CHRISTMAS: Celebrating The Fullness of The Time

Sermon by Ven. Dr I. U. Ibeme at Borno State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Christmas Unity Service on 26/12/2007

TEXT:

Gal 4:3-7

(3)  So we also, when we   were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world:

(4)  but when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

(5)  that he might redeem them which were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

(6)  And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

(7)  So that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

 

CONTENTS:

I) THE BIRTH OF CHRIST IS WORTH CELEBRATING.

II) CHRISTMAS SHOULD BE CELEBRATED ACCORDING TO BIBLICAL DECLARATIONS AND EXAMPLES

            1. Because the coming of Christ is epoch-making

            2. Because the coming of Christ brought us out of bondage

            3. Because Christ’s coming brought us into sonship

            4. Because Christ’s coming brought us assurance by the Holy Spirit

III) WE HAVE A REASON TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST

 

 

I) THE BIRTH OF CHRIST IS WORTH CELEBRATING.

While St John and St Mark in their Gospel traditions did not say much about the birth of Christ, St Luke and St Matthew devoted so much space and detail in their Gospel records to the birth of Christ.

 

For St John who wrote mainly to clarify the Person of Christ, the stress was on the divinity of Christ as the Incarnate Word of God, possessing the fullness of all divine Grace and Truth as the Son of God (John 1:1-18). St John stressed and explained how and why THE CHRIST is (and must be) the embodiment of both THE WORD OF GOD and THE SPIRIT OF GOD.  Jesus is the fully divine Christ and Messiah. Jesus has brought us the saving grace. Halleluiah!

 

According to Matthew, Christ’s birth was celebrated by the Stars in the heavens (Matt. 2: 2, 9,10); while the Gentile Wise-Men marked it on earth with a long, star-guided journey, gathering together of Men of God for biblical inquiry, worship and presentation of expensive gifts (Matt. 2:1-12).

 

According to Luke, Christ’s birth was celebrated by Angels with Gospel proclamation of Great Joy for all people, peace and goodwill on the whole earth and singing of Christmas carol in the heavenlies (Luke 2:8-14); while on earth it was celebrated by Jewish Shepherds with a visit, evangelism and praise to God (Luke 2:15-20).

 

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II) CHRISTMAS SHOULD BE CELEBRATED ACCORDING TO BIBLICAL DECLARATIONS AND EXAMPLES

People of God, Christmas should be a celebration of the birth of Christ marked by great joy, travels to visit, biblical inquiry from Men of God, worship and praise to God with carol singing, preaching of the Gospel, making peace, exchange of goodwill (greetings and gifts) and presentation of offerings. Christmas is not a time for smoking and drinking parties, rancor, armed robbery, sexual immorality, carousing and rioting. Christmas should be a time of making peace and sharing goodwill amongst all people, both Jews and Gentiles – a time for all humanity to join the Angels in praising God with great joy for the gift of the Saviour. But more than merely how to celebrate the birth of Christ we need to know the reason why we should celebrate God’s timely gift of His Son for the salvation of the world. Our text gives us some helpful insights.

 

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1. Because the coming of Christ is epoch-making

Gal 4:4-5

(4)  but when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

(5)  that he might redeem them which were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

 

BUT WHEN THE FULNESS OF THE TIME CAME (Gal 4:4a)

In the secret wisdom of God there is an eternally packaged programme called “THE DISPENSATION OF THE FULLNESS OF THE TIMES” (Eph 1:10) or “THE DISPENSATION OF THE GRACE OF GOD” (Eph 3:2).  This is an eternally spiritual, budgeted intervention plan, stipulating how much and the time frame for the wise and prudent disbursement of God’s “Riches of Grace” for the redemption of the whole creation IN CHRIST. The word “dispensation” (Gk=oikonomia) means “management plan” or “administrative programme” or “disbursement plan”. Our English word “economy” is derived from this Greek root. The aim of this eternal dispensation (intervention budget plan) is to give the whole creation meaning and head by bringing all things together in His Son Jesus Christ.

 

NOTE: Dispensation in the Bible is not the same as the theological Dispensational Theory. When the Apostles spoke of DISPENSATION this has to do with GOD’S ETERNALLY, READY-MADE PLAN TO DIRECTLY INTERVENE IN CREATION THROUGH CHRIST, TO BRING HUMANITY TO GLORY IN CHRIST.

# The first was when the WORD made man in God’s likeness (this was when illumination and election were dispensed while slavery under the law and rudimentary bondage prevailed).

##The next fullness of time was when the WORD took up flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ (this is NOW when regeneration and redemption are dispensed while freedom/liberty and adoption prevail).

