We have a God whose timing is perfect. It was not an accidental arrival of Jesus into this world. God has broken into history at a precise moment.

1 – The world’s time – history

God had made preparation for this exact moment. This was a good time for Jesus to come for a number of reasons.

• For a period of time things were settled in the Roman Empire.
• There was a technological peak with the best ever road systems. This would allow the gospel message to be spread throughout the world.
• There was a common language that everyone spoke – Greek.
• It was a time of great spiritual bankruptcy. People were searching for truth.

2 – God’s time – salvation

• Shadow/Shadow – In the Old Testament there is a shadow of the life of Jesus. Substance – In the New Testament we have the substance. Everything comes into stark relief. When Jesus was born in the stable it was only the beginning of his earthly life.
• Law/Liberty – Jesus was naturally born of a woman. He was born in time under the law. Jesus would fulfil the law and bring liberty to those who follow Him.

3 – Our Time – trusting Him

Jesus had more in mind in His coming to this Earth than giving us a holiday.

• To redeem us – We were under the Law. But we could not keep the Law. So we stood condemned by our own inadequacy. Our own works testify to the fact that we cannot be righteous in ourselves. So Jesus came. He bore our humanity. He bore our iniquity. He died on the Cross in our stead. Because of that death, He forgave us, and He cleansed us and set us free from sin and the law of sin and death. Jesus came to redeem us, to buy us back, and to make us His own.
• To adopt us – The word “adopt” in Greek (huiothesia) comes from two Greek words, “thesia,” which means “placing,” and “huios,” which means “son.” By that we understand that when we come to Christ, a child has been placed into the family of God by the act of Christ. He came not only to forgive us of our sins, but to place us into His family. That is something else indeed. He did not merely forgive us and send us on our way. He received us to Himself and made us His son, his daughter.

4 – Fullness of time – His return

God had a definite time in mind for the first coming of Jesus. The salvation that Jesus inaugurated in the church at his first coming will be consummated for the entire world to see at his second coming. There is a time when time will disappear. Eternity is coming. God knows the time that Jesus will come back a second time. Don’t become obsessed at determining when it will happen. It is better to be on the welcoming committee than the planning committee. We are not to worry or predict when this will happen. Time is a limited commodity. Make the most of it. You don’t know how much you have. Don’t waste your life and your time. Be a good steward of your time. Live for Christ today.

Categories: Galatians