What are We What are We Celebrating at Celebrating at

Christmas?Christmas?

Galatians 4:4-Galatians 4:4-77

#1 God’s #1 God’s SovereigntySovereignty

Galatians 4:4Galatians 4:4

But when the fullness of the time But when the fullness of the time was come, was come,

God sent forth his Son, God sent forth his Son,

Fact

We don’t know the exact date of the birth of God’s Son—It is not

recorded in the Bible and God did not choose to preserve the exact

day. But

This is what we do know—it was the right day.

““Fullness of Time”Fullness of Time”

• This is Paul’s way of saying:This is Paul’s way of saying:

–““The Right Time”The Right Time”• God is never earlyGod is never early• God is never lateGod is never late

““God sent”God sent”

At Christmas Let’s At Christmas Let’s RememberRemember

Isaiah 46:9-11Isaiah 46:9-11

Mary’s Song of PraiseMary’s Song of Praise

Luke 1:46-55Luke 1:46-55

#2 God’s Coming #2 God’s Coming

Galatians 4:4Galatians 4:4

But when the fulness of the time was But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, come, God sent forth his Son, made made of a woman, of a woman, made under the law, made under the law,

IncarnationIncarnation

• John 1:14 John 1:14 –And the Word was made flesh, and And the Word was made flesh, and

dwelt among us, (and we beheld his dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. and truth.

IncarnationIncarnation

• Matthew 1:23Matthew 1:23–Behold, a virgin shall be with child, Behold, a virgin shall be with child,

and shall bring forth a son, and they and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, being interpreted is, God with us. God with us.

#3 Our #3 Our RedemptionRedemption

Galatians 4:5Galatians 4:5

• To redeem them that were under the To redeem them that were under the law, law, that we might receive the adoption that we might receive the adoption of sons. of sons.

Revelation 5:9Revelation 5:9

• And they sung a new song, saying, Thou And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, slain, and hast redeemed us to God by and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood thy blood out of every kindred, and out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; tongue, and people, and nation;

The word redemption comes from the Greek word agorazo

and means “to purchase in the marketplace.” Frequently, it

had to do with the sale of slaves in the marketplace. The word is

used to describe the believer being purchased out of the

slave market of sin and set free from sin’s bondage. The

purchase price for the believer’s freedom and release from sin was the death of Jesus

Christ.

Paul P. Enns

QuestionQuestion

When was I a slave When was I a slave under bondage?under bondage?

AnswerAnswer

• Galatians 4:3Galatians 4:3

–Even so we, when we were Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:the elements of the world:

Matthew 1:21Matthew 1:21

• And she shall bring forth a son, and thou And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: shalt call his name JESUS:

–for he shall save his people for he shall save his people from their sins.from their sins.

Mark 10:45Mark 10:45

• For even the Son of man came not to be For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. give his life a ransom for many.

The price of redemption is His

blood; the scope of

redemption is many; the result of

redemption is forgiveness.

Paul P. Enns The Moody Handbook of Theology

#4 Our Adoption#4 Our Adoption

Glorious Fact

God doesn’t leave us as

redeemed free agents without

a Father.

Galatians 4:5Galatians 4:5

• To redeem them that were under the To redeem them that were under the law, law,

• thatthat –we might receivewe might receive

Indicates PurposeIndicates Purpose

ReceiveReceive

• To come into possession of; to acquire To come into possession of; to acquire ““the adoption of sons.” the adoption of sons.”

Galatians 4:5Galatians 4:5

Spiritual AdoptionSpiritual Adoption

The word adoption means “placing as a son” The word adoption means “placing as a son” and describes the rights and privileges as and describes the rights and privileges as

well as the new position of the believer in well as the new position of the believer in Christ. The word is taken from Roman Christ. The word is taken from Roman

custom where, in a legal ceremony, the custom where, in a legal ceremony, the adopted son was given all the rights of a adopted son was given all the rights of a

natural-born son.natural-born son.

In this rite, four things happened.

1] The adopted person lost all rights in his old family and gained all the rights of a fully

legitimate son in his new family.

2] He became heir to his new father’s estate.

3] The old life of the adopted person was completely wiped out. For instance, legally all

debts were cancelled; they were wiped out as if they had never been incurred.

4] In the eyes of the law, the adopted person was literally and absolutely the son of his new father.

Paul P. Enns

Spiritual AdoptionSpiritual Adoption

• Now Paul describes something for which Now Paul describes something for which there is NO Roman or legal equivalent—there is NO Roman or legal equivalent—look at vs. 6.look at vs. 6.

Galatians 4:6Galatians 4:6

• And because ye are sons, God hath sent And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth forth the Spirit of his Son into the Spirit of his Son into your heartsyour hearts, crying, Abba, Father. , crying, Abba, Father.

Ezekiel 36:26Ezekiel 36:26

• A new heart also will I give you, and a A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. flesh.

Galatians 4:6Galatians 4:6

• And because ye are sons, God hath sent And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth forth the Spirit of his Son into the Spirit of his Son into your heartsyour hearts, crying, , crying, Abba, Father. Abba, Father.

AramaicAramaicWordWord

Romans 5:5Romans 5:5

• And hope maketh not ashamed; And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us. given unto us.

Application

Why do two people who both claim to be saved have remarkably different

loves for the Lord?

Answer

A.One is grieving the Spirit, and the other is not.B.One is quenching the Spirit, and the other is not.C.One is sealed with the Spirit, and the other is not.

#5 An Inheritance#5 An Inheritance

Galatians 4:7Galatians 4:7

• Wherefore thou art no more a servant, Wherefore thou art no more a servant,

• but a son; and if a son, but a son; and if a son, – then an heir of God through Christ. then an heir of God through Christ.

Heir by FaithHeir by Faith

• Hebrews 11:7Hebrews 11:7– By faith Noah, being warned of God of By faith Noah, being warned of God of

things not seen as yet, moved with fear, things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, by the which he condemned the world, and and became heir of the righteousness became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. which is by faith.

• Freedom from the legal requirements Freedom from the legal requirements of the Lawof the Law

• Declaration of RighteousnessDeclaration of Righteousness • Adoption into the Family of GodAdoption into the Family of God

• Indwelling of the SpiritIndwelling of the Spirit• Eternal LifeEternal Life