Christmas in God’s Story of Redemption

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 bit of a jigsaw puzzle bearing the partial picture of a child in a manger: Few appear to know the place it matches 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 will probably be for all of the individuals” (Luke 2:10). As John Stott writes, “The gospel isn’t good recommendation to males, however excellent news about Christ; not an invite to us to do something, however a declaration of what God has completed; not a requirement, however a suggestion.”

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 means of the entire Bible. Galatians 4:4–5 tells us precisely the place the piece matches: “When the fullness of time had come, God despatched forth his Son, born of a girl, born beneath the regulation, to redeem those that had been beneath the regulation, 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The Outdated Testomony tells us that God created the world good, that He put human beings into it in a state of goodness, and that the primary man and girl rebelled towards 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 meet. Out of His grace, He was going to bless the nations by means of a toddler of Abraham.

After God gave the promise to Abraham, He gave the regulation to Moses—and it got here with circumstances and punishments. It got here to disclose sin. We might consider ourselves as high quality individuals, particularly compared to these round us; however once we learn the regulation of God, we understand that we aren’t as sensible or good as we believed ourselves to be. The regulation exposes our sin, and it condemns us.

When Christ got here, He got here because the success of each the promise and the regulation. At simply the appropriate time, “God despatched forth his Son,” the second particular person of the Trinity, the everlasting Phrase of God, equal with the Father, who got here willingly to be “born of a girl” among the many individuals of promise and to be “born beneath the regulation” (Gal. 4:4). The nativity scene displays for us the second when the Phrase of God grew to become flesh to meet the everlasting plan of redemption.

Jesus didn’t come simply to be an instance of excellent 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 regulation’s precepts and on the similar time struggling all of the regulation’s penalty on our behalf: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the regulation by turning 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 might uncover the fantastic privilege of being adopted into God’s household because of His grace. That is an announcement of excellent information!

Good Information for You and Me

Folks have a tendency to answer the announcement of the excellent news of Christmas in one in all 3 ways.

Some have by no means trusted in Christ as a result of they’ve by no means had the regulation preached to them. They regularly hear, “Jesus is the reply! Jesus is the reply!”—however Jesus is not 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 way of sin and the regulation, they may by no means come to Christ for freedom. Till they’ve been pushed to despair of their very own righteousness, they may by no means perceive why the infant within the manger is sweet information.

Others, then again, don’t want the regulation taught to them. They’re already slavish of their dedication to the principles—but they don’t perceive that God has offered the regulation to drive women and men to Jesus for salvation. They should hear that God gave the regulation not so they might show themselves holy however so that it will present their want for a holy Savior. Solely once they perceive that they can’t fulfill the regulation, however Christ has, will they understand why the infant within the manger is sweet information.

These, in the meantime, who’ve seen themselves within the regulation 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 problem, no laws. They’ve understood that the story of redemption entered its climactic part when that child was laid within the manger. And they also reply humbly, “Lord, that is excellent news! Could I obtain this present of Your Son?”

Receiving the Present within the Manger

Don’t let one other Christmas cross and assume that since you eliminated your hat and threw a coin in a bucket, you’ll be able to 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 individuals from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). It’s not a faith of non-public advantage; it’s the provide 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 Achieved” by Alistair Begg.