Gifts Of Christmas: Salvation

GIFTS OF CHRISTMAS: SALVATION

Matthew 1:18-25

#giftsofChristmas

INTRODUCTION… It’s A Wonderful Life (from wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_a_Wonderful_Life)

On Christmas Eve 1945, in Bedford Falls, New York, 38-year-old George Bailey contemplates suicide. The prayers of his family and friends reach heaven, where Angel 2nd class Clarence Oddbody is assigned to save George to earn his wings. Clarence is shown flashbacks of George's life. Important ones include:

He watches 12-year-old George save his brother, Harry, from drowning but he himself loses hearing in his left ear. Later, George prevents the distraught town druggist, Mr. Gower, from accidentally poisoning a child's prescription. George postpones his travel as a young man to sort out the family business when his father dies. Immediately following his wedding to Mary, George and Mary witness a run on the bank, and use their $2,000 honeymoon savings to keep the family business in business. Under George's leadership, the company eventually establishes Bailey Park, a modern housing development to keep people out of the slums.

On Christmas Eve 1945, as the town prepares for a hero's welcome for those coming home from war, Billy, George’s uncle, goes to the bank to deposit $8,000, but absent mindedly loses the money. Billy cannot recall how he misplaced the cash. With a bank examiner reviewing the company's records, George realizes scandal and criminal charges will follow. Fruitlessly retracing Billy's steps, George berates him and takes out his frustration on his family.

Suicidal, he goes to a nearby bridge, but before he can jump, he wishes he had never been born. Guardian angel Clarence is about to show what life would be like if George had never been born. Clarence dives into the river. George leaps in and rescues him.

Clarence shows him a timeline in which he never existed. Bedford Falls is an unsavory town occupied by sleazy entertainment venues, crime, and immoral people. The druggist, Mr. Gower, was imprisoned for manslaughter since George was not around to prevent him from poisoning the pills. George's mother doesn't know him. His uncle is institutionalized. The family business failed. Bailey Park is a cemetery. His brother’s grave is there since George did not save Harry and also Harry was not there to save the soldiers on a transport ship in the war. George finds that Mary has never married.

George returns to the bridge and begs for his life back. The original reality is restored, and a grateful George rushes home to await his arrest and to apologize to his family. The townspeople rally and donate more than enough to cover the missing $8,000 and his arrest warrant is torn up. George, his family and friends all together sing Auld Lang Syne as they celebrate Christmas Eve.

The story I just mentioned is from the 1946 film, It's a Wonderful Life, which is considered one of the greatest films of all time. It was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and has been recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 best American films ever made. It was No. 11 on the American Film Institute's 1998 greatest movie list, No. 20 on its 2007 greatest movie list, and No. 1 on its list of the most inspirational American films of all time. In 1990, the film was designated as "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" and added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.

I bring up this movie and the story for two reasons. #1 it’s a Christmas movie. Unlike Die Hard (1988), Batman Returns (1992), and Gremlins (1984), this is an actual Christmas movie and there are no debates about it. #2 I want to bring up the central idea from the story: What if George Bailey had never been born? Keep that thought in mind… ‘not being born.’ I want you to keep that thought in mind because today I would like to ask the question: What if Jesus had never been born? That is a significant question I think.

THREAD: What if Jesus had never been born?

I’d like to read from Matthew 1 this morning and answer that significant question.

READ MATTHEW 1:18-25 (ESV)

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called His name Jesus.”