WHAT IF THERE WERE NO CHRISTMAS?
Is Our World Any Different?
Christmas Realities – Part 3
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
December 11, 2005
INTRODUCTION:
Have you ever wondered what the world would be like if there were no Christmas? How has our world been changed because of Christmas? Think about that. If there were no Christmas all of your favorite Christmas traditions would be gone. There would be no family gatherings for Christmas dinner and no gifts beneath the tree – in fact, there would be no Christmas tree to start with. There would be no Christmas programs, no Christmas vacations, no Christmas movies or music. There would be no Christmas decorations, no Santa, no Christmas caroling. Without a doubt December 25th would be much less enjoyable if there were no Christmas. It would be just another cold day in winter passing by much like all the rest.
However, as disappointing as all of that may be there are some far more serious deficiencies that would emerge in a world with no Christmas. Remember that Christmas isn’t just another holiday. It marks the birth of Jesus Christ so when we ask what the world would be like without Christmas we are really asking what the world would be like without Jesus. How would our world be different today if Jesus had never been born? Is our world any different because of the birth of Christ – aside from the previously mentioned lack of a holiday and its traditions?
If Christ had never been born, there would be no Christians for one thing and no churches for another. Some people – many people – in our country today would say, “Good riddance. We are better off without you.” But have they really stopped to think through what they are saying? I think not. For along with the Christians and their churches would go all of the colleges and all of the hospitals and all of the shelters and all of the charities and all of the missions that have been founded by Christians in the name of Jesus.
Think about what our war torn, natural disaster ridden world would be like without the Salvation Army, World Relief, World Vision, World Hope, Samaritan’s Purse, and Compassion International just to name a few – those are just the tip of the iceberg.
Think about what our world would be like without Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Yale? Did you know that those and almost all of the first 123 colleges and universities started in America were founded by Christians?
I would submit to you that if, over night, all of that educational history and charitable spirit were to be removed from the world, it would be enough to plunge our planet back into the dark ages. The world as we know it today literally could not continue to exist without Christ’s people, Christ’s church and the organizations and institutions founded by them.
If that were to happen the world would be much like the fantasy world of Narnia envisioned by an Oxford University professor named C.S. Lewis. Lewis was one of the greatest Christian authors of modern times as he found creative ways of communicating God’s truth. The land of Narnia is found in Lewis’ classic work The Chronicles of Narnia. The first book in that series is called The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, which has recently been made into a major motion picture by Disney and was released nationwide last Friday.
The land of Narnia experiences perpetual winter, but never Christmas. The land is oppressed by the evil White Queen – a witch – and, therefore, is a cold, hopeless land filled only with despair. However there was an ancient prophecy of four human children who would one day come and bring freedom to their land. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is the beginning of their story as four children accidentally enter the land of Narnia through a magical wardrobe. Without giving too much away let me say that this story is Christian allegory. The children with the help of the lion named Aslan will bring deliverance. The lion Aslan represents Christ, who was the lion of the tribe of Judah. And so what Jesus did in actual history Aslan does in fantasy complete with his sacrificial death and resurrection.
This prophecy of deliverance for Narnia reminds me of another ancient prophecy of deliverance – one rooted in the real world – one that never would have been fulfilled if there were no Christmas. This ancient prophecy is found in our text for today – Isaiah 61. Listen to the words of this ancient prophecy written around 2,686 years ago:
1The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3and provide for those who grieve in Zion –
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called might oaks,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.
4They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
8“For I, the LORD, love justice;
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
and make an everlasting covenant with them.
9Their descendants will be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the LORD has blessed.”
10I delight greatly in the LORD;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness
and praise spring up before all nations.
This was an ancient prophecy of the coming Messiah, which means “anointed one” as referred to in the first verse. The word Christ is Greek and means the same thing. When Jesus began his ministry he started by going into the synagogue on the Sabbath where he read these words from Isaiah’s prophecy and then he announced: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).
If there were no Christmas – if the Christ child had never been born, this scripture would never have been fulfilled. What are the implications of that? What would our world be like today if this scripture had never been fulfilled? We have already talked about the answer to that in broad and general terms, but now I want us to focus in on this specific prophecy so that we can learn what we have been taking for granted all these years.
IF THERE WERE NO CHRISTMAS…
I. CHRIST WOULD NOT HAVE…
1. PROCLAIMED HOPE.
1The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor…
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,…
Jesus came into this world with a powerful proclamation of hope for mankind. Isaiah prophesied of this when he said that the Messiah would come “to proclaim good news to the poor.” While the poor may refer to those who are in actual poverty most likely it is meant to be interpreted more broadly so as to include all those who are needy in any way and not just financially. Jesus Christ was born into this world to meet the deepest needs of our lives – the needs that we can’t even begin to meet on our own – and that is good news. There are two key aspects to Jesus’ proclamation of hope that I see here:
a. Freedom.
Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would come “to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” While there is certainly no record of Jesus going around and breaking people out of prison during his ministry, nonetheless his ministry had a great deal to do with freedom. However, it wasn’t the political freedom that his contemporaries were looking for, rather it was spiritual freedom from sin that Jesus proclaimed.
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:31-36)
This good news brings hope to all of those who have recognized their own personal spiritual poverty – hope to all those who have found themselves to be bound by sin. Through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the bonds of sin can be broken. We can be set free from our self-imposed prisons – free to start over again – free to live a new life – free to enjoy life.
The second part of the Messiah’s message of hope includes:
b. Favor.
Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would come “to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor” and along with it would come “the day of vengeance of our God.” At first that might sound like a strange combination – after all what do favor and vengeance have to do with one another? This is a message of hope because the favor is for God’s people, but the vengeance is for their enemies who are also the enemies of God.
This is the hope that justice will once and for all be served and that at that time the righteous will be rewarded with the favor God while the wicked will meet with the vengeance of God. This is a message of hope for all who have been denied justice in this lifetime. It is the hope that the wicked will answer for their crimes. They may seem to be getting away with it now, but there is a day coming when the books will be balanced and an accounting will be required. On that day, in the words of Daniel:
“As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them, until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.” (Daniel 7:21-22)
While today it seems that the wicked are prevailing the day is coming when God will settle the case ruling in our favor and on that day we will take full possession of the kingdom of heaven – full possession of all of heavens benefits and blessings. This is the hope which Jesus came to proclaim and it is the hope to which we hold.
IF THERE WERE NO CHRISTMAS, CHRIST WOULD NOT HAVE…
1. PROCLAIMED HOPE or
2. PROVIDED HEALING.
1…He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted…2…to comfort all who mourn, 3and to provide for those who grieve in Zion
The brokenhearted, a term referring to those who have been broken or oppressed or humbled, are to be identified as those who mourn and grieve. Isaiah prophesied that God would send the Messiah to bind them up. This refers to the binding up of a wound in order to promote healing. While Jesus certainly healed multitudes of people during his earthly ministry and continues to heal people today through the prayers of his people I nonetheless believe that the primary application of the prophecy is to the spiritual healing that Jesus provided.
This is the most important form of healing because as Paul implied the health of the physical body is only of limited value, but the health of the soul and spirit is of much greater value. Everyone who is healed physically of some disease will nonetheless die one day, but those who have been healed spiritually will live eternally. Not everyone who prays for a physical healing will receive it, but everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved – spiritually healed.
To those who have been spiritually wounded the coming Messiah will…
3…provide for those who mourn…a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
The crown, the oil and the garment all are suggestive of preparations for a joyous festival. On the day of the Messiah’s coming futile conditions will be replaced with festive celebrations. Today we are a fulfillment of this prophecy for we have gathered together for our worship celebration because we have each personally experienced the spiritual healing that only Jesus can provide. No matter how bad things get we know that we need not despair. If there were no Christmas we would be in despair because Christ would not have…
IF THERE WERE NO CHRISTMAS, CHRIST WOULD NOT HAVE…
1. PROCLAIMED HOPE,
2. PROVIDED HEALING or
3. PORTRAYED HOLINESS.
After Christ has proclaimed hope and provided healing to those who mourn…
3…They will be called mighty oaks, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.
And just what exactly is the splendor of the Lord that will be on display? According to the Psalmist it is nothing less than his holiness:
“Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;” (Psalm 29:2; 96:9)
The Messiah came to portray God in all of his holy splendor and he placed this on display not only through his own life of holiness, but also through the lives of his faithful followers and he did this…
“So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness…” (Ephesians 2:7, NLT)
Christ came to display his holiness and the holiness of the Father through the lives of his people – that means through you and through me. That is an awesome thought. The Messiah came so that those who are poor and needy spiritually – so that those who grieve over their poor spiritual condition can be transformed into trophies of God’s holiness – examples of God’s grace. Can those around you see the holiness of God on display in and through your life? They should be able to because part of the reason Jesus came was to make that very thing possible.
IF THERE WERE NO CHRISTMAS, CHRIST WOULD NOT HAVE…
1. PROCLAIMED HOPE,
2. PROVIDED HEALING or
3. PORTRAYED HOLINESS.
And yet that is only half of the story.
IF THERE WERE NO CHRISTMAS…
II. WE WOULD NOT GET TO…
1. EXPERIENCE A RENEWED LIFE.
4They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
Not only were the captives to be released, but they were also to be restored. However, I think it is significant to note that while the Messiah was to do the releasing, the people were then responsible for doing the rebuilding. In its original context this applied to God delivering the Israelites from the Babylonian captivity and then to the people’s responsibility to rebuild Jerusalem and the towns and cities of Israel. However, the broader context of Isaiah 61 cannot be fulfilled fully in the release from exile. This chapter clearly was prophesying of events that went beyond the Old Testament and into the New Testament era with the coming of the Messiah.
