Hope!
Galatians 3:26-4:7
If I had not come… In John chapter 15, Jesus was teaching His disciples and was actually warning them about the world’s hatred towards Him. In the middle of this particular passage (John 15:22), Jesus makes a statement – If I had not come…
This verse, which is really just a fragment of a verse, Jesus invites us to consider a possibility. What if He had not come to earth? What if He had not been born in Bethlehem? Where would we be? And what kind of world would this be?
- If Christ has not come, we wouldn’t have the New Testament and the Bible would have ended with the last verse of Malachi, “Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.” How’s that for a picture of hope?
- Psalm 23 would only be a beautifully worded poem – its real meaning hidden as we would not know of the Good Shepherd
- Isaiah 53 would be as hard for us to understand as it was for the Ethiopian eunuch.
- If Christ had not come, there would be no angels proclaiming Jesus’ birth and no wise men and no need of a star.
- Mary and Martha would have continued to grieve over the death of their brother Lazarus. The leper would have died with leprosy.
- There would be no John the Baptist and no Zacchaeus.
- There would be no EASTER resurrection – only our own graves.
- If Christ had not come, there would be no church.
- There would be no passages to quote to those in need. There would be no, “For God so loved the world” – no “cast your care upon Him” – no, “Ask and you shall receive.”
What a miserable world this would be! But friends, here’s some great news! Christ did come! And for that reason, families all around the world will gather and celebrate that truth!!!