Advent24 - Day 7
Saturday – December 7
Read: But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (Galatians 4:4–5)
Reflect
The Great Birthday and Our Coming of Age
by Charles H Spurgeon
God sent his Son in real humanity—“born of woman.” Perhaps you may get nearer to it if you say, “made to be born of woman,” for both ideas are present, the being made and the being born. Christ was really and truly of the substance of his mother, as certainly as any other infant that is born into the world is so. God did not create the human nature of Christ apart, and then transmit it into mortal existence by some special means; but his Son was made and born of a woman. He is, therefore, of our race, a man like ourselves, and not man of another stock. You are to make no mistake about it: He is not only of humanity, but of your humanity; for that which is born of a woman is brother to us, be it born when it may.
Yet there is an omission, I doubt not intentional, to show how holy was that human nature, for he is born of a woman, not of a man. The Holy Spirit overshadowed the Virgin, and “that holy thing” (Luke 1:35 kjv) was born of her without the original sin which pertains to our race by natural descent. Here is a pure humanity though a true humanity; a true humanity though free from sin. Born of a woman, he was of few days and full of trouble (Job 14:1); born of a woman, he was compassed with our physical infirmities; but as he was not born of man he was altogether without tendency to evil or delight therein. I beg you to rejoice in this near approach of Christ to us. Ring out the glad bells, if not in the spires and steeples, yet within your own hearts; for gladder news did never greet your ear than this, that he that is the Son of God was also “born of woman.”
Still further it is added, that God sent his Son made under the law or “born under the law”; for the word is the same in both cases; and by the same means by which he came to be of a woman he came under the law. And now admire and wonder! The Son of God has come under the law. He was the Law-Maker and the Law-Giver, and he is both the Judge of the law and the Executioner of the law, and yet he himself came under the law. No sooner was he born of a woman than he came under the law, and this voluntarily and yet necessarily. He willed to be a man, and being a man, he accepted the position, and stood in the place of man as subject to the law of the race. When they took him and circumcised him according to the law, it was publicly declared that he was under the law. During the rest of his life, you will observe how reverently he observed the commands of God. Even to the ceremonial law as it was given by Moses, he had scrupulous regard. He despised the traditions and superstitions of men, but for the rule of the dispensation he had a high respect.
By way of rendering service unto God on our behalf, he came under the moral law. He kept his Father’s commandments. He obeyed to the full both the first and the second tables [the Ten Commandments] (Exodus 20:3–17); for he loved God with all his heart, and his neighbor as himself (Mark 12:30–31). “I delight to do your will, O my God,” says he, “your law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8). He could truly say of the Father, “I always do the things that are pleasing to him” (John 8:29).
Yet it was a marvelous thing that the King of kings should be under the law; and especially that he should come under the penalty of the law as well as the service of it. “Being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). As our Surety and Substitute he came under the curse of the law; being made a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). Having taken our place and espoused our nature, though without sin himself, he came under the rigorous demands of justice, and in due time he bowed his head to the sentence of death. “He laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16). He died the just for the unjust, to bring us to God.
In this mystery of his incarnation, in this wonderful substitution of himself in the place of sinful men, lies the ground of that wonderful advance which believers made when Jesus came in the flesh. His advent in human form commenced the era of spiritual maturity and freedom. What else has he come for? Notice further, “that we might receive the adoption as sons.” The Lord Jesus Christ has come in human flesh that his people might to the full realize, grasp, and enjoy, “the adoption as sons.” I want you to see if you can do that. May the Holy Spirit enable you. What is it to receive the adoption as sons? Why to feel, “Now I am under the mastery of love, as a dear child, who is both loved and loving. I go in and out of my Father’s house not as a casual servant, called in by the day or the week, but as a child at home. I am not looking for hire as a servant, for I am ever with my Father, and all that he has is mine. My God is my Father, and his presence makes me glad (Psalm 21:6). I am not afraid of him, but I delight in him, for nothing can separate me from him (Romans 8:38–39). I feel a perfect love that casts out fear (1 John 4:18), and I delight myself in him.”
Try now and enter into that spirit. That is why Christ has come in the flesh—on purpose that you, his people, may be to the full the adopted children of the Lord, acting out and enjoying all the privileges which sonship secures to you.
https://www.ccel.org/ccel/spurgeon/sermons30.lix.html
Respond
How is your joy doing this season? We have so much to be joyful for regardless of what’s going on outside of us. Rejoice in the truth that God has adopted you through Jesus Christ.
Rejoice
It Came upon a Midnight Clear
It came upon the midnight clear,
that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth
to touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, good will to men,
from heaven's all-gracious King."
The world in solemn stillness lay,
to hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come
with peaceful wings unfurled,
and still their heavenly music floats
o'er all the weary world;
above its sad and lowly plains,
they bend on hovering wing,
and ever o'er its Babel sounds
the blessed angels sing.
And ye, beneath life's crushing load,
whose forms are bending low,
who toil along the climbing way
with painful steps and slow,
look now! for glad and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
and hear the angels sing!
For lo! the days are hastening on,
by prophet seen of old,
when with the ever-circling years
shall come the time foretold
when peace shall over all the earth
its ancient splendors fling,
and the whole world send back the song
which now the angels sing.
