Grace Covenant Church of Vista
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    • Sermons 2019 (Click for Teasers) >
      • THINK BEFORE YOU FIGHT Ephesians 6:17 Pastor Dennis Bone 2-17-19 >
        • February 17, 2019 Notes
      • FAITH: GOD’S SHIELD AROUND US Ephesians 6:16 >
        • February 10, 2019 Notes
      • THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR FIGHTING Ephesians 6:15 >
        • February 3, 2019 Notes
      • DRESS FOR SUCCESS Ephesians 6:13-19 >
        • January 27, 2019 Notes
      • The Mystery of our Religion 1 Timothy 3:14-16
      • ARE YOU READY TO RUMBLE? Ephesians 6:10-12 >
        • January 13, 2019 Notes
      • THE WAR AGAINST THE TAPESTRY OF GRACE Selected Verses >
        • January 6, 2019 Notes
    • Sermons 2018 (Click for Teasers) >
      • THE TAPESTRY OF GRACE: POST ADVENT Titus 2:11-14 >
        • December 30, 2018 Notes
      • Christmas Eve Message 12/24/2018
      • THE TAPESTRY OF GRACE: ANGEL’S PEACE Selected Verses >
        • December 23, 2018 Notes
      • THE TAPESTRY OF GRACE: SHEPHERDS’ JOY Luke 2:8-17 >
        • December 16, 2018 Notes
      • THE TAPESTRY OF GRACE: BETHLEHEM’S FAITH Selected Verses >
        • December 9, 2018 Notes
      • THE TAPESTRY OF GRACE: PROPHECY’S HOPE Selected Verses >
        • December 2, 2018 Notes
      • A Proper Perspective on Thanksgiving Eph 5:19,20; 1 Thess 5:18
      • THE PATH TO MATURITY AND GLORY 2 Peter 3:14-18 >
        • November 18, 2018 Notes
      • GOD’S PERSPECTIVE ON JUDGMENT 2 Peter 3:8-13 Pastor Dennis Bone 11-11-18 >
        • November 11, 2018 Notes
      • PROMISES, PROMISES 2 Peter 3:1-8 >
        • November 4, 2018 Notes
      • The Images of False Teachers 2 Peter 2:10-22 >
        • October 28, 2018 Notes
      • SPIRITUAL TERRORISM 2 Peter 2:1-10 >
        • October 21, 2018 Notes
      • REMEMBER, REMEMBER, REMEMBER! 2 Peter 1:12-21 >
        • October 14, 2018 Notes
      • THE FRUIT OF ELECTION 2 Peter 1:5-11
      • THE POWER OF FAITH 2 Peter 1:3-9 >
        • September 30, 2018 Notes
      • OUR PRECIOUS FAITH 2 PETER 1:1, 2 >
        • September 16, 2018 Notes
      • The Staying Power of God's Grace 1 Peter 5:12-14 >
        • September 2, 2018 Notes
      • Do Not Feed the Lion 1 Peter 5:8-11 >
        • August 26, 2018 Notes
      • Humility Breeds Accountability 1 Peter 5:5-9 >
        • August 19, 2018 Notes
      • Accountability Partners 1 Peter 5:1-7 >
        • August 12, 2018 Notes
      • THE BEGINNING AND END OF JUDGEMENT 1 Peter 4:12-19 >
        • August 5, 2018 Notes
      • WHAT ARE WE SUFFERING FOR? 1 Peter 4:12-19
      • Live With The End In Mind 1 Peter 4:7-11 >
        • July 22, 2018 Notes
      • Living In the Light of the Gospel 1 Peter 4:1-6 >
        • July 15, 2018 Notes
      • The Victory of Christ 1 Peter 3:18-22 >
        • July 8, 2018 Notes
      • Sharing Our Hope In Christ 1 Peter 3:13-17 >
        • July 1, 2018 Notes
      • The Motive For Christ-like Character 1 Peter 3:10-12 >
        • June 24, 2018 Notes
      • Christ-Like Character on Display 1 Peter 3:8-12 >
        • June 17, 2018 Notes
      • The Beautiful Principle of Submission 1 Peter 3:1-7 >
        • June 10, 2018 Notes
      • The Cost of Christ-Like Service 1 Peter 2:18-25 >
        • June 3, 2018 Notes
      • Submission in Service to God 1 Peter 2:13-17 >
        • May 27, 2018 Notes
      • Our Identity 1 Peter 2:9-12 >
        • May 20, 2018 Notes
      • God's Building Project 1 Peter 2:1-8 >
        • May 13, 2018 Notes
      • Trials & Troubles: friend or foe James 1:1-4
      • Living In Holy Fear 1 Peter 1:17-25 >
        • April 22, 2018 Notes
      • Hope: Promised, Practiced and Perfected 1 Peter 1:10-16 >
        • April 15, 2018 Notes
      • Living In The Hope Of The Resurrection 1 Peter 1:3-9 >
        • April 8, 2018 Notes
      • There is No Plan B 1 Corinthians 15:17-28 >
        • April 1, 2018 Notes
      • The Procession of the King Psalm 24:1-10 >
        • March 25, 2018 Notes
      • Confronting Little "gods" Acts 17:16-34 >
        • March 18, 2018 Notes
      • As for Me, I will call upon the Lord. Principal scripture Psalm 55:22
      • Turned Of or Turned On Acts 17:1-15 >
        • March 4, 2018 Notes
      • Concessions Without Compromise Acts 15:19-35 >
        • February 25, 2018 Notes
      • The Dilemma of Grace Acts 15:1-18 >
        • February 18, 2018 Notes
      • The Model of God's Church at Work Acts 14:21-28 >
        • February 11, 2018 Notes
      • Election Is For Gentiles Too! Acts 13:38-52 >
        • February 4, 2018 Notes
      • The Spirit-Led Church Acts 13:1-12 >
        • January 28, 2018 Notes
      • What God's Church Should Look Like Acts 11:19-30 >
