It is interesting to look at our world and how much it has changed in the last half century. Think about what was acceptable when you were growing up compared to today. Think about things like technology and the advent of the internet and social media… Think about things like cell phones and communication in general… What would life be like if those things never came to be?

Historians wrote a book “If: History Rewritten” which explored what our world would be like if significant events in history never happened. They look at what our world would have been like if the Moors had conquered Spain or if Lee had won at Gettysburg. What if Alexander the Great didn’t die so young or the Pearl Harbor attack was averted?

From biblical history, what if Sennacherib of Assyria had conquered Jerusalem in 701 BC. What would have changed in the Middle East? What if God hadn’t stepped in to save Nebuchadnezzar?

The one question they didn’t address is what I want to address today: what would things be like if Jesus were never born? What would our world be like if “God hadn’t moved into the neighborhood?” Our world would be a lot different.

We would never experienced “God with Us”;con God would be another myth. The Bible teaches that God is Spirit – therefore He is invisible. Emmanuel would never be a reality – God would be something intangible and unknowable. People have been searching for God for centuries but in Jesus, God has revealed Himself to us.

John records that Jesus is God in the flesh. Colossians 1 says that Jesus was the image of the invisible God and the fullness of God was in Him. In Jesus, we have God in the flesh – we can relate to Him, people got to touch Him, eat with Him, through the Bible, we can see God.

If Jesus hadn’t come, we would still be slaves to sin. Evil would reign in the world. As bad as our world is think of how bad it would be if Jesus had never come?

What would things be like if Christians and the Church were not active in the world. Many hospitals, schools and orphanages wouldn’t exist. Even in our city, things would be different. The Salvation Army, Hope Mission, the Mustard Seed… if they didn’t exist or any of the other churches that serve and minister to those in need, what would be the state of the marginalized?

On a spiritual level, we would never experience salvation or the security of eternal life. If we still had to follow the OT rules of sacrifices. In the Old Testament, if we were to swear at our parents we would be put to death. Life would be much crueler. If Christ had not come, there would be no hope for today…

Thankfully, God did send His Son into the world to reveal God and to bring salvation to us. And the wonderful thing is, He never changes. His promise that the way to the Father through His Son is still the same.

People today may wish He had never come. When you hear people say things like that, remind them of the contributions Christians have made because of Christ. As much as our world today wishes it could get rid of Jesus, the truth is our world would be a mess if He hadn’t come.

So I want to leave us with a word of encouragement. Regardless of how messed up our country and world are, we can have hope and peace because the Prince of Peace came. The cool thing is He not only came, He through His Spirit resides in our hearts today giving us assurance of better days ahead.