First Sunday after Christmas 29 December anno domini 2024 Holy Communion
The Epistle. Galatians 4:1-7 The Gospel. St. Matthew 1:18-25
ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us thy only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that we being regenerate, and made thy children by adoption and grace. may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
# 27, 28, 35
When the early church began to grow there were some basic conflicts between the original Jewish believers and the new influx of Gentile believers. Some (the Judaizers) believed that all new converts needed to become Jewish in custom as well as practice. Paul was helping the church at Galicia to understand that there was no need to go back in time and custom to a now defunct system, one that had been replaced by the work of Christ the Savior. Paul tries to make the point of what it means to grow in faith: NOW I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. {The apostle deals plainly with those who urged the law of Moses together with the gospel of Christ, and endeavoured to bring believers under its bondage. They could not fully understand the meaning of the law as given by Moses. And as that was a dispensation of darkness, so of bondage; they were tied to many burdensome rites and observances, by which they were taught and kept subject like a child under tutors and governors.}*
They did not fully understand that with the death and resurrection of Christ, “old things had passed away...”. Many of the practices that were prevalent under the law were no longer necessary to observe or keep as expressed by Moses during the wandering in the wilderness. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world
This being that the death of Christ would cover ALL sacrifices and make any new ones null and void. Christ finished the redemptive process on the Cross, His blood shed for our salvation was full and sufficient, a once and for all perfect oblation for our sin. This would be the act that would provide salvation to all who were/are called to Christ by the Holy Spirit. “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 time adoption of sons.”
{ We learn the happier state of Christians under the gospel dispensation. From these verses see the wonders of Divine love and mercy; particularly of God the Father, in sending his Son into the world to redeem and save us; of the Son of God, in submitting so low, and suffering so much for us; and of the Holy Spirit, in condescending to dwell in the hearts of believers, for such gracious purposes.} *
: And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
{Also, the advantages Christians enjoy under the gospel. Although by nature children of wrath and disobedience, they become by grace children of love, and partake of the nature of the children of God; for he will have all his children resemble him. Among men the eldest son is heir; but all God's children shall have the inheritance of eldest sons. May the temper and conduct of sons ever show our adoption; and may the Holy Spirit witness with our spirits that we are children and heirs of God.}*
Now to cement two concepts together let us look at the passage from the first chapter of Matthew’s gospel that focuses on the birth of Christ our Savior. Let us focus on the last couple of verses of this passage. What is so amazing in these passages that being the fulfillment of prophecy, some dating back to the Garden. The hoped for promise of a redeemer, one who would save us from spiritual death, one who would restore us to perfection, all this culminating in the perfect gift from God the Father, all revealed to us during this season of Christmastide. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
We see the reenforcement of the idea of who Christ is as reported in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament, the whole spectrum of God’s redemption of His creation, imago dei. God will insert Himself into human history with the very understanding of Emmanuel, God with us. Time and again we read in both Testaments of this great concept of God redeeming His own. The Law shows us that we are utterly incapable of saving ourselves, that it is only by the perfect, once and for all time, sufficient sacrifice of Christ Jesus on the Cross, that can save us from our sins. This very act provides all who believe with the hope of resurrection, the promise of eternal life, and the understanding that we have an eternal home with God in His heaven.
As we launch into a new year, let us reflect on what we do daily to prepare our lives to serve the Lord. We need to continue in the Word, pray continually for each other and those who are lost. We need to daily praise God for our being. Praise God for our daily bread, life, freedoms, and yes, our rough spots that come at us from time to time. He will hold us, He will give us hope, He will give us Light. Let us praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Let us pray:
ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all men; We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we shew forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives; by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.
LORD Jesus Christ, who as on this day didst rise from the dead; Teach us to reverence this thy holy day, and give us grace so to use it, that we may rise to newness of life, to thy honour and glory, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
* Matthew Henry, commentary @ 1710