Confession time: I’m not a fan of singing Christmas carols during worship at church.

Please forgive me.

So when Sunday came and the tunes started and I realized what was happening… I went into instant bummer mode. Ugh, Christmas carols.

But then one of my favorite worshippers sang “O Come O Come Emmanuel” by Sovereign Grace. I put the lyrics below. The key phrase that grabbed a hold of me was “the judgment we no longer fear”. This lyric line (I’m not sure what you call that) started to stir something big inside me and lead me down a rabbit hole of thoughts.

The Judgment we no longer fear.

What would it look like as we stand in judgment before the throne if Christmas never came? What if Jesus never came? What if there was no Immanuel, God with us?

We know without Christmas there is no Easter and without Easter there is no atonement. And without atonement, what would judgment look like?

Sit with that for a few moments.

I did….

And my soul went eerie and my mind went weary.

If there was no Christmas…

what else would there not be? There wouldn’t be a second coming… and without a second coming is there a greater hope?

If there was no Christmas, would there be prophesy? With no prophesy, there is no fulfillment? No longing.

If the Savior never came, would there be salvation?

If the Light of the world never came, would we be stuck in darkness?

What would this world look like if there was no Christmas?

When you think about it, Christmas ushered in a whole new world. A world that would soon not need the sacrificial system. A world that would value the widow and poor, the humble and meek, and a life of servitude. Aren’t those the key characteristics that stirred the soul within St. Nicholas?

So as we walk through this advent. Pause and realize. Pause and see. That without this holiday, without the manger, and without the Savior, what would our world look like without a Christmas?

Then sit in gratitude.

Thank you Heavenly Father for changing our world over 2,000 years ago. May we never forget the magnitude of that day.

O Come O Come Emmanuel by Sovereign Grace Lyrics:

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear

O come, Thou, Dayspring from on high
And cause Thy light on us to rise
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadow put to flight

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel

O come, O come, true prophet of the Lord
And turn the key to heaven's door
Be Thou our comforter and guide
And lead us to the Father's side

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall by His word our darkness dispel

O come, our great High Priest, and intercede
Thy sacrifice, our only plea
The judgment we no longer fear
Thy precious blood has brought us near

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Has banished every fear of hell

O Come, Thou King of nations bring
An end to all our suffering
Bid every pain and sorrow cease
And reign now as our Prince of Peace

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