God Sent Forth His Son | Galatians 4:1-6

So, it's like that song says, "'Tis the season to be jolly," right?

There's a lot of good reasons to be happy and joyful today and this season of Christmas.

So Merry Christmas to you all. I'm really excited to preach about the birth of Christ today and the incarnation and all of those amazing truths that come from God's word.

And usually when I preach on holidays and stuff like that, we just wanna make a distinction about what the holidays are about and what they are not about, what

Christmas is not about and what Christmas is really about. And because as you know, religious holidays like Christmas, they're not mandatory, we're not obligated to celebrate them.

But if we do celebrate, we must do so as discerning and worshipful Christians who observe and commemorate

Christ's person and work, such as his birth, life, death, resurrection and his works of providence like the reformation of the church.

So all of these things are important to discern and to commemorate without the false religious baggage.

A lot of false religious stuff that our society likes to accumulate and kind of like a snowball.

And so we need balance without compromise, right? Balance without compromise. So it should go without saying that Christmas is not about Santa or reindeer or those creepy elves and all that other stuff.

Christmas is about Christ. Amen? Amen. And incidentally, you know,

I've been studying Eastern Orthodoxy because it's been making a lot of headway even amongst Protestants and they have a doctrine called theosis.

And I've been learning about how they believe that when believers die, they become, not

God per se, but they start to take on God -like attributes which is why they believe that you can pray to them and things like that.

And sadly, of course, this is not what scripture teaches. We are not ever gonna be like God in his essence or in those attributes that make him

God like omniscience, like omnipresence. So we are not going to have those abilities.

And the Bible is very clear that we need to pray to God because the spirit of God and Christ himself are our intercessors.

So we must be mindful of these things and understand that there's a reason why these things accumulate throughout the history of the church and false teaching and things like that.

So we should, but however, we should also not be deceived or distracted by false flags, okay?

We need to be, again, aware of these things so that we don't go on these unnecessary or misguided crusades because some

Christians, for example, also suspect that the term X -mas is an attack on Christ or an attempt to take

Christ out of Christmas. We gotta put Christ back into Christmas and all that. Now, that's true. We do need to put

Christ back into Christmas, but that whole thing about the X has nothing to do with really replacing

Christ or taking him out. In fact, all that is, is X is the

Greek word for Chi. The Chi, the key is, which is the first letter of Christ's name in Greek, Christos, or Christ, Christ.

And it was an abbreviation for the, for when typesetting was first invented with Gutenberg and stuff, they would save money by abbreviating things.

So they would say, instead of Christmas, they would put X -mas, or they would say, instead of Christ, they would put a

C or an X. So that's really where it comes from. It comes from like the 1100s, okay?

So it's not, that's really not what X -mas means.

It's not about replacing Christ or anything like that. We need, as Christians, of course, we need to follow

Paul's admonition to not be ignorant. And we need to be firmly grounded in truth and have a sound understanding of history, especially

God's history of, and the church's history. You know, so, cause you have people like well -known leaders, even like Franklin Graham, Billy Graham's son, and Roland Martin, who was a former

CNN correspondent of all things. You know, they say things like, for us as Christians, this is one of the most holy of the holidays, the birth of our savior,

Jesus Christ. And for people to take Christ out of Christmas, they're happy to say,

Merry X -mas. Let's just take Jesus out. And I, and really, I think a war against the name of Jesus Christ.

So as if this were some kind of attack on Christ or blasphemy, it's really not, like I said.

If anything, really, if anything, if we should be concerned about Christmas, we should be, we should have more of a problem with the mass than with the

X in Christmas. Because mass means mass of Christ, right?

That comes from the Roman Catholic church. So the

X is not the problem. It's more of the mass that's the problem, but we don't celebrate the mass, and we celebrate the birth of Christ, right?

So that brings us to the real issue. Why then do we celebrate

Christmas? What is really the point of Christmas? Because we don't wanna oversimplify things either.

The true meaning of Christmas is at the very least twofold. Twofold. There's two big picture bookend truths that are about Christmas.

