You. a a a a a You. you. Well, good morning. It's good to see you here this morning. Yes, baby doll we have one visiting with us if you haven't heard from her yet All right, and we're glad if you're visiting with us. As if your first time here, we're glad to have you. And if you would, sign the guest book located there in the back before you leave. That would be appreciated. Glad you made it in between the weather and the roads and the holiday and family. It's good to see you here this morning as we worship our God together. A couple of family things just to make mention of. First of all, I spoke to Dan White this morning, and he continues to improve. The blood clots seem to be gone. And he came out of ICU this morning and back in a regular room. So he said he's not sure how much will be done today because of the holiday, but he's hoping to be out of the hospital soon. So continue to pray for him. Also, the Perrys are still without a new grandchild, last I heard. So, continue to pray for them. They're in Grand Rapids with Alyssa and Spencer as they wait for this new one to come into the world. So, those are a couple things I just want to make mention. The other announcements on the back of your bulletin, I would just mention that next Sunday, we are just having the one service at 1030 again. So, you can plan that accordingly. 1030 on next Sunday. And then there may be some watching us by live stream. We may have more watching on live stream than we have here this morning. But if you're watching, we're glad you're able to be with us. All right. Well, now let us give ourselves to the worship of our God. There in Matthew chapter 1, when Jesus Christ came into the world, before he came in, the angels announced to Joseph the reality that a son would be born. And he is told that you will name that child Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. Jesus Christ is our Redeemer and Savior. And it is him that we gather to worship even this morning. Will you just take a moment to prepare your hearts to worship God? Yeah. Yeah. All right. Well, inside your bulletin is the call to worship. It comes from John chapter 1. So I would ask that you stand with me and let us call one another to worship with this responsive reading. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. O come, let us adore him. Come, let us adore him. Through him all things were made. Without him nothing was made that he that has been made. In the beginning was life, and in the end life. Oh, come, let us adore him. The light shines in the darkness, but darkness has not understood it. Oh, come, let us adore him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to come to them without. Oh, come, let us adore him. Christ the Lord. The word became flesh and dwells, and his dwelling is among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the only begotten from the Father. Now let us take our Trinity hymn books and turn to hymn 149, the Trinity hymn book 149, Joy to the World, The Lord is Come, 149. ♪ Glory to the world, the Lord is come ♪ ♪ Let earth receive her King ♪ ♪ Let every heart prepare him room ♪ ♪ Let heaven and nature sing, let heaven and nature sing ♪ ♪ Let heaven, heaven and nature sing ♪ ♪ Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns ♪ ♪ Let earth exult in joy ♪ ♪ Of hills and floods, of hills and plains ♪ ♪ Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy ♪ ♪ Repeat, repeat the sounding joy ♪ ♪ No more the sins and sorrows grow ♪ ♪ For yours it has to come ♪ ♪ He comes to make his blessings flow ♪ ♪ For as the first is found ♪ ♪ For as the first is found ♪ ♪ For as, for as the first is found ♪ ♪ He rules the world with truth and grace ♪ ♪ And makes the nations prove ♪ ♪ The glories of His righteousness ♪ ♪ And wonders of His love, and wonders of His love ♪ ♪ And wonders, wonders of His love ♪ Please remain standing for prayer. Father in heaven, hallowed be your name and hallowed be the name of your son who sits at the right hand of the majesty on high and where he reigns from heaven. We thank you for your rule in our hearts, that you have overcome our sins completely by your grace. We were helpless and without God. We were without hope in this world, Gentiles in the flesh, barbarians. And yet now you have brought us to know the name Yahweh and to know the name of your son. Yahweh is salvation. Yahashua, Jesus, the Son of God. We worship you, Father and Son, this morning as we sing your praise. Forgive our sins, we pray. They are many. You came to save your people. from their sins, and so on that basis, we lift our eyes in faith to you that our sins might be cleansed through the blood of the cross. Quiet our hearts before you, strengthen us by your spirit, we pray, in Jesus' name, amen. Now then, take your hymns of grace, the larger hymn book, the hymns of grace, turning to 230. 