        • January 21, 2018 Notes
      • God Will Carry Us Through 2018 and Beyond Isaiah 46
      • Victory in Christ Psalm 98:1-9 >
        • January 7, 2018 Notes
    • Sermons 2017 (Click for Teasers) >
      • Yes! It's All Good!!! Psalm 73
      • What Love Is This? Psalm 89:1-4; 19-37 >
        • December 24, 2017 Notes
      • Advent: The Light of Joy Psalm 126:1-6 >
        • December 17, 2017 Notes
      • Christmas Story Psalm 85 and Matt. 1:18-25
      • Advent: The Light of Hope Psalm 80:1-7 >
        • December 3, 2027 Notes
      • Thanksgiving: By Faith Alone Selected Scripture Verses >
        • November 26, 2017 Notes
      • To God Be the Glory Alone Selected Scripture Verses >
        • November 19, 2017 Notes
      • Christ Alone 1 Timothy 2:5-6 >
        • November 12, 2017 Notes
      • Justification: The Way God Forgives the Guilty Romans 3:21-26 >
        • November 5, 2017 Notes
      • Sola Scriptura - the rallying cry Selected Scripture Verses
      • Confronting Hypocrisy in the Church Galatians 2:1-16 >
        • October 22, 2017 Notes
      • Grace Trumps Race Acts 10:1-23 >
        • October 15, 2017 Notes
      • God's Amazing Transition Plan Acts 9:10-31 >
        • October 8, 2017 Notes
      • God's Strategic Conversion Acts 9:1-9 >
        • October 1, 2017 Notes
      • The Process of Evangelism Acts 8:26-40 >
        • September 24, 2017 Notes
      • Philip: The First Evangelist Acts 8:1-25 >
        • September 17, 2017 Notes
      • Stephen: The First Dead Martyr Acts 7:1-60 >
        • September 10, 2017 Notes
      • Stephen: God's Servant Leader Acts 6:8-7:53 >
        • September 3, 2017 Notes
      • Pride the Greatest Sin and Humility the Greatest Healer Selected Scripture Verses
      • Wednesday Meeting, No Pie
      • The Model for Servant Leadership Acts 6:1-7 >
        • August 13, 2017 Notes
      • Man Proposes But God Disposes Proverbs 16:1-9 >
        • August 6, 2017 Notes
      • Truth or Consequences Acts 4:32-5:11 >
        • July 30, 2017 Notes
      • The Witness of Prayer Acts 4:23-37 >
        • July 23, 2017 Notes
      • The Irrationality of Unbelief Acts 4:1-14 >
        • July 16, 2017 Notes
      • The Healing Power of Jesus Acts 3:1-11 >
        • July 9, 2017 Notes
      • June 18, 2017 Notes
      • The Marks of Christ's Church Acts 2:42-47 >
        • July 2, 2017 Notes
      • No Other Option Acts 2:34-41 >
        • June 25, 2017 Notes
      • Jesus: The Resurrected and Exalted King Acts 2:24-33
      • The Message of Pentecost Acts 2:14-24 >
        • June 11, 2017 Notes
      • What A Feast Acts 2:1-13 >
        • June 4, 2017 Notes
      • The Work and Words of the Spirit John 16:5-15 >
        • May 28, 2017 Notes
      • Our Love/Hate Relationship John 15:18-27 >
        • May 21, 2017 Notes
      • Rooted In Christ's Love John 15,:9-17 >
        • May 14, 2017 Notes
      • The Purpose Driven Spirit John 15:1-8 >
        • May 7, 2017 Notes
      • The Spirit of Promise John 14:23-31 >
        • April 30, 2017 Notes
      • The Spirit of Truth John 14:15-24 >
        • April 23, 2017 Notes
      • Song That the Angels Can't Sing 1 Peter 1:3,4:10-12 >
        • April 16, 2017 Notes
      • Jesus' March to the Cross John 12:12-19 >
        • April 9, 2017 Notes
      • THE IMPACT OF WORSHIPPING JESUS JOHN 12:1-11 >
        • April 2, 2017 Notes
      • The Reactions to Jesus John 11:45-57 >
        • March 26, 2017 Notes
      • The Compassionate Power of Jesus John 11:28-44 >
        • March 19, 2017 Notes
      • What kind of Retaliation is Best??? Matthew 5:28-42
      • The Focus of Faith John 11:17-27 >
        • March 5, 2017 Notes
      • The Hope of God's Glory John 11:1-16 >
        • February 26, 2017 Notes
      • Soli Deo Gloria: The Glory of God Alone >
        • February 19, 2017 Notes
      • Solus Christos: Through Christ Alone Selected Scripture Verses >
        • February 12, 2017 Notes
      • Sola Gratia: By Grace Alone Selected Scripture Verses >
        • February 5, 2017 Notes
      • Sola Fidi: By Faith Alone Selected Scripture Verses >
        • January 29, 2017 Notes
      • Sola Scriptura: Why It Matters Selected Scripture Verses >
        • January 22, 2017 Notes
      • Doing What is Good Titus 3:8-15 >
        • January 15, 2017 Notes
      • The Quest for Wisdom Proverbs 4:5-9 >
        • January 8, 2017 Notes
      • REDEEM YOUR TIME Ephesians 5:15-21 >
        • January 1, 2017 Notes
    • Sermons 2016 (Click for Teasers) >
      • THE GLORY OF THE INCARNATION Galatians 4:4-7
      • THE ANGEL’S SONG OF PEACE Luke 2:8-14
      • Good News of Great Joy Luke 2:10 >
        • December 11, 2016 Notes
      • Do We Have Joseph's Faith?