The first is to celebrate our savior's virgin birth and the incarnation of God the son, the second person of the

Trinity. This is a very profound, incredibly profound reality of who

God is and who Christ is. And the second truth about Christmas is why

Jesus was born in the first place. Why was he born?

Now, the virgin birth, like the death and resurrection of Christ, are cardinal biblical doctrines of the gospel that are of primary importance.

Primary importance. To deny the virgin birth, to deny, yeah, to deny the virgin birth is to deny the gospel, okay?

The very power of God unto salvation. You cannot have the gospel without the virgin birth.

And the miraculous virgin birth is a prophetic testament to the Messiah being both God and man.

And if you turn with me to the book of Genesis, chapter three, verse 14 through 15, we will see some of the amazing things that the

Old Testament has prophesied about Christ. So in Genesis chapter three, verse 14,

God's word says, and Yahweh God said to the serpent, because you have done this, cursed are you more than any of the cattle and more than every beast of the field.

On your belly you will go and dust you will eat all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed.

He shall bruise you on the head and you shall bruise him on the heel. And I've preached on this passage on many other occasions such as the

Know Your Enemy series. I encourage you to go back and check that out. But so here

God's pronouncement to the serpent is known as the Proto -Evangelium.

The Proto -Evangelium. It sounds like jelly, but it's the

Proto -Evangelion in Greek. And that means the

Proto -Gospel or the first announcement of the Gospel. The very first proclamation of the

Gospel coming out of the words of God himself and of the serpent crushing savior, that seed of the woman.

This is in fact a prophecy foretelling the virgin birth of Christ because men are naturally the ones with the seed while the woman bears the egg.

But the verse says that her seed is the one that will crush the serpent's head.

The seed of the woman. Powerful prophetic foretelling there.

And we also see here how the virgin birth is embedded in and a vital part of the

Gospel itself because for the Messiah to become incarnated as the perfect sinless savior, he must be born outside of Adam's fallen, natural, cursed, sinful generation.

And yet still be a truly human sin bearer through the woman, right?

So he couldn't have been born from Adam's cursed race through the man.

That is why there was a virgin birth. He was born through the woman. Turn with me now to Isaiah 7, 14 to dig a little bit further into this.

All important matter in Isaiah 7, 14 because we will see how this, how we will correlate this with the other passages using, exercising the analogy of Scripture, of comparing

Scripture with Scripture and of interpreting Scripture with Scripture. Isaiah 7, 14 says, therefore the

Lord himself will give you a sign behold, the virgin will be with child and bear a son and she will call his name

Emmanuel, meaning God with us, God with us, okay?

Now jump over two chapters over in Isaiah 9, Isaiah 9, verse 6, where we will see another amazing prophetic testimony of the

Messiah, the anointed one. Isaiah 9, verse 6, for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor. Our paraclete, like 1

John says, if y 'all recall, counselor, one who advises, who deliberates, who resolves, resolves conflicts, issues.

Now, are we all born with a conflict that we cannot resolve? Otherwise known as sin and the curse of God's wrath?

But Christ is our prophetic, wonderful counselor, amen?

He is our mighty God, as the verse continues, the everlasting father, or rather the father of eternity, prince of peace, of the increase of his government and of peace, there will be no end.

And on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore, the zeal of the

Lord of hosts will do this, will do this. This is God's word, amen.

The human child that is born is also the mighty

God. He is the God man, everlasting father.

Note, as I've mentioned before, is the father of eternity. God is not the father, okay?

That's heresy, that's modalism. The son is not the father. He is distinct from the father, even though they are the one and the same

God. We are not modalists. Modalists believe that God only has modes, not persons, okay?

Now, let's jump over to the new covenant, the New Testament in the very first Christmas in the gospel of Matthew chapter one, verse 18.

Turn with me there now, as we will see the glorious birth of our savior in Matthew chapter one, verse 18.

We're gonna cover a lot of scripture today. Good stuff, a lot of good stuff here. Matthew chapter one, verse 18.

Now, the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child by the

Holy Spirit. Remember, the prophesied seed of the woman.

This is the virgin birth. And Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.