230, what child is this who lays to rest on Mary's lap, is sleeping? This is Christ the King. So hymns of grace, 230. ♪ The grass on every trial is slain ♪ ♪ Who makes us free with Adam's tree, the shepherd's boy? ♪ Christ the King Shepherds quark and angels sing Praise, praise to the King And God the King, the Son of Mary ♪ On high she is justly ♪ ♪ And straightened her arms and as her feet ♪ ♪ Good Christian people, for sinners' sake ♪ ♪ The Son of the Lord is with thee ♪ ♪ Christ the King ♪ ♪ Whom shepherds guard and angels sing ♪ ♪ Haste, haste to bring Him laud ♪ ♪ The Babe, the Son of Mary ♪ So bring him incense, oil, and myrrh, the myrrh should be to God. The King of kings shall reign, shall reign with the Holy Ghost, ♪ This is Christ the King ♪ ♪ From shepherds far and angels singing ♪ ♪ Praise, praise to the King ♪ ♪ There on the hill a song of praise ♪ Please turn your Bibles to Luke chapter 3. We see in this chapter who were the mighty men, who were the noble men, who were the rulers of this world, both in civil society, civil government, and also in religious society, and yet The word of God comes to John in the wilderness, not to the great. And we were reminded that not many noble, not many mighty are called. We also see that John's ministry, the ministry of John the Baptist, was prophesied hundreds of years before the fulfillment of it, and how ready the Jews were not until John came and got them ready. And the way to get ready is to repent, put away sin. That is, and he gives very specific ways. Repentance is manifested in deeds. It's not just being sorry for sin, it is turning from sin. The last portion of this chapter is the genealogy of Christ. Just to note that it goes all the way back to God. And Adam was the first man. I hope that's enough said. Adam was the first. I will read that portion. Actually, I'm going to skip over to the Darby translation. It's actually simplified the genealogy. It's closer to what the original was. It was just of this man, of that man, not who was the son of. So it makes it a little smoother to read and maybe a little less tedious when we get there. So that will be why I will jump over. Now in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Aeturia, and Trachonitis and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness. And he came into all the district round about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin. And that baptism was an immersion in the Jordan River, signifying the washing away of sin. It's the simplest thing. It was from the Old Testament washings that the Jews would perform, signifying cleansing Just washing off the dirt of sin. Sin is uncleanness. As it is written in the book, verse 4, of Isaiah the prophet, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ready the way of the Lord. Make His paths straight. Every ravine will be filled. And every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will be straight. and the rough roads smooth, and all flesh will see the salvation of God. So he was saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, you brood of vipers who warned you to flee from the wrath to come. Therefore, bear fruits in keeping with repentance and do not begin to say to yourselves, we have Abraham for our father, For I say to you that from these stones, God is able to raise up children to Abraham. But indeed, the axe is already laid at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. May I just mention that the axe is still at the root of the trees. And the crowds were questioning him, saying, then what should we do? And he would answer and say to them, the man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none. And he who has food is to do likewise. And tax collectors also came to be baptized. And they said to him, teacher, what should we do? And he said to them, collect no more than what you have been ordered to. And soldiers were also questioning him, saying, and what should we do? And he said to them, Do not take money from anyone by force or extort anyone, and be content with your wages. Now, while the people were in a state of expectation and were all reasoning in their hearts about John as to whether he was the Christ, John answered, saying to them all, As for me, I baptize you with water, but one is coming who is mightier than I, And I am not fit to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to thoroughly clear his threshing floor and to gather the weed into his barn. But he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. So with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the gospel to the people. But when Herod the Tetrarch was reproved by him because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done, Herod also added this to them all, he locked John up in prison. Now, it happened that when all the people were being baptized, Jesus was also baptized. And while he was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came out of heaven. You are my beloved son, and you I am well pleased. When he began his ministry, Jesus himself was about 30 years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, of Eli, of Mathat, of Levi, of Melchi, of Jannah, of Joseph, of Mattathias, of Amos, of Naum, of Eslai, of Nagai, of Maath, of Mattathias, of Semai, of Joseph, of Judah, of Joannes, of Risa, of Zerubbabel, of Salathiel, of Neri, of Melchi, of Adai, of Kosam, of Elmodam, of Er, of Joseph, of Eliezer, of Joram, of Mathat, of Levi, of Simeon, of Judah, of Joseph, of Jonan, of Eliakim, of Meleus, of Menon, of Matathah, of Nathan, of David, of Jesse, of Obed, of Boaz, of Salmon, of Naasan, of Amenadab, of Aram, of Ezram, of Phares, of Judah, of Jacob, of Isaac, of Abraham, of Terah, of Nacor, of Saruk, of Ragau, of Phalek, of Eber, of Salah, of Canaan, of Arphaxad, of Sem, or Shem, of Noah, of Lamech, of Methuselah, of Enoch, of Jared, of Malalael, of Canaan, of Enos, of Seth, of Adam, of God. Well, once again, as we seek our God together in prayer, we especially this morning want to remember the Hamiltons who labor in East Asia, and especially as we had reports concerning Myanmar and China this past Wednesday. And then also