      • A Panoramic View of Hope Romans 15:4-6;13 >
        • November 27, 2016 Notes
      • Who You Say We Are 1 John 3:1-3 >
        • November 20, 2016 Notes
      • Living Water John 4:1-42
      • Spiritual Oxygen in a Political Cesspool Titus 3:1-8 >
        • November 6, 2016 Notes
      • The Fruit of Justifying Faith Romans 5:1-11 >
        • October 30, 2016 Notes
      • Waiting for the Son Titus 2:11-15 >
        • October 23, 2016 Notes
      • Applying Sound Doctrine: Discipleship Titus 2:1-10 >
        • October 16, 2016 Notes
      • The Beauty of the Church Titus 2:1-10 >
        • October 9, 2016 Notes
      • Zero Tolerance: The Way of Sanctification Titus 1:9-2:1 >
        • October 2, 2016 Notes
      • BE FOR TRUTH AND AGAINST FALSEHOOD TITUS 1:5-16 >
        • September 25, 2016 Notes
      • The Way of Faith Titus 1:1-4 >
        • September 18, 2016 Notes
      • September 11, 2016 Notes
      • Remember What is Always Important 2 Timothy 4:9-22
      • Finishing Well 2 Timothy 4:5-8 >
        • September 4, 2016 Notes
      • THE PREACHING OF GOD’S WORD 2 Timothy 4:1-5 >
        • August 28, 2016 Notes
      • The Work of God's Word 2 Timothy 3:14-17 >
        • August 21, 2016 Notes
      • THE LOVE OF GOD’S WORD 2 Timothy 3:10-17 >
        • August 14, 2016 Notes
      • How long must the faithful live by sight? Habakkuk 2:4
      • RIVAL ATTRACTIONS 2 Timothy 3:6-17
      • Confronting Reality 2 Timothy 3:1-17 >
        • July 24, 2016 Notes
      • The Useful Christian 2 Timothy 2:20-26 >
        • July 17, 2016 Notes
      • Should I Stay or Should I Go Selected Scripture Verses
      • Resurrection Perspective 2 Timothy 2:10-19 >
        • July 3, 2015 Notes
      • Our Strong Stand for the Gospel 2 Timothy 2:1-10 >
        • June 26, 2016 Notes
      • Our Confidence in the Gospel 2 Timothy 1:13-18 >
        • June 19, 2016 Notes
      • Our Courage From the Gospel 2 Timothy 1:8-12 >
        • June 12, 2016 Notes
      • Use What God Gives You 2 Timothy 1:1-7 >
        • June 2, 2016 Notes
      • The Way of Godliness 1 Timothy 6:1-10 >
        • May 8, 2016 Notes
      • Be Good Stewards 1 Timothy 6:17-21 >
        • The Courage of Our Confession 1 Timothy 6:11-16 >
          • May 22, 2016 Notes
        • May 29, 2016 Notes
      • The Fight of Faith 1 Timothy 6:6-11 >
        • May 15, 2016 Notes
      • The Accountability to and of Elders 1 Timothy 5:17-25 >
        • May 1, 2016 Notes
      • Principles of Mercy Ministry - Part. 2 1 Timothy 5:1-8 >
        • April 24, 2016 Notes
      • Principles of Mercy Ministry 1 Timothy 5:1-8 >
        • Know Your Mission; Keep the Faith 1 Timothy 1:18-20 >
          • January 31, 2016 Notes
        • April 17, 2016 Notes
      • Spiritual Diligence 1 Timothy 4:9-16 >
        • April 10, 2016 Notes
      • THE EXERCISE OF TRUTH 1 Timothy 4:1-8 >
        • April 3, 2016, Notes
      • The Glory of the Cross Selected Scripture Verses >
        • March 27, 2016 Notes
      • The Triumphant Entry
      • The Conduct and Confession of the Church 1 Timothy 3:14-16 >
        • March 13, 2016 Notes
      • Qualifications for Leaders in God's Church 1 Timothy 3:1-13 >
        • March 6, 2016 Notes
      • Qualifications for Leaders in God's Church 1 Timothy 3:1-7 >
        • February 28, 2016 Notes
      • The Principle of Authority and Submissions 1 Timothy 2:11-15 >
        • February 21, 2016 Notes
      • The Worship Service: Regulative or Relative? 1 Timothy 2:7-15 >
        • February 14, 2016 Notes
      • The Worship of Prayer 1 Timothy 2:1-8 >
        • February 7, 2016 Notes
      • Know Yourself 1 Timothy 1:8-17 >
        • January 24, 2016 Notes
      • Contend For the Faith 1 Timothy 1:3-11 >
        • January 17, 2016 Notes
      • SPIRITUAL LEGACY 1 Timothy 1:1-2 >
        • January 10, 2016 Notes
      • God's Church: Old Truths for a New Year Selected Scripture Verses >
        • Audio - God's Church: Old Truths for a New Year
        • January 3, 2016 Notes
    • Sermons 2015 (Click for Teasers) >
      • For Christmas God wants…you! Selected Scripture Verses
      • PROMISES KEPT: LOVE 1 Corinthians 13:13
      • PROMISES KEPT: JOY Matthew 1:21 >
        • December 13, 2015 Notes
      • PROMISES KEPT: FAITH Romans 10:13-17 >
        • December 6, 2015 Notes
      • PROMISES KEPT: HOPE Selected Scripture Verses >
        • November 29, 2015 Notes
      • Change: Proactive or Reactive? Selected Scripture Verses >
        • November 22, 2015 Notes
      • REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS! Psalm 33 >
        • November 15, 2015 Notes
      • THE JOY OF FORGIVENESS Psalm 32 >
        • November 8, 2015 Notes
      • THE “C’S” OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE 2 Cor. 5:17 >
        • November 1, 2015 Notes
      • SOLA FIDE: BY FAITH ALONE Romans 1:16-17 >
        • October 25, 2015 Notes
      • OUR GOD REIGNS Psalm 24 >
        • October 18, 2015 Notes
      • THE GLORY OF GOD REVEALED Psalm 19 >
        • October 11, 2015 Notes
      • A LIFE OF FAITHFULNESS Psalm 16 >
        • October 4, 2015 Notes
      • RIGHTEOUS CHARACTER: A LIFE OF INTEGRITY Psalm 15 >
        • September 27, 2015 Notes
      • PERSUASIVE SANCTIFICATION 2 Timothy 2:20-26 >
        • September 20, 2015 Notes
      • WHAT CAN THE RIGHTEOUS DO? Psalm 11 >
