BORN UNDER THE LAW

Text: Galatians 4:1-7

I. “THE FULLNESS OF TIME” (Galatians 4:4; cf. 1 Timothy 3:15-16)

A. “The fullness of time” indicates that Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and promises.

1. Jesus was not born so that a new religion would be started.

2. Jesus was born of a virgin “to fulfill” what God had said through the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14 with Matthew 1:21-23).

Incarnation – the word incarnation is a Latin word meaning “en-flesh-ment”. In Christianity it describes when God the Son became a man (John 1:14). As the Son of God, Jesus has always been God. Yet, a little over 2,007 years ago, the Son of God, remaining God, became what He was not – a MAN (The Incarnation involves addition and not subtraction). It is a mystery we cannot fully understand.

3. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).

B. With the birth of Christ came a division of the ages, and the new creation.

1. B.C. (Before Christ)

2. A.D. Anno Domini (Latin: "In the year of (Our) Lord")

II. GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON, BORN OF A WOMAN (Galatians 4:4; John 3:16-17; Romans 8:3-4; 1 John 4:9,10)

A. That Jesus was “sent” implies that He existed before He was born and is therefore divine (Isaiah 9:6,7; Micah 5:2; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 10:4; Colossians 1:15–17; cf. Psalm 45:6 with Heb.1:8,9; Psalm 68:17,18 with Eph.4:8-10; Psalm 102:25-27 with Hebrews 1:10-12; Psalm 97:7 with Heb.1:6; 110; Isaiah 6:1-3 with John 12:41; Isaiah 9:6; Jeremiah 23:5,6; Micah 5:2; Zechariah 2:8, 9; Matthew 2:11; 14:33; 16:16; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-3; 3:13; 5:18; 8:57, 58; 10:30; 17:5; 20:28; Acts 9:20; 20:28; Romans 9:5; 10:3,4,9; Philippians 2:5,6; Colossians 1:15-17; 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:16; Titus 2:13,14; Hebrews 1; 2 Peter 1:1; 1 John 3:16; 5:20; Revelation 1:8; 5:11-14; etc. etc.).

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” (Micah 5:2)

B. That Jesus was born of a woman teaches us that Jesus is truly man (cf. Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:26–38.).

1. It’s interesting that Paul does not use the name of Jesus’ mother, “Mary.”

2. The last time that Mary’s name is found in the New Testament is in Acts 1 when she was in the Upper Room with the other Apostles (Acts 1:14).

3. Mary is blessed among women for giving birth to the Son of God (Luke 1:42,48).

4. “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.”… “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” (Luke 11:27-28)

III. JESUS WAS BORN UNDER THE LAW (Galatians 4:4)

A. That Jesus was “born under the Law” is just as important for our salvation as the Virgin Birth, His deity, His humanity and His being the Yea and Amen of all God’s promises.

B. The Incarnation has been romanticized and misrepresented.

1. While manger scenes depict onlooking animals, the Bible says nothing about animals watching the birth of Jesus.

2. The “three” magi were probably not three in number and did not visit Jesus in the manger (Matthew 2:1-11).

a. There were three gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh but we don’t know how many magi (Matthew 2:11).

b. Scripture says that when the Queen of Sheba went to visit Solomon she came “with a very large retinue” (1 Kings 10:2).

c. The facts of the Incarnation are not sung accurately (Away in a Manger).

i. Christians shouldn’t be surprised that the world has commercialized Christmas. That’s the way the world is!

ii. Christians shouldn’t be surprised that the world wants politically correct greetings like “Happy Holidays.” That’s the way the world is!

iii. Shouldn’t Christians be concerned when their views about one of the most important events in all history is not biblical?

C. Not only does Paul emphasize that Jesus was “born under the Law” but Luke does the same thing.

1. Jesus was circumcised on the 8^th Day (Luke 2:21; Genesis 17:11-12).

2. Jesus’ parents offered the proper sacrifices after He was born according to the Law of Moses (Luke 2:22-24; cf. Leviticus 12:1-8; Numbers 18:15-16).

3. “When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee” (Luke 2:39).

4. Jesus continued in subjection to his parents (Luke 2:51 with Exodus 20:12).

5. It is likely that Luke’s Gospel was largely influenced by Paul’s teaching and preaching (see Luke 1:1-4).

“Christ’s obedience consists of the keeping of the law as Surety for the elect, by which they obtain a perfect righteousness with which they can abide the righteous judgment of God, the righteous Judge. This is to be observed in the following passages: “For what the law could not do...God sending His own Son...that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us” (Rom. 8:3–4); “God sent forth His Son...made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law” (Gal. 4:4–5); “I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matthew 5:17); “So by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Rom. 5:19)” (Wilhelmus àBrakel, The Christian's Reasonable Service, Vol. 3; p.68).

a. Galatians was written about 50 A.D. Luke’s Gospel was written around 59 A.D.

b. Paul and Luke were travelling companions (Colossians 4:14; 2 Tim.4:11; Philemon 24).

D. We couldn’t have been saved from our sins had Jesus not been born under the Law (Galatians 4:4-5).

1. Jesus was born under the law so that He could die for our sins.

2. Jesus was born under the law so that He could live for our righteousness by keeping all the requirements of the Law.

QUESTIONS FOR SABBATH DISCUSSION & MEDITATION

Take what you have learned this morning and make it into a prayer. Ask God to give you opportunities to talk with others about the meaning of Jesus’ birth during this holiday season.

What does the word “incarnation” mean?

What does Galatians 4:4 mean when it says Jesus was born in the “fullness of time”?

Was Jesus born in 0 A.D.? Explain (hint: Dionysius Exiguus, a.k.a. “Dennis the Short).

How is the deity of Jesus implied in the words “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son”?

What does it mean that Jesus was “born under the Law”? How is this one of the forgotten truths of the Incarnation?

How does Luke’s Gospel emphasize that Jesus was born under the Law?

Has the modern day American church romanticized the Incarnation? Explain.

What are some common misconceptions about the birth of Jesus?