WHEN THE FULLNESS OF TIME HAD COME

The Fulness of Time and the Christmas Story

Thank you, I love to have that have that story well story that true account Read. I grew up Every Christmas Eve being up and up in Rector if some of y 'all know where that small spot on the on the map is About 45 minutes north of here and my grandfather would read that every Christmas Eve before we could Celebrate or do anything and then my dad would make us sit and he would read it Christmas morning before we opened our gifts.

And that was a that was a sweet time. It helped align my thoughts. So so thank you For being willing to come up and read that and remind us of this great truth. So let's go ahead and open up your copy of God's Word to Galatians chapter 4.

Galatians chapter 4. I know it's Christmas. So you're probably thinking wow Why aren't we not opening up to one of the gospel accounts, but bear with me. You'll understand Galatians chapter 4 And we're gonna start reading in verse 1 But our primary text for the day will be verses 4 and 5.

I just want us to see the context In which Paul is writing here in Galatians chapter 4 starting in verse 1 He says I mean that the heir as long as he is a child is No different from a slave Though he is the owner of everything But he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father in the same way We also when we were children were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.

But when the fullness of time had come God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law To redeem those who were under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons and Because you are sons God has sent the spirit of his son into our hearts crying Abba father.

So you are no longer a slave But a son and of a son than an heir through.

God.

That's a beautiful truth from God's Word. Let's stop now before we jump in and let's pray that God would illuminate our hearts and minds. To this great truth that we would we would speak clearly on the matter.

Dear Heavenly Father God we come to you once again, and we acknowledge our frailty before you.

God we.

We see your word and your word is clear. Your word is precise but our frailty sent tends to to bring preconceived ideas to it or Misunderstand. So God I ask that you would illuminate our hearts and minds of the power of the Holy Spirit.

To understand this truth guard my lips from error. That I would speak only truth from your Word God. Guard us that you would be honored in our Proclamation of this truth this morning in Christ's name.

Amen. Well today we gather to worship a loving and gracious God.

Don't we?

I'm surprised. I'm amazed at how many of you have been able to show up today. Everybody's got family and things going on and we celebrate but this. This means a tremendous amount to me because I look around and see the faces of brothers and sisters.

You know what today is about right? We're celebrating this loving and gracious God and to celebrate the fact that he was true to his word. He was true to his word that was revealed through the prophets over thousands of years.

That promised arrival of a Messiah. That rescue mission. That rescue mission that was carried out by the triune God in the miracle of the incarnation.

God.

Becoming.

Flesh.

We can't get over that for without this most loving action. We would all be without hope. Without this loving action. We would all be lacking peace. We would know nothing of it. We would all Be the opposite of joyful.

We would be mourning tremendously because we would have no joy and we certainly would not know love. Because as I've said already during the service God is love and the only way we know love is through his representation through his son.

Showing us love. But God being rich in mercy because of that great love with which he has loved us. Sent forth his only son in the likeness of man. Like I said, don't get past don't move past that don't get over that.

We should celebrate this great truth with every breath in our lungs. We have a propensity to to save it till Christmas Day. But we in the middle of July should wake up in the morning breathe in a breath ago.

Praise God for the incarnation. Praise God that God became flesh and dwelt among us because otherwise I would be without hope today. That is something we should not move past. But today is especially unique because we Get to celebrate with the millions of brothers and sisters all over the world.

Gathering to declare and celebrate Christmas. Think about that all over the world our brothers and sisters. But as you can see when you drive around. All of the you see the lights at night all the decorations you've probably no doubtedly gone shopping over the past couple of weeks and seeing all of the Christmas stuff all of the decor all of the holiday things.

You can turn on your television and see holiday movie after holiday movie and you can tell that we Christians are not the only one celebrating. Are we the world is also celebrating their version of Christmas and in doing so, you know what they're doing there.

They're hoping that it might be a source of hope for them. They're hoping that it might bring some type of peace or joy. They're hoping that it might bring about some idea of love. They're grasping for straws in the process.