        • September 13, 2015 Notes
      • A PRAYER FOR DIRECTION Psalm 5 >
        • September 6, 2015 Notes
      • THE RIGHTEOUS ONE: LIVING IN CHRIST Psalm 1 >
        • August 30, 2015 Notes
      • GOD’S FOREIGN POLICY Psalm 2 >
        • August 23, 2015 Notes
      • I BELIEVE IN LIFE EVERLASTING Selected Scripture Verses >
        • August 16, 2015 Notes
      • I BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY Selected Scripture Verses >
        • August 9, 2015 Notes
      • I BELIEVE IN THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS Selected Scripture Verses >
        • August 2, 2015 Notes
      • I BELIEVE IN THE COMMUNION OF THE SAINTS Selected Scripture Verses >
        • July 26, 2015 Notes
      • THE COMMUNION OF THE SAINTS Selected Scripture Verses >
        • July 19, 2015 Notes
      • Does God watch the 5 o’clock news? Habakkuk 1:1-11
      • Still Trusting Selected Scripture Verses
      • I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH Selected Scripture Verses >
        • June 28, 2915 Notes
      • I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT Selected Scripture Verses >
        • June 21, 2015 Notes
      • I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST: HE WILL COME TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD Selected Scripture Verses >
        • June 14, 2015 Notes
      • I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST: ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN AND SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD Selected Scripture Verses >
        • June 7, 2015 Notes
      • I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST: HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD Selected Scripture Verses >
        • May 31, 2015 Notes
      • I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST: FIGHTING FOR OUR FREEDOM Selected Scripture Verses >
        • May 24, 2015 Notes
      • I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST: SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE; CRUCIFIED, DIED AND WAS BURIED Selected Scripture Verses >
        • May 17, 2015 Notes
      • I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST: CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT; BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY Selected Scripture Verses >
        • May 10, 2015 Notes
      • I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST: GOD’S SON AND OUR LORD Romans 1:1-6 >
        • May 3, 2015 Notes
      • I BELIEVE IN GOD: THE MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH Selected Scripture Verses >
        • April 26, 2015 Notes
      • I BELIEVE IN GOD: THE FATHER ALMIGHTY Selected Scripture Verses >
        • April 19. 2015 Notes
      • WE BELIEVE AND WE KNOW: THE APOSTLES CREED Selected Scripture Verses >
        • April 12, 2015 Notes
      • THE PUPROSE AND GLORY OF THE RESURRECTION Hebrews 13:20-21 >
        • April 5, 2015 Notes
      • THE ANGER OF PALM SUNDAY Matthew 21:1-13 >
        • March 29, 2015 Notes
      • THE BOOK OF HEBREWS REVISITED >
        • March 22, 2015 Notes
      • THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE Hebrews 13:15-19 >
        • March 8, 2015 Notes
      • OUR UNCHANGEABLE SAVIOR Hebrews 13:7-14 >
        • March 1, 2015 Notes
      • THE PRACTICE OF TRUE WORSHIP Hebrews 13:1-6 >
        • February 22, 2015 Notes
      • THE WAY OF TRUE WORSHIP Hebrews 12:22-29 >
        • February 15, 2015 Notes
      • THE TALE OF TWO MOUNTAINS Hebrews 12:18-24 >
        • February 8, 2015 Notes
      • OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN THE RACE Hebrews 12:12-17 >
        • February 1, 2015 Notes
      • THE JOURNEY OF FAITH HEBREWS 12:1-11 >
        • January 25, 2015 Notes
      • Tolerance or is it Intolerance: the word(s) for our age
      • THE DISCIPLINE OF FAITH Hebrews 11:39-12:3 >
        • January 11, 2015 Notes
      • THE DIVINE CONTENTMENT OF GODLY ACTION Phil 4:11-14 >
        • January 4, 2015 Notes
    • Sermons 2014 (Click for Teasers) >
      • DESIGNED FOR IMPACT: GOD’S GOSPEL Romans 1:1-6; 16-17 >
        • December 28, 2014 Notes
      • DESIGNED FOR IMPACT: CHRIST Selected Scripture Verses
      • DESIGNED FOR IMPACT: ANGELS Selected Scripture Verses >
        • December 21, 2014 Notes
      • DESIGNED FOR IMPACT: SHEPHERDS Luke 2:8-20 >
        • December 14, 2014 Notes
      • DESIGNED FOR IMPACT: BETHLEHEM Selected Verses >
        • December 7, 2014 Notes
      • DESIGNED FOR IMPACT: PROPHECY Luke 2:25-35 >
        • November 30, 2014 Notes
      • FAITH TAKES A VISION Hebrews 11:32-39 >
        • November 23, 2014 Notes
      • THE CHOICES OF FAITH - Hebrews 11:17-31 >
        • November 16, 2014 Notes
      • THE UNCERTAIN CERTAINTY OF FAITH Hebrews 11:8-19 >
        • November 9, 2014 Notes
      • FAITH THAT PLEASES GOD Hebrews 11:1-7 >
        • November 2, 2014 Notes
      • DON’T STOP BELIEVING Hebrews 10:32-39 >
        • October 26, 2014 Notes
      • APPROACHING JUDGMENT Hebrews 10:25-31 >
        • October 19, 2014 Notes
      • “HOW TO” LIVE HOLY Hebrews 10:19-25 >
        • October 12, 2014 Notes
      • THE NEED FOR FORGIVENESS Hebrews 10:11-18 >
        • October 5, 2014 Notes
      • THE BODY OF CHRIST Hebrews 10:1-10 >