But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,

Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid. Do not be afraid to take

Mary as your wife, for the one who has been conceived in her is of the

Holy Spirit. And she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

Now, all this took place in order that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call him

Emmanuel, which translated means God with us. God with us.

The word became flesh and dwelt and tabernacled among us.

And Joseph got up from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took

Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a son, and he called his name

Jesus. Wow. Now, let's skip over to Matthew chapter two, the gospel of Matthew chapter two.

We'll continue the narrative, the story there. This is real history, by the way.

Do not let the unbelieving world who has no hope, who has no savior, who has no wonderful counselor or mighty

God deceive you. This is the truth of God himself. Matthew chapter two, verse one.

Now, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod, the king, behold,

Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, where is he who has been born king of the

Jews? For we saw his star, his star.

This is God's, tell us, this is God's purpose. God made a star to point to Christ's birth.

It's his star in the east, and I've come to worship him.

Now, this is such an amazing passage here. There's so many amazing things to cover. Now, the

Magi, they were likely from the

Middle East, either from Persia or from Babylon, not from the

Orient as the hymn title, which claims we three kings of Orient.

They likely came from Babylon or Meadow Persia. They had

Magi there, or wise men, as they're also called. They were likely not kings either.

They were more like scholars. They were erudites and possibly astronomers, astronomers or astronomers.

And there's an interesting historical reality here where you had sort of good

Magi and bad Magi, so to speak, that were more pagan and more astrologers that would use the stars to predict the future and things like that.

And they were also, the Magi, they were more like, they were more like astronomers.

They were more like scholars and students of nature. But these wise men were of that sort.

They were more of the scholars. And they likely had access to the

Old Testament scriptures, which probably came from the Babylonian Jews, okay?

If you remember the story of King Nebuchadnezzar, he had deported the Jews to Babylon after destroying the kingdom of Judah.

But some Jews had remained in Babylon instead of returning to Israel after it was restored. And so there's clear evidence of this because there's such a thing as a

Babylonian Talmud, which is a collection of Jewish tradition and Midrash, as it's also called, interpretation of the

Bible of the Old Testament. There's a lot of mystical stuff in there as well. There are a lot of false religion in there, but it's a collection of Jewish tradition called the

Babylonian Talmud. And there's also a Jerusalem Talmud. The wise men were, so therefore, more like astronomers than astrologers, likely.

They have often been paganized, even by Christians. They make them to be a lot more pagan than they probably were, heathens and unbelievers, in a way that blatantly contradicts the

Bible here, even though they do come from a pagan nation. But note how they themselves ask, where is he who has been born

King of the Jews? Not even the Jews accepted Christ as King of the

Jews. Note that. For we saw his star in the East and have come to what?

To worship him, right? Worship him as God.

I mean, that's incredible. These guys, in fact, were the first ones to recognize the

Virgin. Like, what was happening? So it seems. God's Word, on the contrary, tells us that they were, the wise men, were devout men, rather than pagans, who received dreams from God Himself and believed the prophecies of the coming divine

Messiah and worshipped Him. Okay? Now, the Bible also doesn't say how many there were.

There were at least two. That's all we can really say, at least two. The fact that there were three by tradition is only because there were three gifts that were offered to Christ.

So, let's continue the story here in verse 3, where we find out more about Herod, the wicked

Herod. And when Herod, the king, heard this, he was troubled. And all

Jerusalem with him, and gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he was inquiring of them where the

Christ was to be born. So there was a scandal. Everybody was scandalized by what was happening. And they said to him,

In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what has been written by the prophet, and you,

Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah. For out of you shall come forth a leader who will shepherd my people,

Israel. Israel. Then Herod secretly called, that's a prophetic verse from the

Old Testament, then Herod secretly called the Magi and carefully determined from them the time the stars appeared.

And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search carefully for the child. And when you have found him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship him.

Now he was lying, of course. He wanted to kill him because he saw him as a threat to his authority.

Now after hearing the king, they went their way, and behold, the star which they had seen in the east was going on before them until it came and stood over the place where the child was.

And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy, great joy.

Now we see here how this was prophesied in passages like Numbers 24 17 as well.