I Know that some of them of course want to take Christ out of Christmas. We hear a lot of that around. These parts don't we taking Christ out of Christmas and and they want to make it some vague holiday.

And here's what I have to say to that. Let them. Let them because after all us encouraging the world to celebrate Christ during Christmas is encouraging them to further blaspheme because they cannot worship Christ.

I.

I.

Digress. However with this within the sphere of culture that we live in here in the Bible Belt Most people are okay with celebrating the birth of Jesus, aren't they? Many of them actually love this idea of Jesus that is until they're confronted with Who Jesus really is the world around us?

Loves Jesus. But what Jesus.

Do they understand that the Jesus from the Bible. Because I can tell you now to the world the Jesus of the Bible is a Jesus that they cannot tolerate. They can't stand that Jesus. That Jesus doesn't give them the warm fuzzies.

That Jesus exposes who they really are a vile enemy of God. How about we put that on a Christmas card this year, right? Hey, Merry Christmas from the Hargrave family. A vile enemy of God. And that doesn't give us the warm fuzzies.

Does it. But the world hates the true Jesus. Yet what they don't understand is that that Jesus the true Jesus of the Word of God here in the Word of God is the only source of hope. He's the only source of peace joy and love.

You see they're okay with their version of Jesus because that version doesn't demand lordship over their life. They can take it or leave it. It's something that they can look to their version of Jesus.

He represents good principles, doesn't he? Right. Oh the baby Jesus. He's born in a manger that just shows humility. How humble I like that Jesus. Over the or the grown-up Jesus, you know, he said turn the other cheek.

And he said to love your neighbor. I like that Jesus. While each person is able to maintain self autonomy.

With that Jesus.

Which is what natural man desires, right? Natural man desires to be Lord over his own life. Take a little Jesus here take a little Other religion here. Of the thought here of the worldview here. Picking shoes because I get to decide my smorgasbord of what's going to bring me hope peace joy and love.

Because I know best. And this is nothing new this goes all the way back to Adam and Eve. All of humanity's desire has been to be out from under the reign of its creator. Which is the antithesis of the true Jesus?

Jesus came to reign to rule as the king that he is. And what they don't realize is that the true Jesus actually came to give them freedom. That's the ironic part. They're kicking and screaming against the true Jesus, but he's the only source of freedom for them because man's fight for freedom from God has actually Caused him to become a slave.

To sin.

Look at verse 3 there in our passage. He says in the same way we also when we were children were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world and man's fight against being under the Lordship of Christ to be Submit himself under God.

He is enslaved to sin and How does he free us from this? Well verse 4 says. But when the fullness of time had done God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law. This is the fulfillment of the prophecy that we preached about Two weeks ago from the book of Isaiah for unto us a child is born unto us a son is given.

This is the fulfillment of that prophecy and see here in verse 4 of our passage in Galatians. I think it gives us a beautiful picture of who Jesus really is and. And the first thing that I want us to see in this text is that the birth of Christ.

That what we refer to as the hypostatic union a big word here. It's just God becoming man. Truly God and truly man this union of sorts. That this has always been. Plan a look at the first part of verse 4 but when the fullness of time Had come.

And we talked about this being plan a around here a lot. But but I cannot emphasize this fact enough the triune God did not learn. He did not wait and see if Adam would eat of the fruit or not. It was always God's ordaining plan for Adam to do so.

This is important. It was always God's plan to bruise his son. It was always God's plan. We see it in places like where Paul writes in Ephesians 1 4 when he says even as he Chose us who is he talking to he's talking to believers those of us in here that are saints all the saints from ever before.

Just as God himself chose us in him in who in Jesus. Before the foundation of the world chose us to what chose us to be bought by this by the blood of his son. This was something planned out before he had even created the in the universe.

He had meticulously chosen those that were to be his and within the perfect Council of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit he set out to carry out the perfect Pre-ordained purposes of redeeming a people to himself and within that perfect counsel.

