“If Christ Had Not Been Born!"
John 15:22
INTRO: In Luke 2:11 we have the angel's pronouncement, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." But what if that pronouncement had never been made? What if Christ had never been born? What would our world be like today without the influence of Christ and His people?
Jesus Himself hinted at the hopelessness of man had he not been born in Bethlehem when He said in John 15:22, "IfIhadnotcomeandspokenuntothem,theyhadnothadsin:butnowtheyhavenocloakfortheirsin." Jesus said, “If I had not come….”. Suppose He hadn't come and how spiritually and morally destitute the world would be! This world now, even with the influence of God's people, is a wicked, vile, and horrible pit of iniquity, and yet if Christ had not been born, Oh how much the worse it would be! Life without Christ is unthinkable!
But Christ leaving His heavenly Father came to a helpless world and brought hope to this world! But what if He hadn't come? A Pastor was preparing a Christmas message and fell asleep in his study. He dreamed that he was in a world into which Jesus had never come. He walked out on the streets, but no Church spires pointed toward heaven. He was summoned by a weeping child to visit her dying mother, but on arriving he found that all of the New Testament, with its promises of Heaven, had disappeared from his BIBLE.
He bowed his head and wept in bitter despair, for he could offer her no hope beyond the grave. Suddenly he was awakened by the choir practicing the familiar Christmas carols. Joy filled his soul as he realized as never before the importance of Christ's coming! (Henry G.Bosch. Our Daily Bread. Volume 37. Number 9. December 20, 1992). If Christ had never come, OH how desperate our own case would be!
I want us to consider what life would be like "If Christ Had Not Been Born!"
(1) IF CHRIST HAD NOT BEEN BORN, WE WOULD HAVE A GOD WITHOUT
HONOR
PSALM 145:17—“The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy
in all his works.”
*If Christ Had Not Been Born:
A. GOD’S CHARACTER WOULD HAVE BEEN PROVEN UNTRUTHFUL.
Truth is one of the attributes of our heavenly Father! Deuteronomy
32:4 tells us, “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are
judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.”
Psalm 117:2 assures us, “For his merciful kindness is great toward us:
and the truth of the LORD endureth forever. Praise ye the LORD.” We
read in Romans 3:4b—“Let God be true, but ever man a liar...”. Paul
tells us that as believers we live "In hope of eternal Life, which God,
that cannot lie, promised before the world began" (Titus 1:2). If there is
one thing that we can count on in this crazy world in which we live it is
integrity of God! But if Christ had not been born, God would be a liar!
B. GOD’S PROMISES WOULD HAVE BEEN FOUND UNTRUSTWORTHY.
The promise made to the serpent in Genesis 3:15 which says, "And I
will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed
and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heal,"
would never have been fulfilled! All the prophecies concerning Messiah
given by God to the OT prophets would be null and void! But God, who
is TRUTH, because of His foreknowledge, looked down the avenue of
history and knew that man, after his creation would sin and need a
Savior! That Savior was Jesus, God's Son, who was born just as all the
prophets declared! The very character of God depended on the promises
He had made. If Christ had not been born, God's very character would
have proven dishonorable! There are four words I wish we would never
forget, and they are, "God keeps His word."--Charles Swindoll (The
Timothy Report, November 29, 2004).
IF CHRIST HAD NOT BEEN BORN, WE WOULD HAVE A GOD WITHOUT HONOR but also…
(2) IF CHRIST HAD NOT BEEN BORN, WE WOULD HAVE A BIBLE WHICH
IS INACCURATE AND INCOMPLETE
PSALM 119:89—“Forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”
- THE BIBLE IS PRECIOUS IN ITS MESSAGE. I love the BIBLE! I love to read the BIBLE, study the BIBLE, and preach from the BIBLE! One of the reasons I love the BIBLE so much is that it doesn't just contain the TRUTH, but it is the TRUTH! Psalms 19:7-11 tells us, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.” Abraham Lincoln said, "I have but to say, the BIBLE is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Savior gave to the world was communicated through this Book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man's welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed in it." (Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring Quotations-Contemporary & Classical. p. 15). That “…Godsolovedtheworld,thathegavehisonly begottenSon,thatwhosoeverbelievethinhimshouldnotperish,buthaveeverlastinglife.,” is the most precious message this world has ever received! The angel’s pronouncement in Luke 2:11—“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord,” gave unto mankind the promise of hope, help, and Heaven!
