Dr. Lucille Jordan
Everyman's Decision deals with the verification of Jesus Christ's place in world history; His purposes, His life, death and resurrection; and His continuing influence on every person's life and death, whether or not He is personally accepted by that individual. Four major faith questions have been widely researched and reported by the author, because it was observed that these are the questions that seekers find most troublesome.
In seeking answers to these questions, the author for years gathered quotes of persons from all areas of life and periods of time from 300 B.C. to the present about Jesus. Reported are over 100 statements from literary and military figures, historical and legal authorities, politicians, theologians, athletes, atheists, agnostics, believers, and non-believers. Through creditable life experiences, and frequently a personal relationship with Jesus, these persons share their gift of insight regarding preponderant faith questions regarding Jesus.
This book is titled Everyman's Decision because the classic old English morality play, Everyman, so clearly exemplifies the commonality of all humans throughout recorded history. The concept of Everyman is representative of the human struggle in decision-making, and in survival, and it remains the most powerful and most realistic version of the human spirit's struggle with death.
Throughout the book evidence is presented to aid the reader to formulate a decision about Jesus. As he seeks truth, he asks, can all these knowledgeable, and often inspired, believers be wrong? Could all those descriptions of the Messiah made by inspired prophets in the Old Testament be disregarded? Could all of these prophesies be fulfilled in one life at the probability of one in 100,000,000.000,000,000,000 be strangely incorrect? It is beyond all reason!
And so Everyone now realizes that he nor no man can escape answering the-2000 year-old question of Pontius Pilate:
'What shall I do with Jesus?'
Received undergraduate degree Asheville College & Univ, of Tenn. Masters & Doctorate Univ. of Georgia. Post doctoral study: Univ. of Calif., Univ. of Keele in the U.K. & as a National Science Fellow at the Univ. of Colorado. Served as a classroom teacher in 3 states & for Atomic Energy Comm.
Director of Teacher Corp & Dir. of Program Development, Atlanta Public Sch.; Prof. of Education, Univ. of Georgia: Assoc. State Superintendent of Georgia Schools. Directed 3 programs which were written into the U.S. Congressional Record as exemplary.
Author of 3 books and joint author of 3 texts in education. As a charter member of World Council for Curriculum & Instruction and as U.S. National Pres. of the 150,000 Member Assoc. of Supervision & Curriculum Dev. worked with the Ministers of Educ. in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan, U.K., Russia and Pacific Basin UNESCO.
Listed in Who's Who of American Women; World Who's Who of Women; International Biography of 2000 Women of Achievement; Foremost Women of the 20th Century & International Directory of Distinguished Leaders.
Everyman's Dilemma
If Everyman prides himself on being a realist in his search for truth, there are facts he must face. No matter when time officially ends, according to theologians' predictions or scriptural descriptions, when death, as birth, comes to each of us individually, that is the end of all time for Everyman, be he prince or pauper. Death, though a chilling word, is an integral part of life. Poets hide it in metaphors; composers in dirges and melancholy notes; and artists in shadows and bleak landscapes. But as a part of the sequence of life, it cannot be escaped.
As in the 15th century play, from whose theme I have titled this manuscript, Everyman finds himself alone in his decision as to how he will meet Death, the opposing character in the drama and when that day came, Everyman was abandoned by his former associates whom he had trusted: Fellowship, Kindred, Cousins, Goods, Knowledge, Beauty, Strength, Discretion, and the Five Wits. The only associate who remained with him to the end were Deeds and Charity, interpreted in the Scriptures as Love.
The following projects graphically the dilemma of Everyman as he represents all mankind since Adam. God wants to have a relationship with Everyman.
Everyman God
Since man rebelled against God, the relationship is severed.
Everyman / \ God
/ \
The penalty that Everyman owes is punishable by Death.
Everyman / \ God
/DEATH\
To build a bridge for Everyman back to God, Jesus came and paid a debt He did not owe and provided that bridge by His death on the cross.
Everyman ? God
DEATH
Everyman can choose to establish a relationship with God by utilizing the bridge of the cross to accept His forgiveness and leadership.i
But Everyman cannot cross the symbolic bridge until he accepts the fact that the debt he owed was paid by Jesus's blood, in the age old method of cleansing. And he is aware that until he believes and accepts forgiveness that he, like Pilate and Lady McBeth, will not be able to remove the stains of blood from his hands.
i. By permission: Mittleberg, Lee and Bill Hybek. Becoming a Contagious Christian, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1995, pp. 65-66.
