Sermon Central
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When God Sent His Son
Contributed by James Owens on Dec 15, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son.
“WHEN GOD SENT HIS SON!”
TEXT: Galatians 4:4-7 (NKJV)
“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”
INTRODUCTION:
The people in Jesus’ day longed for the coming of Messiah.
Such longings for deliverance left the people gullible:
Many arose that claimed to be the Messiah – re: Barrabbas, etc.
The Messiah was thought to be several things:
Nationally, He was to be the leader from David’s line who would free the Jewish state and establish it as an independent nation, leading it to be the greatest nation the world had ever known.
Militarily, He was to be a great military leader who would lead Jewish armies to victory all over the world.
Religiously, He was to be a supernatural figure straight from God who would bring righteousness over all the earth.
Personally, He was to be the One who would bring peace to the whole world.
Jesus Christ accepted the title of Messiah on three different occasions:
1. Jesus asked, “Whom do men say that I am?” Matthew 16:16-17
“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”
2. Questioned by the High Priest prior to crucifixion Mark 14:61-62
“But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”
3. The woman at the well in Samaria John 4:25-26
“The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.”
The name JESUS shows Him to be a MAN –
The name CHRIST shows Him to be God’s ANOINTED!
Christ is Jesus’ official title. It identifies Him officially as:
Prophet
Priest
King
These officials where always anointed with OIL—
a symbol of the Holy Spirit –
Who was to perfectly anoint the Christ!
And now,
Preparations were being made for the day Jesus Christ was to be born!
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (God with us)
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,”
I. Earth Was Prepared For the Birth Of Christ!
God’s people were crying out for Messiah!
It was time for a CHANGE!
Zealots caused uproar & unrest
Religious leaders were exploiting the people
Darkness & Despair covered the Earth
Sin & perversion was popular at the time –
Evil & wickedness was in the air –
Apathy & complacency were the attitudes of the day –
It was time for a Savior –
It was time for a Deliverer –
It was time for a Messiah –
“But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”
Earth is being prepared for the Second Coming!
The Spirit of Antichrist is already at work!
Osama Bin Laden has declared unholy war against America, Jews, and Christians!
As the Zealots of old, uproar & unrest are all around –
Darkness, Despair, Sin, Perversion, Wickedness & Apathy cover the globe in these last days –
It’s time for a Savior –
It’s time for a Deliverer –
It’s time for a Messiah –
II. Heaven Was Prepared For the Birth of Christ!
The Angel Gabriel was a Divine Messenger of God
“And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
