The Wonder of Christ’s Birth
-In the Fullness of Time-
Galatians 4:4
Luke 2:1-7
The story is told about a man who got tired of the Christmas hoopla. All the frantic haste and the crass commercialism disgusted him. So, he decided not to go along with the crowd. Among other things, he decided not to send Christmas cards, feeling that the expense and effort were non-productive. For the first ten days of December he felt good about his decision. But then, as the mail brought him greetings from friends near and far, he began to feel more and more guilt about sending no cards. Finally, four days before Christmas, he couldn’t stand it any longer. He rushed down to the drug store and grabbed the only box of cards still on the shelf. He bought it, purchased stamps, rushed home, and addressed cards frantically all evening. He addressed 49 cards. He had one card left over which he tossed on the mantle. That very evening he drove down to the post office and mailed the cards.
The next day he was strolling through the house and happened to see that extra card on the mantle. Suddenly it occurred to him that he had addressed and signed all those cards but had not actually read what the card said. So, he grabbed the card and took a look. This is what it said:
"This cheery card has come to say: A gift from us is on the way."
The whole meaning of the Advent season prior to Christmas is this: a gift from God is on the way. The basic reason we offer Christmas gifts to each other is to honor and reflect the only perfect gift ever offered--the gift of God through a Bethlehem baby named Jesus.
People tend to gravitate to one of two camps concerning Christmas. There are those who say, "I just love this time of year. I wish it could last all year long." There are others who say, "I can’t wait for Christmas to be done so we can get busy with life again." I suppose it’s all a matter of how we look at things.
A lady was traveling home from a business trip. She went into a gift shop at the airport and bought a newspaper and some chocolate chip cookies. She sat down and opened her newspaper, ready to read. A guy sat across from her and placed his briefcase on the table between the two of them. The lady grabbed a cookie from the middle of the table, popped it into her mouth, and continued reading. She reached back down to get another one and noticed that he moved the cookies closer to himself and continued to eat. She heard the wrestling of the cellophane in time to see the guy taking the last chocolate chip cookie out of the package. She glared at him with all her anger. He seemed embarrassed and broke the cookie in half and offered her some. Upset, she moved to the other side of the waiting area. She continued to brood over this event until sometime into her flight home, when she reached into her bag for a pen out and noticed her unopened bag of chocolate chip cookies. It’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it? It’s all a matter of how we see things.
William Barclay once said, "In a world that’s bent on getting, the Christian must be bent on giving, for we know that what we keep we lose, and what we give we have."
Galatians 4:4-5 says: “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.”
Why was the time when Jesus was born the right time? Why did God choose the land of Palestine as the birth place of Jesus? Why was 5 BC the year Jesus was born and not some other year?
In the fullness of time, when the time was right Jesus came. God created the first human couple, Adam and Eve and Bible scholars estimate that by 3000 BC the world population was 100 million.
Abraham lived 2166 to 1991 BC --- Moses lived 1526-1406 and during his time Genesis was written. --- King David reigned over Israel 1010 to 997 BC – Isaiah served as prophet 740 – 680 BC ---Minor prophets (Joel to Malachi) were active from 800 BC to 500 BC – Jesus was born 5 BC and his death and resurrection took place 30 AD. The Apostle John became a disciple of Jesus AD 26, and wrote Revelation – sometime between AD 90 – 96.
From Genesis to Revelation there is a time span of 1,500 years
I. Jesus Came At Just the Right Time
At just the right time Jesus was born in a lowly stable. The First Advent of Jesus was known to a secluded group of people, angels, shepherds, and later Wise Men that traveled from afar.
The Second Advent and coming of Jesus will be magnificent and visible to all. It will be a cataclysmic event. Just as the First Advent came at just the right time; so the Second Advent will come at just the right time.
Biblical Historians have shown politically, intellectually, morally and geographically that everything in the Greco – Roman world was ready for the coming of Christ.
Of all lands Palestine was the most fitted to be the scene of the revelation of God grace in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Palestine was located at the junction of three great continents of the old world --- Egypt, Syria and the Assyrian Empires.
At just the right time Jesus came to provide salvation and redemption for humanity.
Now in 2003 Jesus comes at just the right time to save us from forgetting the true message of Christmas. Paul in writing to the church in Galatia was writing to remind them there is only one true Gospel message. (Galatians 1:6-9; 11-12)
Paul declares that with Christ’s birth, the fullness of time has come (Galatians 4:4). Some of the Galatian believers were teaching that one must first become a Jew in order to become a Christian, and that a Christian must bind oneself to the law of Abraham, didn’t understand how completely Jesus’ birth changed the rules. Everything was different after Christ’s birth into this world, Paul claimed. God’s plan in the fullness of time was to redeem those who were under the law (verse 5), not to extend the law’s grasp even further. In this new age inaugurated by the birth of Christ, God isn’t looking for more law-abiding citizens. God is looking to adopt a new family.