        • September 28, 2014 Notes
      • NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS Hebrews 9:15-28 >
        • September 21, 2014 Notes
      • THE REAL THING Hebrews 9:1-14 >
        • September 14, 2014 Notes
      • GOD’S COMMITMENT TO SAVE SINNERS Hebrews 8:1-13 >
        • September 7, 2014 Notes
      • Me and My Pain Selected Scripture Verses
      • ACCESS TO GOD Hebrews 7:20-8:6 >
        • August 24, 2014 Notes
      • THE PERFECT PRIEST MAKES US PERFECT Hebrews 7;11-22 >
        • August 17, 2014 Notes
      • THE NEW PRIESTHOOD Hebrews 7:1-11 >
        • August 10, 2014 Notes
      • THE CERTAINTY OF GOD'S PROMISE - Hebrews 6:13-20 >
        • August 3, 2014 Notes
      • DON’T STAY A BABY Hebrews 5:11-6:12 >
        • July 27, 2014 Notes
      • THE WAY TO ASSURANCE Hebrews 5:11 - 6:3 >
        • July 20, 2014 Notes
      • OUR EFFECTIVE HIGH PRIEST Hebrews 5:1-10 >
        • July 13, 2014 Notes
      • THE CONFIDENCE OF TRUE COMPASSION Hebrews 4:14-16 >
        • July 6,2014 Notes
      • OBEY GOD’S WORD Hebrews 4:12-16 >
        • June 29, 2014 Notes
      • RESTING IN CHRIST Hebrews 4:1-11 >
        • June 22, 2014 Notes
      • THE UNREST OF UNBELIEF Hebrews 3:7-19 >
        • June 15, 2014 Notes
      • OUR FAITHFUL AND PERFECT SERVANT Hebrews 3:1-6 >
        • June 8, 2014 Notes
      • JESUS STANDS FOR US AND WITH US Hebrews 2:14-18 >
        • June 1, 2014 Notes
      • THE PERFECT PERFECTS THE IMPERFECT Hebrews 2;10-18 >
        • May 25, 2014 Notes
      • THE DESTINY OF REDEMPTION - HEBREWS 2:5-9 >
        • May 18, 2014 Notes
      • LISTEN TO THE SON - Hebrews 1:10-2:4 >
        • May 11, 2014 Notes
      • JESUS: BEGOTTEN, NOT CREATED - Hebrews 1:1-9 >
        • May 4, 2014 Notes
      • THE SUPERIORITY OF CHRIST - Hebrews 1:1-4
      • HE IS RISEN - Matthew 28:1-20
      • Jesus Washes the Disciples's Feet - John 13:1-15
      • THE PURSUIT OF GREATNESS - Matthew 20:17-28
      • THE EQUALITY OF GOD’S GRACE - Matthew 20:1-15
      • Childlike Humility - Matthew 18:1-14
      • Job : A Man for our Times and all Times - Selected Verses from Job
      • A Hard but Happy Chain of Events - Romans 5:3-5
      • The Divine Confession - Matthew 17:1-13
      • The Reason for Discipleship - Matthew 16:13-28
      • The Blessed Confession - Matthew 16:13-20
      • The Food of Faith - John 6:22-29
      • Our Divine Focus - Matthew 14:22-33
      • Kingdom Patience - Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
      • A Sure Comfort - Psalm 91
      • Purpose Driven Parables - Matthew 13:10-17
      • Relevant Resolutions -- Philippians 3:12-14
    • Sermons 2013 (Click for Teasers) >
      • Our Savior Speaks At Advent - Hebrews 10:5-10
      • The Praise of Advent - Luke Chapter 2
      • The Peace of Advent - Micah 5:2-5
      • The Proclamation of Advent - Isaiah 12:1-6
      • The Preparation for Advent - Malachi 3:1-4
      • The Promise of Advent - Jeremiah 33:14 – 16
      • Jesus: The Servant Who Saves - Matthew 12:15-21
      • Kingdom Authority - Matthew 8:23-27
      • Jesus: Lord of the Sabbath - Matthew 12:1-14
      • Resting in the Truth - Matthew 11:28-30
      • Rest for the Repentant - Matthew 11:20-30
      • Standing Upon Grace Romans 5:1-2
      • Prospecting For Sinners - Matthew 9:1-13
      • It’s easier to Covet than be Content - Selected Scripture Verses
      • Moved by Compassion - Matthew 9:35-38
      • Feasting Not Fasting - Matthew 9:14-17
      • Testimony to God's Grace - 1 Timothy 1:12-17
      • The Case for Following Jesus - Mathew 8:14-22
      • Two Foundations - Matthew 7:21-29
      • The Danger of Deception - Matthew 7:15-23
      • Jesus' Call to Enter the Kingdom - Mathew 7:13-14
      • Influence or Influenced? - Matthew 5:13-16
      • The Golden Rule - Matthew 7:12
      • Persistent Prayer - Matthew 7:7-12
      • Right and Wrong Judgmens - Matthew 7:1-6
      • Freedom From Worry - Matthew 6:25-34
      • Choices of the Heart - Matthew 6:19-24
      • Biblical Fasting - Matthew 6:16-18
      • The Responsibility of Forgiveness - Matthew 6:12,14,15
      • The Priorities of Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
      • The Priorities of Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
      • The Content of Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
      • The Approach to Prayer - Matthew 6:5-8
      • Bad Actors - Matthew 6:1-4
      • The Power and Shame of Divine Love - Matthew 5:38-48
      • Speak Truth - Matthew 5:33-37
      • Murdering Marriage - Matthew 5:27-32
      • The Indictment and Restitution of Anger - Matthew 5:21-26
      • Affirming God's Standards - - Matthew 5:17-20
      • The Happyness Quotient - Matthew 5:3-12
      • When Glory Meets Our Suffering - Isaiah 53:10-12
      • The Conundrum of Palm Sunday - Matthew 5:10-12
      • The Call and Challenge of Peacemaking - Matthew 5:9-10
      • Matter of the Heart - Matthew 5:8
      • The Way of Mercy - Matthew 5:7
      • The Pursuit of the Kingdom - Matthew 5:6
      • The Choice is Ours - Philippians 4:1-9
      • Be Meek, not Weak - Matthew 5:5
      • Kingdom Esteem - Matthew 5:3-5
      • A Sermon For the Ages - Matthew 5:1 - 7:29
      • Experiencing God's Kingdom - Matthew 4:12-25
      • You Said Yes, I Said No - Matthew 4:1-11