- THE BIBLE IS PROFOUND IN ITS MESSAGE. The BIBLE is our foundation for hope, encouragement, and strength! If it is untrue, we have no hope at all!
ILLUS: An infidel once asked John Jay, "Do you believe in Christ?"
"I do and I thank God I do”, was the statesman's noble reply.
Two years before his death, when eighty-two years of age, down
by disease and withlittle hope of recovery, when urged to tell
his children on what foundation he rested his hopes, and from
what source he drew his consolation, his brief reply was, "They
have the Book." (Elon Foster. 6000 Classic Sermon Illustrations.
p. 79).
The word “profound” means “intellectually deep or penetrating, affecting
the depth of one’s nature, unfathomable.” (Funk & Wagnall’s Standard
Desk Dictionary. Volume 2, N-Z. p. 528). The message that God sent
His only Son, who took upon Himself the likeness of man, was born of
a virgin, died on a Cross for our offenses and raised again for our
justification is a message the is incomprehensible, incredible and
incomparable. The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that He sunk
Himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding. -- Martin
Luther in Table Talk. Christianity Today, Vol. 36, no. 15.
- THE BIBLE IS PERFECT IN ITS MESSAGE. Majestic as the Old Testament is, with its unfolding of the Person and purpose of God, without the New Testament it would be but a broken arc of Divine revelation! (Herbert Lockyer. All The Holy Days And Holidays. p. 18).
We would have a Revelation without a Realization! A Prophecy without
a Fulfillment! A Story without an Ending! If Jesus had not been born,
we would have an incomplete BIBLE! There would have been no babe
in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. No miracles, no teachings and
parables, no betrayal, no trial, no crucifixion, and no resurrection! The
Old Testament without the New would have been as a bridge that went
only half way over the chasm of human darkness. (Herbert Lockyer. All
The Holy Days And Holidays. p. 19). We read in Malachi 4:5-6—
“Behold, I will send Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and
dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to
the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and
smite the earth with a curse." Malachi 4:6, the last verse in the O.T.
ends with the word "curse”. What a tragic ending to the first half of the
BIBLE, beginning as it does with the sublime sentence, "In the
beginning God...". First, God's creation-then a curse. This is the story
of the Old Testament! This curse fell upon all men because of SIN!
Galatians 3:10 tells us, “For as many as are of the works of the law are
under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not
in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” That
was the predicament of all men before Christ was born into this world:
under the curse…under the law! How miserable we would be if we had
been left under a curse! How did God come to our rescue? The angel of
the Lord told Joseph concerning Mary in Matthew 1:21—“And she
shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall
save his people from their sins.” The angel told the shepherds in Luke
2:11—“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which
is Christ the Lord.” Galatians4:4-5 says, “But when the fullness of the
time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under
the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive
the adoption of sons.”
Jesus became a curse for us who were under the curse to deliver us
from the curse! Galatians 3:13 tells us, “Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed
is every one that hangeth on a tree.”Jesus hung on that old rugged
Cross to deliver us from the law's curse and condemnation. 2
Corinthians 5:21 says, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who
knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
If He had not been born, we would have a revelation without a climax!
If we had only the Old Testament with all its exhortations, promises,
and prophecies; one could rightly ask, "Where is the other half of the
Book? "Something, no SOMEONE is missing!" Revelation 22:21
ends this way, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Amen." It ends with a blessing, not a curse. Jesus brought this
blessing to man! John 1:17 says, “For the law was given by Moses, but
grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” Christ, through His birth
brought us the fulfillment of God's purpose!
IF CHRIST HAD NOT BEEN BORN, WE WOULD HAVE A GOD WITHOUT HONOR AND A BIBLE WHICH IS INACCURATE AND INCOMPLETE and…
(3) IF CHRIST HAD NOT BEEN BORN, THE WORLD WOULD HAVE NEVER
SEEN ITS ONLY PERFECT MAN
1 TIMOTHY 3:16—“And without controversy great is the mystery
of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the
Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on
in the world, received up into glory.”
