November 30th, 2025 -- What if Jesus had not come?

Devotional

Day 1: Magnifying God naturally leads to rejoicing.

When the soul magnifies the Lord, joy follows as a natural response; the two are inseparable in worship. To magnify God means to declare him great, to exalt his name, and to hold him in the highest esteem, and when the heart does that it finds delight in God as Savior. As Mary bursts into song, her faith and wonder drive both praise and gladness — a model for how believers should respond to God's work in their lives. [09:43]

Luke 1:46-47 (ESV)
And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

Reflection: When something good or difficult happens this week, what will be your immediate response — to recount your own efforts or to magnify God? Name one concrete phrase you will practice saying to re-center your soul on praising God in that moment.

Day 2: All people share a need for salvation.

The human condition is marked by sin and death introduced through one man, and so every person stands in need of redemption that only God can provide. Romans shows that the same history that brought condemnation also points to the one act of righteousness that can bring justification and life for many. Recognizing this universal need fuels humility, worship, and the urgency of sharing the gospel's hope with others. [24:14]

Romans 5:12-19 (ESV)
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.
Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.
But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.
And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.
For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.
For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.

Reflection: Where in your habits, conversations, or relationships have you acted as if not everyone needs the gospel? Identify one person you will intentionally listen to this week with the aim of seeing their need for Christ and pray specifically for them.

Day 3: Jesus is the only way to God.

The gospel proclaimed in Scripture is exclusive in its claim: Jesus himself declares that he is the way to the Father, the unique means of reconciliation with God. This exclusivity is not unkind but liberating, for it points sinners to the one true Savior who lived, died, and rose to make access to God possible. Holding this truth moves a heart to both humble dependence and bold witness for Christ alone. [26:34]

John 14:6 (ESV)
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Reflection: In what relationships or conversations have you softened the exclusivity of Christ to avoid discomfort? Choose one such relationship and plan one clear, loving way to share why Jesus alone is your hope.

Day 4: Union with Christ brings freedom from sin.

Being united with Christ in his death and resurrection changes the believer’s relationship to sin: the old self was crucified so that the power of sin no longer enslaves. This union means believers still struggle, but they are no longer under sin’s dominion — there is real freedom to pursue holiness and newness of life. Remembering this reality should move the heart to worship, to rely on Christ’s power, and to speak truth to anxious or defeated thoughts. [30:25]

Romans 6:5-7 (ESV)
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Reflection: Identify one recurring sin or pattern you still feel enslaved to; what is one practical step (confession, accountability, Scripture to memorize, or action to take) you will do this week that acknowledges your union with Christ and fights for freedom?

Day 5: Nothing can separate believers from God's love.

The life granted in Christ carries a steadfast security: nothing in all creation — death, life, powers, present or future things — can separate the believer from the love of God in Christ Jesus. This assurance does not erase hardship, but it anchors the soul in a hope that cannot be undone by circumstances or fears. Living under that security enables joy, peace, and courage even in uncertainty because the Savior who came at Christmas has already secured eternal love for his people. [37:02]

Romans 8:38-39 (ESV)
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Reflection: When anxiety or worthlessness rises, what truth from Romans 8:38-39 will you speak to your heart? Write one short declaration you will repeat this week to remind yourself you are secure in Christ.

Sermon Summary

As we step into Advent, I asked us to consider the most pivotal moments in history—and then to ask the deeper question: what if Jesus had never come? Hospitals, mercy movements, the end of slavery, and most of all, Good Friday and Easter would be absent. Advent is more than nostalgia; it is the arrival of the only Savior who defeats sin. To see that clearly, we listened to Mary sing in Luke 1 and lingered over the first lines of her Magnificat. Two observations rose to the surface.

First, magnifying God and rejoicing in God belong together. Mary’s parallel lines show that to magnify God is to glorify Him, and to rejoice in God is to enjoy Him. When we lose the instinct to glorify Him, our joy withers. When we enjoy Him, we cannot help but make Him big in our hearts and in our words. This holds in small disappointments and in deep sorrows. Mary didn’t have all the details, but she had faith—and her soul sang.

Second, there must be a personal relationship between a sinner and the Savior. Mary calls Him “my Savior.” That confession names both need and remedy. Our need is universal—we have all sinned—and the remedy is exclusive: there is salvation in no one else. Belief looks like confessing our sin, turning to Christ, and trusting that His perfect obedience and atoning death are enough. This faith becomes the foundation under worship and joy.