I see him, but not now. I behold him, but not near. A star shall come forth from Jacob.

A scepter shall rise from Israel and shall crush through the forehead of Moab and tear down all the sons of Sheth.

Now there is much discussion about what the star actually is.

What is it? Is it an actual star? Is it a conjunction of planets?

like like Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, that kind of thing, Venus. Is it an or is it an entirely separately supernatural event that God orchestrated like the

Shekinah glory of God that led the Israelites out of Egypt during the Exodus. Now the word for the

Greek word for star in the Bible, in Matthew, is

Astera, Aster. But that can refer to any celestial body besides the

Sun or the Moon. So it doesn't necessarily mean that it's an actual star per se. And there is also in a in a literal sense, but in the metaphorical sense stars are also referred to they can refer to angels, angelic beings, and especially in apocalyptic context.

But that being said, I used to think, I used,

I was sort of convinced by a DVD called The Star of Bethlehem by Rick Larson.

Very interesting DVD, but it's been very heavily criticized since it came out.

And so it doesn't seem to be a very good solidly, historically robust, accurate theory of what the star actually is.

So there's better resources out there like In the Fullness of Time by Paul Meyer. That's a very good, very good historical book by a

Christian historian, Paul Meyer. And there's also Colin Nichols Christ, The Great Christ Comet, which also looks very interesting.

I'm more inclined to think that now it's a comet, it was a comet, that it was a comet rather than a star or some interplanetary, some interconjunction of planets.

But some interesting stuff to check out there. Now, let's continue the narrative here in verse 11 of Matthew 2.

And after coming into the house, okay, so right there, stop right there, the house.

So, they came into the house where they saw the child with Mary, his mother.

Now, they were in a house at this point when the wise men came. That's notable because you'll find many nativity sets.

They will be Jesus in a manger, in a stable, right, in a little barn with a bunch of animals, and the

Magi are there offering the gifts to the baby Jesus in a manger, a stable.

This is not what the Bible clearly tells us. They were already in a house at that point.

So, this story, this nativity setting of the manger and a barn came from the

Franciscan friar called Francis of Assisi, okay, from the

Middle Ages. So, he's the one who came up with this story to emphasize the poverty, the poverty, so to speak, of Christ.

But as you can see, they were already in a house. So, it's not, that's not accurate retelling of what the nativity setting took place in, okay?

In fact, he was actually born more likely in a, what's called a grotto in Bethlehem, a grotto, because in that geography, in that area, there was a lot of mountains with big craters in them, because of the, it's a desert, and there was a special kind of climate there that would lead to a lot of these grottos.

So, he was more than likely born in a cavern stable, a cave. So, some of those movies,

I think, like the nativity, they have more accurate settings in that he was born in that one of those grottos, as they're called.

Now, continuing on with the narrative here in verse 11, and they fell to the ground and worshipped him.

I mean, like, these magi were like the the very first to worship the

Messiah. They knew who he was. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

And by the way, the Greek word for myrrh is smyrna, like the church at Smyrna in Revelation.

Smyrna, myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, so God was revealing stuff to them.

Okay, in dreams. The magi departed for their own country by another way, and then they disappeared from the

Bible. Now, so, another important thing to note here about the narrative of the nativity, the first Christmas.

Two common misconceptions about when the wise men arrived to worship the newborn king, like the hymn we just sang says.

We talked about where he was, where they were when the magi actually came, but also when.

And you have on the one end popular media depicting the wise men arriving as soon as Jesus was born, right?

And that's like the nativity set from Francis of Assisi, where he's still a baby, a little baby, and in a stable as if he had just been born.

And then you have on the other end some who claim that Jesus was already a toddler.

He was already two years old by the time the magi had arrived. And this is partly because when

Herod asked about Jesus later on in Matthew 2 16, he ordered the execution of male babies up to two years old.

So people say, well, Jesus must have been two by then. And this is a historical, a real historical event called the slaughter of the innocents, where Herod, just like Pharaoh did in the

Old Testament, he ordered the butchering of the Hebrew, the

Israelite babies in Egypt. So this has historical precedent.

