Keeping Christ in CHRISTmas Day #16 I Still Call it CHRISTmas

Keeping Christ in CHRISTmas - Day #16 - I Still Call it CHRISTmas (Galatians 4:1-7)

I Still Call it CHRISTmas (Galatians 4:1-7)

Galatians 4:1-7, “Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

Christmas, without question, is the event that changed history, that gave humanity a new start. In our society, Christmas means different things to different people. To some people, Christmas is a time for gifts, trees, wreaths, reindeer, and Santa Claus. To some, it is a reason for anger because there is so much talk about God and Jesus Christ. After all, the very word Christmas reminds us about the real reason for the season every time we say it. To some, Christmas is a difficult time because of poverty, loneliness, painful memories, or for lots of other reasons. To the child of God, Christmas is a time to celebrate the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ into the world. It is a time to worship, to remember, to thank God for His grace, and to rejoice that there is a Redeemer. It is a time of joy, peace, and wonder as we take the time to think about all God did to redeem us unto Himself. Regardless of one’s religious background, or whether atheistic or those who are defiant to acknowledge Christmas. The birth of Jesus interrupted history. We never exchange legal tender, write a letter, or sign a legal document without doing it in reference to that far-off event. It touches our lives when we are hardly aware of it. Paul wrote of that time when God took bold and daring action in Galatians 4:4-5.

This important doctrine gives us some of the clear truths found in the Word of God, that tell us why God chose to send His Son through the womb of a virgin. We find that it all happened when time was full. It was as if time were pregnant, ready to give birth to something great. All of us know those special times that cannot be measured on our watches and calendars. It is time filled with meaning, purpose and hope. There is nothing dull, plain, and ordinary about it. It is exciting. It is quality time. Paul could say it was " when the fulness of the time was come ". It was full time when God was ready to act, when history was ready to take one of those mighty leaps forward.

In this moment of history, God acted. " God sent forth his Son." Therefore, Christmas is not about what people have done, not about human feats no matter how impressive. It is about what God has done. It was something God had never done before. God had communicated with people, disclosed truths to them, and sent messages to them; but He had never sent His Son. This was out of the ordinary. There is a great distance between. There is a bold line between people and God but God stepped over it when He sent His Son. Jesus was born of a woman. He clothed Himself in garment of humanity. He took upon Himself our frail and fragile life. Every Christmas we acknowledge and testify of the very nature of Christ Himself. Jesus is the Son of God. He is the only way of salvation for all people in the whole world. These truths are what the Bible teaches us about Him. One of the most amazing claims in the Bible is found in Galatians 4:4, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.”

Redemption was a term taken from slavery. When a slave was set free, he was redeemed. Success in keeping the law was easy. It is easy to keep rules, much easier than to love or forgive. So people, in keeping the law, were tempted to become proud, and in their pride to become harsh, critical, judgmental, and unforgiving. It produced men like the Pharisee in the temple who thanked God he was not as other men. He was a superior person. It also produced men like the elder brother in Jesus' story of the prodigal son who, having offered his father a perfect obedience, could not forgive his younger brother nor be glad when he returned home as one from the dead. His pride had dried up the human kindness in his heart. While he would have boasted of being a free man, there was some real sense in which he was a slave. The law also enslaved men in their guilt and shame. Paul felt that the law had awakened sin, like a slumbering giant, in him. Yet, the law could not forgive the guilt it created. The law had to confess, "I cannot forgive the guilt, nor lift the shadow of shame." It left people bound in fetters of guilt. Jesus Christ came to set us free from the bonds of spiritual pride and moral guilt. His salvation was of grace. It was a gift. Therefore, the ground for pride is cut from beneath our feet. There is no room for boasting. Christ can strike the terrible chains of pride that enslave us and set us free. Jesus Christ has freed every born again believer from the bondage of guilt. The best news our world has heard rang out in Luke 2:11, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” A Saviour has been given. Jesus Christ can say what the law could never say. He can say to people who are the slaves of guilt, "I forgive you. I made you free." Yet, it is not enough to be free. The free person may feel lonely, isolated, and cut off. They need loving and accepting relationships. They need a family. Therefore, Paul said God sent His Son, not only to free us, but "that we might receive the adoption of sons." As you prepare for Christmas this year, focus on the power, majesty, and glory of Jesus Christ.

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