Christmas Message
Sunday, December 24, 2000   

INTRODUCTION: Some might think it strange that we would use this passage for a Christmas Eve message, but dear ones, the message of Christmas as we call it, is found throughout this precious passage and especially in verses 4-5.

Look closely with me at verses 4-5 and you will plainly see the message of the Gospel.

     1. "When the fullness of the time was come..."

     2. "God sent forth His Son..."

     3. "Made of a woman...."

     4. "Made under the Law..."

     5. "To redeem them that were under the law..."

     6. "That we might receive the adoption of sons..."

I. IT HAPPENED "IN THE FULNESS OF TIME."

      A. God is always on time; He times everything according to the council of His own will. God carefully timed the hour on the world's clock when His Son would be sent forth.

            1. God had a time appointed for this great event, for the birth of His eternal Son.

           2. The time was ordained from the foundation of the world.

            3. Redemption was not an afterthought with God.

                 a. God knew that we could not save ourselves, so He sent Christ, the Lamb of God, to save us (I Pet 1:18-21).

                 b. Revelation 13:8 says that Mary's little lamb is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

      B. We could say that, "When the fullness of time was come." God's clock struck when He had everything ready for the spread of the Gospel:

           1. The world's stage was set for the spread of the Gospel.

                  a. Roman law and Roman roads made travel commonplace.

                  b. Roman money was accepted through most of the known world.

                  c. The Greek language was a standard means of communication.

                  d. The large cities of the Roman empire served a hub for trade as well as the spread of the Gospel.

           2. Spiritually the time was right.

                 a. Paganism was losing its grip.

                 b. There was a moral void or vacuum because of sex, slavery, and excess.

                  c. Because of the dispersion of the Jews, synagogues could be found around the world. Synagogues that were great Gospel preaching stations.

II. "GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON"

      A. To help us understand what God did here, let's go back to the book of Isaiah. In Isaiah 9:6, we read: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given......."

            1. The child that the wise men came to worship was the Ancient of Days.

                 a. He is from everlasting to everlasting God.

                 b. God's Son existed from eternity with the Father (John 8:58; 17:5).

           2. When we read, "God sent forth His Son," it means that Christ assumed human nature (John 1-14).

      B. "God sent forth his Son" means that Christ became and forever remains the possessor of two natures: the divine and the human. Christ is and forever will be one divine person possessing a divine and a human nature.

            1. We want to point out here that Christ's human nature was and forever remains without sin.

           2. I Peter 2:21; 3:18.

III. HOW CHRIST CAME TO EARTH

      A. The Bible says He was "made of a woman."

            1. This is the miracle of the incarnation. Christ had a human mother, but He did not have a human Father.

           2. "Made of a woman" is the virgin birth spoken of in Luke 1:34, 35 and Matthew 1:18-25.

      B. Christ was "made of a woman" so that He could become one of us, so that He could be our Savior.

            1. Hebrews 2:16-17

           2. Romans 8:3

IV. HE WAS "MADE UNDER THE LAW"

      A. He was subject to the requirements of the moral law of God.

           1. He was under personal obligation to keep the law.

            2. Christ showed His obedience to the Law when He was twelve.

                  a. When Mary and Joseph missed Him on a trip home from Jerusalem, He was in the Temple. And when they found Him and Mary gently rebuked Him, He said: "How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" (Luke 2:49). Here He shows that He loves the Lord god supremely.

                 b. Luke 2:51 tells us that He went down with Mary and Joseph to Nazareth and "was subject unto them." Then the scripture is fulfilled: "Honour thy father and thy mother......" [Joseph was not His father, but was in that place of authority in Christ life].

      B. Christ voluntarily bound Himself to bear the law's penalty.

           1. He bound Himself to vicariously satisfy the demand of perfect obedience required by the Law.

           2. Simply put we owed a debt we could not pay; He paid a debt He did not owe (I Peter 3:18).

V. HE CAME "TO REDEEM THEM THAT WERE UNDER THE LAW"

      A. He came to be our redeemer.

            1. He could only redeem us by fulfilling the requirements of the law for us. That is by paying the penalty of the law.

           2. He became our curse; He took our place (Galatians 3:13).

      B. Christ had no sin, yet He died for sinners who could never redeem themselves. What a great gift (Romans 6:23).

           1. God could be satisfied with nothing less than perfection

           2. The only perfect substitute for our sin was and is Jesus.

                  a. He, the sinless one, became sin for us (II Corinthians 5:21).

                  b. God laid our iniquity on the perfect sacrifice (Isaiah 53:6b, "...The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.")

      C. Dr. T. T. Shields wrote years ago: "He died, this child of Christmas! He came, not for an easy life, but to suffer, and at last to die. He counted down the ruby drops. He paid the price of the world's redemption. He not only redeemed every individual who will believe on Him, but He died for the redemption of the whole world" (151).

VI. THE WHY OF REDEMPTION

      A. Why? "That we might receive the adoption of sons."

           1. "God sent forth His Son" that he might have many sons (Hebrews 2:9-11).

            2. He came that all who believe could become children of God, adopted heirs. He became poor so that we through His poverty could be made heirs, rich because of Him (II Corinthians 8-9).

      B. Christ came to redeem sinners, to make them a part of the royal family.

            1. He puts into the believer's heart the spirit of adoption (verse 6).

            2. If you will believe the truth, receive Christ; then you will become an heir.

CONCLUSION: Can you from your heart say on this Christmas Eve these words:

Redeemed how I love to proclaim it!

Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;

Redeemed thro' His infinite Mercy!

His Child and forever I am.