be in prayer for the winter retreat going on in Grand Rapids this week. I think we have some of our young people. Are you guys still plan on going? Is that still on the plan? OK, so pray for, I think, three or four of our young people that will be heading to Grand Rapids this week. And pray that God will bless that and draw near to them as they have that time together with young people from many places here in the Midwest. All right, let's seek God together in prayer. Our Father in Heaven, as we have heard Your Word read to us this morning, we have been reminded that You know all things and that You plan all things. And even the coming of Your Son into this world, You had planned from all eternity. And how thankful we are that You brought it to pass, that Jesus Christ came into this world. And He came into this world not to call the righteous But He came into this world to call sinners unto Himself. And Father, we're thankful that for many of us this morning, You have opened our eyes to our true condition, that we are sinners. We have broken Your law. And yet, You have opened our eyes to a Savior and to a Redeemer in Your Son Jesus Christ. And through Him, we can know the blessed condition of having sins forgiven, having sins washed away, and even declared righteous in your sight because of the righteousness of your Son, Jesus Christ. And so our hearts are filled with thanksgiving. We're thankful that Jesus Christ came into this world, but how thankful we are that it's not the babe that we worship, it is the Savior and Redeemer. It is that one who grew up and was without sin and went to the cross and experience the ultimate punishment for sin, and experiencing the wrath of God being separated from you, that He might redeem a people for Himself. And we're thankful that three days later, He arose from the dead, and that we serve a risen Savior because He has conquered the last great enemy called death. We bless you for that. And because He lives, those of us who are your children will live also. Father, we pray that the Gospel would go forth, not only here, but around the world this very day, and that the good news would have an effect upon those to whom know you not. We thank you for the Hamiltons. Thank you for their labors there in East Asia. And Father, how we pray that you would continue to uphold them and encourage them. We know that they've had a monumental effect upon many orphans in Myanmar and in China and in other places. And Father, how we pray that you would watch over them. We think of their recent report and how there in Myanmar, they can hear the bombs falling. The bombs are very close. There is this ongoing civil war. And Father, how we pray that you would watch over them, care for them. Father, we pray that these orphans might hear the truth of the gospel. and that one of them might come to know you and be a light that would light other places for the gospel of Jesus Christ. So thank you for them. And then, Father, we would pray for this winter retreat this weekend. Pray for the young people of ours who will be going, that number one, you'll keep them safe as they travel. And then we pray that their time there would be beneficial for their own walk with you. We pray that the fellowship with other young people would be an encouragement to them. And so, Father, we pray that we might, in days to come, hear good reports of how you were pleased to bless and use this retreat in the lives of our young people. Now draw near to us as your people. Help us, we pray, to take heed to the word of God as we ask these things in Christ's name. Amen. Now before we open the Word of God, take your Trinity hymn book, turning to 151. 151. O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant. 151, Trinity hymn book. If you're able, please stand with me as we sing. O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem. Come and behold Him, O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him Christ the Lord God of God God of God ♪ Glory, glory, glory to the newborn King ♪ ♪ Glory, glory, glory to the newborn King ♪ O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him Glory to God on high, He reigneth on high. O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. Yet, Lord, we thank Thee On this happy morning Jesus to Thee, O Lord, came. ♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ You may be seated. Have your Bibles. Take them and turn to Galatians 4. Galatians 4. Several weeks ago, we listened to an announcement given by an angel of the Lord And that announcement was given to shepherds who were out in their field keeping watch over their flock by night. And that announcement that we read that was made by the angel was a birth announcement. And it went something like this, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which is for all the people today In the city of David, there has been born to you a Savior who is Christ the Lord. Now, several weeks ago, as we listened to that birth announcement, I invited you to go with me into a time machine in which we will look back at some of the promises and some of the prophecies concerning the birth of this Savior. The birth of this One whom the angel announced to Shepard that would come into this world as a babe wrapped in cloth and lying in the manger. And so our journey began. And again, several weeks ago, our first stop. that I trust you recall, was in the book of Genesis. Just after God had created the world. And God in that creation created man and