“What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?”
Most of you have seen the poem called “One Solitary Life” which reads
“One Solitary Life”
“He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village, where He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a home. He didn’t go to college. He never visited a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where he was born. He did none of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself.
He was only thirty-three when the tide of public opinion turned against Him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While He was dying, His executioners gambled for His garments, the only property He had on earth. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today He is the central figure of the human race.
All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that have ever sat, all the kings that have ever reigned, put together, have not have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that one solitary life.” [Attributed to James Allen Francis]
“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, (5) to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” Galatians 4:4-5 (NKJV)
Have you ever stopped to consider how different the world might be if Jesus had never been born? Although some unbelievers consider Christianity and its founder Jesus Christ a menace to society that should be removed as soon as possible, they have never really considered how the birth of Jesus Christ has affected this world in which we live!
“In the eighteenth century, there was great attack on foreign missionaries in the London Times. An experienced traveler wrote a letter to the editor in which he criticized this attitude. The letter’s writer said that such an attitude on the part of a voyager was particularly inexcusable – for should he happen to be cast ashore on some uncharted island, he would devoutly pray that the lesson of the missionary had preceded him! The writer of the letter was no less than Charles Darwin, later an enemy of the Christian faith. Nonetheless he recognized the useful value of the faith.” [D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe. What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1994) p. 157]
Perhaps nothing could be more applicable in this season in which we celebrate the birth of Christ into human form, than by stopping to consider just how great an impact He has had on the human race. Immediately we think of his mission to save man from consequences of his own sin, and we will consider that, but I want you to realize that the repercussions of His birth are ever more far reaching. Today I want to spend a few minutes sharing seven areas in which the world has forever been changed by the impact of the birth of Christ.
[Principles drawn from D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe. What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1994) p. 157]
First, Because Christ Lived The World Has Attached A New Value To Human Life.
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Gen 1:27)
The concept of sanctity of life is a spiritual concept; the word sanctity comes from the Latin word (sanctus) which means ‘holy’ or sacred to God, that which God has declared is of great value. Even in the world today, when you get in areas where Christianity is not the prominent religion human life is cheap. Christianity has changed the value attached to human life; especially to Children, Women, and the Elderly. Prior to the coming of Christ, abortion, the killing of infants and abandonment were common practices. Over time the influence of Christianity has stopped the practice of child-killing until the recent revival by the modern practice of abortion.
Prior to the Christian influence, a woman’s life was very cheap, in fact in most ancient cultures, the wife was the property of her husband. In the nineteenth century, Charles Spurgeon told of a Hindu woman who said to a missionary, ‘Surely your Bible was written by a woman.’ ‘Why?’ he asked. ‘Because it says so many kind things for women. Our experts never refer to us but in some reproach.’ (p. 17)
Today we take our values on human life for granted, we do so because we in America have had them so embedded in our culture for centuries. But had Christ never been born, it would have been a far different story – human life would be quite cheap.
The morality of any society can easily be judged by the view it holds on human life. Remove the influence of Jesus Christ in the world and you will quickly see how cheap human life becomes.
Secondly, Because Christ Lived The World Has Changed the Way It Responds To Those In Need.
“He who despises his neighbor sins; But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.” (Prov. 14:21)
Before the advent of Christianity there was no organized charitable effort at large in the world. The example and teaching of Jesus changed the way the world reacted to those in need especially the poor, the widowed and the orphaned.
Hospitals as we know them began through the influence of Christianity. Christianity also gave rise to nursing care. The Red Cross was started by an evangelical Christian.
W.O. Sanders a skeptic made this admission about the influence of Christianity. “Your agnostic is tremendously impressed by the power of your faith. He has seen drunkards and libertines and moral degenerates transfigured by it. He has seen the sick, the aged, the friendless comforted and sustained, and he is impressed by your wonderful charities, your asylums, your hospitals, your nurseries, your schools; he must shamefacedly admit that agnostics, as such have built few hospitals and few homes for orphans.” [p. 156]
In reality they have built none!!!! A world without Christ would be a world without charity.
Third, Because Christ Lived The World Has Changed The Way It Thinks About Education.
“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. (7) You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” (Deut 6:6-7)
Virtually every school you see – public or private, religious or not – is a visible reminder of the religion of Jesus Christ. The phenomenon of education for everyone has its roots in Christianity. It is Christianity that has give rise to the concept of education for everyone. The greatest universities worldwide were started by Christians for Christian purposes. While many of them may today be quite hostile to the Christian faith, the fact is that it was through the labor and sacrifices of Christians that Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and others were created. Almost every one of the first 123 colleges and universities in the United States has Christian origins.
Fourth, Because Christ Lived The World Has Its View About Self-Government.
You may remember the controversy some years ago (1992) over the statement by Governor Kirk Fordice of Mississippi, that this is a “Christian nation.” It was so intense that he later apologized and one newspaper summed it up by saying, “The label “Christian Nation” has become fighting words!”
That’s pretty amazing when you consider that the United States was founded by Christians for a Christian purpose. So exactly how much is or was the United States founded on Christian principles?
•Christopher Columbus stated that he was led by
the Holy Spirit in discovering America in order that the prophecy of Isaiah might be fulfilled about turning the heathen to the truth.
•Many if not most of those involved in fashioning
American independence were committed Christians.
