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Sunday, Nov 29 - What If?<br />
John 15:22 begins with these words by <strong>Jesus</strong>, “If I had not come…” Have you ever thought<br />
about that? Christmas is around the corner. The evidence of it has been in stores since before<br />
Halloween! Each year, we celebrate a holiday that is totally centered on the coming of the Christ<br />
child. But, what if He had not come? What would be different if, in fact, there was no<br />
Christmas? Let me start a list…maybe you can complete it – this certainly isn’t exhaustive:<br />
1 There would be no New Testament, the Bible would end with Malachi. Listen to how that<br />
book closes…”I will come and strike the land with a curse.” Everything would end with a<br />
curse!<br />
2 As a result of #1 on the list, there would be no hope. In fact, where Malachi ends, God’s<br />
voice quits. Between that verse and the first verse of Matthew, God went silent.<br />
3 So…God would be totally and completely finished speaking to us…we would never have<br />
the opportunity to hear His voice, in this day and age.<br />
4 There would be no hope of a glorious resurrection.<br />
5 No victory over death and the grave.<br />
6 No victory over sin…<br />
7 We’d still be butchering animals on an altar of sacrifice. Think how many animals would<br />
have to die…we certainly are a sinful lot! Our hands would constantly be covered in<br />
blood!<br />
8 But then, it wouldn’t matter for us, because there would be no inclusion of Gentiles, so<br />
we would remain alienated, separated, doomed to living in darkness.<br />
9 We would have no opportunity for a new identity.<br />
10 No deliverance.<br />
11 No heavenly home to look forward to one day.<br />
12 There would be no “Joy to the World.”<br />
13 No Christmas lights…<br />
14 No Christmas music.<br />
15 No gifts.<br />
16 Oh…and, no churches. We wouldn’t need places of worship, for there would be no one<br />
for us to worship.<br />
17 So, there would be no need for worship music.<br />
18 No need for pastors and youth pastors.<br />
19 No need for Bible teachers.<br />
20 No need for going on with life...because “I couldn’t” keep going on without “Christ in me<br />
the hope of glory” who helps me do “all things through Christ who strengthens me.”<br />
21 No need for ___________________________________?<br />
What if <strong>Jesus</strong> had not come? What then?<br />
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