The Birth of King Jesus
December 27--28
Day #27
The King’s Arrival: In the Fu... View MoreThe Birth of King Jesus
December 27--28
Day #27
The King’s Arrival: In the Fullness of Time"But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship." — Galatians 4:4–5 (NIV)1. The Perfect Timing of the KingThe text begins with a powerful phrase: "When the set time had fully come." Christmas was not an emergency backup plan; it was a scheduled appointment. Historians often point out that the world was uniquely prepared for a King:The Pax Romana: The Roman Peace allowed for safe travel across the empire.Roman Roads: A highway system was ready for the message of the King to spread.A Common Language: Greek allowed the Gospel to be understood by diverse cultures.The Lesson: If God was in control of the timing of the first Christmas, He is in control of the timing of your life today. He is never early, and He is never late.2. The Humble Nature of the KingPaul highlights two specific "births" for Jesus that seem almost contradictory for a King:"Born of a woman": This affirms His complete humanity. He didn’t just appear; He entered our world through the same messy, fragile process we all do. He knows what it’s like to be hungry, tired, and tempted."Born under the law": This refers to His Jewish heritage and His submission to God's standard. Unlike us, Jesus lived perfectly under the Law. He did what we couldn't do so that He could pay a debt He didn't owe.3. The Grand Purpose: Redemption and AdoptionWhy did the King come? Paul uses two legal terms to explain the "why":TermMeaning in the TextRedemptionTo buy someone out of slavery. Jesus "bought us back" from our "slavery" to sin and the impossible demands of the law.AdoptionThis is the "plus-one" of the Gospel. It’s not just that our debt is cleared (redemption); it’s that we are brought into the Family (adoption).The King didn't come just to be a moral example; He came to be a Rescuer. Because of His birth, we are no longer just "subjects" of a King or "slaves" to a code; we are sons and daughters of the Most High.Conclusion: From Slaves to HeirsThe birth of King Jesus is the moment God moved toward us so that we could move toward Him. He became like us (born of a woman) so that we could become like Him (children of God).This season, as we look at the manger, let's remember it was the first step toward the Cross. The King was born in a stable to ensure that we would have a place in His Father's house.Reflection Question: Do you view yourself as a servant trying to earn God's favor, or as a child who already has it because of what King Jesus did?
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The Birth of King Jesus
December 27--28
Day #28
Title: The King Who Stepped Into Our Unrighteousness
Scripture Reading
"All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death." — 1 John 5:17
Introduction: The Shadow and the Light
When we think of the birth of King Jesus, we usually think of soft light, singing angels, and the peaceful scene of a sleeping babe. But the Bible tells us that Jesus wasn't born into a postcard; He was born into a world darkened by what John calls "unrighteousness." We often try to separate the "Christmas story" from the "sin story," but you cannot have the Savior without first acknowledging what we need saving from. Today, we look at why the King of Heaven chose to lay His head in a manger of wood, knowing it would eventually lead to a cross of wood.
1. The Diagnosis: "All Unrighteousness is Sin"
John’s letter is blunt. He doesn’t sugarcoat the human state. He says that all unrighteousness—every lie, every moment of pride, every coldness of heart—is sin.
If we are honest, Bethlehem was a place of unrighteousness. There was no room for a pregnant woman in the inn. A paranoid King Herod was already plotting to protect his throne. The world was messy, unfair, and broken. Jesus didn’t wait for the world to "clean up" before He arrived. He stepped directly into the center of our unrighteousness.
2. The Remedy: The King in the Manger
Why would a King leave a throne of perfect righteousness to enter a world of total unrighteousness?
To Identify with Us: By becoming a baby, He experienced our hunger, our tiredness, and our temptations.
To Bridge the Gap: 1 John 5:17 reminds us of the standard of God's holiness. We couldn't climb up to His level, so He came down to ours.
The manger is God’s way of saying, "I see your unrighteousness, and I am coming to get you anyway."
3. The Hope: "A Sin Not Unto Death"
The end of our verse offers a mysterious hope: "there is a sin not unto death." In the context of the Gospel, this points us to Grace.
Because King Jesus was born, lived a perfect life, and died for our "unrighteousness," sin no longer has the final word. Death no longer has the final victory. The birth of Jesus was the beginning of the end for the power of sin. He was born to give us a "way out"—a path from the death we deserve to the life He offers.
Conclusion: The Gift of Righteousness
This season, as we look at the Nativity, let us see more than just a beautiful story. Let us see a Rescue Mission.
Jesus is the King who doesn't demand that you become righteous to meet Him. Instead, He meets you in your unrighteousness and offers you His righteousness as a gift. He took on our humanity so that we might partake in His divinity.
The King has arrived. The debt is being paid. The light has dawned.
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End of December 27--28
Next will be December days 29, 30.
