No one life has impacted this world as much as Jesus has. Our sermon verse always makes me think more about Jesus

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. —John 21:25 ESV

Isaiah tells us about the nature of the one who comes as a gift from God to humankind. Consider

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. —Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV

This text is the predominant Messianic prophecy of the birth of Christ. It tells of the coming Christ and what he will be when he arrives. It goes without saying that the world that we live in would be a much different place if Christ hadn’t come to dwell among us. Today we will consider 3 results of a world where Jesus had not come.

1 A WORLD WITHOUT PEACE

Every year the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded for work or efforts towards world peace. Just a couple examples and the citation for the award.

2003 Shirin Ebadi Iran “for her efforts for democracy and human rights. She has focused especially on the struggle for the rights of women and children.”

1998 John Hume & David Trimble United Kingdom- “for their efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland”

World peace is the absence of conflict. It seems that all we hear about are conflicts and war. It reminded me of Jesus words concerning end times

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. ESV —Matthew 24:6 ESV

World peace is good, but real peace is peace between God and his creation.

When sin is present, conflict with God and conflict among men is present. Peace with God is attainable, Jesus’ coming made it attainable and when that comes the civil peace comes with it… Second if Jesus had not come we would have

2 A WORLD WITHOUT JOY

The love of God is probably one of the most simple, yet vast ideas in all of scripture. Look at this scripture anew

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. —John 3:16 ESV

It’s simple in idea, but complex in content. The German theologian Karl Barth was on a lecturing tour of the United States and when asked about the greatest truth that he had ever discovered, his reply was this “Jesus loves me, this I know for the Bible tells me so”

God wants to provide for each of us. Joy that endures through both good and bad times, James writes

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. —James 1:2-4 ESV

A world without peace and joy sounds like it would be a pretty depressing place to be, but that wouldn’t be the worst effect of a world without Jesus.

3 A WORLD WITHOUT SALVATION

The Old Testiment says about Jesus

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. —Isaiah 9:2 ESV

A world without the light of Christ wouldn’t be a place anyone would want to be. Spiritual darkness can only be removed by the redeeming power of Christ.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ESV —Ephesians 1:7 ESV

A world of darkness is a world in need of redemption and we know that God freely gives redemption… all we have to do is accept the gift of his son Jesus.

Most of all in this world we need the redeeming power of Christ. Jesus says

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” —John 8:12 ESV

A world missing peace, joy, and salvation wouldn’t be a world that any of us would want to be a part of. It would be a world without Hope.

The great news is that Jesus did come; He came that we could have peace with God; and most of all he came that we may be reconciled with God and have a relationship with him.