      • Salvation Through Sorrow - Matthew 2:13-16
    • Sermons 2012 (Click for Teasers) >
      • Standing Orders For A New Year - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
      • When Glory Meets My Suffering: The Glory of Advent - Selected Scripture Verses
      • When Glory Meets My Suffering: The Love of Advent - Selected Scripture Verses
      • When Glory Meets My Suffering: The Joy of Advent - Selected Scripture Verses
      • When Glory Meets My Sufferinng: The Peace of Advent - Selected Scripture Verses
      • When Glory Meets My Suffering: The Hope of Avent - Selected Scpriture Verses
      • Thanksgiving for God's Compassion - Psalm 103:6-19
      • Does God watch the 5 o’clock news? Habakkuk 1:1-11
      • We Proclaim Christ! - Colossians 1:28-29
      • Crazy Days and Crazy Doctrines - 1 Timothy 4:1-10
      • The Good Reaper vs. the Grim Reaper - Galatians 6:7-10
      • Fact of Fiction? - Selected Scripture Verses
      • Tangled up in Blue (or red) - 2 Timothy 2:4
      • Order or Ordo - Salutis - Selected Scripture Verses >
        • sermons 2009 (Click for Teasers) >
          • The Gospel of Peace - Luke 2
          • He is Peace: The Peace of Advent - Various Scripture Verses
          • He is the Lamb of God: The Lamb of Advent - John 1:29-36
          • He is the Purifier: The Purifier of Advent - Malachi 3:1-4
          • He is our Shepherd: The Shepherd of Advent - Various Scripture Verses
          • He is Light: The Light of Advent - Isaiah 9:1-7
          • An Anniversary Charge - 2 Timothy 4:1-8
          • Jars of Joy - John 2:1-11
          • Always Remember God's Word - Psalm 119:169-176
          • Reformation Reflections - Romans 1:16-17
          • A Strong Defense - Psalm 119:153-168
          • Getting Things Right - Psalm 119:137-152
          • Divine Intervention - Psalm 119:121-136
          • Am I a Credible Witness - II Corinthians 13:1-6
          • Our Primary Source - Psalm 119:105-120
          • A Passion for Perfection - Psalm 119:89-96
          • Deliver Us From Evil - Psalm 119:73-80
          • The Discipline of Contentment - Psalm 119:57-64
          • Blessed are the Bold - Psalm 119:41-56
          • Understanding and Accepting God's Ways - Psalm 119:25-40
          • The Strength of My Life - Psalm 119:9-24
          • A Tribute to the Word of God - Psalm 119:1-8
          • The Greatness of Our God - Psalm 48
          • Love One Another (Part. 2) - 1 John 4:7-21
          • Love One Another - 1 John 4:7-21
          • John Calvin: Servant of Christ and His Church - Various Scripture Verses
          • Live Free; Not Fake - Galatians 5:1-11
          • The Trouble With the Truth - Acts 17:1-15
          • The Glory Road - 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
          • The Work of the Word - I Thessalonians 2:10-16
          • Model Church: Motive and Manner - 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
          • The Impact of Pentecost: Then and Now - I Thessalonians 1:2-10
          • Change You Can Really Believe In - Acts 2:37-41
          • The Accountability to and of Elders 1 Timothy 5:17-25
          • The Testimony of David - Acts 2:25 -36
          • The Explanation of Pentecost - Acts 2:14-24
          • The Spirit of Pentecost - Acts 2:1-13
          • Preparation for Impact - Acts 2:12-26
          • After the Resurrection - Acts 1:1-11
          • Hope That Never Disappoints - Romans 5:1-5
          • Passover: Revisited and Revised - Mark 14:12-26
          • Presence, Power and Persecution - Acts 5:17-41
          • Watch Out! - Mark 13:1-37
          • Close to the Kingdom - Mark 12:28-32
          • Greatness in God's Eyes - Matthew 20:17-27
          • The Wrong Side of Mercy - Mark 11:12-33
          • Making the Impossible Possible - Mark 10:17-22
          • Commitment, Not Convenience - Mark 10:1-16
          • The Sabbaath and the Superbowl - Isaiah 58:13-14
          • The Work of the Shepherd - John 10:1-21
          • Celebrating Life - Psalm 139:13-18
          • Jesus: Friend of Sinners - Mark 2:13-22
          • Pointing People to Christ - Mark 1:1-13
      • The Lord Reigns - Zechariah 14
      • The Lord Reigns - Zechariah 14
      • The Striking Blow For Sinner's Forgiveness - Zechariah 13
      • Two Types of Sorrow - Zechariah 11:12-13:1
      • A Crisis of Leadership - Zechariah 11
      • Sheep, Shepards and a Savior - Zechariah 10
      • War and Peace - Zechariah 9
      • Culture and You Today: How can we live? - Various Scripture Verses
      • You Can Count On God - Zechariah 8
      • A Deadly Substitute - Zechariah 7
      • Access to Peace - Zechariah 6:9-15
      • Vision Alignment - Zechariah 6:1-8
      • The Reality of Sin and Judgment - Zechariah 5
      • The Work of God's Gospel - Zechariah 4:1-13
      • A Cleansed Priesthood - Zechariah 3:1-10
      • Thy Kingdom Come - Zechariah 2:1-13
      • The Fruit of Repentance - Zechariah 1:7-21
      • Restoration Through Repentance - Zechariah 1:1-6
      • Caught In A Trap - John 8:1-11
      • Pentecost: A Feast Like No Other - Acts 2
      • Christ's Ascennsion: What Jesus Left Behind - Acts 1:1-11
      • The Equality of God's Grace - Matthew 20:1-16
      • The Source of Truth and Spiritual Growth - 2 Peter 3:15-18
      • Preparing For Our Future - 2 Peter 3:10-14