This was the perfect way. Could not have been done any other way. I remember when I when I was young my dad taught me all the theology. I'd grown up in church, and you know taught me all the stuff, and I was I was unregenerate and Here I was at 16 17 years old and my dad would tell me These things about the gospel, and he would tell me the gospel again and again, and I remember thinking that doesn't make any sense.

Like why like that seems that seems? Arbitrary like why would God have to send his son like why would Adam and Eve even be in the garden? There's a lot of it that didn't make sense to my carnal mind, but I remember the night that the Holy Spirit awakened me.

I.

Was reading the book of John and I don't remember which text I made it to. When I finally My eyes were open and I began to weep and I went. There was no other way. This was the perfect way. This was exactly what it was what it had to be.

There was no other way to do it and I can tell you that with certainty not because of my feelings or my Interpretation of the text. I can tell you because everything that the Lord does is good and the Lord did it this way hence It was the perfect best good and only way for it to be done.

And once God created time which by the way He created time God is not in within the construct of time. God is four billion years that way and four billion years that way and everything in between and everything passed at this very moment.

God is not constrained to time. Time is something created by him. But once he created time he wound up his creation and set it on his ordained trajectory. One that even the multitude of stars in the galaxy obey with precision.

Just look at God's ordaining hand in Jesus's birth. I I could go into great detail about this today, but I will spare you for Christmas Day. So we're not here all afternoon, but just look at a little bit of it.

He you know, it had been prophesied in the Old Testament long before Jesus that he would be called a Nazarene which is.

Where he grew up?

Where his parents lived right? But it was also prophesied that he would be born in Bethlehem. Right. So what the prophet Micah said right in chapter 5 verse 2. That the Messiah would come from this this town the city of David Bethlehem.

And in order to accomplish this God had set things into motion that would play out. What may have seemed like coincidence at the time. But God laid it on the heart of King Herod mind you a wicked man.

Not one of his a wicked man to require a census. To require a census at a perfect time where all the pieces started to fall into place one that would force Every head of household to their original birthplace.

We've all heard the story, right? And then also God had chosen Joseph to be with Mary being from Bethlehem and The timing was such that they had no choice but to travel there during a critical end. At the last end of the last trimester of this pregnancy.

Think about that. No one in their right mind would have traveled voluntarily. During that time they would have gone and done the census and it earlier or later. And then come back home and had the child in the comfort of their own space.

But they had no choice. God had wound up the pieces perfectly. Fulfilling the prophecy and affirming God's sovereign ordaining purposes. That's just a small sliver of how we see in the Word of God. God has wound this up for the perfect timing and that's what Paul is affirming this truth here and to the church in Galatia there in verse 4 when he says but when the fullness of time had come.

Everything was aligned the stars were aligned every single thing in the universe had a perfect alignment within God's ordaining purposes. It was building to this fullness. Because this was always plan a this was always God's perfect plan.

Well look at the verse again. But when the fullness of time had come God sent forth His Son. This is the second thing. I want us to see in this text this plan Could only be accomplished by God himself.

That's obvious. I know I'm speaking to the choir this morning, but think about it for a second. This is where the world has a problem with the true Jesus. They are okay with him being a prophet. They are okay with him being a wise leader.

They are okay with him being a good example. But they are not okay with him being God. Matter of fact, this is actually why they crucified him. Isn't it the religious leaders could have tolerated his healings could have tolerated his parables.

But what really got them was when Jesus says I and the Father are one. Matter of fact, he'd already said that back in John chapter 8 in verse 58. He says truly truly I say to you before Abraham was I am.

We skip over that sometimes but I believe Jesus is referring back to Exodus 3 there you remember the account where God said to Moses I am who I am and He said say to the people of Israel I am has sent me to you and Here's Jesus.

Before Abraham was I am. I was there. When the people of Israel were crossing the Red Sea. I was there when Moses was confronted by the burning bush. I Was there when when God Revealed to Abraham his perfect plan.

