This transcript has been automatically generated, and therefore may not be 100% accurate.

I wonder, how would you summarise history?

I asked ChatGPT to summarise a few historical periods. I haven't fact checked them, so don't correct me afterwards, but here you go. Here are some summaries of some historical periods. The Dark Ages, 500 years of Europe misplacing civilization after Rome's collapse. Castles popped up, knowledge took a nap and everyone argued over religion while dodging Vikings.

Despite the name, it wasn't all bad, just dimly lit with lots of plagues and knights figuring out how armour works. The Dark Ages. What about the Tudors? England's Soap Opera dynasty? 1485-1603?

Henry VIII swapped wives like trading cards. Elizabeth I dodged marriage like a pro and and everyone else schemed or lost their head. Toss in some religious drama, a few rebellions and Shakespeare and you've got history's juiciest family drama. World War I. 1914-1918, when rival empires turned Europe into a giant mud wrestling pit.

Sparked by an archduke's unlucky road trip, it featured trenches, tees and terrifying tech. Millions fought, millions died and the world learned absolutely nothing. Setting the stage for the sequel nobody asked for. What about the last 2000 years? Humanity's highlight reel of empires rising, falling and bickering.

From Rome's glory days to mediaeval chaos, Renaissance art binges, world wars, moon landings and endless Internet debates, it's been a wild ride of brilliance, blunders and an underlying love for power struggles and spicy scandals. But what about this for a summary of the last 2000 years? It's our reading tonight, for the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. That's the last 2,000 years summed up.

In fact, the whole of history could be summarised in just two days or, as we see in our reading, two appearings. Indeed, that's the one major omission of ChatGPT. It tries to capture and summarise history, but it misses out the main figure, Jesus Christ. Author H.G. wells put it this way.

I am an historian, I'm not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very centre of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all of history. Well, I wonder if you Noticed those two appearings, those two days. As Louise read the scripture to us, there one comes in verse 11. For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.

And there's another appearing at the end there, verse 13, while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Now, appearances sound slightly mysterious, don't they? In the news recently, there have been lots of appearings of unidentified drones on the east coast of the United States. No one knows who they belong to or what they're doing, which naturally, because it's happening in America in the age of Twitter, has given rise to lots of speculation and conspiracy theories. Are they controlling the weather or our minds searching for a dirty bomb or looking for oil?

Is it the government, big tech or foreign powers, or more likely aliens? But the two appearings which the apostle Paul is talking about as he writes to his fellow gospel worker Titus, aren't clouded in mystery or intrigue. Rather, these are days testified in history and clearly explained for us. The first appearing, we're told, well, that's already happened. And the way it talks about it, it's kind of talking about it as though it's both a person since someone has appeared, and a belief since it teaches us something.

This grace of God, as he describes it, is able to change lives, able to save, able to change the world. It's a wonderful picture of how grace, God's unmerited kindness, can change a life. There's a wonderful picture in the musical Les Mis. Do you remember the song of the Bishop? Jean Valjean, having received hospitality from the bishop, proceeds to rob him in the night.

Taking the silver, he's caught by the police and returned to the bishop. They come to the bishop and say, we have your silver. We caught this man red handed. He had the nerve to say, you gave him this. The bishop replies, I was slightly wondering whether to break into song at this point, but I think I might just read it for all your sakes.

He says, that is right. But my friend, you left so early. Surely something slipped your mind. You forgot also these. Would you leave the best behind?

As he passes him the candlesticks as well. Monsieur, release him. This man has spoken true. I commend you for your duty. Now God's blessing go on with you.

And then he turns to Jean Valjean and says, but remember this, my brother. See in this some higher plan. You must use this precious silver to become an honest man. By the witness of the martyrs, by the passion and the blood, God has Raised you out of darkness. I have saved your soul for God, grace, unmerited kindness that saved him, that rescued him from the bit and gave him a fresh start.

