Born of a Woman at Just the Right Time

December 17, 2023

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Scripture referenced 34 passages

The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.

Luke 2:8-11 read during the Advent candle lighting to announce the birth of the Savior

8 There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.
9 Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
11 For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

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Psalm 29:2

referenced as the source of 'ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name' during the offering

2 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name. Worship Yahweh in holy array.

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Galatians 4:4-5

quoted to show God sending his Son at just the right time to redeem those under the law and grant adoption

4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,

5 that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.

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Romans 5:6

quoted to show Christ coming at just the right time to die for utterly helpless sinners

6 For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

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Romans 5:8

referenced to show Christ died for us while we were still sinners, before any turning

8 But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

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Galatians 1:3-5

quoted as Paul's opening grace greeting and statement that Christ gave himself to rescue us from this present evil age

3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ,

4 who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father—

5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

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Galatians 2:20

quoted as Paul declaring he has been crucified with Christ and now lives by faith in the Son of God

20 I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

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Galatians 3:10

quoted to show all who rely on works of the law are under a curse

10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.”

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Galatians 3:11

quoted to show no one is justified before God by the law because the righteous will live by faith

11 Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, “The righteous will live by faith.”

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Galatians 3:24-25

quoted to show the law served as a guardian to lead us to Christ so we may be justified by faith

24 So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

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Galatians 3:27-29

quoted to show all who are baptized into Christ are one, heirs according to the promise

27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to promise.

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Galatians 4:1-7

quoted to show heirs held under guardians until the fullness of time when God sent his Son for our adoption

1 But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all;

2 but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father.

3 So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world.

4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,

5 that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.

6 And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”

7 So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

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Galatians 5:1

quoted as the call to stand firm in the freedom Christ has won and not return to slavery

1 Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

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Galatians 5:14-15

quoted to show the whole law is fulfilled in loving your neighbor as yourself, with a warning against devouring one another

14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

15 But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don’t consume one another.

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Galatians 5:19-23

quoted listing the deeds of the flesh contrasted with the fruit of the Spirit

19 Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,

20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,

21 envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,

23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

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Galatians 5:25

quoted as the call to keep in step with the Spirit if we live by the Spirit

25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit.

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Galatians 6:6-10

quoted with focus on not becoming weary in doing good, reaping at the opportune moment

6 But let him who is taught in the word share all good things with him who teaches.

7 Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

8 For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

9 Let us not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don’t give up.

10 So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.

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Galatians 6:18

quoted as Paul's closing grace blessing to the brothers and sisters

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

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Ephesians 1:9-10

quoted to show God making known the mystery of his will to bring all things together in Christ at the fullness of times

9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him

10 to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, in him;

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Ephesians 1:22-23

quoted to show Christ as head over all things to the church, which is his body and fullness

22 He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly,

23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

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Ephesians 2:8-9

quoted to declare salvation is by grace through faith, a gift of God and not of works

8 for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

9 not of works, that no one would boast.

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Ephesians 2:10

quoted to show believers are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works prepared beforehand

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.

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Ephesians 3:8-11

quoted as Paul describing his calling to preach to the Gentiles and make known the multifaceted wisdom of God through the church

8 To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

9 and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ;

10 to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places,

11 according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord;

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Ephesians 3:14-19

quoted as Paul's prayer that believers be strengthened inwardly and filled to the fullness of God

14 For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,

16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man;

17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth,

19 and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

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Ephesians 4:11-13

quoted listing gifts Christ gave to the church for equipping the saints until unity and maturity in Christ are reached

11 He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;

12 for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ;

13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

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Ephesians 5:1-2

quoted as the call to imitate God as beloved children and walk in love as Christ loved us

1 Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children.

2 Walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.

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Ephesians 6:23-24

quoted as Paul's closing blessing of peace, love, faith and grace to those who love Christ with an incorruptible love

23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love. Amen.

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Romans 3:19-24

quoted to show all are accountable before God, none justified by the law, but righteousness comes through faith in Christ

19 Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.

20 Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

21 But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets;

22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction,

23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;

24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;

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Romans 3:25-26

quoted to show God displayed Christ as a propitiation in his blood to demonstrate his righteousness as both just and justifier

25 whom God sent to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance;

26 to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.

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Romans 5:1-5

quoted to show that justified by faith we have peace with God and hope that does not disappoint through the Holy Spirit

1 Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;

2 through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance;

4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope:

5 and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

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Romans 5:7-8

quoted to contrast human willingness to die with God showing his love by sending Christ to die while we were still sinners

7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a righteous person someone would even dare to die.