woman. And He placed them in a garden. And God provided for them many good things to be enjoyed. He says every tree they could freely eat from There was, however, an exception. And that was from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that you shall not eat." And you know the story. A serpent appears to Eve. And the serpent's one objective is to destroy the work of God in every way possible. And so he seeks to convince Eve not to trust God. In fact, he leads her to question the goodness of God. What does she do? She eats. And she gave it to her husband, and he ate. And sin came into the world. And with that sin came death or separation from God. And for the first time, sin and guilt and shame and separation comes into the world, followed by judgment and punishment. And at that time, things looked helpless and hopeless. But God comes, and He gives a promise that He would provide a remedy to this terrible condition. And in that promise, God says to the servant, who is Satan, I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. He shall bruise you on the head, you shall bruise him on the heel." In other words, God has promised, I will send someone who will destroy Satan. I will send someone who will defeat Him and that someone will come by the seed of a woman. So in the midst of man's rebellion and disobedience, God assures His children there will be a Redeemer. And then we got back in the time machine and we went forward several hundred years to the day of Isaiah. These were dark days as well in the life of Israel. Isaiah appears on the scene with a message of judgment because of disobedience and rebellion. But with Isaiah's message of judgment was also a message of hope. And Isaiah says again, God will send a Redeemer. And here's how He will be identified. A child will be born. A son will be given. And the government will rest upon His shoulders. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah tells us that a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and you shall call his name Immanuel." Again, the promise of a Redeemer and a Savior to those who are found in a helpless and hopeless condition. And then back in the time machine we went, and we came across a contemporary of Isaiah, a prophet by the name of Micah, And Israel is in the same sad condition. But Micah gives hope to the children of God with the words that Bethlehem would be the place where the Savior and Redeemer would be born. He would be born from a woman. He would be a ruler. He would rule in majesty and excellence. He would come into this world and He would be a shepherd ruler. He will care for His people. He will protect them and love them. And He would secure them and be their peace. Another promise of a Redeemer and a Savior. And then there was 400 years of silence. And then last week we went in our time machine to Luke chapter 1. where after 400 years of silence, God now speaks again, but He speaks through an angel by the name of Gabriel, and Gabriel comes to Nazareth to a woman who was engaged to a man by the name of Joseph. This woman's name was Mary, and Gabriel sent from God, tells Mary the virgin, that you shall conceive Son in your womb And you're gonna call his name Jesus which means Jehovah saves He will be great He will be called the Son of the Most High and he will be given the throne of David and These are the very promises and prophecies that the angel announced to the shepherd the night they were keeping watch over their flock. Would God come through? Would God give us a Savior? Would God give us a Redeemer? In the midst of our helpless, hopeless condition, in the midst of being those who have sinned, and rebelled against God? Would God keep His Word? Or is God like us? So often we tend to make promises. We say we're committed to something, and then we drop the ball. Would God drop the ball? Did God do what He said He would do? Short answer? Yes. How do I know? called, the Apostle Paul records it for us in Galatians chapter 4 verses 4 and 5. Notice what he says, Galatians 4, 4 and 5. 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, that we might receive the adoption of sons." Here in Galatians, Paul summarizes for us what took place, when it took place, how it took place, and what effect that has upon you and me. And so this morning, I just want you to consider three things with me concerning the fulfillment of God's promises and prophecies about a Redeemer and a Savior. And what Paul tells us in these two verses, first of all, is that the fulfillment came at the right time. Secondly, that the fulfillment came in the right way. And then thirdly, the fulfillment came with the right purpose. These three things I want you to consider with me this morning. So first of all, the fulfillment came at the right time. Notice again, the verse of Scripture. But when the fullness of time came, when the fullness of time came, it was a time in which men are found hopeless and helpless. It was a time in which men are slaves to their sin, but it's also a time that God had purpose for all eternity when He would send His Son into the world. With this statement, in the fullness of time, we're reminded that God is both Lord of time and history. God is Lord of time and history. It is in God's time and it is God's plan that the precise moment in history that God has sovereignly chose for the coming of a Redeemer into this world has now come. When everything was complete, all that God had planned, God had been ruling out His plan from way