The Active God of Christmas

Evangelist Dr. Bob Sanders
December 1, 2005

Galatians 4:4-5 "But when the fullness 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,"

For much of the world, Christmas is the only time that they are conscious of God's activity. That awareness is limited at best! It is a babe in a manger, sheep being tended by shepherds, wise men from afar, and no room in the inn. Like the guiding star that appeared for a short season and was gone, God appears the first of December and will soon disappear for another year. Yet, the great truth is that God is forever active! From eternity past, "In the beginning God created" (Genesis 1:1), into the eternal future without end, "in the ages to come he might show" (Ephesians 2:7), God is forever active! In Genesis God was active in the past when He formed the creatures of grace, the creation of man. In the present He is active in the coronation of grace in the giving of His Son. In the future, He will be active in the continuation of grace as He shows the exceeding riches of His grace. While He is totally sufficient and complete without them, God elects to be active in response to the needs of the creature. The active God of Christmas is responsive to the greatest need of man, a salvation by grace through faith (see Ephesians 2:8)!

(I) The Period of Activity - "But when the fullness of the time was come"
How is the period of activity determined? Is there anything that would initiate the activity of God? The activity of the period is in relationship to the need of the period. While God has no limitations and can do as He pleases, when He pleases, He chooses to reveal Himself in response to man's greatest need. The period of activity is one that is specific, "But when the fullness." The active ways of God are not random and sporadic events without rhyme or reason. The word "when" means after that, or as soon as. "Fullness" means completion or filled as a container, performance or period. Things have transpired in the history of man to bring things to a completion. Controlled by His own sovereignty, God acts in a specific time in a specific way. The period of activity is one of slavery, "when we . . . were in bondage" (vs. 3). Man was in bondage and enslaved beneath the orderly arrangement and fundamental proposals of the world. "Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." (Ephesians 2:3) Under the control of another and unable to help ourselves, the active God of Christmas responded to our need.

(II) The Person of Activity - "God sent forth his Son"
The active God of Christmas is that of the entire Godhead or Trinity! All three are active in delivering this great gift of grace. There is reference to the Sovereign when the text said, "God sent." It is the word "theos" which is the Supreme Divinity! "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself" (II Corinthians 5:19). It was the Son that came in response to the need of man. Not just any son, but the only begotten Son of God. Isaiah said, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). There is the activity of the Spirit, "God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts" (vs. 6). The entire Trinity responds to meet the entire need of sinful man.

(III) The Plan of Activity - "made of a woman, made under the law"
In order to be what we needed, the active God of Christmas became what we were, where we were! In this text there are two references to the Son being "made" which means, to cause to be or to become. It has no reference to His existence, but rather His form in which He chooses to exit. There is the tabernacle of the Son, "made of a woman." "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:6-7). Totally God, the Son became totally man while remaining totally God. There is the triumph of the Son, "made under the law." "The man Christ Jesus" did what no other man has been able to do; He satisfied the righteous demands of the law. "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh" (Romans 8:3). Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17). Through the means of a virgin womb, Jesus Christ became a man. As a man, he satisfied all the righteous demands of God's law, thus making Him the perfect sacrifice for sin. Thank God, He not only came to me, He became as me so that I might become as He!

(IV) The Purpose of Activity - "To redeem them"
The active God of Christmas would obtain His eternal purpose by stepping into the world as the perfect man. While there was nothing that demanded His actions, motivated by love to extend grace to the fallen, He would act to meet their need. His purpose was to purchase a sinner, "to redeem them." The word "redeem" means to buy up, ransom, to rescue from loss. "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (I Peter 1:18-19). When speaking of redemption, the Apostle Paul said, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all" (I Timothy 2:5-6). His purpose was to position a son, "that we might receive the adoption of sons." We have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. We have been made heirs and joint heirs! "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13). His willingness has caused Him to achieve His purpose!

Some have decided to ignore the activities of God. Some will acknowledge His limited activity as a babe in a manger. But I rejoice in the active God of Christmas, Who was active, is active and will always be active in meeting the needs of the creature. The active God of Christmas has come not to receive gifts as a babe born in Bethlehem, but He has come to be the gift of God to all that will believe. As the star appeared to guide men to the Christ child, may the light of this great truth guide you to the gift of eternal life. This is what the active God of Christmas came for.