It's a real thing and it actually happens, but it wasn't the massacre that some people have misleadingly said it was.

Bethlehem was a very small village. There was likely only a few dozen babies that were actually killed, not to say that that wasn't an atrocity.

Of course, that is an abomination in God's eyes. Murder, so is abortion, equally abominable, but that was a real thing.

The slaughter of the innocents, as it's called. Now, the Gospel of Luke gives us some critical insight.

It reveals the God -breathed history that points us in the right direction as to when the Magi actually arrived.

If you turn with me to the Gospel of Luke chapter 2, verse 21, verse 21, and you will also find that these

Gospels of Matthew and Luke are the only ones that have the birth, the nativity story of Christ.

The Gospels of Mark and John do not, because they had different emphases. They were focusing on different aspects of Christ's person, and life, and work.

Now, Luke wanted to provide an orderly account of everything that had taken place, so naturally, you would start with Christ's genealogy and birth.

Now, in verse 21, we read, and when eight days were fulfilled so that they could circumcise him, his name was called

Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days for their cleansing, according to the law of Moses, were fulfilled, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the

Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord. Every firstborn male that opens a womb shall be called holy to the

Lord, and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons.

So, putting the scriptural pieces together through the analogy of scripture, we find that the wise men found

Jesus around around 41 to 50 days after he was born.

Okay, it wasn't right after he was born. It wasn't two years after he was born.

It was around 41 to 50 days after he was born, because that was when you were required to offer up the sacrifice whenever you had a firstborn son, okay?

And also, this is also interesting, because Roman Catholics will say that Mary did not have to offer up the sacrifice as a sin offering, because she was immaculately conceived without sin.

She was born without sin, as they say. So do the Eastern Orthodox. And this, of course, is a lie of the devil.

The only person who was ever born without sin was Jesus Christ the righteous. Amen? Jesus was born a sinner, just like everybody else.

And even her Magnificat, when the angel announces to her about the virgin birth, she says, my spirit rejoices in God, my

Savior. Right? Savior from what? Her sin and God's wrath.

So, lots of false tradition accumulates in this story.

That is important to not be deceived by. Now, that that's the story of the

Nativity. The second truth about this, this leads us now to the second truth about Christmas, as to why

Jesus was born in the first place. And this is so profound, so we don't want to oversimplify this either.

But this is actually demonstrated in the gifts that the Magi, the Magi brought.

I don't know how to pronounce, I should have looked that up. The Magi brought to Jesus. Maybe I'll just say it in Greek, the

Magoi, there. They are a picture of the gospel, the three gifts.

They are sort of prophetic types that point to who Christ is and what he was going to do for his people.

Okay? Now, I don't want to overstate this or over apply this. We've got to be careful not to over apply things, but I want to read to you a very famous, actually, the first popular

Christmas carol called the Three Kings of Orient. Now again, we already talked about how the three wise men were not kings, likely, and they were not from the

Orient. So, disregard the title for a minute there. I want to read to you the hymn.

It's got some amazing stuff in there. So, it says, we three kings of Orient are bearing gifts we traverse afar.

Field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star. O star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright, westward leading, still proceeding.

Now, the royal star is because the star symbolized there were some pagan traditions and some also prophetic traditions about, and in Scripture also, that the star points to a majestic, a royal person.

Okay? The hymn continues, guide us to thy perfect light.

Light. Okay? Now, you'll note how the Gospels also explain that Jesus was to be a light to the

Gentiles. Okay? And they are Gentiles.

The wise men were themselves, they were not Jews. They came from the East. So, born a king on Bethlehem plain, gold

I bring to crown him again. King forever, ceasing never over us all to reign.

Okay? What's the gold for? For honor in honor of his kingship.

Kingship. Frankincense to offer have I. Incense owns a deity nigh.

Prayer and praising all men raising worship him God on high.

Right? They came to worship him and offered him frankincense as worship because one of the primary instruments of worship in the

Old Testament was frankincense for incense as the hymn explains.

So, amazing stuff here. How profoundly these wise men, how wise these guys really were.

