Galatians 4:4-5 – The Gospel – Bible study

Galatians 4:4-5 The Gospel I want to speak to you this morning on the greatest treasure, the gospel. Most know that our Bible has four books in it which give us the gospel, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Paul doesnt write a gospel; but he does write a set of summary verses that gives us the gospel. Think of that, two verses which accurately summarize what four writers took many chapters to give us. We are reading those verses now. Lets consider those thoughts this morning. I. The Time-Jesus came at the right time. A. This statement is telling us that when Jesus came into the world, He was coming in Gods own time. B. The Bible says of Jesus that He came when the time was full. 1. Generally speaking, that means that Jesus came when the time was right. a. Many take that to mean that God chose the best possible time for Jesus to come. b. By that, they mean a time when the world was somewhat unified under Roman rule, had developed some reasonable means of transportation (including the famous Roman roads), and had a universal language (Greek). 2. However, we should note that anytime for God is the right time. a. Perhaps the time when Jesus came was a good time but I dont think the Almighty God was sitting up in heaven waiting for mankind to develop empires, roads, and languages so that the coming of Jesus could be optimized. b. God could set up those kinds of conditions and even better conditions whenever He desired. 3. To me, the wording seems to be giving a more ominous message. C. The word for FULL means to be filled, to be complete, to reach capacity. 1. The use of that word seems to indicate Something in the scope of Gods eternity was reaching its capacity. a. It almost sounds like there was an urgency or a need to Christs coming; as if Jesus did not come when He did, something would spill over. b. Let me hastily say that I do not know that to be the case. 2. However, I wonder, if it were possible that Gods limit of mercy was about to be reached. a. Often, I have thought of Gods wrath as a pot about to boil over. b. We know that Gods mercy had kept God from pouring that cauldron of judgment upon the world. 3. Have you ever asked yourself how God did that? What exactly does mercy do to the justice of God? a. Mercy does not remove the wrath or justice of God. (1) Some seem to think that mercy is a ladle that reaches into the cauldron of wrath and dips some out. (2) Nothing that was done before Jesus death ever removed, reduced, or redacted a single sin. b. I would speculate that mercy must enlarge the cauldron.. (1) That is, mercy allows God to hold onto more of the wrath that is to come. (2) Nothing of old abated or removed sin. Every sin must be paid for. (3) Mercy just made a bigger pot. 4. Regardless of how mercy works, we should know that Gods mercy has limits. a. Ask Noahs (flood), Isaiah (Assyrian captivity), Jeremiah, Daniel, or Ezekiel (Babylon captivity). b. They will tell you that Gods mercy will run out. 5. If there was no method of removing the sins of mankind, I wonder if Gods mercy might not have been reaching its limit? a. Perhaps Gods cauldron of justice was about full and there would be no more enlargement. b. If so, the whole human race may have been but a hairs breadth from total annihilation. 6. When Jesus came, He something that had never been done before. a. He removed sin. b. The sins which are put under the blood of Jesus Christ are not hide, covered, or shelved. They are gone. 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; c. This is what forgiveness is. (1) Forgiveness is a sin being brought before God and being dealt with. (2) The judgment for that sin is placed upon Jesus Christ. (3) In so doing, that sin and its judgment are finished. (4) There is nothing to go into the cauldron of justice for the sin is paid for and forever forgotten. d. This was something that had never been done before. II. The Curse-Jesus came under the Law. A. That statement doesnt mean very much to us for we are not under the Law; but if we had to live under it, it would certainly mean something to us. B. To be under the Law means that you are measured and judged by the Law. 1. The law sets a high standard. a. To break any Law, no matter how seemingly small the infraction might be, was to be guilty of breaking all of the Law. b. Hence the standard was perfection. 2. The penalties were stiffoften death. 3. No earthly human has ever been able to keep all of the Law. C. Jesus came and lived under this curse. 1. Hence, Jesus had to be absolutely perfect. 2. He had to keep all of the laws of God. 3. Even more, Jesus had to keep the spirit of all of the laws. D. Hollywood likes to make their blasphemous movies and authors like to write their blasphemous books; but if Jesus committed any sin no matter how small 1. then He could not be the Savior. 2. and He could not be God. 3. and if He were God, the very fabric of time and space as we know it, would come apart at the seams, for the God we know would cease to exist. III. The Plan-Jesus came of a woman. A. "made of a woman" the Bible says. 1. This is a reference to the incarnation of Jesus. 