Stories of Jesus - December 19, 2016
The
birth of Jesus Christ was one of the most important events in the
history of ever. I would argue that it's second only to the Atonement of
Jesus Christ.
It's
the subject of my favorite holiday. If we can sidetrack here a little,
don't you love Christmas? The lights, the music, the warm feeling that
is just everywhere?
I
think it's fantastic, and I'm kind of bummed that I won't have the same
Christmas I usually have this year. But that's okay. It'll still be
good. I've heard Christmas for missionaries is fantastic.
Do you understand what it means that Jesus was born?
Let's
assume for a second that he wasn't ever born. That would be impossible,
since God had promised it, and cannot lie or else cease to be God, but
we'll speculate here.
Death
would be the end. Our spirits and our bodies would be forever
separated. We would all be in Spirit prison, since the conditions of
paradise are faith, Repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost,
which aren't complete, or even possible, without Christ.
We
would all have a perfect knowledge of our guilt in this state. All of
it. That thing you said to your friend when you were nine that was
pretty mean? Remember that?
Remember
every argument you had? Every time you hurt somebody's feeling? Every
single crude or impolite word you have ever said? All of it. You'd
remember it, and you could never repent of it.
Churches
would be rather dismal places. Replacing joy and hope through the
Atonement would be disappointment and loathing towards Adam and Eve for
their transgression. For forever causing us to be born into a carnal and
fallen state.
Best
case scenario, the church would be a place of humble acceptance. Where
we're taught just to do the best we can so we won't suffer as much as we
could.
Think
the scriptures are hard to understand now? In this world, we would have
remnants of the Old Testament. Talking about a Messiah that never came.
A Savior that never saved. A broken promise.
The
New Testament would have been nothing. The Nephite believers would have
been killed when the sign of Christ's birth didn't come, and thus the
faith would be destroyed, and the plates would have probably been melted
down and used to elevate the wealth of the wicked. There would be no
reason for the Book of Mormon.
Joseph
Smith's First Vision might have still happened. It just would be very
different. He likely would have fallen, as the Book of Mormon was
brought about to defend us from danger. He would have been just a fallen
prophet. Or just another confused person like everybody else.
Satan
would no longer be lying when he told us that we couldn't progress.
Since it would be true. Every death of a loved one would be devastating.
There would be purgatory after death, not paradise.
We would be forever subject to the justice of God for our sins, and no mercy. Since there would be no Mediator.
But
the good news is that Jesus Christ was born. He lived. He lives today.
The angel announced to the shepherds in their fields that he brought
good tidings of great joy.
He
announced more than just the birth of a baby boy. He announced the
fulfillment of prophecy. He announced that there would be peace on
earth. He announced that progression would be possible. Forgiveness
would be possible. He announced that God still cared, and that He keeps
His promises.
He
announced that all the children of God would be redeemed from the Fall,
and that they would all, without a single soul left out, have a chance.
A fair one too.
Heavenly hosts sang praises to God. They celebrated! They knew that they all had possibility. Opportunity. Hope. Peace. Joy.
I've
said before that I like to think that I was among that heavenly host
singing and praising God as a spirit awaiting my turn. But now I think
that that heavenly host is still singing.
We're
still singing songs to celebrate the birth of a baby boy. We're
announcing to the world that He came! We bring good tidings of great
joy! That warm feeling that comes with Christmas, at least to me, is the
Testament of the importance of the birth of Christ.
The
warm feeling I always feel at Christmastime is unmistakably the Spirit,
testifying that what we celebrate each year really happened.
Without Christ being born, we would have never lived. And without Him, we would have no point in living.
I urge you all to remember the reason for the Christmas season. It brings joy to the soul.
I love Christmas, and I love Christ.
-Elder Sorensen
PS: Like the last one, Elder Sorensen's mom is posting this late, but only a week late for this one. Again, I'll add pictures later.