back. And now it was time for His Son to come. That they had waited and waited and waited. And some were beginning to doubt if this Redeemer and Messiah and Savior would ever come. But the exact time that God had planned in His perfect timetable, the Son came into this world. He broke through history. And this event took place. Pastor John MacArthur says it this way, The completion of the period of preparation in God's sovereign timetable of redemption has come about. The completion of the preparation. Now, I'm not a cook. I don't claim to be a cook. But you know, if you plan to cook something, and you're waiting around, perhaps before you left your house, the house was filled with the aroma of some food that's being prepared. Somebody got up early, and maybe someone got up early and began to dress a turkey and get that turkey ready. And with that planning, they put it in the oven. And the whole point of it is that there's going to be some time in which that turkey's going to be done, and someone's going to say, Let's eat! The preparation is over. It is now time to eat. And that's what God has done. The preparation is over. It's now time. And He sends His Son. into the world at the perfect time that God has planned. So we see the fulfillment of these promises and prophecies came at the right time. Secondly, the fulfillment came in the right way. It came in the right way. Again, look at the passage. But when the fullness of time came, what? God sent forth His Son, born of a woman and born under the law. Now really, there are three elements to coming in the right way. And I only have two if you're looking at your bulletin. I only have two because yesterday I was going over a sermon and I said, oh no, here's another point I need to stress. And so the first one is this, God sent forth His Son. And that word sent is a word of determinately, purposefully, God sent His Son. This is perhaps one of the greatest events in history. I mean, when you think of great events, perhaps many things might come to your mind. But one of the greatest events in human history takes place when God sends forth His Son into the world. It's an event that has been celebrated for over 2,000 years. It's an event that you can't simply wipe away. I mean, call this day what you want to call it. And whether or not you celebrate Christmas or not, at least this time of year, our attention, even with the unbelievers, is drawn upon what makes this day special, at least in our calendar. And it's the very fact that the Messiah came, that God was in the womb of a virgin." Now, what's implied even with this statement, God sent forth His Son, there is implied here that the Son was already. The Son was from eternity. Remember Micah tells us that? The Son has always existed with the Father. He is the eternal Word of God. Micah says, his going forth is from long ago, from days of eternity. You see, we can ask each other, when did your life begin? And there would be an answer. My life began nine months prior to August 1st. That's when my life began. If you ask Jesus, when did You begin? He has been from all eternity. He was with the Father in heaven. And that's also an amazing reality. He left the glories of heaven He left a perfect place. He left a place where the smells must be wonderful. Where the singing and the praising must be unbelievable. He left a place where there's no sin and sickness and death and disappointment. And here's the amazing thing. He was sent into a world where in all likelihood the first smell that entered his nostrils was the smell of cattle, or sheep, or pigs. He entered a world in which man has fallen. He left the glories of heaven and was made in the likeness of man. Therefore, I say with this statement, God sent forth His Son, it's a statement that points to the wonderful, incomprehensible love of God. That God would send His Son to sinners to opposition, to those who are hostile towards God. What love God must have to give His only Son for us. So, God sent His Son Secondly, He's born of a woman. He's born of a woman. This Redeemer that God sent was promised to come from the seed of a woman. Remember back in Genesis? The seed of a woman will crush your head. This child was born of a woman. He was born like every other human being. His mother would go through all the labor pains of any other woman when bearing a child. The second person of the Trinity is born just like every other human being comes into this world. He was made in the likeness of man. He was fully man and yet fully God. But certainly when Paul says he's born of a woman, it speaks of his humanity and his supernatural birth. Because remember, he's born of a virgin. He's born of a woman who's never been with a man. And remember how we read there in Luke, and Dr. Luke emphasized that reality. In one verse he mentions Mary being a virgin. God was in flesh in the womb of Mary for nine months. God begat Him in her womb. And He was born and lived a life just like everyone else. He would know the realities of hunger. Think of that. He would know what it is to be hungry. The One who created the world and everything in it would know hunger pains. He would know what it's like to be thirsty. He would know what it's like to be weary. He'd know what it's like to be tempted. He knows what it's like to face disappointments. He knows what it's like to experience pain and sorrow and joy and even death. He would die. He was born of a woman. But secondly, we are told, He is born under the law. Born