2. Jesus is God, but not God alone. He is God and Man. B. This makes Jesus the One and only Who belongs to both worlds. 1. Jesus understands completely sin, justice, and mercy; for He is God. 2. At the same time, Jesus understands weakness, temptation, grief, and loss; for He is Man. Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. C. The fact that Jesus was made of a woman, gives Him several abilities: 1. He can identify with mankinds weakness. a. Jesus understands hunger, weariness, "a day long and a dollar short." 2. He can experience mankinds emotions. a. Jesus understands brokenness. Have you not read how Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus? b. Jesus understood loss. Have you know read of His reaction to hearing that John the Baptist had been beheaded? c. Jesus understood anger. Have you not read how gazed upon the people with anger when they would have refused Him the right to heal a man who had a withered hand? 3. He can be tempted. 4. He can die. 5. He can be victorious. IV. The Point-Jesus came to redeem mankind. A. I have already mentioned that Jesus coming and death gave the ability to have sin removed. 1. However. God was not satisfied with us merely giving us that ability. 2. His stated purpose in coming was to effect that goal. 3. Jesus came to REDEEM mankind, to bring them out from under the curse of the Law. Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 15:4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? Ezekiel 34:16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick. B. Christians need to understand the concept of the word REDEEM. 1. You will notice that the word begins with the letters R-E. 2. That prefix on a word means "again." a. REpeat means to do some action AGAIN. b. REturn means to go AGAIN to a location. c. REpent means to go return AGAIN to a state of humility and obedience. 3. To be redeemed means to be purchased AGAIN. a. We are already Gods because He is our Maker. b. As Maker, God is also our Owner. c. As Maker and Owner, God is our Master. d. Sadly, sin entered and separated us from God, thus damning us to hell. e. Yet, Gods Son, paid the price for sinHis lifethat we might AGAIN be Gods and AGAIN be in fellowship with Him. 4. This was and is the purpose of Jesus coming. A gathering of friends at an English estate nearly turned to tragedy when one of the children strayed into deep water. The gardener heard the cries for help, plunged in, and rescued the drowning child. That youngsters name was Winston Churchill. His grateful parents asked the gardener what they could do to reward him. He hesitated, then said, "I wish my son could go to college someday and become a doctor." "Well see to it," Churchills parents promised. Years later, while Sir Winston was prime minister of England, he was stricken with pneumonia. The countrys best physician was summoned. His name was Dr. Alexander Fleming, the man who discovered and developed penicillin. He was also the son of that gardener who had saved young Winston from drowning. Later Churchill remarked, "Rarely has one man owed his life twice to the same person." Ron Hutchcraft, Wake Up Calls, Moody, 1990, p. 22. C. There is no human being on this planet now, in the past, or in the future, whom God will force to be saved. However, there is not one whom God has not sought after with diligence and invited to Himself. 1. Friend, Jesus came for you. 2. Reject Him if you wish, but He came for you. 3. Had you been the only one on this planet that needed Him, I believe He still would have come for you. D. Each person needs to understand exactly what is required for you to be redeemed (saved). 1. You must believe who Jesus is and what Jesus did. 2. You must surrender yourself to Him. V. The Conclusion-Jesus came that we might be adopted into Gods family. A. But Jesus plan was not merely to save us. He wants to save us then place us into His family. 1. Adoption-What a beautiful word! 2. The idea to the word is to take someone who is missing the most essential and important element of lifea familyand give them one. a. A human might make it in life without a job, without money, and without good health, but it is doubtful that they will make it without family. b. God has created us so that in both in the earliest days and the last days of our lives, we need family. c. The fact of the matter is that without someone to help us, we would live long enough to be able to take care of ourselves. d. I dont mean to knock nurses, hospitals, or nursing homes; but nobody will take care of you like family will. B. Jesus ultimate plan is to make us a part of His family. 1. I dont know that much about adoption, but as far as I know, it is not possible to adopt someone without making them an heir. 2. I suppose you can write a will that excludes a person, but it is a work you must undertake to do; for by nature, an adoption gives to the adoptee that which the father has. 3. Jesus did not come just to remove our sins. 4. He came to make us a part of His family.