8 But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

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Romans 8:1-4

quoted to declare no condemnation for those in Christ, freed from the law of sin and death by what God did in sending his Son

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.

3 For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;

4 that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

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John 7:6

quoted as Jesus telling his brothers his opportune time has not yet come but theirs is always ready

6 Jesus therefore said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.

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Galatians 5:13

quoted in closing prayer as the call to use freedom not for self-indulgence but to serve one another in love

13 For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.

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Recap

The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.

Preston preached a Christmas message drawn from Paul's letters rather than the nativity accounts, tracing how God sent Jesus into history at precisely the right moment to rescue people who could not rescue themselves. The organizing idea was the Greek distinction between kronos, ordinary clock time, and kairos, the opportune moment, and what it means that God acted in the fullness of that kind of time. The message moved across Galatians, Ephesians, and Romans to show the breadth of what arrived at Christmas.

What was said

Preston opened with two Pauline texts that had been with him all week. Galatians 4:4-5 says that when the right time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, to redeem those under the law so they could receive adoption as children. Romans 5:6 adds that when we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. In both passages the phrase "right time" translates the Greek word kairos, the opportune moment, as distinct from kronos, the steady tick of chronological time.

To illustrate kairos, Preston described an ancient bronze statue commissioned by the sculptor Lysippus, now known through a bas-relief copy in Croatia. The figure is young and fast, winged at the feet and back, carrying a balance, and has a thick forelock over his face but is completely bald at the back of his head. The inscription explains why: the forelock is there for the person who meets him to grab hold of, but once he has passed, no one can seize him from behind. The point was not to preach Greek mythology but to ask whether we are watching for the moments God puts in front of us, or whether we let them go by.

Working through Galatians, Preston traced Paul's argument that the law was never a means of righteousness but a guardian meant to lead people to Christ. Once Christ came, the guardian's job was done. The law could show people how far short they fell, but it had no power to close the gap. Freedom in Christ is not freedom to ignore the standard but freedom from the endless, losing effort to earn what can only be received as a gift.

Ephesians filled out what that gift looks like in practice. Preston pointed to the language of mystery throughout the letter: in Christ, God made known what had been hidden for ages, namely that Jew and Gentile, slave and free, every kind of person, would be brought together as one body under one head. The church, Preston said, is plan A and there is no plan B. Christ has given gifts to that church, including apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, so that the work He began on earth would keep going through people who are being built up into His likeness.

The Ephesians section ended with Preston's own illustration. His family visited recently, and within a short time the accent and the posture he grew up with came right back, including a particular way his grandfather and father stand with thumbs out. You imitate who you spend time with. Paul's call to be imitators of God as beloved children is demanding, Preston said, but far less so now than before Christ, because we have a visible image to imitate, one who was tempted as we are yet without sin.

Romans brought the argument to its conclusion. Romans 3 establishes that the whole world is accountable before God and that no one is justified by the law. But apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed through faith in Jesus Christ. God displayed Jesus publicly as the full payment for sin, taking the perfect record He had and laying it down at the cross in exchange for anyone who would believe. Romans 8 then declares there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ, because what the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did by sending His Son.

Preston closed by returning to the kairos idea one more time, noting the passage in John where Jesus tells His brothers that His opportune moment has not yet arrived, but theirs is always ready. That was true of His brothers then, and Preston said it is true of everyone in the room now. God hit every mark, fulfilled every prophecy, and sent His Son in the fullness of time. The gift is there. The question is whether we will grab hold of it before it passes.

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Pastor Preston spent time on the difference between chronos time and kairos time. Can you think of a moment in your own life where you recognized a kairos moment, either when you seized it or when you realized it had passed?
Pastor Preston read from Galatians that it was 'for freedom that Christ has set us free,' and described the Galatian believers being pulled back toward trying to earn their standing through the law. Where do you find yourself tempted to earn what God has already given freely?

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Okay. He's not.

He's not in the service right now. But Steve Baldock is is the moderator, and he says this is the first moderator meeting that he's had, and he'd really like to answer some of the questions ahead of time rather than be on the spot during there it is, January 21. Between services, we'll recognize volunteers, discuss the vote in the budget, discuss vote on Tim Williams for the board of trustees, and Berkeley Johnston as an elder. And so that's what's happened at the congregational meeting. This is an in anticipation that budgets are available for you in the back.

Hey. If you would like to help out with connect hour, you can sign up down the fellowship hall. Addie Hare is the one that's in charge of that these days.

And there's a need. There's a

real need.