From there, we traced the life this Savior gives: freedom, even in struggle; joy, even in sadness; peace, even in anxiety; security, even in uncertainty. None of this denies pain. It simply places pain beneath something stronger—the love of God in Christ from which nothing can separate us. So why did Jesus come? He came to defeat sin. And because He came, we can glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

Key Takeaways

1. Magnifying God and rejoicing connect When God is made large in our hearts, joy rises to meet Him. When joy grows, it naturally magnifies what we love most. Mary’s parallelism teaches that worship without joy is hollow, and joy without worship is misplaced. The Spirit aims to link the two in us. [09:43]
2. Rejoicing means truly enjoying God This is not mere duty; it is delight. To enjoy God is to want His presence, not just His gifts, and to find that obedience tastes like freedom. Our desires are trained by habits—Scripture, prayer, and gathered worship—until enjoyment becomes our instinct again. [15:46]
3. Faith is the foundation for both Mary asked honest questions, then surrendered to God’s word. Unbelief shrinks God and sours joy; trust enlarges God in our sight and sweetens our delight in Him. Faith doesn’t remove mystery, but it rests in God’s character and promises. [18:48]
4. Only Jesus saves sinners personally “My Savior” is both intimate and universal—He saves sinners like us, and there is no other name by which we must be saved. Confession and repentance are how we step into that salvation, not as a one-time performance, but as a lifelong posture. The exclusivity of Christ is the kindness of a true cure for a real disease. [23:23]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:37] - Advent series: More Than a Manger
[03:02] - History’s turning points and perspective
[06:03] - What if Jesus hadn’t come?
[07:07] - Why He came and Luke’s focus
[08:20] - Mary’s Magnificat: first lines
[09:03] - Prayer for understanding
[09:43] - Observation 1: Magnify and rejoice
[10:33] - What it means to magnify God
[15:46] - Rejoicing as enjoying God
[17:33] - Foundation: belief and Mary’s faith
[22:31] - Observation 2: A personal Savior
[26:34] - The exclusive way of salvation
[29:46] - Freedom, joy, peace, security in Christ
[39:48] - Why Jesus came: defeat sin

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
Luke 1:46–47
And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;

Observation questions

What two actions are placed side by side in Luke 1:46–47, and how does that parallelism shape the meaning of Mary’s song? [09:43]
In this verse, what concrete things does “my soul magnifies the Lord” point to (for example: praise, exaltation, declaring God large)? Give one recent situation where your heart moved to either magnify God or to do the opposite. [10:33]
How does the phrase “my Savior” change the tone of the song from a general praise to a personal confession? What does the text itself show about Mary’s felt need that leads her to call Jesus “my Savior”? [23:23]
What signs in the surrounding narrative (see Luke 1:37–45) indicate that Mary’s magnifying and rejoicing are rooted in faith rather than full understanding of every detail? [17:33]

Interpretation questions

What does it mean theologically that glorifying God and enjoying God are linked (see the idea “to glorify God and enjoy him forever”)? How would a church’s priorities look different if this were the primary aim of life? [21:15]
How does Mary’s question (“How can this be?”) and Gabriel’s answer (“Nothing will be impossible with God”) explain the role of faith in producing worship and joy? What does that tell readers about believing amid mystery? [18:48]
If Jesus is named the only Savior, what is entailed in the response of those who receive that claim (think confession, repentance, trusting Christ’s obedience and atonement)? How does that shape communal practices like calling sinners to repent? [26:34]
The life given by Christ is described as freedom (even in struggle), joy (even in sadness), peace (even in anxiety), and security (even in uncertainty). How do these promises reinterpret the meaning of suffering for a believer’s day-to-day choices? [29:30]

