What if it’s True?

Many people today don’t believe in the Bible. They think that it’s just a collection of myths and that God is not real. They don’t believe that a being like Jesus Christ exists. But what if they’re wrong? Can you suspend your disbelief for a moment, and consider the possibility that it might be true?

What if God really is the Father of our spirits? What if He created a world where his children could come, be born with physical bodies, and live, learn, and grow? What if He loved us that much? He saw that we were weak. We would sin or break his commandments, and we would make mistakes. By so doing we would shut ourselves out of heaven.

But what if he had a Plan in place just for this purpose? What if he said to his children, “It’s going to be hard down there on Earth. There will be opposition. You’ll have to choose between good and evil. You’re going to blow it over and over. For justice to be satisfied, you will have to pay the price for your sins, and you won’t deserve to come back here to live with me. But don’t despair — there is a way back. If someone was brave enough, who had enough love to offer himself in your place, to suffer the penalty for your sins, then you could be forgiven and come back here. The penalty would be paid, and you would be clean. Who shall I send?

And what if one man – our perfect Elder Brother — stepped forward and said, “Here I am. Send me. I will go and suffer for all my brothers and sisters, so that they will have the opportunity to come back, if they choose.” Can you imagine how much Jesus loved us, to make that kind of offer? Can you imagine how much our Father in Heaven must have loved that Beloved Son, to hear his willing offer? Can you imagine how the rest of us must have felt about Him? The scriptures say that we sang praises and shouted for joy. But there was another son – the ultimate con man — who said, “Send me. I’ll pay the price for them, and I’ll force them to be obedient, so that not one soul will be lost. And by the way, I want the glory for doing it.” And our Father, in his infinite wisdom and because of His deep regard for our agency, said, “I will send the first.” And the con man, Lucifer, was angry. He convinced a third of our Father’s children to follow him in his campaign, and there was a war in heaven. They were cast out to the earth, where they still continue to make war with the rest of us who got to be born here with physical bodies.

And what if this Beloved Son – Jesus Christ — was born in a humble stable in an obscure village of a conquered nation in the meridian of time? He was a miracle baby, the Son of God, born to the very best of all women, who loved and cherished him. Angel choirs sang on the night of his birth, and wondrous signs were seen in the night sky.

What if he grew up as a humble carpenter and learned his foster father’s trade? When the time came for his mission, he revealed his true identity. He healed the sick, cast out evil spirits, and raised the dead. He walked on water, fed multitudes with a boy’s lunch, organized his church, and showed others how to live. He taught the truth, and proclaimed that by Him and through Him, we could be saved. When the time came, He offered himself as a willing sacrifice for us. He died that we might live. God so loved the world – us – that he gave his Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

This is the message of Christmas – a message of hope. We make a mess of our lives, but we don’t have to remain there. Through the blood of the willing Lamb of God, we can be forgiven and made clean. There is a way back to our Father in Heaven if we come to His Son and live his teachings. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Light.

What if everything you’ve just read is true? How would that change your life and your heart? “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Light. The glorious Light and Love of the Son of God. That’s what Christmas is all about. Believe it, because it’s true.