And it's something we all enjoy. We all love it. But we do absolutely need volunteers to make it work.

Thank you very much. And it is the third Sunday of Advent. So I see Ben and Sarah, Walter, and a curly headed little one coming forward. I'm gonna let you use this mic. Oh, if there is one, that's good.

Good.

The third Sunday in Advent, we light the pink candle. The candle is of joy is lit. Jesus came to give us fullness of joy and abundant life. Joy is ours because of Jesus. His presence brings the promise of joy.

Luke two verses eight through 11 said, and there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them in the glory of the Lord Shown around them and they were terrified, but the angel said to them do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David, a savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord.

Thank you, Walters. Amen. Would you stand with me? I'd love to to sing. But first, can we we pray?

I just would like to to give thanks. Lord, we're so so grateful for your joy. The recognition, God, of your grace, your favor leaning toward us. Praise you, God, for for that deep down in our gut level joy that you give. And God, like like these these shepherds who who went back praising and rejoicing for what they had heard and what they had seen.

God, may that be us this morning. That we would give you the praise you deserve. In Jesus name, amen. You know, I know that we sing that song really fast, but those those lyrics are so so powerful. I mean, just just one.

One that we sang, light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings. Lord, thank you for being light and love, for being our healer, our provider. God, thank you for the provision that you've made in Jesus. May we recognize, truly recognize you today. Amen.

When hope was born this night. Out upon the snowy fields, there's a silent peace that heals and it echoes the grace of our savior's grace because home was born this nice and glory to God. The ancient ways and the hope was born this night there are angels in this and my heart resounded with praise like a shepherd so scared I'll rejoice and declare at home was born this month.

Let's sing glory to God. Amen. You can have a seat here for a moment. It's the the worship through giving part of the service. I'll invite the ushers to come on forward, and we're gonna sing Christmas offering from Psalm 29.

It's ascribe to the Lord, the glory do his name. That's what we're doing here this morning. That's why the glory be to God songs because truly we are to ascribe the glory due his name. He's worthy. He deserves it.

Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. He is holy other. Before we sing, Ray, would you pray?

Sure. God, thank you for this morning. Thank you for this season, for turning our hearts towards you, Lord, for con contemplating the goodness of the gift that you gave. It's overwhelming, Lord. I pray that you would remind us of the gifts that you have given to us, that we're able to pass on to others.

In Jesus name, Lord, may we be a blessing, a continuing blessing. The incarnation bringing Christ into this world and the continuing body of Christ, your church that you are building, that you are sending out with authority from on high. Lord God, may we carry forward a clear representation of your good gospel message. In Jesus' name, Lord, may we be operating in your spirit, the spirit of Christ, may we be carrying forward. Lord, would you take all of these offerings that are placed in these plates and all of the talents and gifts and every effort that is given to you, Lord, and multiply it and extend it to the very uttermost parts of the world.

Lord, we ask for you to take us and use us as you will. Thank you for Jesus. Thank you for Jesus. Amen.

Falling on their knees. Bow before the humble prince of peace. We bring an offering of worship worship to you

Amen. Children's Church, the week before Christmas, the week, the day before a store, the day, two days after they got out of school, who wants to volunteer for children's ministry? I love that there's so many here. And they love it. They they dig into it.

They love that. Alright. Preston. The clicky clicker. There's a laser when I do that.

There it is. Merry Christmas. I'm glad to see you all. I'm excited to be here. I digging in every year for Christmas.

What are we going to talk about? So this is Merry Christmas obliquely. Okay? Last week, I went on Psalm one forty five, kind of a Old Testament passage that's looking forward, and I urged you the whole time to tell your story. Tell your story.

Tell your story. If you've got a story of the goodness of God, be telling it this week. Did anybody happen to tell it this week? I'm not asking to do it right now. But anybody just say, you know what?

God did this and I need to tell it. I I heard several of them actually. Before I got down the hall, I heard four or five. And it was with me all week that I thought, man, I need to be telling the story. Man, I need to be telling the story.

And it was really helpful. This though is a very Pauline Christmas message. We have been in the gospels for a long time now. And in the gospels, we see Jesus, and I'll just say, I defy anyone of you to read any one of the gospels, especially if you read the gospel of John. If you come away from a reading of the gospel of John and you don't love Jesus, I I wanna talk to you.

I really wanna talk to you. I mean, I know that there's a history and everybody's got their own baggage they bring to the text, but it's really hard if you read the the Gospels to not fall in love with Jesus. But we've been away from Paul's messages to the church here for a while. It's been a while since we've been done anything from the epistles. And I just thought, you know what?