      • Time is on God's Side - 2 Peter 3:1-9
      • The Rejection of False Teachers - 2 Peter 3:4-22
      • The Presence, Practice and Punishment of False Teachers - 2 Peter 2:1-40
      • The Worst News Becomes the Best News - Acts 13:26-41
      • The Best and Worst Sunday in History - John 12:12-46
      • It's Not Fair! - Various Scripture Verses
      • The Certainty of the Gospel - 2 Peter: 19-21
      • Remembering God's Truth - 2 Peter 1:12-21
      • Blessed Assurance - 2 Peter 1:10-11
      • Our Faith: Irreplaceable and Active - 2 Peter 1-11
      • The Roar of Satan: Standing Frim in a Noisy World - 1 Peter 5:8-14
      • Living in the Joy of Humility - 1 Peter 5:5-9
      • The Strength of Humility - 1 Peter 5:1-7
      • Surprised by Suffering - 1 Peter 4:12-19
      • Practical Eschatology - 1 Peter 4:7-11
      • Done With Sin? - 1 Peter 4:1-6
      • Christ's Victory March - 1 Peter 3:18-22
      • Immanuel: God With Us - Selected Scripture Verses
    • Sermons 2011 (Click for Teasers) >
      • What Child Is This? - Selected Scripture Verses
      • God's Love Secured - Selected Scripture Verses
      • The Joy of Advent - Selected Scripture Verses
      • The Pieces of Peace - Selected Scripture Verses
      • Advent: The Renewal of Hope - Selected Scripture Verses
      • Celebrating Our Sue Hope in Christ - 1 Peter 3:15-18
      • Loving Life - 1 Peter 3:8-14
      • The Beauty and Strength of Submission - 1 Peter 3:1-7
      • The Sufficiency of Christ's Suffering - 1 Peter 2:24-25
      • The Suffering of Service - 1 Peter 2:21-25
      • The Service of Submission - 1 Peter 2:13-25
      • Significant Strangers - 1 Peter 2:9-12
      • A Stoned Church - 1 Peter 2:4-8
      • The Holiness Diet - 1 Peter 2:1-3
      • Redeemed Living - 1 Peter 1:17-35
      • When Towers Fall - Luke 13:1-5
      • The Focus of Our Hope - 1 Peter 1:10-16
      • The Joy of Hope Refined - 1 Peter 1:3-9
      • Holy Hope - 1 Peter 1:1-5
      • Our Covenent Connection - Hebrews 10:19-25
      • Our Spiritual Debt Crisis - Matthew 18:21-35
      • The Work of God's Word - Hebrews 4:12-16
      • No More Shame - Hebrews 2:10-18
      • We See Jesus - Hebrews 2:5-13
      • The Savior Seeks Sinners - Luke 19:1-10
      • Freedom: Automony or Theonomy - Luke 15:11-24
      • The Right Kind of King - Psalm 110
      • The Greatest Father's Day Ever - Hebrews 1:5-13
      • Jesus Christ: The End of the Story - Hebrews 1:1-6
      • Never Read a Bible Verse -- Selected Scripture Verses
      • A Life of Hope -- Romans 8:18-39
      • The Pride of the Gospel - Galatians 6:12-16
      • Don't Spoil the Fruit - Selected Scripture Verses
      • The Fruit of the Spirit in Action: Self-control - Selected Scripture Verses
      • Hannah: Obedience and Faithfulness - 1 Samuel 1 & 2
      • The Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness - Selected Scripture Verses
      • Surprised by the Obvious - Luke 24:1-8
      • The Fruit of the Spirit in Action: Meekness - Selected Scripture Verses
      • The Fruit of the Spirit in Action: Kindness and Goodness - Selected Scripture Verses
      • The Fruit of the Spirit in Action: Patience - Selected Scripture Verses
      • The Fruit of the Spirit: Peace - Selected Scripture Verses
      • The Fruit of the Spirit in Action - Joy - Selected Scripture Verses
      • The Fruit of the Spirit in Action - Love- Selected Scripture Verses
      • The Fruit of Freedom - Selected Scripture Verses
      • Advantage: Holy Spirit - Selected Scripture Verses
      • The Freedom of the Gospel - Selected Scripture Verses
      • Controversy Over the Grace of the Gospel - Selected Scripture Verses
      • Guarding the Gospel of Grace - Galatians 2:1-10
      • The Call of Grace - Galatians 1:11-24
      • Wisdom in Action - Proverbs 2 and James 3
      • Words Matter - Selected Proverbs
      • Wisdom: Found and Applied - Proverbs 3:13-35
      • Old Truths for a New Year - Proverbs 3:1-12
    • Sermons 2010 (Click for Teasers) >
      • The Day After - Matt 2:1-18
      • The Angel's Message to the Shepherds - Luke 2:10-14
      • The Angel's Message to Joseph - Matt 1:18-25
      • The Angel's Message to Mary - Luke 1:26-38
      • The Angelic Message of Preparation - Luke 1:11-21
      • Angels of Advent - Various Scripture Verses
      • Identity Crisis - 1 Peter 2:9-12
      • The Heart of Tradition - Mark 7:1-23
      • Who we are (or should be) as Christians - John 17:13-26
      • THE “TREAT” OF THE REFORMATION - Various Scripture Verses
      • Fatherly Guidance - Various Scripture Verses
      • Children of the Heavenly Father - Various Scripture Verses
      • God Keeps His Promises - Hebrews 6:13-20
      • Signs of God's Covenant Grace - Various Scripture Verses
      • Emotional Rescue - 3 John 2-4
      • Certain Truths for Uncertain Times - Various Scripture Verses
      • Two Words From God: Law and Gospel - Various Scripture Verses
      • Amazing Grace: Common and Saving - Various Scripture Verses
      • Philemon & Onesimus: What a Pair - Philemon 12-25
      • Philemon & Onesimus: What a Pair - Philemon 1-11
      • Methodology Matters - Various Scripture Verses
      • Pictures of Faithful Service - 2 Timothy 2:2-7
      • A Prayer of Faith - Habakkuk 3:1-19
      • Living by Faith - Habakkuk 2:4-20
