He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He worked in a carpentry shop until he was thirty, and then for three years he was an itinerant preacher.             When the tide of popular opinion turned against him, his friends ran away. He was turned over to his enemies. He was tried and convicted. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. When he was dead, he was laid in a borrowed grave.             He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a home. He never went to college. He never traveled more that two hundred miles from a place where he was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompanies greatness.             Yet all the armies that ever marched, and all the governments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, have not affected life upon this earth as powerfully as has that One Solitary Life.      -Author Unknown   Why has Jesus' one solitary life affected all of life? Jesus claimed to be the unique Son of God who is the “way, the truth, and the life” ( John 14:6). Jesus went on to say that one enters into a living vital relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  In the eyewitness accounts of Jesus' life, called the gospels, Jesus forgave sin, healed diseases, taught with authority, and revealed truths about why he came. He said that the entire reason for His coming was to die for us. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). All this Jesus did out of His great love for us. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).  Jesus said he died for us. That means he died instead of us. He did it because He loves us and he does not want us to pay the penalty for all the things we have done wrong. His death for our sin, and His resurrection on the third day provide a way for us to experience forgiveness and victory in our lives. The forgiveness of sin reestablishes a living relationship with God. His victory over death gives us victory over death and the gift of eternal life.  We enter into a living relationship with God by trusting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This means we believe Christ is who He says He is and we entrust our lives to Him. “To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).   If you want to receive Jesus Christ right now you may do so by opening your heart to God and honestly expressing your response to Jesus. Your prayer may follow something like this:  Dear Lord Jesus,             I know that I need your forgiveness. I have sinned and I believe that you died for my sins. I want to receive your life and love to the fullest. I want to turn away for following my own ways and I want to follow you. Teach me how to trust and follow you as Lord and Savior.                                                                        In Jesus' Name, Amen.  At the Covenant Church of Woodstock we are firmly committed to the centrality of the good news of Jesus Christ. We are His people and we want to help each other and others grow in living their lives for Jesus Christ. If you want to know more about Jesus we have a couple of offers for you. 1) Join an Alpha group. Alpha is for anyone interested in finding out more about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Alpha groups meet once a week for ten weeks to discuss key questions and issues around Jesus. Who is Jesus? Why Did Jesus Die? Why and How Should I Read the Bible? Why and How Do I Pray? What About the Holy Spirit? How Can I Overcome Evil? Why and How Should I Tell Others? Does God Heal Today? What About the Church?   An Offer 2) We offer you a free book titled “ The Case For Christ” by Lee Strobel.  Lee is an investigative journalist who writes about his search for credible evidence that Jesus is really the Son of God. If you would like a book please call our church office (860/928-0486) or contact by email: michele@woodstockcovenant.org