I wanna go back and pick up two verses were with me all week and they were these or two passages, a couple of verses and then three verses. Galatians four:four and five, I always think of this was at Christmas time because it's pointing to Christmas time, right? But when the right time came, this is from the New Living Translation just for a twist. But just when the right time came, God sent his son, born of a woman, that's Christmas right there. He's born of a woman subject to the law, and God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.

I love that. That's from Galatians. And then this other one is from Romans. Romans five:six, it says, we were utterly helpless, and I can say we're utterly helpless when we were slaves to the law, right? And when we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time.

That's Christmas. Came at just the right time and died for us sinners. That's Easter. This is the celebration. If you're here twice a year, it's Christmas and Easter, right?

When we're utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Actually, you go two more verses, says, while we were yet sinners, he did it before we made any kind of a turn, in fact. We wouldn't have made any kind of a turn without him. So time, both of those at just the right time and at the right time in that. It's time in English, but they have to add the at the right or whatever in front of it to make it make sense in English.

In ancient Greek, that would be kronos and kairos. I actually heard Ben Walters speak on this one time a while back, and I've heard a few other historians and scholars and linguists speak on it, and I just love it. I think it's really interesting. The difference in chronos time, click, tick, tick, tick, tick chronology that just keeps on rolling forward and kairos time, which is an opportune moment or the right moment. There's a difference between the two and you can recognize it.

Sometimes you recognize it when it passes, right? The opportune moment has now passed. Gosh, I wish I'd have stepped that far gone. So in Greek mythology, I'm not going to preach on Greek mythology, in Greek mythology, Kronos was thought of as being cruel and almost always was pictured as an old man and really rough. Honestly, I can't show you any images of Kronos because they're ugly, bad.

Kairas is pictured as a young, very strong man. And actually, that's Hippocrates. Every Kairos is a Kronos, but not every Kronos is a Kronos. I mean Kairos, opportune moments happen in the context of actual time, but not all actual time is opportune moment, I think we can all see that. This is a picture of mischievous.

I didn't want to get any letters. This is a bas relief of a bronze it was a bronze statue and this is what it looked like and this is a bas relief of that. There is another there are a few copies of this. This one is in Croatia. You could see him kind of bent and he is hunching forward.

He has wings on his feet. Has wings on his back. He is carrying a balance in his hand. Is it the right time? Is it not the right time?

Mischievous Kairos. Also he has an interesting haircut. If you look closely, he has locks, a forelock they call it on the front of his head and nothing on the back of his head, completely bald. Now that is the opposite of a mullet kind Read the poem, I'll just read the poem, here it is. So, okay.

So this bronze sat outside of a city, and then this inscription was on it. It's by the Greek sculptor Lysippus, and Poseidippus wrote this. Who and whence was the sculptor? From Sycaon, and his name Lysippus. And who are you, Kairos, who subdues all things?

And why do you stand on tiptoe for I am ever running? And why do you have a pair of wings on your feet? I fly with the wind. And why do you hold a razor in your right hand as a sign to men that I'm sharper than any sharp edge? And why does your hair hang over your face?

For him who meets me to take me by the forelock, it's looking me straight in the eyes and grabbing hold. And why in heaven's name is the back of your head bald? Because none whom I have once raised by on my winged feet will now, though he wishes it sore, take hold of me from behind. I am past. So why did the artist fashion you?

For your sake, stranger, and he set me up here on this porch as a lesson. I think what it's saying is be looking for the opportune moments, right? Don't let them pass. So there you go. So, this morning, between those two verses, the two passages that I mentioned to begin with, that Galatians and the Romans, I was dwelling on it and saying, How do I work this in here, Lord?

And what I wanna do is just skip a rock across some of Paul's epistles and talk about some of the joy that comes from knowing Christ, from having Christ fill you with his spirit, and from being able walk in the love of God. Now, apart from being removed from the kingdom of darkness and moved into the one of marvelous light, right, there's not a slavery involved anymore. There is freedom and liberty in Christ. So we're going to skip across Galatians and Ephesians and Romans, and I'll see how you're doing. So three of these.

There we are. Galatians, Ephesians, and a little bit of Romans. So here we are. Oh, I love Paul. Every one of his letters starts off somewhat similar to this.

Grace, God's unmerited favor. Grace be unto you, and peace from God and our Lord Jesus Christ, without Christ no Christmas, who gave himself for our sins so that he might rescue us from this present evil age according to the will of our God and father, to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen. Galatians two twenty. Paul says, listen, I know what it's like now.