They really knew what was going on more than even the people there. Pretty amazing stuff.

Amazing stuff. And it is symbolizing that he is in fact the mighty

God of Isaiah 9 6. Right? Now, the third gift, myrrh is mine.

It's bitter perfume breathes a life of gathering gloom, sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying.

Sealed in the stone -cold tomb. Okay? Powerful stuff.

Glorious now behold him arise. And God, King and God and Sacrifice.

King, God and Sacrifice. Heaven sings hallelujah.

Hallelujah the earth replies. Hallelujah means praise be to God.

Right? Now, those are the three gifts. King, gold,

God, frankincense, sacrifice, myrrh. You'll find in the

Gospels as well that Mark 15 23 when they tried to give him wine mixed with myrrh as a palliative, as a way of alleviating suffering.

So it was used but but he did not take it. That was because of his crucifixion, his death.

Bleeding, dying as the hymn says. John 19 39 and Nicodemus, after Jesus had died, who had first come to him by night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes weighing about 100 litras.

So myrrh was also used for embalmment, for burial. Amazing foreshadowing of what?

This is what Christmas is all about. Amen? These three gifts are a picture of the gospel.

God, man, becoming a man and dying and the

King, the glorious newborn King, the mighty God, the Prince of Peace.

Right? Who will reign and conquer death, hell, and the grave as a result of his messianic fulfillment.

Right? So this brings us to the real issue, the real meaning and purpose of why we celebrate

Christmas. Jesus was born in order to die, in order to die.

Because God, can God die? No, God cannot die. God cannot change.

I am the Lord, I change not. Malachi says, right? God cannot die.

God is impassable. He doesn't change. He is God. God is the subject.

He is not passive or acted upon in any way. He is impassable. That's what it means.

Unchanging. So in order for God to purchase the bride with his blood, like Acts 20 28 says, he first had to become man.

Right? A man. This is some of the deepest stuff that the

Bible reveals to us. God became a man in order to die.

To give his life, as Jesus said, the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.

A ransom, an atonement, a dissatisfaction of wrath, of payment, of debt that was due on our behalf.

To live a perfect life of sinless obedience and to rectify Adam's failure.

To satisfy, to propitiate the wrath of God as a vicarious sacrifice in our stead.

The Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death.

To the point of death. To the point of death, even death on the cross.

Therefore, speaking of serving, right? Therefore, God also has highly exalted him as King and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow as King of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth.

Everybody, everybody, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is

Lord, is King, to the glory of God the Father. And I did not come up with those majestic words that came from God's mouth in Philippians 2, 8 through 11.

So, amazing stuff there. Thank you. Thank you. I want to read something from our very, very good friend that I want to acquaint you, all of you should become acquainted with this, very good friend of ours, former a pastor,

Presbyterian pastor, J. Gressam -Machen, okay? I want you all to take a look at his book,

Christianity and Liberalism. I want to read something to you from that book. From the beginning, the

Christian gospel, as indeed the name gospel or good news implies, consisted in an account of something that had happened in the past.

And from the beginning, the meaning of the happening was set forth, the explanation.

And when the meaning of the happening was set forth, then there was Christian doctrine.

Christ died, that is history. Christ died for our sins, that is doctrine, that is theology.

Without these two elements joined in an absolutely indissoluble union, there is no

Christianity whatsoever, okay? So, I want to clarify something.

This is very powerful stuff, because there is the narrative of Christmas, there is the history, there is a narrative of Christmas, and there is a history of Christmas, and there is a meta -narrative of Christmas, there is the dogma of Christmas, the doctrine of Christmas, right?

And as Machen explains, we need both. We need the history, the true history, and the doctrine that the history resembles, points to.

And the gospel is both. It is both the history, the drama of redemption, and the actual forgiveness of sins, the doctrine.

But keep in mind, the history did not come first, okay? The history came after.

The doctrine came first, because the doctrine originated in the mind of God, right?

God, God's truth was always eternally pre -existent.

This was not some plan B, right? God had always prophesied and determined from eternity past that Christ would die on the cross for our sins.