###The next fullness of time is when Christ will come again to take all believers to Himself, then resurrection and glorification shall be dispensed while kingdom inheritance and victorious reign of the righteous shall prevail).

This gives us three AGES:

*Age without Christ, when Satan was cast down from heaven but not bound;

**Age with Christ indwelling believers by the Holy Spirit, when Satan is partially bound; and

***Age with Christ fully present in glory, when Satan shall be fully bound and judged.

 

Eph 1:7-11

(7)  in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

(8)  which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

(9)  having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him

(10)  unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, I say,

(11)  in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will;

 

Because this plan is only revealed through the Holy Spirit, many philosophers, sages, prophets, cultures, traditions and rudimentary religions of this world which offer neither remedy for sin nor access to the indwelling fellowship of the Holy Spirit, are not aware of this eternal, mysterious counsel of God in Christ as the Scripture says:

 

1Co 2:7-10

(7)  but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory:

(8)  which none of the rulers of this world knoweth: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory:

(9)  but as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him.

(10)  But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

 

Even, many Christians are either not aware of, or misunderstand God’s prudent plan for the disbursement of His Grace, but the Holy Spirit who alone knows the mind of God has revealed these things to us through Christ and His holy Apostles, as God’s Word testifies:

 

 Eph 3:2-7

(2)  if so be that ye have heard of the dispensation of that grace of God which was given me to you–ward;

(3)  how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote afore in few words,

(4)  whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;

(5)  which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;

(6)  to wit, that the Gentiles are fellow–heirs, and fellow–members of the body, and fellow–partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,

(7)  whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.

 

This revealed mystery is the reason why we should not only celebrate the coming of Christ with great joy, but give unalloyed submission to the Lordship of Christ over all our lives. In God’s plan of disbursing His grace for our salvation, the birth of Christ marked the most important fullness of time. The coming of Christ marked the end of the old programme and the beginning of the new.

 

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2. Because the coming of Christ brought us out of bondage

Before this very particular and most important fullness of time, the whole humanity was in bondage of spiritual slavery. Before Christ came, the Jewish religion was monotheistic, prophetic, revealed and legalistic, yet it had no answer to the power of sin nor did it offer the Spirit of sonship to anyone.

 

(Act 13:39)  And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

 

(Rom 8:3)  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

 

The best the Old Testament could give was the heavy burden of unending ablutions, cyclic rituals, and repetitive sacrifices. On the other hand, the Gentile religions only had innumerable gods and goddesses, cyclic rituals, meaningless legends and baseless superstitions. The birth of Jesus marked the end to this hopeless bondage. The birth of Jesus marked the fullness of time appointed by God in his prudent wisdom to send us the Saviour to accomplish our redemption for us, not merely another prophet with revelations as has always been. Praise the Lord! Let us turn to our text in Galatians chapter 4.

 

GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON, BORN OF A WOMAN, BORN UNDER THE LAW (Gal 4:4b)

All humans are born of women; in addition all Jews are born under the Law, as all people are born under their cultural and religious laws. In accordance with His eternal counsel, God sent forth the divine Godhead to take up human flesh to be born as everyone in whatever tribe or creed is born. He came as Immanuel (God with us) through the virgin birth, as the prophets predicted (Isa. 7:14). Christ came for all who are born like Him, of a woman or under the Law. God did not wait for Humanity to look for the solution by themselves, rather God sent the solution to our problem and identified with us where we are, when the time was ripe. What great grace!

 

When the time came for God to override the bondage of religion and disburse grace and salvation as he had planned, God sent His Son. God would not allow such an ultimate plan to be dispensed through Prophets or Angels. And when the Son has accomplished all things, God sent His Spirit to dwell in the hearts of those who repent to believe in the Son. The best that Angels and prophets can bring is revelation but not redemption. Only the Son has the power and authority to bring redemption. That is why Jesus has to come. Thank God.

 

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3. Because Christ’s coming brought us into sonship

THAT HE MIGHT REDEEM THEM WHICH WERE UNDER THE LAW, THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE THE ADOPTION OF SONS (Gal 4:5)

The Gospel of Christ is not meant to introduce another religion. No! No! It is GOOD NEWS bringing the grace and salvation which angelic and prophetic religions with their bondages cannot give. Religions impose burdensome and rigorous regulations and ways of living with the uncertain hope that God may, through our rigors, count us worthy to inherit his paradise. Religion perpetuates slavery but adoption and salvation frees us from slavery into the liberty of sons.