I know all of that stuff I studied in the past. I understand how constricted we were by the law. I get it all. But now I have been crucified with Christ, and it's no longer I who am living, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the son of God.

Son of God, that's Christmas. God incarnate. He's bringing him to the fore. Who loved me. He gave himself up for me.

I do not nullify the grace of God. I'm not looking at God's grace and saying, no thanks. I'll earn it on my own, because it's not possible. I don't nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died needlessly. All who are of the works of the law, people who say, nope, I'm gonna do it on my own, they are under a curse for it's written, cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the law to do them.

So as James also says, if you break the law in even one little instance, you've broken the whole thing and therefore are cursed. Now, no one's justified by the law before God is evident because God says, the righteous one will live by faith. Now, Jesus was the righteous one. And through faith in him, we can lead righteous lives but it has to be on faith, not by law. Galatians three.

Therefore, the law has become our guardian or our disciplinarian, our tutor, our babysitter, so to speak, so to lead us to Christ so that we may be justified by faith. For all of you who were baptized into Christ, you have clothed yourselves with Christ, Christ, Christ, Christ, Christ, Christ, Christmas. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there's neither slain nor free, there's neither male nor female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you're Abraham's descendants, heirs according to the promise.

It's not Jewish and Gentile kinda varsity and junior varsity. We are one big team, the capital c church, going forward, all in Christ. Now I say, as long as an heir is a child, he doesn't differ much from being a slave. I got that. Although, he is the owner of everything.

Heirs to the promise. Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, the song says. But this child is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. The date set by the father, what do you think that is? Kairos.

Until that moment, that opportune moment that was set by the father. So we too, when we were children, we were held in bondage under the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time came, kairos moment, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem those who are under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters. Who's getting the Christmas present there? We are.

The world, long lay the world in sin and error pining, and then he appeared and the soul felt its worth. Finally, in the fullness of time. Because your son's God has sent the spirit of his son into our hearts so that we can be crying out, Abba, father, daddy. Therefore, you're no longer a slave, but you're a son. And if you're a son, then an heir through God.

Amen. By his choosing, he decided how it would be, set the set plan in place, and it was for freedom that Christ has set us free. Therefore, y'all keep standing firm, and don't ever again be subject again to the yoke of slavery. So Galatians is about people who had believed and then had been convinced by some well meaning people, I'm sure, that they ought to go by every facet of the law that they had ever gone by before. Well, it's either going to be grace or it's going to be law.

And so he's saying in fact, he does say, skipped over, but, foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? Don't let them convince you anything else. It was for freedom that Christ has set us free. In Christmas, the gift God gave is liberty in Christ. The ability to know a blessed assurance that you know Jesus, the way, the truth, the life.

You have access to the father by him, and being filled with his spirit can be used by him. We'll get to that in a minute. Galatians five fourteen and fifteen, for the whole law is fulfilled in one word in this statement, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Christmas cheer. Good Christian men rejoice.

Good Christian friends rejoice. But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you're not consumed. There's still going be temptation there. There's still other stuff there. But if we will gather around Christ, if we will consider one another the way Christ has considered us, if we will keep that central, he will do the work, and you will be able to love your neighbor as yourself.

You will be able to forgive others the way God in Christ has forgiven you. Allow for the spirit of God to do the work. Now, the deeds of the flesh, and there they are. They're easy to see. Immorality, sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, hostility, strife, jealousy, outbursts anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these.

All of these things I've warned you all about before. But those who practice those will not inherit the kingdom of God. If this is your habitual practice, if this is what it looks like, you haven't gotten it. You didn't get it. But the fruit of the spirit, the fruit of the spirit that shows that God is indwelling you is love and joy and peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control.

Against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. He gives us the strength we need to be able to walk in victory and holiness. Amen. I like this one.

This is a Ray McDaniel version of this verse, but if we live by the spirit, let's keep in step with the spirit. God's setting the pace, and I I say that because of timing. If we don't want to be feeling like, oh, he said to do something, I don't know if I can do that. I don't think I'm ready for that. Well, that time has already passed.

If you were Greek, the bald headed man is all you'd be seeing, right? You got to from the moment be ready. God show me your way and I'll walk in it. And when he shows you, walk in It's it's it really is as simple as being obedient. And I think of that at Christmas because every time I read the angel's message to Mary, she's there and he tells her, you know, you're gonna be, you're gonna bear the son of God.