God wants children, not citizens. To complete the adoption process, Paul declares, God has done no less than to send the Spirit of his Son into our hearts (verse 6), making us God’s very own from the inside out. As Christians you’re the newly adopted children and heirs of God.
There is only one reason to celebrate Christmas – the birth of Jesus – the Son of God. The first Advent reminds is to be true to the Gospel Message – Jesus was born, crucified, died, and rose again and is coming again.
We have fun talking about Santa Claus and Rudolph the Red Nosed reindeer representing the gospel of “materialism.” The world may compromise and keep the nativity scene out of school and off government property, but we must keep the true message of the “Wonder of Christ’s Birth” alive. In the midst of secularism and darkness we are challenged to keep the Good News of the Gospel story at all costs.
The movie the “Hiding Place” about the life of Corrie ten Boom came out several years ago. Corrie and her sister Betsie were confined to a Nazi concentration camp. They were able to smuggle a Bible into the camp. Many of the women were losing heart and wondering where God was in that dark place. Corrie gives the challenge: “If we don’t remember to tell the story here in this dark place, who will”? The women in their barracks were so infested with lice that the guards would not even enter, allowing the women to secretly hold their bible study together. There, in that dark place, they were able to thank God for the lice, because it kept the guards away so they could pray and study the Word.
Jesus came at the right time spiritually. During the Babylonian captivity, Israel had turned form the idolatry into which she had so often fallen. The Jews built synagogues for places of worship and schools. The Old Testament was completed. All these factors facilitated the proclaiming of the Messiah’s gospel among Israel’s people.
The time was right culturally. Christians who spread the Gospel during the first centuries of the early church had a common language. More than 300 years before the birth of Christ, Alexander the Great had thoroughly established Greek culture and language through the known world.
The time was right politically. Rome had instituted the “Roman Peace” which provided economic and political stability. Early Christians cold travel freely and safely throughout the empire and do so on a system of roads.
At just the right time Jesus was born. God’s timing is always right. You are challenged to keep the true meaning of Christmas alive for your children and grandchildren. This Christmas why not start a tradition of reading the Christmas story out of Mathew or Luke to your children or grandchildren.
II. Jesus Came to Set People Free
Galatians 4:5 –“To redeem those under the law, that we might receive the full rights of sons, v. 7 “So you are no longer a slave, but a son and since you are a son, God ahs made you also an heir.”
At the time of Christ people were living in bondage.
According to Phillip Vollmer in his book, “The Modern Student’s Life of Christ”, there were 1,200,000 people living in Rome. Common labor was considered a disgrace and it was estimated there were only 2000 were business owners. In the entire Roman Empire there were 6 million slaves. Slaves were treated harshly and a law was on the book that said that when a Master was murdered all his slaves were under suspicion and should be put to death.
Family life was nearly non existent. Prior to the time of Christ family life among the Romans had been a sacred thing, and for 520 years divorce had been unknown. But during the time of Christ marriage was regarded with disfavor. Children were regarded as a burden and their education handed over to slaves. The practice of abortions was a general custom.
The birth of Jesus and His message were good news to all living as slaves and in bondage of sin. Isaiah wrote: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim pace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation who say to Zion Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7)
Look at your feet. You have beautiful feet. Romans 10:13-15 – “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
This Christmas you have the message to set people free – don’t let your feet go to sleep. Keep your feet active. Put your feet to the pavement and spread the good news.
Many years ago a candy maker had an idea. He wanted to show, through the candy he made, that Jesus Christ was born among us and lived and died to save us all. So through the use of color and shape, he created a piece of candy that told the story of Jesus from Christmas to Easter.
He made white stripes on his candy to stand for the fact that Jesus was sinless and pure. He made small red stripes to indicate the scourging Jesus endured before he died, and a large red stripe to show Jesus’ blood shed on the cross. Then he shaped his candy like a shepherd’s staff to remind us that Jesus is the Good Shepherd. What did he make? A candy cane! And if you turn it upside down, you’ll see the focus of the piece – the letter J for Jesus.
Let’s keep the wonder of Christ’s birth in Christmas. Jesus came at the right time 2000 years ago and just at the right time in 2003 to give salvation and redemption to all who will believe. Jesus continues to be good news to all who are in the bondage to sin. Jesus came to set captives free.
You have this promise:
Whatever is holding you captive, Jesus can set you free.
You remember that Jesus came to bring you good news – good news that your sins are forgiven.
You have this challenge:
Pray that the Lord will guide your feet to someone that week that needs this same good news.