 

Rom 8:21

(21)  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

 

Gal 5:1

(1)  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

 

Revelation without Eternal Redemption leads to empty, aimless and wishful, religious exercise. The birth of Christ marked the end of all such futility and the beginning of our freedom. This is indeed “good tidings of great joy...to all people” as the Angel said in Luke 2:10, and calls for celebration by all.

 

A criminal in prison bondage can never on his own work out his release without the help of free citizens. Even more so a sinner under condemnation and bondage cannot attain and achieve his freedom from sin’s penalty and power, except someone sinless and free (ie Messiah) helps him/her. God has sent His sinless Son from heaven to come down and obtain our redemption from the Law of sin and death in order to freely grant us the right of sonship. As adopted sons we are fit to inherit the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ came and accomplished all we need to become free from bondage, if only we BELIEVE in Christ and RECIEVE the freedom and sonship He offers by faith. This calls for celebration. Those who deny or reject the SONSHIP OF JESUS forfeit their own right of sonship – they have themselves to blame because the choice is theirs.

 

1Jo 5:1

(1)  Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God: and whosoever loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

 

1Jo 5:9-12

(9)  If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for the witness of God is this, that he hath borne witness concerning his Son.

(10)  He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he hath not believed in the witness that God hath borne concerning his Son.

(11)  And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

(12)  He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life.

This is not a matter for argument; it is a matter of personal choice with eternal blessing or eternal danger. Not a matter for compulsion but of free choice. You are free to choose to be what you want to be. Slaves cannot inherit the kingdom but sons do.

 

(Gal 4:7)  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

 

 Wise counsel is this: repentance from sin and faith in Christ is all you need, then you shall be saved from your sins and be authorized to be God’s adopted son, born again through the Holy Spirit. The New birth is that spiritual regenerating power of sonship that makes us God’s children when we believe in Christ.

 

Joh 1:12-13

(12)  But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name:

(13)  which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

 

There is even more to this as the next verse from our text throws more light.

 

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4. Because Christ’s coming brought us assurance by the Holy Spirit

AND BECAUSE YE ARE SONS, GOD HATH SENT FORTH THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON INTO YOUR HEARTS, CRYING, ABBA, FATHER (Gal 4:6)

The Christian Faith is the one Faith that addresses God as Father without feeling odd about it. This is so because as believers in Christ we are assured by the Holy Spirit that we are already sons of God and heirs of the Kingdom. Whatever we pass through now in this life is NOT IN ORDER TO ATTAIN sonship, rather it is BECAUSE WE HAVE ALREADY OBTAINED sonship through Christ’s blood. It is because we are already sons that we become empowered by the Spirit to resist sin and the devil – this is the salvation and grace offered in Christ. We do not attain to sonship because we stopped to sin or tried to do good – that is what religion tries to teach. The Scripture pointed out this error even in the Old Testament religion:

 

Rom 10:1-4

(1)  Brethren, my heart’s desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved.

(2)  For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

(3)  For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

(4)  For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth.

 

Our righteous deeds without the power of the Spirit are so filthy that they cannot cancel our sins. Only the Blood of Christ can wash our sins away if we repent and believe in Him.

 

(Isa 64:6)  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

 

Rom 5:6-11

(6)  For while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly.

(7)  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: for peradventure for the good man some one would even dare to die.

(8)  But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

(9)  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath of God through him.

(10)  For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life;

(11)  and not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

 

But after we have been born anew to become God’s children, we receive the power to withstand the devil and do good to all, even when doing good is inconvenient – like loving our enemies. This is wonderful! Only the Christian Gospel teaches love towards enemies and doing good to one’s haters.

 

(Mat 5:44)  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

 

Why? Because the power to do so has been given to us through the Holy Spirit. And this calls for celebration!

 

 (Rom 5:5)  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

 

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III) WE HAVE A REASON TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST

My brothers and sisters in Christ, God has gathered us here together today to let us know that, if truly you have repented and truly believe in Christ as the Son of God, sent forth to be your Redeemer, Saviour and Lord, then you should celebrate this fullness of time with great joy and gratitude to God. Our celebration should go beyond the Christmas period into the rest of our lives. The life of a Christian is a life of great joy and gratitude to God because JESUS HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD and our faith in Christ has GIVEN US VICTORY OVER THE WORLD. Despite all its trappings, taints, temptings and tilts, the world is not able to stop us from joyful conformity to godliness.

 

Joh 16:33

(33)  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

 

1Jo 5:4

(4)  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

 

We are gathered here to let the whole world know that something great for humanity took place when Christ was born. When we dismiss from here let your light continue to shine so that when people see your good works they will glorify God because of your lives. MERRY CHRISMAS

 

VENERABLE DR I. U. IBEME  http://priscaquila.t35.com

 

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