And she goes, may it be to me just as you have said. She grabbed hold, right? And what flowed out is like 15 Old Testament passages in 10 verses because that's what she was dwelling on. If we live by the spirit, let's be keeping in step with the spirit. If he's setting the pace, let's don't run ahead and let's don't lag behind.

Galatians six. Oh, six through 10. I used last week. Here it is from last week. I I concentrated on don't be deceived.

God's not mocked. But I want to concentrate on something else this week. Let's not become discouraged in doing good for in kairos, the opportune moment. We will reap if we don't become weary. So then, why and God always hits his opportune moment by the way.

So it's this is dependent on God. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that he may exalt you at the proper time. He'll do it at the proper time. You don't have to worry about him missing the moment. He's not going miss the moment.

If you feel like I'm worn out, I'm so bedraggled from trying to do so much good for all these people that don't even care. Let's not become discouraged in doing good. In due time, we'll reap if we don't become weary. So then while we have opportunity, let's do good to all people. Let's just be consciously, corporately seeking to bless all and especially those who are of the household of faith.

And then Galatians ends like this, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Brothers and sisters, amen. I love that Paul always starts with grace, and I love that Paul always ends with grace, right? How are you doing? We skipped that rock all the way across Lake Jackson.

It's easier in the wintertime. Here we go, Ephesians. Ephesians. Oh, Ephesians is so good. I read I read I read a lot last night.

Closing in on this. He made known to us the mystery of his will. Think about that alone In the manger at the birth of Christ, he made known the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he set forth in him, in Jesus, regarding his plan in the fullness of times, a kairos moment, to bring all things together in Christ, things in heaven and things on the earth. Now, eternal God, eternal Christ comes and walks into time and space at just the right time, in just the right place, in just the right way. And God, in that way, made known the mystery of his will.

In Ephesians one, it says, that's how he made it known in Christ. And he put all things in subjection under Christ's feet, and he made him head over all things to the church, which is his body. Make no mistake. The continuing body of Christ is the church. I hear a lot about deconstruction all the time, and I don't mind people deconstructing.

As long as they don't throw out scripture, because if you throw out scripture, you've lost already. And throwing away the Church, capital c, concept of Church. This, the Church, the continuing body of Christ. You have missed it if you throw out the churches. It is plan a and there is no plan b.

He put all things of subjection under his feet. He made him head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness. The church is the fullness of him who fills all in all. We have to rely on Christ. We have to.

If we rely on superior theology, superior philosophy, or superior pragmatism, best practices, if we just let a formula kind of figure it out for us or an app or AI for crying out loud. We have to listen to Christ. We have to. He's the head. We have to be paying attention.

Scrape all the barnacles off of the big boat, and may the ship of the church just be swiftly following after at the pace that he sets. The fullness of him who fills all in all. But it is for by grace, for by grace you have been saved through faith. And that's not of yourself. It's the gift of God.

Merry Christmas. God gave you a gift. Grace. He presents it. You've accepted it.

It is by grace that you have been saved through faith. That's not of yourself. It's the gift of God. It's not a result of anything that you have done, no works, so that no one may boast. And then this next one says, we are his workmanship, his poem, his masterpiece, his workmanship, his handiwork created in Christ Jesus for good works, which he prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Now, this one doesn't use the word kairos in there anywhere, but do you see it? If God has prepared before us good works that we are to walk in, we live in time and space. This is where the Kairos moment for me is like, you don't know right now what they are. Pray that you'd be open to recognizing them as they appear. Don't let them pass.

Lord, show me your way and I'd walk in it. There's somebody. There's somebody. There's somebody. Be listening for God to direct.

You know what you could do with that? This. Amen, Lord. Yes, I will do that. May it be to me, just as you have said.

We have the opportunity to do that. Ephesians three, to me, the very least of all the saints, Paul says, the grace was given my ideal. One of the works that God gave for me, Paul says, is I get to preach to the Gentiles. I'm a Pharisee. I couldn't even stand to be around them.

But I get to preach to the Gentiles. I get to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of the Messiah Christ Jesus and to enlighten all people as to what the plan of the mystery is, which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things. He gave us a glimpse of the plan, but it was a mystery and it has been made known, like he said in chapter one, in Christ. So that the multifaceted wisdom of God Almighty might now be made known through the church. That's a big responsibility.

The multifaceted wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and to the authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which he carried out in Christ Jesus, our Lord, who took every kairos moment, in whom we have boldness and confidence, access through him, through faith in him. We have boldness and confidence to go before God through Christ. Man, Christmas is amazing. What a gift.

