The Mysterious Stanger--revealed!

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).

When you watch old Westerns, one traditional plot features the mysterious stranger.  Life is not good for the ranchers or the townsfolk. There might be a gang of bandits striking from a hidden base.  There might be a notorious gunslinger who murdered the sheriff and has basically taken over.  There might be a group of dangerous and unpredictable brothers who are protected by a wealthy and powerful father.  

To make matters worse, the locals aren’t united.  Families are split by long existing feuds.  Blacks, Mexicans, and Native Americans are viewed with suspicion.  Cowardly types urge everyone to just knuckle under, and fearfully rat out anyone who might take a stand.  All in all, it’s a hopeless situation.

But then a stranger arrives, one day, and he changes everything.  He upsets the status quo.  The locals don’t know what to make of him—they have no idea where he’s from, and he is unlike anyone they’ve ever met before.  He forces long held secrets out into the open so they can be dealt with.  He urges strangers and enemies to mend fences and start working together.  He instills confidence in the timid and fearful.  And he is the one who takes down the bad guys, restoring peace and tranquility before he rides off into the sunset.

Two thousand years ago, a Mysterious Stranger arrived in our world and changed everything.  Most of the locals didn’t know what to make of Him—they didn’t understand where He came from, and He was unlike anyone they’d ever met.  We know that He came from heaven; we know that unlike us, He is perfect through and through.  He never makes mistakes; He never lets emotion cloud His judgment. He hates lawlessness and He is driven by compassion.  He exposes our secret sins so they can be dealt with.  He teaches us to reach out in love to others who are different from us, and to forgive those whom we dislike.  He gives us confidence that evil can be overcome, and should not be catered to.  And He took down the bad guy single handed, suffering a fatal wound as He did so.  But the grave could not hold Him, and when He rode off as the Rising Son, He left behind a legacy of justice and peace.  He is no mysterious stranger to us; He is Jesus the Messiah, Son of God and Savior of Mankind.  But you can call Him ‘Friend.’