Sunday Sermons
What if Jesus had Never Been Born?
What if… Jesus had never been born?
It seems that most people like to speculate and offer their opinions on hypothetical “what if” situations. In this lesson I want us to ponder maybe the most serious “what if”, that is, what would reality and our lives be like if Jesus had never been born?
The Old Testament Would Have No Credibility
Because it clearly had predicted the birth of the Messiah (Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2), and the Messiah was to arrive within the lifetime of the Roman Empire (Daniel 2:36-44). Thus if Jesus had never been born one’s choice for a meaningful faith would have been:
- An unfulfilled and weak Judaism that never saw the arrival of its long awaited Messiah
- Maybe a Muslim faith without any Christian influence
- Various Eastern Religions
- Yet all without any Savior, atonement for our sins and what we need most, grace
The New Testament Would not Exist
Because the New Testament was the result of Jesus inspiring the apostles to write (John 16:14 “He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you”; 15:26 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me”; 1 Corinthians 14:37; 2 Peter 3:2 “that you remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles”. Of course this means that all of the teaching found in the New Testament would not exist as well.
A Huge Difference in Human History
Some people seem to erroneously think that the world would have been a better place without religion, especially Christianity, but the world’s problems are not caused by people living Jesus’ teaching, which includes loving one’s neighbor and enemy (Matthew 5:46-48). Rather, the world’s problems are caused by sin, including greed, lust, selfishness, arrogance and so on. Even though Jesus came and died, the world isn’t doing too well resisting temptation even with those facts in its possession. We had two world wars in the last century without the influence of Christianity, imagine how bad things would have been if there had been no light at all. The history of the United States would have been far different. Yes, a number of the early settlers here were here out of pure self-interest (looking for gold, etc.), but a number where not. As you read early American sermons you will find that many ministers were explicit in their belief that American was the redeemer nation. "In 1865, Edward Beecher observed, 'Men in all walks of life believed that the Sovereign Holy Spirit has endowed the nation with resources sufficient to convert and civilize the globe, to purge human society of all its evils" (On Paradise Drive, David Brooks, p. 118). Important documents either would not exist or would read far differently if Jesus had never been born including the United States Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Mayflower Compact, and so on.
- The civil rights movement would have never happened.
"What Americans share, in other words, is an inherited sense that history has a story line; and that each of us, individually and as a citizen of the nation, plays a role in bringing the story to its happy ending… historians point out that a tremendous strain of anxiety runs through U.S. history, the nagging and sometimes panicked sense that we are failing to live up to our ideals and mission, that if we Americans fail, then that will be the most terrible failure in human history. The anxiety propels Americans to strive and reform perpetually. It helps account for periodic awakenings and moralistic crusades that recur throughout American history – The Great Awakening, the abolitionist movement, the temperance movement, the civil rights, anti-abortion movements… As Richard Hofstadter once wryly remarked, 'The United States was the only country in the world that began with perfection and aspired to progress'” (Brooks, pp. 121-122). Imagine sitting in a foxhole or being a prisoner of war somewhere if Jesus had never been born. Thus, no hope of forgiveness, no clear hope of heaven or eternal life, and no clear reward for those who endure (Matthew 5:10-12; Romans 8:18).
Far Less Generosity
Many hospitals across the nation exist because the founders had been influenced by Christian principles of service and compassion. Many colleges were founded by people who had been influenced by Christianity. "Americans developed an elaborate faith in education and a zeal for political causes that promise to purify the nation and the world. Most of all, they have a zeal for permanent self-improvement, an impulse to move constantly toward the realization of one's perfect self" (Brooks, p. 122).
The differences in charity between secular and religious people are dramatic. Religious people are 25 percentage points more likely than secularists to donate money (91 percent to 66 percent) and 23 points more likely to volunteer time (67 percent to 44 percent). And, consistent with the findings of other writers, these data show that practicing a religion is more important than the actual religion itself in predicting charitable behavior. Charity differences between religious and secular people persist if we look at the actual amounts of donations and volunteering. Indeed, measures of the dollars given and occasions volunteered per year produce a yawning gap between the groups. The average annual giving among the religious is $2,210, whereas it is $642 among the secular. Similarly, religious people volunteer an average of 12 times per year, while secular people volunteer an average of 5.8 times. To put this into perspective, religious people are 33 percent of the population but make 52 percent of donations and 45 percent of hours volunteered. Secular people are 26 percent of the population but contribute 13 percent of the dollars and 17 percent of the times volunteered. These numbers are found in a book entitled, Religious Faith and Charitable Giving, by Arthur C. Brooks.
Differences in Daily Life
Jesus’ presence into this world has brought a tremendous economic boom to businesses and nations. His teachings on the proper work ethic (Colossians 3;Ephesians 6) has only fueled economic progress. "What few imitators have understood is that the secret of the United States' tremendous success was in reality not merely technology, know-how, the work ethic, the urge to succeed or plain greed. It was a spiritual wind that drove Americans… What was behind their compulsion to improve man's lot was an all-pervading sense of duty, the submission to a God-given imperative, to a God-given code of personal behavior, the willing acceptance of all the necessary sacrifices, including death in battle. Few foreigners understand this, even today" (The Baffling Americans, Luigi Barzini).
I am not sure if marriage would even exist, for the greatest supporter of the permanency marriage is Jesus (Matthew 19:3-9). Imagine living in a world where the best religious answer for the lasting nature of a marriage relationship is, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?” (Matthew 19:3). Verses such as 1 Peter 3:7; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 or Ephesians 5:22-33 would not exist. Where is the religion or even the secular philosophy that even comes close to elevating marriage and love where the New Testament places it? Where is the secular substitute or rival for 1 Corinthians 13:4-8?
Thoughts about the after-life would be extremely vague. Jesus is the one who gave us a clear view into the afterlife (Luke 16:19ff; 1 Peter 1:4; Revelation 21-22). And His resurrection is the guarantee of our resurrection at the last day. Imagine being scheduled to speak at a funeral and the following chapters do not exist (1 Corinthians 15; 1 Thessalonians 4; John 11). So what would you say to comfort one in the face of death with no New Testament?
Not a single church would exist, which do so much to help people stay focused on what is right. That help children grow up with a healthy respect for God and others and that proclaim God's truth in their communities (1 Timothy 3:15).
- Salvation and Hope:
There would be no John 3:16. Not only that, but I do not see presently any real or credible competition or alternative. Where is the great secular or non-Christian solution to man’s problem with evil? Where is the message that even comes close to rivaling the power of the gospel message? (Romans 1:16). Where is the message that can completely transform and change even the most hardened sinner like Christianity can (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). Remember, we are not talking about people simply getting their act together so they can hold down a job, we are talking about breaking ingrained sinful behaviors. Without Jesus’ birth and death what hope would you offer to anyone that they could be forgiven? What proof would you offer that true forgiveness can be a reality?
Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.net
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net