Jesus has come and through his message and mission – through his sacrificial death on the cross – has provided us with freedom or release from sin (as discussed earlier). But although we have been set free from sin we still have the personal responsibility for what we will do with this new life – this second chance that we have been given.
If there were no Christmas – if Christ had never been born, we would never have experienced the forgiveness of our sins and the renewed lives that we now enjoy. But let us remember this Christmas season that as we reflect on his first Advent we are not to simply sit around and passively wait for his second Advent.
In the meantime there is much to do – there is much that needs to be restored and rebuilt. I was talking with a man once who had been through a divorce several years ago and something he said has always stuck with me. He has since given his life to Christ and is faithfully serving him. He said something to this effect: “God has forgiven me of all my sins, but I still have to deal with the consequences of my sins.” The consequences of his sins had cost him his marriage and had significantly damaged his relationship with his children. You see although he had been released from his sins, he nonetheless had much rebuilding and restoring to do. Your personal situation may be much different than this man’s, but your responsibility is the same. Don’t squander the opportunity that God has given you to use this new life. You have been given a second chance at life so don’t waste it.
IF THERE WERE NO CHRISTMAS, WE WOULD NOT GET TO…
1. EXPERIENCE A RENEWED LIFE or
2. ENJOY A REWARDED LIFE.
8“For I, the LORD, love justice;
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
and make an everlasting covenant with them.
9Their descendants will be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the LORD has blessed.”
When we place our faith in Jesus Christ we are rewarded with an everlasting relationship with him. We are rewarded with the blessing of God upon our lives. This reference to a covenant of blessing among the nations seems to be a reference back to the covenant God made with Abram:
The LORD had said to Abram, … “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. … and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3)
The good news is that this covenant is not restricted only to the decedents of Abraham or to only the Jews, but according to Paul all who have placed their faith in Christ get to enjoy the benefits and blessings of this ancient covenant. Paul wrote:
“The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would declare the Gentiles to be righteous because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, ‘All nations will be blessed through you.’ So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.” (Galatians 3:7-9, NLT)
And as you can see this blessing was not only intended for the benefit of God’s people, but God’s people were intended to bring a blessing to all the people of the world. God has blessed you in order to make you a blessing to others. How are you doing at fulfilling your end of the covenant? God has been faithful to bless you. Have you been faithful to be a blessing to others? What better time of year than Christmas to begin to refocus the priorities of our lives toward becoming blessings to others? I would submit to you that there is no greater reward that can be enjoyed in this life than to selflessly bless others. Start thinking about who you can bless this Christmas. Most people today mistakenly think that the greatest reward is getting a blessing, but in reality the greatest reward is giving a blessing.
IF THERE WERE NO CHRISTMAS, WE WOULD NOT GET TO…
1. EXPERIENCE A RENEWED LIFE,
2. ENJOY A REWARDED LIFE or
3. EXHIBIT A RIGHTEOUS LIFE.
10I delight greatly in the LORD;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness
and praise spring up before all nations.
The Messiah was to come in order for his people to be clothed in righteousness – in order to exhibit a righteous life. Again the Messiah does his part, but then we are still responsible for doing our part. The apostle Paul referred to this responsibility like a matter of taking off your old, soiled clothing and putting on new, clean clothes. He said:
“…throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted…Instead…Put on the new nature, created to be like God – truly righteous and holy..” (Ephesians 4:22-24, NLT)
Throw off your old lifestyle and clothe yourself instead with the righteous lifestyle of Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross in order to make this kind of a lifestyle possible for you, but you still have the responsibility to live it out. This is really a word picture for what it means to repent of your sin. It means to turn away from your old way of life and to turn toward God. It means much more than to simply be sorry for your sins. It means to make a decision to, with God’s help, stop living in sin and start living a life that is pleasing to God – a life that is truly righteous and holy.
This is the real reason why Jesus was born into our world on the very first Christmas. When Joseph found out that is fiancé was pregnant he considered breaking off the engagement, but God sent an angel to him with the following message:
“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)
You really can’t blame Joseph for having cold feet. I mean what would you think, guys, if you found out your fiancé was pregnant and she was claiming that it was God who got her pregnant? No wonder it took an angel from heaven to convince Joseph to go through with the marriage. But what is really significant about this passage is the purpose for which the angel said Jesus was coming. He was coming to save his people from their sins and thereby to enable them to live righteous lives.
CONCLUSION:
I think that we can all agree that a world without Christmas would not be a world in which we would want to live.
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is full of doorways. Aslan is the door way to liberation for all of Narnia. The door of the old wardrobe became a door to a new life for Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. There is also a door that stands open for you today and it is also a door to a whole new life. Jesus said:
“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.” (John 10:9, ESV)
I invite you now to enter that door by placing your faith in Jesus Christ who died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins. Confess your sins to him asking him to forgive you and commit your life to him from this day forward.
SOURCES:
"What If There Were No Christmas?" by Hal Seed (sermoncentral.com)
"The Great Lion of the Lord." Homiletics. November-December, 2005. volume 17. Number 6.