I was there even in the garden when Adam and Eve fell. I Was there when everything was spoken into existence because nothing was made that was made apart from him. I Am he's declaring the truth that he is God and this truth blows my mind.

When I think about the reality of the incarnation. The very Son of God on his throne in perfect communion. Having no need of anything or any one being a perfectly self-sufficient triune. God Taking the form of a servant and being made in the likeness of men.

Christian if you've become numb to that statement. Something's wrong born in the likeness.

Man, he.

He didn't even come as an earthly king. He came as a servant To serve the very creatures that he himself Created. The world cannot comprehend this great truth. Hence they hate it. It is foolishness to them because they are perishing, right?

That great truth is foolishness to them. Why would the creator of all things? Condescend into something so lowly. No other religion has has any representation of a god like that. Do they? This is completely outside of the context of the way our minds would even comprehend.

Another reason that they hate him is because darkness hates light.

And.

In his birth. You know what happened, don't you? Light came into the world.

Light.

Came into a dark world in the fullness of time God sent forth his son and the fullness of time the world was Spiraling and everything was building to a certain moment in the darkness to become darker and darker and darker and darker.

Until the final moment right before midnight when you couldn't see their head in front of your face. Because of the sin that had corrupt the world light enters the world the very light that created it.

Huh? That's the incarnation and they hate it because the world hates the light. Darkness hates the light. It has no fellowship with it. This light came into the world. Look at our verse again Verse 4 but but when the fullness of time had come God sent forth his son born of a woman.

Like sometimes we skip over this phrase because everybody has a mother, right? Well, yeah, Jesus had a mother. I had a mother everybody who in here had a mother who was born born by a woman. All right, okay.

But you got to understand there is theological significance in this small phrase. You see? Yes, we all have a mother. However, we also all have a father and because we have a father You can trace back each and every one of us to a certain father Adam this is why the creation account is so important.

The creation account the way it is there. There's people out there that want to say well, that's just that's figurative speech. God had made many humans and Adam and Eve and just kind of they were kind of a representative of a bunch of people.

Well, we've got some serious theological problems that fall apart if you have that theory Adam is the first man and Each of us come from Adam. Paul says in Romans 5 12. He says therefore just as sin came into the world through.

One man.

Who's that at who's that Adam. Right. And death through sin. And so death spread to all men because all sinned. See, this is what we refer to in theological circles as federal headship. Federal headship you see whether you like it or not.

Every person is born with Adam being their representative. Can't get away from it. Adam is your representative. And Paul later on in Romans 5 and in verse 18 He says therefore as one trespass. What trespass is he talking about the fruit, right?

As one trespass led to condemnation. For all men no way getting around it. If you have a mother and you have a father. You're in Adam. You might say well, that's not fair. Why would God punish someone for for someone else's sin?

Why would God punish me because Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the garden and disobeyed him? Why do I have to be punished over that? Well, you're not. He's not punishing you over that. It's not why he's punishing you.

God only punishes a person according to their own sin and the problem is since you're born in Adam you were born with his nature and. Because you have that nature your entire disposition is hell-bent towards sin.

Oh, but Paul writes in Romans 5 again in verse 19,. I Love this passage. He says. For as by the one man's disobedience Adam's disobedience the many were made sinners.

So.

By the one man's obedience. The many will be made righteous. You see Jesus had to be born of a woman. He could have no earthly father. Otherwise, he would be in Adam and he himself would then need a substitute.

Yes, he was born in the likeness of man and that he took on flesh. He was man. However, he was the perfect man. He was the perfect representation of God's creation. Now Jesus wasn't created don't hear me say that he's a representation.

He was made in the image of God's creation. You see pre-fall Adam was was sinless. Yes. But he was far from the perfect man. Well, you think well if he's sinless and he's a perfect man. The problem with that theory is is we know he couldn't be the perfect man because when tempted he fell but Jesus the true and better Adam.

He was tempted in every way yet without sin. He never failed. He was perfect he was exactly. What should be. And The world hates this Jesus because he is that perfect light the radiance of God himself.