•The American patriot Patrick Henry, stated “It
cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!” [p. 67]
•When George Washington was inaugurated as the
first President of the United States in 1789, in New York City, he got down on his knees and kissed the Bible. Then he lead the entire Senate and House of Representatives to a church for a two hour worship service. Way it is enough to give the ACLU a collective stroke.
•At least fifty of the fifty-six signers of the
Declaration of Independence were Christians.
•Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of
United States spoke with great wisdom well worth remembering when he said, “It is the duty of nations as well as men to owe their dependence upon the over-ruling power of God… and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.” [p. 76]
Had Jesus not been born I am convinced there would have been no United States of America.
Fifth, Because Christ Lived The World Has Changed Its View about Science.
Some think that Christianity and science are opposites and have nothing to do with each other. Science, theology and history are not three distinct branches of knowledge, but simply three different ways in which to view the reality around us! Blaise Pascal states it well when he said; “Faith tells us what the sensed cannot, but it not contrary to their findings. It simply transcends, without contradicting them.” [p. 99]
Some of the greatest pioneers of science were committed Christians, I will name just a few;
Antiseptic Surgery – Joseph Lister
Bacteriology – Louis Pasteur
Calculus – Isaac Newton
Electromagnetics – Michael Faraday
And the list goes on and on.
Countess benefits of science which you enjoy in your everyday life today would not exist if Christ had not been born!
Sixth, Because Christ Lived The World Has Its View Of Human Sexuality.
Christ challenged the world on the subject of sexuality – condemning adultery and homosexuality and other sexual immorality in general. When God gave his command to not commit adultery He was protecting the sacredness and sanctity of highest earthly relationship one can know: the relationship between a husband and wife.
What can we say about the “gay” revolution?
First, of all God says Homosexuality is wrong. The Bible is very clear the homosexuality is a sin. The second thing we should note is homosexuals are any thing but gay.
The two main arguments by which the homosexuals endeavor to justify their behavior are; first they are born that way. But there is good research to indicate that it is a learned behavior. The second thing that homosexuals maintain in justifying their lifestyle is that they are not only born that way but they cannot change. But thousands of former homosexuals who have changed can attest that this if false.
It should also be pointed out that homosexuality reduces the lifespan of men by almost half. While the average married man in America lives to be 74 years of age, the average homosexual dies a 43. This is tragic natural consequences of their unnatural acts, which God has clearly told us to avoid.
Seventh, Because Christ Lived There Is The Possibility Of Forgiveness For Our Sins.
“In the nineteenth century, Charles Bradlaugh, a prominent atheist challenged a Christian, Hugh Price Hughes to a debate. Hughes was an active soul winner working among the poor in the slums of London, Hughes told Bradlaugh he would agree under on condition.
Hughes said, ‘I propose to you that we each bring some concrete evidences of the validity of our beliefs in the form of men and women who have been redeemed from lives of sin and shame by the influences of our teaching. I will bring 100 such men and women and I challenge you to do the same.’ When it became apparent that Bradlaugh could not bring 100, Hughes lowered the number to 50, then 20, then finally to one. All Bradlaugh had to do was find one man or woman whose life had been improved by atheism and Hughes – would bring 100 people improved by atheism and Hughes would debate him – Bradlaugh withdrew his offer of a debate!” [p. 189]
Of course time does not permit talking of all the examples of lives changed by Christ that could be made so I will just use one example that comes out of the turbulence of World War II.
Sergeant Jacob De Shazer was a bombardier in General Doolittle squadron, while bombing Japan his plane was shot down by anti-craft fire. He and his crew bailed out but were captured. They were treated with great cruelty, so much so that De Shazer had but one desire, to great revenge on his torturers. One day a Bible was brought into the prison, as he read it, it melted the hatred he had in his heart. When the war was over De Shazer returned to Japan as a missionary to the Japanese people.
The story of his life was printed as a tract. One day a disheartened, broken and hopeless man received one of those tracts. He was touched by what he read and so he sought out the American missionaries. He too was converted, this man’s name was Captain Mitsuo Fuchida. He was the Japanese officer who lead the attack on Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941. It was he who had spoken the words, “Tora, Tora, Tora,” to begin the attack. He too became a preacher of the gospel and on the 25th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor he went back to Pearl Harbor with a gift for the survivors, a Bible which had been inscribed with Luke 23:43 which says “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Conclusion
To borrow a phrase from C.S. Lewis, a good description of life on earth had Jesus never come would be “always winter but never Christmas.”
If Christ had not come, neither of these two individuals, nor the countless numbers down through the centuries, would have been changed. If Christ had not come life would be meaningless. If Christ had not comet there would be no forgiveness for sin. If Christ had not comet here would be no sure hope of Eternal life.
But Christ was born, and Oh the difference it has made. The world was different because Christ lived.
Is the world different because you are a Christian?
“What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?”
Galatians 4:4-5
First, Because Christ Lived The World Has Attached A New Value To _________________. (Gen 1:27)
Secondly, Because Christ Lived The World Has Changed the Way It Responds To Those In ________.
(Prov. 14:21)
Third, Because Christ Lived The World Has Changed The Way It Thinks About ______________.
(Deut 6:6-7)
Fourth, Because Christ Lived The World Has Its View About __________________________.
Fifth, Because Christ Lived The World Has Changed Its View about ________________.
Sixth, Because Christ Lived The World Has Its View Of Human _________________.
Seventh, Because Christ Lived There Is The Possibility Of ________________ For Our Sins.