Read: But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (Galatians 4:4–5)
Reflect
The Great Birthday and Our Coming of Age
by Charles H Spurgeon
God sent his Son in real humanity—“born of woman.” Perhaps you may get nearer to it if you say, “made to be born of woman,” for both ideas are present, the being made and the being born. Christ was really and truly of the substance of his mother, as certainly as any other infant that is born into the world is so. God did not create the human nature of Christ apart, and then transmit it into mortal existence by some special means; but his Son was made and born of a woman. He is, therefore, of our race, a man like ourselves, and not man of another stock. You are to make no mistake about it: He is not only of humanity, but of your humanity; for that which is born of a woman is brother to us, be it born when it may.
Yet there is an omission, I doubt not intentional, to show how holy was that human nature, for he is born of a woman, not of a man. The Holy Spirit overshadowed the Virgin, and “that holy thing” (Luke 1:35 kjv) was born of her without the original sin which pertains to our race by natural descent. Here is a pure humanity though a true humanity; a true humanity though free from sin. Born of a woman, he was of few days and full of trouble (Job 14:1); born of a woman, he was compassed with our physical infirmities; but as he was not born of man he was altogether without tendency to evil or delight therein. I beg you to rejoice in this near approach of Christ to us. Ring out the glad bells, if not in the spires and steeples, yet within your own hearts; for gladder news did never greet your ear than this, that he that is the Son of God was also “born of woman.”
Still further it is added, that God sent his Son made under the law or “born under the law”; for the word is the same in both cases; and by the same means by which he came to be of a woman he came under the law. And now admire and wonder! The Son of God has come under the law. He was the Law-Maker and the Law-Giver, and he is both the Judge of the law and the Executioner of the law, and yet he himself came under the law. No sooner was he born of a woman than he came under the law, and this voluntarily and yet necessarily. He willed to be a man, and being a man, he accepted the position, and stood in the place of man as subject to the law of the race. When they took him and circumcised him according to the law, it was publicly declared that he was under the law. During the rest of his life, you will observe how reverently he observed the commands of God. Even to the ceremonial law as it was given by Moses, he had scrupulous regard. He despised the traditions and superstitions of men, but for the rule of the dispensation he had a high respect.
By way of rendering service unto God on our behalf, he came under the moral law. He kept his Father’s commandments. He obeyed to the full both the first and the second tables [the Ten Commandments] (Exodus 20:3–17); for he loved God with all his heart, and his neighbor as himself (Mark 12:30–31). “I delight to do your will, O my God,” says he, “your law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8). He could truly say of the Father, “I always do the things that are pleasing to him” (John 8:29).
Yet it was a marvelous thing that the King of kings should be under the law; and especially that he should come under the penalty of the law as well as the service of it. “Being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). As our Surety and Substitute he came under the curse of the law; being made a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). Having taken our place and espoused our nature, though without sin himself, he came under the rigorous demands of justice, and in due time he bowed his head to the sentence of death. “He laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16). He died the just for the unjust, to bring us to God.
In this mystery of his incarnation, in this wonderful substitution of himself in the place of sinful men, lies the ground of that wonderful advance which believers made when Jesus came in the flesh. His advent in human form commenced the era of spiritual maturity and freedom. What else has he come for? Notice further, “that we might receive the adoption as sons.” The Lord Jesus Christ has come in human flesh that his people might to the full realize, grasp, and enjoy, “the adoption as sons.” I want you to see if you can do that. May the Holy Spirit enable you. What is it to receive the adoption as sons? Why to feel, “Now I am under the mastery of love, as a dear child, who is both loved and loving. I go in and out of my Father’s house not as a casual servant, called in by the day or the week, but as a child at home. I am not looking for hire as a servant, for I am ever with my Father, and all that he has is mine. My God is my Father, and his presence makes me glad (Psalm 21:6). I am not afraid of him, but I delight in him, for nothing can separate me from him (Romans 8:38–39). I feel a perfect love that casts out fear (1 John 4:18), and I delight myself in him.”
Try now and enter into that spirit. That is why Christ has come in the flesh—on purpose that you, his people, may be to the full the adopted children of the Lord, acting out and enjoying all the privileges which sonship secures to you.
https://www.ccel.org/ccel/spurgeon/sermons30.lix.html
Respond
How is your joy doing this season? We have so much to be joyful for regardless of what’s going on outside of us. Rejoice in the truth that God has adopted you through Jesus Christ.
Rejoice
It Came upon a Midnight Clear
It came upon the midnight clear,
that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth
to touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, good will to men,
from heaven's all-gracious King."
The world in solemn stillness lay,
to hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come
with peaceful wings unfurled,
and still their heavenly music floats
o'er all the weary world;
above its sad and lowly plains,
they bend on hovering wing,
and ever o'er its Babel sounds
the blessed angels sing.
And ye, beneath life's crushing load,
whose forms are bending low,
who toil along the climbing way
with painful steps and slow,
look now! for glad and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
and hear the angels sing!
For lo! the days are hastening on,
by prophet seen of old,
when with the ever-circling years
shall come the time foretold
when peace shall over all the earth
its ancient splendors fling,
and the whole world send back the song
which now the angels sing.
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