If

If Jesus had never been born, nor lived on this earth in human form:

We would:

not know whether God is real

have no objective/historical evidence for the existence of God

have no revelation of God as a Father

not know that God is good and kind and loves – up close and personal

have no understanding of the character and nature of God – from his perspective

create a god in our own image (as people continue to do, throughout the ages)

whistle in the dark and offer sacrifices/rituals to appease our superstitions and fears

try to earn acceptance by someone, out there, somewhere, perhaps

have nowhere to focus faith, or our deep desire for meaning and purpose

have to make up a story to fill the void

have no Christmas

If Jesus had never endured the Cross:

We would:

be at a dead end

have no answer to: “Is this life all there is?”

Have no solid foundation for life’s meaning and purpose

Be stuck in relative philosophy rooted in us

keep striving to be good and perfect for acceptance

be condemned by guilt with nowhere to get rid of it

hide weakness and shame with nowhere to be clean

be condemned to the survival of the fittest

never comprehend that weakness can be strength

have no clue about sacrificial love and humility

never know the extent of God’s love

not know how to be forgiven of our sin

constantly second-guess whether God accepts or forgives

be locked into trying to earn acceptance

never know amazing grace

have no Good Friday

If Jesus had never risen from the dead:

We would:

be scared to death, and then what?

have no hope of life after death that is good, more than ghosts in torment

have no validation for the identity of Jesus, he was who he claimed to be, Son of God

no evidence/assurance that evil/satan is defeated

have no evidence that God exists as one who is greater that we can comprehend

have no light overcoming the darkness

be reduced to generations gathering at the tomb, wishing we had been there, no hope for today

remember Jesus as another sincere but deluded ‘flash in the pan’ man

have no Easter

If you want to hear an Easter talk given a few days ago that makes sense of all of this and applies it for our lives today….. maybe take 30 minutes and listen; for the first time or the hundredth time. Be blessed.