If Christ Hadn’t Come!!

Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:11

There are many movies which I find it impossible to celebrate Christmas without, but one of my all time favorites is It’s A Wonderful Life starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. The familiar movie of George Bailey who is so distraught with circumstances of his life, that he wishes he had never been born, and that wish is granted is a classic. An angel, Clarence, is sent to take him on a journey to see what effect his life had on the lives of so many and his town. He is able to see what the world would be like if he had never been born! He gets to see how much the world needed him and all the good things he was able to accomplish in his life.

Many times I wonder what our lives, our country and our world would be like if Christ hadn’t come into it. What would have happened if the wise men and shepherds had arrived to see an empty manger? Even though we find it hard sometimes to comprehend how, by the Holy Spirit, a virgin could conceive a child, how wise men knew to follow a star, how angels appeared to shepherds watching their flock by night, it’s not necessary that we know all the how’s about the birth of Jesus, we only need to know why He came. He came because “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

There is a story told of a minister who fell asleep and had a dream of a world where Christ had not come. In his dream, he walked through his home on Christmas Eve and there were no stockings hung, no Christmas tree, no angels or wreaths. He walked outside and there were no steeples or churches to be seen. In his library, there were no books about our Savior. Two days later, he stood at the coffin of a church member, opened his Bible to read familiar scripture in the New Testament, but the scriptures ended with Malachi. There was no message of comfort, no resurrection, no promise of a heavenly home. Christ had not come. He awoke with a start, and praised God as he heard the words from the hymn “O Come All Ye Faithful” drifting down from the church down the street.

If Christ had not come, we would not know God. The only promise the Bible could offer would offer would be “ashes to ashes and dust to dust.”

If Christ had not come, our sins would not be forgiven. Christ lived and died for our sins. He nailed them to the cross so that you and I could enjoy eternal life and forgiveness.

If Christ had not come, our prayers would go unanswered. We would have no advocate with the Father – no one to identify with the prayers we pray.

If Christ had not come the first time, we would have no assurance that He will come the second time and take us away to heaven with Him.

The good new is that He Did Come, and in His coming, he introduces us to God the Father, He forgives our sins, He answers our prayers, and He promises to come again and take us to heaven. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

The name Jesus means Jehovah saves! The manger isn’t empty, He is there. All we need to do is come boldly to the manger of our God in humble adoration and love. When we do this, we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help to us when we need it the most. Jesus came so that we would have life and have it abundantly. Let us come and adore Him!

O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant; O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem! Come and behold Him, born the king of angels.; O come let us adore Him, O Come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning; Jesus to Thee be all glory given. Word of the Father now in flesh appearing; O Come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, O Come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. John Francis Wade

My prayer is that Christmas was wonderful and the New Year will be one filled with the spirit of Christ and the joy He brings.