And for this reason, bend my knees before the father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that he would grant to you, people, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power through his spirit and inner self. That's what I want you to be, strengthened power in your inner self, So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And that you, being rooted and grounded in his love, you may be able to comprehend with all of the other saints. That is the church.

Right? The continuing body of Christ, past, present, future, that you may be able to comprehend with all of the saints what is the width and the length and the height and the depth and to know the love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge that you may be filled to all with the fullness of God. That's available because of Christmas. Ephesians four. He gave some as apostles, and he gave some as prophets, and he gave some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers for the equipment of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ, so that what Christ did on earth doesn't just fall flat.

He's given these gifts, Merry Christmas, to the church. Until when? Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. Keep on striving. We're not there yet.

Therefore, be imitators of God. You know how hard that is? It's not near as hard now as it was before Christ. Be imitators of God. It's not near as nearly as hard now as it was before we had an image that looks like us, that breathes like us, that walks like us, that talks like us, that is tempted like us, yet he was without sin.

Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly beloved children to all who believe he has given them the right to be called children of God. Therefore, be imitators of God as beloved children and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you. And he gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice pleasing to God as a fragrant aroma. You know how you get to be a good imitator of somebody? You spend a lot of time with them.

My mom and dad and my brother came out last week, and I haven't been around them a lot because I'm here, right? But I tell you what, it doesn't take long for an accent to jump back on you, does it? I've I've used this from the whole time I've been here. My family for some reason, my grandfather and my dad, they have always stood instead of standing like Superman like this, thumbs out. I don't know why.

This is beautiful, isn't it? I didn't plan this. This is not the way I wanted to be. I'm an imitator of the guy that I was around all the time. I started doing this before I could do anything else.

But this is the way I stand. Think Forrest Gump stands like that too. Ephesians six, peace be to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all of those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an incorruptible love. Is the scripture that's flowing over you right now, is it whelming your heart with incorruptible love for Christ?

It's the gift that God has given. I think, like I said last week, we can very easily pick out the things that we don't like about stuff. And if we don't watch it, we'll concentrate on those things and it will become everything about everything that we think about. Let's dwell on the grace of God. Let's dwell on the gift of God.

Let's think about, hey, I don't want to miss the moment, Lord. That's the end of Ephesians for us right now. I'm not going to hit Romans as hard. Boy, what a beautiful book it is. But Let's start in Romans three.

We all know Romans one. It's quoted all the time these days. Romans two basically, if you just quote Romans one for the purpose it's used as a clobber passage today, you don't see that Romans two says, yeah, and the Jews were no better. Okay? Romans one, he gave them over to their passions.

He gave them over. He gave them over. Romans two, And we've got the law. We should know better, and we don't. And then we get to Romans three, and it says this, now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law.

That's everybody. So that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God, and by the way, guilty before God. Because by the works of the law, as we heard in Galatians, none of mankind will be justified in his sight. There's not anyone who's righteous. No, not one.

For through the law comes only the knowledge of sin. We can look and see how we fall short, but we can't help ourselves from that point. But now apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed. It was witnessed by the law. That lets you know how you go wrong.

And by the prophets, and he's saying, see, this is how you have gone wrong and you continue to go wrong. But it is the righteousness of God. Through faith in Jesus Christ, Merry Christmas. For all of those who believe, for there's no distinction, all who sin fall short of the glory of God being justified only as a gift by his grace through the redemption, which is in Christ Jesus. Wow.

Christmas matters. The redemption which is in Christ Jesus whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in his blood through faith. He has made the payment. He had a perfect record, and he laid it down at the cross in exchange for anyone who would believe. He would give you his perfect record.

And this was to demonstrate his righteousness because God's merciful restraint, he let the sins previously committed go unpunished for the demonstration that is of this his righteousness at this present time. So that he would be just, God is just. He is showing himself in Christ to be just. And so that he would be the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans five.

Therefore, having been justified by faith I talk sometimes about faith. The word pistis is faith, and it's also faithfulness. And so there's a question, is it faith like I have faith in blank, or is it the faithfulness of whatever that thing is? In the Bible, Jesus' faithfulness is what we must put our faith in. So usually in the Bible, I think it's both.

Therefore, having been justified by placing our faith in the faithfulness of Jesus, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we also have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we celebrate Merry Christmas. In the hope of the glory of God, and not only this, but we also celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance, and perseverance proven character, and proven character hope. And hope doesn't disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time.

And, dad, for us sinners. Now, most people wouldn't be willing to die. For an upright person, most people wouldn't. Though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who's especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we all were still sinners.