The doctrine is always first and primary, okay? The doctrine did not come later.

The doctrine was revealed prophetically before, in fact, in the Old Testament, and it was subsequently explained after it happened as well, okay?

And so, that brings us now to the culmination of today's sermon in Galatians 4, 1 through 6, if you turn with me there, on the passage that we read for today's gospel reading.

Galatians chapter 4. Now, God's Word says,

Galatians 4, Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is an owner of everything, but he is under guardians and stewards until the slave, until the date set by the father.

So also we, while we were children, were enslaved under the elemental things of the world, enslaved, accursed, condemned.

But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law, so that he might redeem those who were under the law, so that, so that, he might redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption as sons.

And because you are sons, God sent forth the spirit of his son into our hearts, crying,

Abba, Father. And God's people said, Amen. So, why was

Jesus born? That's exactly why Jesus was born. This is the drama of doctrine.

This, this is what it's all about. God's history, his telos, his purpose has a purpose, and that purpose is itself the doctrine.

Why did Jesus die? To die for our sins. That is his purpose, and that purpose is our doctrine.

It is the gospel. The whole counsel of God is

God's purpose. It is doctrine. And this gospel is doctrine.

It is theology, in addition to history. And this theology saves us by believing it.

Never forget that, beloved. Never forget that. Christ was born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth.

Right? Christ was born to redeem his people and glorify us ultimately through his death and life, his active and passive obedience.

So, powerful, amazing stuff here, because that's the reality of Christmas.

And we can never forget, we can never forget this truth, beloved. It's like it's like that other beloved hymn says,

O come, O wisdom, from on high, who ordered all things mightily, to us the path of knowledge show and teach us in its ways to go.

That's what the gospel is. That's what God's purpose is. It is to reveal to us knowledge, and this knowledge saves us.

This knowledge saves us. The gospel is itself saving knowledge and doctrine and theology.

Okay? We cannot separate those ever. Now, Luke chapter 2, verse 9, so how then should we respond to this glorious announcement, this good news?

First and foremost, obviously, is to repent and believe the gospel.

Believe. Believe the good news because that's why Jesus came. That's why the Gospels were written.

Right? Like the Gospel of John says, these things have I written so that you may believe who

Jesus said he was, the Son of God, came to become, to be born as the

Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. But believe and then look no further than Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds who were there.

How did they respond? Turn with me to Luke chapter 2, verse 19, and we will find out.

Luke chapter 2, verse 19, the gospel says, but Mary was treasuring all these things, pondering them in her heart, meditating on them deeply, and the shepherds went back glorifying and praising

God for all that they had heard and seen, just as was told them.

Wow. So beloved, let us treasure all these things and ponder them, meditate on them in our heart deeply because this is what is of first importance in God's purpose and counsel for us.

This is what Paul breathed out by God saying is of first importance, that Christ died was born in order to die for our sins and that's why the virgin birth was also there because he was born without sin under yet still under the law to redeem those under the law right he was born and and the the

Under the the law meaning under the curse of the law under the guilt and condemnation of the law

Under the elemental things of the world that we were enslaved to he was born under it in order to satisfy what

Adam failed So that he could overcome it and redeem those who were under it and save us out of the world out of the curse and condemnation of God's perfect law

That is God's gospel of grace. That is God's purpose his tell us and that is what his star pointed to Continuing on verse 25 and behold there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was

Simeon and this man was righteous and devout waiting for the comfort of Israel Waiting and The Holy Spirit was upon him take note of that And then it had been revealed to him by the

Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ and he came in the spirit into the temple and When the parents brought in the child

Jesus to carry out for him the custom of the law then then he took him into his arms and blessed

God and blessed God and Said now master you are releasing your slave in peace referring to himself

According to your word for my eyes have seen your salvation my eyes have seen your salvation which you prepared in the presence of all peoples a light for revelation to the

Gentiles of truth light of truth like first John says as well and for God and for the glory of Your people

Israel and his father and mother were what they were marveling

Marveling at the things which were being said about him her son

Amen That should be our response to God's amazing gospel of grace marvel ponder meditate

Wonder rejoice at the good news of Jesus Christ The gospel promise of free grace and mercy for the full forgiveness of all our sin all of it now all these things are from God beloved who reconciled us who counseled us wonderful counselor who reconciled us himself through Christ and Gave us gave us the ministry of reconciliation

Namely that God was in Christ Reconciling the world to himself not counting their transgressions against them

And he has committed to us the word of reconciliation so then

Consequently our response to this on awesome news We are ambassadors for Christ as God is pleading through us.

