. Yet Nicholas did not only save seven lives. The sacrificial act inspired sign-ups for organ donation to triple in Italy. In 2002, the “law of presumed consent” passed the Italian Parliament. The law presumes that people who are not vocal against organ donation to consent to it. So upon their death, the doctors consider their organs donated.[1] One life literally saved thousands of lives. That’s the Nicholas impact!
There’s another sacrificial act. His death impacted not only the lives of billions of people here on earth but also there in eternity. Our Lord Jesus Christ “is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2, NIV) But this time there is no presumed consent. Even if Christ’s death is available for everyone, each person must avail of it by putting their full trust in Him alone for salvation. I like how The Message translated Romans 10:9: “Say the welcoming word to God—‘Jesus is my Master’—embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That’s it. You're not ‘doing’ anything; you’re simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That’s salvation.” And His death should inspire us to live for Him. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20, NIV)
Brethren, that’s the Jesus impact!
[1]Read more about it in http://www.nicholasgreen.org/rdigest.html
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