What a transformation that was. No longer prisoner 24681, but Monsieur Madeleine. And as Victor Hugo goes on to write, he says from that moment forth, he was, as we have seen, a totally different man. What the Bishop had wished to make of him that he carried out, it was more than a transformation, it was a transfiguration. Strikingly, he uses that word for change.

That speaks very much of Jesus Christ coming in his glory.

I met a young man this year. He was angry and addicted, but he was utterly transformed when he met Jesus in prison.

Early this year, we baptised a family. They're here with us tonight. Brought up in a country closed to Christianity and dominated by another religion, their lives completely changed when they met Jesus. I could tell you about the ways in which Jesus Christ has shifted history, how he defines our calendar, our laws, our government, our language, our morals. All true and powerful testimony of his influence throughout history.

But I could tell you much more about lives of individuals turned upside down, radically transposed. When they encountered that grace of God in Jesus Christ, they found and experienced the salvation that he alone offers. I wonder if you've heard of Nicholas Al Khamedi. He served in the RAF in World War II. He was a rear gunner in an Avro Lancaster, and in the rear turret, it was too small to wear a parachute.

So when his plane was hit in March 1945 and burst into flames, he went to retrieve his parachute from the centre of the plane, only to discover it was burnt through. He faced a choice die in the flames on the plane or die quickly on impact. He chose the latter and jumped from 18,000ft. That's what you call Hobson's Choice, isn't it? No choice at all, Just death.

Now, you may be wondering how we know Nicholas's story. Miraculously, he survived, falling into a thick canopy of pine branches, each one as he fell, slowly breaking his fall little by little before landing in a bank of snow.

The first appearing of Jesus Christ breaks the cycle. Not only is Jesus able to rescue in life, as it puts it here, to redeem us from all wickedness, he's able to rescue from death. You see, no longer the choice is how we die, but the choice is how we live.

Jesus breaks the cycle. He changes the choice. He gives a new way to live because of his grace. So come with me to his second appearing while we wait for the blessed hope, the Appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Life isn't just transformed by Christmas, it will be changed forever when Jesus returns, not in the humble squalor of a stable, but returning in glory, announcing to the world that he is indeed Saviour and King.

You see, the whole of human history is governed by these two appearings. The world partitioned by Jesus Christ.

And the world is on the edge of its seat awaiting his return.

So how would you briefly describe your own history? Where do you sit between these two days? I guess for most of us our history would be quite unremarkable. Born, grew up, worked, perhaps had a family, retired, died. Life is quite short when you think about it.

Consider your great grandparents. Do you know their names? Do you know what job they did, where they were born? Unless you're really into family history, typically it only takes four generations for us to be forgotten.

And yet, consider the history of the follower of Jesus, because that's what this passage tonight is talking about. The follower of Jesus is someone saved by his grace and waiting in hope for his return, one of his people forever. That's what it says in the passage that Jesus will do. He'll make for himself a people and new people. You see, Jesus invites all of us into his history, his story, his summary of the world, his consummation of life.

In him, the choice is not how to die, but how to truly live.

Friends, if this message is new to you, please do take away a copy of this book. Have a read over Christmas, there's always that moment, isn't there, after Christmas lunch where everyone just kind of sits down, had a bit too much to eat, things go quiet. Perhaps the King's speech is finished. Perfect opportunity to read this little book, have a read, see what you think about this Christmas message. This Christmas, be awestruck again at Jesus first appearing.

Christmas truly is a wonderful time. He's come to save. And friends, the message here is now live not only in the light of his first appearing, the wonder of Christmas, his grace to you, his life given for you on the cross, as we're going to celebrate in a moment, his blood poured out for you, but now live with hope, a transforming hope, a certain hope that he will appear again, bringing his salvation for you and for all his people. Let us pray.

Our Father God, we praise you that the history of the world is governed by two days, two appearings at this Christmas time, as we celebrate your first appearing, your coming as Saviour, help us to live in the light of that grace. To enjoy the wonder of Christmas and to live for that future hope, that certain hope, that day to come, that second appearing, when you will bring your salvation for your people. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.