Application questions

When good things happen in your life, what is your instinctive response — to magnify God or to explain how you achieved it? Give a specific recent example and one concrete sentence you could practice saying next time to magnify God. [11:56]
Do you find delight in God (enjoying God) or mainly duty in spiritual things? Name one regular habit (Scripture, prayer, gathered worship) you will start or strengthen this week to train desire so enjoyment becomes more instinctive. [15:46]
Identify one area where doubt has been shrinking God in your life. What specific step of faith will you take this week (a confession, a Bible verse to memorize, a prayer to pray, a conversation to have) to restore trust? [19:12]
Are you able to say, “Jesus is my Savior”? If that confession is not yet true for you, what is the next honest step you will take toward it? If it is true, what one change will you make this Advent to live out that reality more visibly? [22:31]
Pick a current struggle (anxiety, grief, temptation, insecurity). How will you apply one of these truths to that struggle this week — freedom (Romans 6), joy (John 15:11), peace (Philippians 4:6–7), or security (Romans 8:38–39)? Be specific: what you will think, say, and do. [33:42]
Whom will you intentionally influence this week so that your life points others to God (so they may see and glorify him)? Name the person, the setting, and one concrete act or conversation you will have. [15:05]

(Use the Luke passage above as the common text for your group. Allow time for everyone to answer one question out loud and to pray briefly for the faith to magnify and enjoy the Lord.)

Sermon Clips

``At the end of the day, when things are taken from us, when people are taken from us, who we love very, very much. And without any warning, at the end of the day, Jesus died for my sins. At the end of the day, we magnify him. We don't have to understand everything. But we magnify him. You see, this is what Mary, do you think that Mary had it all figured out in this moment? Do you think at this moment, Mary was like, yeah, I know all this. [00:14:10] (24 seconds) #MagnifyHim

And the answer is, man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Can't you see this is what Mary was doing here? Can't you see that this is right here in verse 46 and 47? It was based on faith. So we won't magnify or enjoy God unless we trust him. And is there a greater reason to trust God than the reality of Christmas? [00:21:15] (27 seconds) #GlorifyAndEnjoy

Each of us here must recognize our personal need for salvation. Do you see this in the text here where she says this? She says, my spirit rejoices in God. Whose Savior does she say? She says my Savior there. Mary says that Jesus is her Savior. Can you imagine that? I mean, she's expecting a child. It's in her womb. And she's like, this is my Savior. [00:23:07] (40 seconds) #MySavior

Now the point I'm trying to make here is that we, the Bible teaches and we believe a very exclusive gospel. Unapologetically. And what I mean by that is that there's only one Savior. It's not like we all have a different path and we just need to get to God somehow. It's not like Jesus is just one of a Savior. And he's my Savior but you may have a different Savior. No, the Bible is abundantly clear here. It's absolutely clear here that Jesus is the only way for eternal life. [00:26:35] (38 seconds) #OnlyOneSavior

So here's what it means to be a believer. Here's what it means to see that I have a personal need of salvation and Jesus is the only Savior. Here's what it means to glorify God and to magnify Him and to enjoy Him is to say, I'm set free from my sin. In the midst of struggle, right? Because we still struggle with sin. We're still tempted. But we're not enslaved to it any longer. It's also a life of joy, even in sadness. [00:30:18] (28 seconds) #SetFreeFromSin

There are many, many tears for the Christian and for the Christ follower. But that doesn't mean a loss of joy. At the end of the day, Jesus still died for my sins. So when things start going nuts at work, maybe there's insecurity at work. Maybe we don't know if you're going to have a job. Maybe there's downsizing. Maybe you get passed over for a promotion. Maybe there's family tension. Right now, the holidays and people getting together. Some, people love that, look forward to it. Some, this is the worst part of the year. [00:32:08] (41 seconds) #JoyInTheStorm

So when I see Christ for who he is, I see my sin for what it is, but I see Christ as, so I have this personal need. I recognize, I look at Christ as the only Savior that produces a soul that's magnifying God and enjoying God because all of a sudden I've been set free. What does that do? even in the midst of anxiety and when things crush in my life, when walls start crashing in on me and I feel the shortness of breath, the tightness of chest, I feel everything closing in on me, then I remember Christ has saved me from my sins and all of a sudden I have peace that surpasses all understanding. [00:33:34] (36 seconds) #PeaceThatSurpasses

And at the end of the day, the greatest truth that is a reality in my life is that Jesus died for my sins and I don't have to pay the penalty for them. That's the life of a Christian. It's, I can have peace even in anxiety. So I'm not gonna be someone that's gonna promise you you're never gonna have any anxious moments. I would be lying to you. It would be pastoral malpractice for me to say that to you. But here's what I will unashamedly say to you and promise you that the life of the Christian brings peace even in the moments of anxiety. [00:34:38] (36 seconds) #PeaceInChrist

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