We beg you on behalf of Christ in Light of this amazing news be reconciled to God That is the first and foremost important response be ye reconciled to him by believing his gospel

He made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf on our behalf

So that we might become the righteousness of God in him Amen Let us always remember in light of this

Christmas season that every good gift Every good thing given and every perfect gift every good thing and perfect gift is from above Coming down from the father of lights with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow in the exercise of his

Will he brought us forth by the word of truth. He brought us forth

He saved us by his word of truth By the path of knowledge that he showed us because Christ is the way the truth and the life

So that we would be a kind of firstfruits among his creatures

James 1 17 through 18 the greatest gift Beloved of Christmas is

Jesus Christ himself the righteous turn with me to Romans 5 as we close out this amazing

Good news of Christ himself the ultimate gift. It is not

Santa that brings us gifts. It is God that brings the perfect every good gift and it is

You know, there may be some gifts that we don't like that we receive but hey Every good gift

God God only gives good gifts. He gives good gifts to his people He will not give you a stone in the place of bread.

Amen Romans chapter 5 verse 15 but the gracious gift is

Not like the transgression for it by the transgression of the one many died Adam much more

Did the grace of God and the gift by grace of the one man? Jesus Christ abound abound plentiful in abundance to the many and The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation

But on the other hand the gracious gift from the father of lights arose from many

Transgressions resulting in justification forgiveness of God and perfect rendering of righteousness on our behalf

For if by the transgression of the one death reign through the one much more so now those who receive the abundance of Grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through Christ through the one

Jesus Christ and all God's people said Amen Beloved, let's go ahead and close out in prayer and thank

God for this gracious gift of Christmas We heavenly

Father we thank you. We rejoice We marvel and ponder and wonder at your beloved gospel

Lord the word of truth that you have saved us by Lord give us Strength and courage and faith increase our faith father and your amazing

Gospel promise and that's amazing truth of law and gospel that Christ Was born under the law

Subjected to the law to the curse of the law the condemnation of the law so that he might redeem

Those of us who were under the law and thereby be saved you who have brought us out

Lord Brought us out by the word of your truth your your word of truth father help us

Lord Thank you so much for your blessed assurance and grace of the gospel Help us

Lord to always remember and marvel and treasure up these things in our heart

Like your beloved daughter whom you also say from from her sins Mary the mother of Christ that mother of the

Lord as your word tells us and Father we thank you help us to Be cheered in this great news of joy good news of great joy

Lord help us to rejoice in these things with friends and family as we come together to celebrate the birth of your son in this

Christmas season father help us to not be distracted or Discouraged or deceived by the lies by false traditions, but to be always

Cling to the truth of your word father and to apply and live out that truth by first and foremost repenting and believing and by also pondering meditating and marveling at the amazing grace of You and your son that has been given to us in abundance father

Let us rejoice in that of over abundance of grace that has been applied to us because of Your son you and your son and your blessed spirit that has regenerated us and born

That Christ was born to give us a second birth May you be ever glorified and blessed by our praise and worship father blessed be your name father

And thank you for this amazing gospel of grace in Jesus name mighty name. We pray. Amen Thank you for listening to the sermons of thorn crown covenant

Baptist Church Where the Bible alone and the Bible in its entirety has applied to all of faith and life

We strive to be biblical reformed historic confessional loving discerning

Christians who evangelize Stand firm in and earnestly contend for the Christian faith

If you're looking for a church in the El Paso, Texas area or for more information about our church Sermons and ministries such as Semper Ephraim on the radio and thorn crown network podcast

Please contact us at thorn crown ministries calm and may the mercy peace and love of our triune