“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Gal. 4:4-5

In Luke 2 we read of the birth of the Christ Child, how it was that He was born in Bethlehem in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in Micah 5:2. We heard how He was born, not in the best hotel in Bethlehem, but outdoors or in a stable and was laid in a manger “because there was no room for them in the inn.”

But what does it all mean? It was far more than a quaint story of a humble birth. It was the fulfillment of God’s promises, made since the world began. For, in the fullness of time, God kept His promise to send the Seed of the woman who would undo the work of Satan in the Garden (Gen. 3). He fulfilled His word to send the Seed of Abraham who would bring blessing to all the families of the earth (Gen. 12:3; 22:18). He fulfilled His word to “redeem Israel from all his iniquities” (Ps. 130:8); to send the one who would suffer and die to bear our iniquities and rise again (Isa. 53, Ps. 22).

“God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law….” In order to fulfill His promises and redeem us from the curse of the law, God sent His only-begotten Son, made of a woman. God Himself took on human flesh and blood and became true man that he might take our place under the law and die in our stead for our sins and redeem us (cf. Gal. 3:10,13; Heb. 2:14-17). This Christ did and rose again in victory (cf. 1 Cor. 15:3-4).

And why did God do this? “That we might receive the adoption of sons.” That we, who were condemned by the law and unacceptable to God might be made acceptable in His sight and be received into His everlasting kingdom through faith in Christ Jesus (cf. Eph. 1:6-7; Gal. 3:26-29).

And so we rejoice and give thanks this night and always that God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, born of the Virgin Mary and laid in a manger.

We thank and praise Thee, O God, for the gift of Thy Son, sent into this world a true man, born of the Virgin Mary and laid in a manger, that He might redeem us from our sins and make us Thine own. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

[Scripture from the King James Version of the Bible]