What if Jesus Had Not Been Born? By Lane Jordan Burday
But when the set time had fully come, God sent His son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law that we might receive adoptions to sonship (Galatians 4:4-5)
I believe the greatest tragedy of the Christmas holiday each year is not so much its commercialization but how trivial we celebrate this great gift of Jesus to us. God literally came to earth in human form to show us the way to Him.
Jesus says in Revelation 21:5, “Behold, I make all things new,” (behold means to look closely or examine carefully). Everything Jesus Christ touched, He utterly transformed. He touched time when He was born into this world which altered the way we measure time.
Yes, the birth of Christ gave us a way to count time: B.C., Before Christ, and A.D., which means “in the year of the Lord.”
How comical when an atheist writes a letter and places the date on that letter! He is acknowledging Jesus.
Although Jesus was born poor and humble and only had a ministry for three and half years, today, there are more than 2.3 billion professing believers in Him throughout the world!
And despite its humble origins, the church has made more changes for the good than any other movement of force in history. Here are only a few examples over the centuries:
- Hospitals, which essentially began during the Middle Ages, and to help the poor.
- Education and literacy. Most of the world’s greatest universities (such as Oxford, Harvard, and Yale) were started by Christians for Christian purposes.
- Representative government.
- Abolition of slavery in antiquity and in modern times.
- Elevation of women.
- High regard for human life, both pre-birth and the elderly.
- Higher standards of justice.
- Civil liberties.
- Great development of visual art and music. Most of the art during the Renaissance was centered on the Holy family.
- The best one? Countless souls were saved by the power of the Gospel, and lives were completely changed.
Because Jesus was born, we can know Him personally and be transformed by His love. We have a hope that those without Christ never will have. He changes lives and families here on earth while giving the gift of eternal life.
Jesus is still working in this world through the transformation of the human heart. Once we know Him as our personal Lord and Savior, our “thank you” to Him for His gift of salvation will be to serve Him in every area of our lives and to as many people as we can.
This Christmas rejoice that you know Jesus! The One Who Saves!
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Lane Jordan-Burday is the Pearls of Promise Ministries Prayer Co-Coordinator; POP Talk TV and Radio Co-Host and Writer. She is also is an award-winning and best-selling author of over ten adult and children’s books. She is a speaker with Stonecroft Ministries, seminar leader, professional life coach, Bible teacher, and artist. She served as the Associate Producer for the program In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley. She prays for women to come to know the Lord is God!
Lane’s latest book, Evangeline, is a historical fiction based on the book of Esther. You can reach Lane at: lane@lanejordanministries.com. Her website: www.LaneJordanMinistries.com.