Jesus Was Born to Be Your Savior

It was "His Son" (Gal. 4:4b) that was born that first Christmas. Jesus was God's own Son. He was fully God, perfect in every way. He was also "born of a woman, born under the Law" (v. 4c). Not only was Jesus fully God, He was also fully man. He was one of us. Yet, being God, He was without sin. That qualifies Him to be our Savior.

There are a couple of things we see happening in this text. The first has to do with God's providence. God's providence means that He rules over the affairs of men and nations. As it pleases Him, He raises up one ruler and brings down another. He moves the entire course of history so that all will be ready for the coming of His Son. With God there is no fate, and nothing happens by mere chance or coincidence. Nothing ever happens "by accident" with God. Everything works together as part of His eternal plan.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, in his sermon entitlled, The Great Birthday and Our Comong of Age, said it this way: "He came at the hour which God had determined. The infinite Lord appoints the date of every event; all times are in His hand. There are no loose threads in the providence of God, no stitches are dropped, no events are left to chance. The great clock of the universe keeps good time, and the whole machinery of providence moves with unerring punctuality" (worr.wordpress.com)

Some of us need to hear this because we wonder (and secretly fear) that God has forgotten us. Perhaps you come to the year's end with a sense of unfulfillment and perhaps a sense of dread about what the future will bring. Fear not! God's timing is perfect."When the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law" (Gal. 4:4, NIV). And when the time is fully come, He will keep all His promises to you.

The other thing happening here has to do with the importance of Jesus Christ. He is the center of history. History is really His Story; the story of Jesus Christ planned and told by God. Secular history gives us dates and times and places and people, but only God gives meaning to history. Jesus' birth is the hinge on which the door of history swings.

He came at the appointed time—not a moment too late, not a second too early. This means that the first Christmas miracle started long before Bethlehem. It took place over several centuries as God prepared the world for the coming of His Son.

He is the Savior of the world. He is our Savior. Some years ago C. K. Lee, a Christian leader from China, came to America. One Sunday he spoke in a church in California. At the conclusion of the message, a young college student asked this question, "Why should we export Christianity to China when you have Confucianism in your country?" "There are three reasons," was the answer. "First, Confucius was a teacher and Christ is a Savior. China needs a Savior more than she needs a teacher. Second, Confucius is dead and Christ is alive. China is in need of a living Savior. Third, Confucius will one day stand before Christ to be judged by Him. China needs to know Christ as Savior before she meets Him as Judge." (Story taken from "Triumphs of Faith," in The Most Amazing Man in History; keepbelieving.com)

In the end it becomes very personal. We all need a Savior. Some of us realize it, but many people do not. Christ came so that you might be saved from your sin. So the question becomes: What will you do with Jesus Christ?

Ray Pritchard relates this story from a night of Christmas caroling. They came upon a man who attended their church off and on for ten years, but not often the last few years. But he was glad to see the pastor. He said that he thought his life was turning around and that he wanted to go in a new direction. Then he said something the pastor had not heard anyone say before. He said he was hoping that God would "meet him halfway." He meant that he was taking a step toward God and now he hoped that God would take a step toward him and that they would meet somewhere in the middle. (keepbelieving.com)

The truth is, God never meets any of us halfway. It's not, you take one step and then God takes one step. It's not even that you take one step and God takes four steps. No, we never have to take the first step. God always makes the first move.

The message of Christmas is this: In Christ, God has taken a thousand steps toward us. Now He says, "Won't you take one tiny step toward Me?" The journey from heaven to earth was the longest journey anyone has ever taken. That's what it meant for God to "send forth" His Son. Now all He asks is that we take a tiny step of faith toward him. When we do, He meets us right where we are. Amen.