What Would Christmas Be...with Out Christ?

*before you read any further...I want to acknowledge that the outline of this sermon is from John Gastons sermon "What if Jesus had never been born"

It's a great word and one that can be adapted to everyone's personal

preferences as I have

I believe it is one that every pastor should read...it's a different perspective on Christmas and one that should be shared.

What Would Christmas Be...With out Christ?

John 15:22 NKJ

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin

I'm sure we all remember the movie it's a wonderful life… That had Jimmy Stewart playing the part of George Bailey who worked at a small town Savings and Loan bank as a loan officer

And George was a great guy, but someone played a trick on him and made it look like he had turned out to be dishonest.

And one thing led to another until George is finally pushed to the point of suicide

But God sends an Angel to him just before he's ready to jump off of a bridge

into the river

The angels name is Clarence… And he begins to tell George it's not so bad and everything will work out alright...but then George proceeds to tell him that it is bad enough that he wishes he had never been born

And George gets what he wishes for...The angel takes him on an incredible journey

to his sleepy little town and what life would've been like without him being in it

George goes back to a town that has been given over to gambling, drinking, and other illicit things… The people he had always known as kind and nice were mean, hard, and rude.

In other words without George involved, the town had went to Hell in a hand-basket

George finally begins to comprehend the incredible difference of what he thought

his miserable life had made on that community and the ones that he loves

and he begs the angel to reverse the terrible request that he made.

George is once again glad to be alive, despite his terrible difficulties, because he can now see the impact for good that his life had upon his town, friends, and family.

And if you don't see the movie this year..I'm sure you just went through it from the memories you have of it.

And that brings me to today's message…

As I was driving around the other night I couldn't help but notice that hardly no one decorates anymore the exteriors of their houses during Christmas season.

Oh you'll see a nice display of lights occasionally here and there…oh and there's always the one house,

you know the way over-the-top house with every thing imaginable except for anything that has to do with the real meaning of Christmas

And the downtown area is just not the same anymore as far as Christmas decorations go… There are few and far in between

In the world we live there are many different groups of people

whose only objective is to try to get rid of anything that pertains

to God or his son Jesus

Prayer has been eradicated from school…

They say that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional because of the mention of God…

They're all for the first amendment as long as you don't use it for religious purposes…

You can't even have the nativity scene anymore on the court house square...without fear of having a lawsuit filed against you

And to that I say...I object that you object and if you don't like it...Sue me and I will gladly pay the fine. Amen?

So today's message takes it from the vantage point… What if Jesus had never been born!

If Jesus had never been born…how would we be affected, how would the world be different, what would be our outlook on life?

We live in a world where they are not just trying...

to kill Christians in other countries because of what they stand for...

But "they are" killing them...even this week we hear news of four youths

And they were beheaded...because they wouldn't renounce the name of Jesus

So if Jesus would've never been born…How would the world be different?

Well, for one thing...there would be

NO CHRISTMAS! NO JOY! NO HOPE!

Those groups of people wouldn't have to worry about threatening to sue municipalities relentlessly about...

over the phrase of Merry Christmas and replacing it with happy holidays...

Because there would be no holiday to celebrate at all!

Do they even realize the ramifications of removing Christ from Christmas?

Just imagine for a moment if you will...

No Children’s joy, no singing, no family get-togethers;

gone is all the Christmas food and fabulous desserts

No Christmas shopping. No sales to stimulate the spending urges