under the law. God gave a standard as to how we are to live in this world. We have recently gone over that standard as we've gone through the book of Deuteronomy. There were ten words that God gave to His people. This you are to do. This is how you're to live. And when Jesus Christ came into this world, He was born under that law. And in chapter 3 of Galatians, the Apostle Paul addresses the fact that we've broken the law of God. And the consequence of breaking the law of God is to experience God's curse. God's wrath. Jesus Christ came into this world. He's born under that law, but but he never broke the law His his life was marked by perfect obedience to the law of God None of us can say that There are some of you here this morning. I don't know you I The ones I do know, I do know this to be a fact, but some of you I don't know, but I do know this. We've all broken God's law. We are guilty of breaking the law of God, and therefore rightly deserve to be punished. Galatians 3 and verse 10, cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law to perform them. That's pretty clear. You break God's law, then you're cursed, judged, and punished by God. And you may sit here, some of you, and say, well, I'm not that bad. I mean, I do my best to try to keep the law. But you failed, haven't you? Yeah, but there's people who have failed worse than I have. Okay. But you failed. Yeah, but I haven't done some of the real bad ones. Really? You don't think so? I've not killed anybody. Well, we've talked about that, haven't we? When the Word of God says, Thou shalt not murder, He takes into account even how you treat other people. And if you've hated someone, you're guilty of breaking that law. Remember back in Luke chapter 10, a lawyer comes to Jesus and asks Him about eternal life and how one receives eternal life. And Jesus answers him, and says, what is written in the law? How does that read? What does the law say? And the lawyer is quite a theologian. You know what the lawyer says? You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbors as yourself. What is the law of God? A summary of God's law is what? Love God, love your neighbor. Quite a theologian. Our Lord said to him, you have answered correctly. That's right. I sort of use my imagination and imagine the lawyer sort of, yeah, see, you thought you had me, didn't you? I know what the law says. Jesus says, yeah, you've answered correctly. You know what he says next? Do this. and live. Do you love God with all your heart? And have you loved your neighbor perfectly? So what does the lawyer do? I imagine he takes a deep breath. Well, oh, who's my neighbor? He's trying to justify himself. He knows he's guilty of breaking God's law. So who's my neighbor? And then we have the story of the Good Samaritan. Here's the point. We all live under the law of God. We all are commanded to love God with all of our soul, heart, mind and strength. And we're commanded to love one another. Which one of us has done that perfectly? I'm guilty of breaking that law. But there's one who came into this world, and he never broke that law. He lived his whole life loving God with all of his heart, mind, strength, and soul. And He loved His neighbors as Himself. He did it perfectly. Perfectly. Yet, you know what He did? Galatians chapter 3. He became a curse for us. That one who is born under the law, who obeyed the law perfectly, therefore did not deserve death and separation from God, became a curse for us. He became our substitute. That one who knew no sin became sin for us and took the wrath that we deserved and hung there on a cross and cried out, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? And in that, He became the Savior and the Redeemer and the Messiah that God had promised back in Genesis chapter 3. He crushed the head of Satan so that all who believe upon Him receive His righteousness, knowing that He's taken my sin. That's what He did. This is the One that was promised long ago. This is the One whom we celebrate. This is the One who came by a virgin and laid in a manger, but grew up, lived a perfect life, and died for His people. But He didn't stay dead. He conquered death. Three days later, He arose from the dead, conquering the last great enemy called death. Death could not hold Him. And so for those of us who know Him, death has lost its sting. The grave will not have the victory. He came. in the right way. But then thirdly and finally, notice from the passage, He came with a right purpose. With a right purpose. Notice verse 5, so that, there's that term, so that, what does that mean? For this purpose. Why did God send His Son into the world born of a woman, born under a law, so that, what? Well, first of all, so that He might redeem those under the law. Again, we're reminded we're all under the law of God, and yet we've broken God's law. And therefore, we are in bondage to sin. We are, as he mentions here in the first three verses of chapter 4, we are slaves to sin. We're in bondage. And we need deliverance. We need to be set free. And many people try to set themselves free from their sins. They believe that somehow they can pay the price themselves. And the argument goes something like this usually, you know, at the end of the day, God's going to put me on a scale, and He's going to have my good things and my bad things, and as long as my good things outweigh my bad things, then certainly He's going to accept me into His heaven. The problem is, without Christ, it goes like this. Because