They're okay with a flawed and perfect Jesus. You've heard you've heard the rumors maybe read the articles or seen the stories about the theories that Jesus maybe had affairs with Mary Magdalene or whoever whoever they come up with all this stuff.

Somehow Jesus had some kind of an affair. They've even accused him of having gay affairs. They desperately want him to be imperfect because they hate the light. They see that their version of Jesus has no lasting.

Hope peace joy or love doesn't. It means nothing however, the true Jesus shines unmistakably bright in light of. Look back at our verse. But when the fullness of time had come God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law.

This is key this is this is very important. You see the law is our schoolmaster, isn't it? The law is the standard that shows us our sin. How would I know that I am guilty of covetousness if the law had not said you shall not covet.

I Needed that rule that standard to tell me what's right and what's wrong. And so why do you think the world hates the Ten Commandments? So because it reminds them of that law that law mind you that is written on their hearts.

It reminds them that they fall short of the glory of God. And that's good it should remind us that's it's doing its job. It tells us that we do not live up to that standard and every single Human being has broken that law.

Haven't they anyone in here? Gone more than a day without breaking the law of God. No, I'm not raising my hand as a representative by the way. If my hand has to be down. We fall short. None of us except one.

Jesus.

Said in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 5 verse 17 He says do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. His perfection in accordance to God's law makes the world's skin crawl.

He stands out like a sore thumb doesn't he? And it's a reminder that man is incapable of such perfection. And being born under the law makes him the perfect substitute. Why is that? Why why is it that being born under the law makes Jesus the perfect substitute?

We'll look at verse 5. To redeem those who were under the law, that's us. That's you and I. If we're in Christ We were being crushed under the weight of the law and in his perfect timing in that perfect moment.

We were redeemed because he was our representative.

Redeemed.

That's a beautiful word, isn't it? That just rolls off the tongue. If you are redeemed say it with me redeemed.

Redeemed.

Redeemed. That is a beautiful truth. We can't move past this. He lived that life that we could not. He bore the wrath of the father that we deserved. He purchased us by his blood and now we are no longer under the federal headship of Adam.

We are no longer an Adam. We are under the federal headship of Jesus Christ the better Adam the true Adam. What God had intended for man? That's a beautiful. Look at our verse again in the verse 5 to redeem those who were under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Adoption as sons. God the triune. God has accomplished his purposes. The father set his love upon us. The son paid the price for us and the Holy Spirit has sealed us for the day of redemption for that day of glory.

So as we celebrate Christmas today, don't get lost in the world's interpretation of who Jesus is and what he has done. Look to his word and his word alone. Amen, we look to it to tell us who he is. He is certain hope.

He is lasting peace. He is inexpressible joy, and he is love. Let's now prepare. To go to the Lord's table. I would like to do it a little different today. We change things up every once in a while. Brother Adam if you could.

Pull the the towel back on that side and Pastor Jeremiah over here. I want you to Go and get the elements, but then come back to your seat because I want us to partake together. Usually we kind of just take it and then come back together to sing.

But I want us to take it together as I read the account in Matthew of the Last Supper. So let us pray that God would be honored in our time of going to this table today and seeing the gospel. Visibly seeing Christ visibly in the work that he has done.

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank you for Not leaving us to ourselves, but redeeming us. Calling us out and sending your son in the perfect time. God, I pray as we go to the table that this would be honoring to you that.

That we would be able to look back and remembrance Of what our Savior has done for us. Spilled blood. Giving his body for us. His children to adopt us as sons and daughters. But also as we partake as we look around and we see each other.

We see the unity that we have that we share in unity the unity that is within the triune God we are brought in and Then as we are reminded of that future hope you will return you will make all things new.

We will be in glory and we will no longer have but a taste a small taste of wine and bread. But we will sit at the feast. That is never ending father that you have prepared For us or we thank you. Be honored in our worship in Christ's name.

Amen. You're welcome to go and grab the elements and then let's come back together.