- HE IS THE SUM OF DIVINE PERFECTION. In Christ Jesus, we have the sum of divine perfection. He is the sum of all human virtues. The flower of humanity! Colossians 2:9 tells us, “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” In Christ, God revealed Himself to man in human flesh. John 1:14 says, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” He was perfect man and yet perfect God! He lived 33 years in this world, but never sinned!
ILLUS: There are two hundred and fifty-six names given in the Bible
for the Lord Jesus Christ, and I suppose this was because He
was infinitely beyond all that any one name could express.--
Billy Sunday in a sermon, "Wonderful," quoted in The Real
Billy Sunday.
ILLUS: In Christ We Have:
A love that can never be fathomed
A life that can never die
A righteousness that can never be tarnished
A peace that can never be understood
A rest that can never be disturbed
A joy that can never be diminished
A hope that can never be disappointed
A glory that can never be clouded
A light that can never be darkened
A purity that can never be defiled
A beauty that can never be marred
A wisdom that can never be baffled
Resources that can never be exhausted.
Source Unknown.
- HE IS THE DIVINE PATTERN. He left for us an example of love, holiness, forgiveness, and forbearance! The "best" man in our world today is tainted with sin! But Christ "knew no sin." 1 Peter 2:21-23 says of Him, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.” When He came to this world He found it a darken and barren place, but He left the light of His love in it, so men could walk in His light! John says of Him in John 1:9—“That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” Jesus said of Himself in John 8:12—“ Iamthelightoftheworld:he that followethmeshallnotwalkindarkness,butshallhavethelightoflife.” The whole world, ruined by the fall, would still abide in darkness, if He had not come! But Jesus came and broke the power of sin! “…theSonofmaniscometoseekandtosavethat which was lost.” (Luke 19:10).
ILLUS: Vaugh shoemaker's famous Christmas cartoon, "The First
Christmas Gift," which first appeared in 1934, has an
interesting background. Shoemaker walked into the office of
the Chicago Daily News with his rough sketch under his arm. A
drawing of a star gleaming upon a manger, with the words of
John 3:16 penciled across the sky above it. The editors, while
praising the sketch, argued that the Scripture reference might
offend some readers.
Shoemaker held his ground, and said that John 3:16 must be
retained or he would not submit the sketch. Colonel Frank
Knox, the Publisher of the paper, said to the editors, "Let's be
sensible. If it weren't for John 3:16 there wouldn't be any
Christmas...Run it. We need more like it in the News." It was
repeated faithfully every Christmas until the demise of the
paper in 1978.
Christ's birth spelled man's deliverance! He was the perfect sacrifice
Who died for the sins of all! But if the Christ born in Bethlehem is not
born in your heart today, Christmas avails you nothing!
IF CHRIST HAD NOT BEEN BORN, WE WOULD HAVE A GOD WITHOUT HONOR, A BIBLE WHICH IS INACCURATE AND INCOMPLETE, THE WORLD WOULD HAVE NEVER SEEN ITS ONLY PERFECT MAN and finally…
(4) IF CHRIST HAD NOT BEEN BORN, MAN WOULD BE FORCED TO FACE
ETERNITY WITHOUT HOPE!
1 John 3:5—“And ye know that he was manifested to take away our
sins; and in him is no sin.”
1 John 3:8b—“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that
he might destroy the works of the devil."
- CHRIST WAS BORN TO GIVE US HOPE BEYOND THE GRAVE. Christ was born to deliver us from our sins and give us a "living hope!' 1 Peter 1:3-5 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” Titus 3:5-7 tells us, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” The Old Testament saints knew that the grave didn't end it all, but still they were in the dark mostly to the future! In Job 19:25-26 Job declared, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” By His Coming, Christ brought life and immortality to life through the gospel! He is our Hope and without Him there is no hope! Romans 5:5 says, “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
ILLUS: If our greatest need had been information, God would have