For a lot of, the nativity is an remoted scene within the biblical story, extra acquainted as vacation décor than as Holy Scripture. It’s like a chunk of a jigsaw puzzle bearing the partial picture of a child in a manger: Few appear to know the place it suits into the image of the Bible’s instructions and guarantees, not to mention human historical past. As an alternative, it has been framed by itself, sentimentalized as an ethical lesson about feeding the homeless, placing cash within the pink kettle, and simply making an attempt to make a distinction—“as a result of, in spite of everything, isn’t giving and dealing collectively what Christmas is all about?”
However Christmas is a lot greater than an attraction to be charitable! It’s, within the phrases of the angel, an announcement of “excellent news of nice pleasure that shall be for all of the folks” (Luke 2:10). As John Stott writes, “The gospel will not be good recommendation to males, however excellent news about Christ; not an invite to us to do something, however a declaration of what God has accomplished; not a requirement, however a proposal.”
If we reconnect the puzzle piece, we uncover the important thing place of the nativity scene within the story of the unfolding plan of redemption that runs by way of the entire Bible. Galatians 4:4–5 tells us precisely the place the piece suits: “When the fullness of time had come, God despatched forth his Son, born of a lady, born underneath the legislation, to redeem those that have been underneath the legislation, in order that we’d obtain adoption as sons.”
Christmas within the Story of Redemption
The Outdated Testomony tells us that God created the world good, that He put human beings into it in a state of goodness, and that the primary man and girl rebelled in opposition to God’s command and have become alienated from Him. But God had a plan to revive what was misplaced. He known as out Abraham, and He made him a promise: “In your offspring shall all of the nations of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 22:18). This promise was free—no legal guidelines to obey, no circumstances to satisfy. Out of His grace, He was going to bless the nations by way of a toddler of Abraham.
After God gave the promise to Abraham, He gave the legislation to Moses—and it got here with circumstances and punishments. It got here to disclose sin. We could consider ourselves as nice folks, particularly compared to these round us; however after we learn the legislation of God, we notice that we’re not as sensible or good as we believed ourselves to be. The legislation exposes our sin, and it condemns us.
When Christ got here, He got here because the achievement of each the promise and the legislation. At simply the appropriate time, “God despatched forth his Son,” the second individual of the Trinity, the everlasting Phrase of God, equal with the Father, who got here willingly to be “born of a lady” among the many folks of promise and to be “born underneath the legislation” (Gal. 4:4). The nativity scene displays for us the second when the Phrase of God grew to become flesh to satisfy the everlasting plan of redemption.
Jesus didn’t come simply to be an instance of fine works and to fire up vacation spirit yr after yr however to bless the nations by bringing them into fellowship with God. He did this by obeying all of the legislation’s precepts and on the identical time struggling all of the legislation’s penalty on our behalf: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the legislation by changing into a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13). He who was a Son by nature willingly took the type of a servant in order that these of us who’re servants of sin could uncover the great privilege of being adopted into God’s household because of His grace. That is an announcement of fine information!
Good Information for You and Me
Individuals have a tendency to answer the announcement of the excellent news of Christmas in one in every of 3 ways.
Some have by no means trusted in Christ as a result of they’ve by no means had the legislation preached to them. They frequently hear, “Jesus is the reply! Jesus is the reply!”—however Jesus isn’t any reply to them, as a result of they don’t what the query or drawback is. Till they acknowledge themselves to be imprisoned by the use of sin and the legislation, they’ll by no means come to Christ for freedom. Till they’ve been pushed to despair of their very own righteousness, they’ll by no means perceive why the child within the manger is nice information.
Others, however, don’t want the legislation taught to them. They’re already slavish of their dedication to the principles—but they don’t perceive that God has supplied the legislation to drive women and men to Jesus for salvation. They should hear that God gave the legislation not so they might show themselves holy however so that it will present their want for a holy Savior. Solely after they perceive that they can’t fulfill the legislation, however Christ has, will they notice why the child within the manger is nice information.
These, in the meantime, who’ve seen themselves within the legislation of God as helpless and in want of a Savior have gone to Christ and located that the promise that was made to Abraham was provided to them—no strings hooked up, no trouble, no rules. They’ve understood that the story of redemption entered its climactic section when that child was laid within the manger. And they also reply humbly, “Lord, that is excellent news! Might I obtain this present of Your Son?”
Receiving the Present within the Manger
Don’t let one other Christmas cross and suppose that since you eliminated your hat and threw a coin in a bucket, you may say, “I perceive what Christmas is all about.” The story of God’s redemption is a narrative about mercy. It’s the story of the one who, because the angel introduced, would “save his folks from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). It isn’t a faith of non-public benefit; it’s the supply of a present: the righteousness of God in and thru Jesus. Have you ever turned to Him and acquired it?
This text was tailored from the sermons “Why God Despatched His Son” and “See Now What God Has Accomplished” by Alistair Begg.
