Martin Luther King was a man who seized the moment. I will give you three examples:

• Firstly - when a black woman, Rosa Parks in Montgomery, had sat down on a bus seat and did not get up for a white person, Martin Luther King, the local Baptist minister, inspired 17000 black people to walk to work for thirteen months. They won the right to travel like white people.
• Secondly, Martin Luther King organised a non-violent March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom by over ¼ million people despite all the adverse propaganda. Martin Luther King inspired them with his 'I have a Dream' speech. Martin Luther King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his activities at the age of 35.
• Thirdly, in 1968 there were Trade Union struggles and Martin Luther King was asked to visit Memphis Tennessee to support a strike. Martin Luther King made his 'I've been to the Mountaintop' speech on the night before he was assassinated.

Martin Luther King did WWJD (What Would Jesus Do). We try to follow this but Martin Luther King showed the way.

Martin Luther King was relevant to our culture. When St John wrote his gospel he wrote to be relevant to the prevalent Greek culture. Martin Luther King learnt from Gandhi and made an impact because he was non-violent.

Next week he will be celebrated by a public holiday in the United States, the only Christian leader to be celebrated in this way.

Here is part of Martin Luther King's Mountaintop speech I've been to the mountaintop:

Like anyone, I would like to live a long life - longevity has its place. Bu I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And he's allowed me to go to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. So I'm happy tonight; I'm not worried about anything; I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

This is what his friend, Ralph Abernathy, said at a memorial service

He was the redeemer of the soul of America. He taught the nation that "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," if followed to its natural conclusion would only end in a totally blind and toothless society. He discovered that the most potent force for revolution and reform in America is non-violence.

Martin Luther King was a Great Christian.

Information based on http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAkingML.htm