He did it. He took the initiative. He took the opportune moment and did it so that it would be absolutely by grace, so that it would not be something that we could or would need to ever pay back for. Now in gratitude, yes, we're His workmanship. He's created some stuff for us to do.

We should be walking in the spirit and looking for the opportunities, trying to grab hold of them as God shows us what they are. While we were still sinners, he died at just the right time. Therefore, Romans eight, there's no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the spirit of the life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, weak as it was.

Weak as it was. The law is good at some things. I think of this every time we pass it. Pascal reminded me of it this week. How many of you all read Pilgrim's Progress?

Pilgrim's Progress, Christian, everything's at Allegory. Christian's walking along his merry road, going about his business, and then all of a sudden, wham, he gets slammed in the head, knocked to the ground, and kind of dizzy, he starts to get back up, and wham, it hits him again. And then he's like, What in the world? And then Jesus is there to pick him up, and as Jesus is lifting him up, he goes, What just happened? He goes, Oh, that was Moses.

He hit you with the law, And then when you thought you were better, he hit you again. And that's what the law does. But the law of the spirit of life in Christ has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, weak as it was, through the flesh, God did do, Sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh. And as an offering for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh so that the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but walk according to the spirit.

Merry Christmas. Now, I was looking for something else this week and I ran into this. And actually, somebody questioned me about this. He said, I'm always questioning the Bible now. Every time I open the Bible, I'm questioning it, looking for errors.

And I'm like, oh man, that must be a terrible way to live life. And he saw something in this passage. It's not this, but he saw something in this passage, and he goes, he told his brothers he wasn't going up to the festival, then he went up to the festival. That sounds like a lie. Jesus was not supposed to say it.

No, no, no. I said, How much Jewish festival stuff do you know? Not much. Me neither. But when Jesus said, I'm not going up to this festival.

Y'all go ahead. And then he went on up by himself. He said this to them. This is what he said, and this actually does help to clear it up. Not even his brothers believed in him.

Can you imagine growing up with Jesus as your older brother? Golly. Not even his brothers believed in him. And it sounds like they were kinda making fun of him, honestly. And this paragraph says, hey, we're in this little backwater town and Jerusalem is the place to be.

And you know it, you ought to be up there making a big deal out of it. Take the time. Nobody who wants to be our Messiah. I can hear them mocking him, you know? They don't believe in him.

He's saying, you're you're here. You should be there. And he says, no. Y'all go ahead. I'm not gonna go up right now, he says.

Y'all go ahead. And Jesus said to them, my time is not yet here. Kairos, my opportune time is not yet here. But your opportune time is always ready. At any point, any one of those brothers could have said, hey, I know those the other brothers don't believe in you, but I do.

I don't understand it. I don't know what's going on. But something's different. They always could have had their time where they could have come to him. According to this, my time is not yet here, my opportune moment is not here, but yours is.

Yours is always ready. So considering the fullness of time that God birthed Jesus into a place and time and the context of a family, sent him to Egypt, brought him back, moved him around, hit all of the marks that made all of the prophecies true in the fullness of time. He sent his sons. He was born of a woman, born under the law so that he might redeem those who were under the law. We all start off under the law, and we, by nature and by choice, sin against that law.

We need a savior. The gift of God is that he has given us that savior so that we might receive adoption as sons and daughters. I think that's the last slide. Merry Christmas. Would you all stand with me?

We're going to sing whatever Carl has picked out. Ah, go tell the mountain. That's good. There's plenty of good stuff to go tell them the mountain, is there not? Also this, we will do straight up Christmas Christmas message, Luke two, genealogies.

We'll do the stuff of Christmas Next week, in the evening, 04:30 and six, we will tell the story, and we'll sing the songs, and we'll light the candles. And it's gonna be a fun time. Would you celebrate in between now and then with all the gifts that you see that God has given? And would you seize this moment that God has right in front of you? Amen.

Amen. For my brothers and sisters, we were called to be free, but don't use your freedom to indulge. What in the world? Rather, serve one another humbly in love. Lord God almighty, I pray this week that you would heal any rifts within any of the families even represented in this room.

Lord God almighty, you are almighty. Would you show us the steps that we need to take to make it right, to heal any and all risks, and as much as it depends upon us, lord, would you show us the Christ like way forward? I pray that you would heal any and all risks for any of the employees in this room, Lord, in the place of work. I pray, Lord, that you would use us in this valley and that you'd use us to the very uttermost parts. Lord, may we share a joy that is inexpressible and full of glory.

Amen.

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