What if there were No Christmas?
Matt. 1:18-25
Intro.:
A. Well, Christmas Day is Tomorrow. We gather here tonight to Celebrate and Worship the Birth of Jesus Christ, as Savior and Lord.
The whole world sings, decorates, give and share in this special time of Year and I want to extend to you a Very Merry Christmas tonight!
B. This month, leading up to Christmas we have been learning truths from the Story & Movie Narnia.
- We have learned that Alsan is Jesus, Rev. 5 ¡V Jesus is called the Lion from the Tribe of Judah.
- We have learned that like Aslan who comes in times of Winter to free people from sin and evil, as well as the entire Creation ¡V Jesus also came on that first Christmas in a Time of Winter. He has promised to come again and we are warned that it will be a time of Winter (with sin and evil reigning); and He will meet us in our own times of Winter (those dark, lonely, isolated, discouraged, guilty times in life).
- That like the Magi, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, as Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve were on a Journey of life. They teach us what we need to succeed in this Journey we call Life: Desire, Commitment, Obedience, & Perseverance.
C. In Narnia we are also told that it is always Winter and Never Christmas!
Which gives us something to think about!
What ever there never was a Christmas?
If even on that first Christmas, Jesus was not born to us.
D. Now your first thoughts might be ¡V Hey ƒº
- no shopping, no gifts to buy, no more adds to go through in the mail everyday. No more annoying commercials that interrupt your program.
But I want you to think deeper than just the obvious. What if there were no Christmas?
- Jesus, Savior would not be born.
- There would be no Christianity.
- There would be no Church; here or anywhere else.
Think about that for a moment!
- It would drastically change our world today:
- Change the Art; some of the greatest art comes from Christianity.
- Change Science and Medicine as we know it.
- Change the Education of people; it was from the basis that people are created in the likeness of God that they needed to be taught so that they could live up to their potential, including the reading of the Scriptures. Most of the prominent Universities in our Country were founded as Christian schools.
E. But even on a more personal level, I want us to consider personally the affects if there were No Christmas:
Body ¡V If there were No Christmas¡K
1. We wouldn¡¦t know the fullness of God¡¦s love demonstrated to us, John 3:16, Rom. 8:5
2. We wouldn¡¦t know how to Love others, 1John 4:8, 19 We love because He loved us first.
- Generosity, compassion, kindness, etc.
3. We wouldn¡¦t know Truth.
- John 1:14; ¡¥¡K Jesus who came from the Father, full of Grace and Truth.
- John 14:6; I am the way, the TRUTH and the Life.
4. We wouldn¡¦t know the WAY to live and through life.
- John 14:6; Jesus is the Way¡K¡¨
- John 8:12; Jesus said, I am the Light of the World.
- he showed the Way for Joseph/Mary here in Matt. 1.
5. We couldn¡¦t experience Real Peace.
- Jesus said; John 16:33; ¡§I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, But take heart, I have overcome the world.¡¨
- John 14:27; ¡§Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.¡¨
6. We couldn¡¦t experience God¡¦s Presence.
- Matt. 1:23; ¡§The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel ¡V which means, God with us.¡¨
- John 1:1, 14; In the beginning was the Word and Word was with God and the Word was God. ¡K And the Word became flesh and dwelt with us¡K
7. We couldn¡¦t experience Redemption.
- One difference in the birth of Jesus compared to the rest of us is this: We are born to live, Jesus was born to die!
- Redemption means to be Bought back at a price.
- Jesus, even His name refers to Saving His people from their sins, VS 21.
- Rom. 3:24; we ¡§are justified freely by His grace, through the REDEMPTION that came by Christ Jesus.¡¨
8. We couldn¡¦t Experience Forgiveness.
- Imagine that: stuck in guilt!
- Vs. 21; Jesus came to save people from their sins.
- Eph. 1:7; ¡§in Him (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God¡¦s grace.¡¨
9. We wouldn¡¦t have any HOPE.
- Hope is powerful ¡V it helps us endure and persevere.
- 1Tim. 4:9-10; ¡§this is a trustworthy saying¡K that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior for all men¡K¡¨
- Col. 1:27; ¡§¡K God has chosen to make known¡K this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.¡¨
- Eph. 2:12, ¡§remember that at that time you were separated from Christ, excluded from¡K the covenants of the promise, without HOPE and without God in the world.¡¨
10. We couldn¡¦t have Confidence for life beyond death ¡V no Resurrection.
- Without Christmas, no Christ, no Sacrifice on the cross, no Rez. from the dead. No confidence in Rez. for us or loved ones.
- John 11:25; Jesus said; ¡§I am the Rez. and the Life, He who believes in me, even though he dies will live again.¡¨
- 1Cor. 15:21, ¡§for since death came through a man ¡V Adam ¡V the RESURRECTION of the dead comes also through a man ¡V Jesus.¡¨
Conclusion: Here is the Top 10 Reasons why Christmas is so important and why Jesus is truly the indescribable gift of all.
Because of Christmas ¡K
10. We Experience God¡¦s love Demonstrated.
9. We have the Ability to truly Love others and experience love from others.
8. We can Know Truth.
7. We can Know the Way in life.
6. We can Have Real Peace.
5. We can be Forgiven from our sins, failures, & mistakes
4. We can be Redeemed ¡V Reconciled with God.
3. We can be confident in a Resurrection for eternal life, through Faith in Jesus.
2. We can experience Hope in life.
1. We can Experience God with us, Mt. 1:23
Merry Christmas ¡V Aren¡¦t you glad that there really was and is a Christmas?
Let us all like Joseph, Trust in the Lord and obey Him.
Let us all Celebrate and Worship Jesus; the Savior ¡V Immanuel ¡V God with us ¡V born that first Christmas for us all!