anything good that we've done in ourselves is tainted with sin. There are not enough good things. And so the Savior and the Deliverer and the Redeemer is found in Jesus Christ and in Christ alone. He came into this world in order to redeem His people. He's paid their penalty. And He has brought them out of bondage. But not only that. I mean, that would be wonderful. That in itself is enough. If He brings me out of bondage of sin, that's wonderful. But you know what else? He brings me into His family. He brings me into His family. Notice what the verse says. So that we might receive the adoption as sons. Somebody says, He's taken us out of the slave market and brought us into His living room. He makes us His sons. We are part of the family of God. And we have the full privilege in the family of God. We have access to the Father. Remember there in Micah, he talks about gathering his brethren together. And the picture of that is bringing together a family. And there's One who cares for us, who will protect us, who will keep us secure. And that One is Jesus Christ. We have access to the Father. We now have Christ as our elder brother. And we make up, those of us who are believers, make up this community, this family of God. We are brothers and sisters of one another. And now we can enjoy a blessed, sweet communion with God. That's why He came. He came not only to redeem us, But He came to adopt us and bring us into the family so that our lives radically change having come to know Him. We are His children. And so our journey comes to an end. We started back in Genesis. Went through Isaiah, Micah, and Luke. And we see that God keeps His Word. And He's provided us a Redeemer and a Savior. Can I ask you this question? Is He your Redeemer? Is He your Savior? Do you know Him? And someone may be here this morning and ask, well, how can one really know Him? Well, let me give you one example. I've given it before. It's in the Bible. There was one man who simply cried out, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. I'm not going to ask you to walk an aisle. I'm not going to ask you to sign a card. Right there, alone with God, you can say, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. A jailer man once asked the question, what must I do to gain eternal life? You know the answer? Believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ. God is ready to show mercy. God is ready to show mercy and grace to all who call upon Him. So often we have this picture of God as being this harsh, unloving, cranky old man. But God is a merciful and loving God. How do I know? He gave us His only Son. And so is your hope. Is your hope not in a baby, but in a Savior, a Redeemer who gave His life that we might live? Let's pray. Father, we do give You thanks for Jesus Christ. We thank You that He has come. And we thank You that He was born of a woman and even born under the law. And that He is the perfect sacrifice that we need for our sins. Father, we pray that those of us who know You might rejoice in such a great Redeemer and Savior. But those who may be here who do not know You, Oh, may today be a day of salvation. Father, may You open their eyes. May they see their need of a Savior and a Redeemer. And even this day, run to Christ. Lay hold of Him and not let Him go. Father, we pray that as those who've been adopted into the family of God, our lives will demonstrate that we are the children of God. That we will reflect our Father in how we live. And so we do give You thanks. Our words seem so little with regard to how grateful we are for this salvation that is found in Your Son. So Father, may Your Spirit make the Word of God effective to Your glory and honor as we ask these things in Christ's name, Amen. In closing, I would ask that you take your hymns of grace and sing this wonderful Christmas hymn, In Christ Alone. In Christ Alone. There in verse 2. I don't know if you've ever thought about it as a Christmas hymn. But in Christ alone, who took on flesh, fullness of God in helpless babe, this gift of love and righteousness scorned from the ones He came to save. I thought about what song we would end on this morning. I thought this is a wonderful Christmas hymn to sing on about that one who took on flesh that we might know the forgiveness of sin. 177 in the Trinity hymn book. I mean, not the Trinity, Hymns of Grace. In Christ alone, my hope is found. He is my life, my strength, my song. There's no other song on this solid ground. What lies above, what there's beneath? And here's my shield which I can chase. I'm overjoyed, I own it all. Here in the prize I submit. Christ the Lord, who took on flesh, was not in heaven the same. His gift of love and righteousness, swore by those He came to save. Then on that cross that Jesus died, ♪ No man on earth was satisfied ♪ ♪ For ever sin on him was laid ♪ ♪ Here in the blood of Christ I live ♪ ♪ Here in the ground his body laid ♪ ♪ By the blood my heart has slain ♪ Then bursting forth with glory said, I will make thee also man. And as he stands in victory, His purse has washed its grip on me For I am His, and He is mine One precious blood of Christ Built in life, not there in death, this is the power of Christ in me. From light to strife, to final breath, Jesus learns my destiny. Christ alone, my hope is found. Delighted you're here. And if you haven't, if you're visiting with us, please sign our guest book, which is located there towards the rear of the auditorium. All right. Enjoy your day.