      • Lessons on Faith - Habakkuk 2:2-4
      • The Struggle of Faith - Habakkuk 1 - 2:4
      • Battle Accessories - Ephesians 6:16-17
      • The Good News of the Battle - Ephesians 6:14-15
      • The Illusiveness of Truth - Ephesians 6:13-14
      • Prepared for the Battle - Ephesians 6:10-13
      • Authority that Liberates - Ephesians 6:1-9
      • The Model of Marriage - Ephesians 5:21-33
      • God's Design for Marriage - Ephesians 5:21-33
      • The Movement of Love - Ephesians 5:8-21
      • Imitator or Imitation? - Ephesians 5:1-7
      • Kindness in Action - Ephesians 4:29 - 5:2
      • Truth Exchange - Ephesians 4:25-29
      • Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ -- Romans 13
      • The Rejected, Yet Resurrected Savior - Acts 4:8-12
      • The "Off and On" Christian - Ephesians 4:20-24
      • Delivered From Depravity - Ephesians 4:17-24
      • God's Building Project - Ephesians 4:7-16
      • Theology is Practical - Ephesians 4:1-6
      • Prayer and Praise - Ephesians 3:14-21
      • God's Surprise Ending - Ephesians 3:1-13
      • Becoming a Legal Alien - Ephesians 2:14-22
      • Faith That Works - Ephesians 2:8-13
      • Our First Resurrection - Ephesians 2:1-10
      • Eye Opening Prayer - Ephesians 1:15-23
      • Our Inheritance in Christ - Ephesians 1:11-14
      • God's Eternal Resolution Accomplished - Ephesians 1:5-10
      • God's Eternal Resolution - Ephesians 1:1-6
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THE GLORY OF THE INCARNATION           Galatians 4:4-7

Pastor Dennis Bone

12-25-16
​

I remember the first time I heard the word “incarnation” at church, I thought it had something to do with milk. (like Carnation milk?)  It was not a word commonly used in the circles I traveled, and still today I often wonder how many people truly know what the word incarnation means and how significant it truly is, not only to our understanding of Christmas, but to the entire Christian faith. This morning we celebrate the birth of Christ, a birth unlike any other birth, because God entered this world and appeared to us “incarnate.” This is the Latin term meaning: “in the flesh.”
As the great hymn writer Charles Wesley so eloquently penned in the hymn we just sung together: “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail the incarnate Deity. Pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel. Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the new born King!” The essence of our Christian faith, as well as the Christmas story, is the glory of the incarnation; and God the Son coming in the flesh and taking on our human nature, without losing His divine nature. As the Apostle Paul so clearly and beautifully states in Colossians 2:9, “For in Christ, all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.”
I want us to explore this morning the wonder and the glory of this deep and profound theological truth of the incarnation of Christ, and how the personal and practical application of this great truth should continue to impact our lives today. Let’s begin by reading the words of the apostle Paul in Galatians chapter 4, verses 4 – 7 as he reflects upon the glory of the incarnation of Christ:
But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.  Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”  So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
In four verses Paul sets forth for us the glory of the incarnation, from the beginning of God’s plan to the final result of His plan; and as we study this passage I want you to see four important truths about this glory that we can know and experience because of Christ’s incarnation.  The first truth to consider is: the planning for the incarnation.  In verse 4 we read: “When the time had fully come.”  What time?  The time God had planned or appointed.  It was God the Father’s plan to send His Son at just the right time.  It was not an accident or a reaction to something or someone, but a plan pre-set and preordained in the eternal counsels of God before the beginning of time.  So the first thing to know about the divine planning process of Christ’s coming is that it was planned by a Sovereign.  The Sovereign God, the Everlasting Father, is the one who planned to put this glorious and miraculous event on; and when it was His time, He sent His Son.
 
And we also know that His Son was in on this planning because He is God the Son, and He was present in the beginning with the Father.  His name will be called Immanuel because He is “God with us.”  Jesus Himself tells us about this planning in John 17 when He says: “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.  Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”  Jesus came into the world at Christmas because of the plan He and the Father had before the world began.  This is why the angels declare: “Glory to God in the highest.”  The time for the Son to be incarnate has now come and all of the angels worship Him.  So the second point to see about this divine planning is that it was planned around a perfect setting.  The incarnation occurred at just the right time; the appropriate time in God’s sovereign providence; and the everything was in its right place for this divine event.  It was set in the town of Bethlehem, even as the prophet Micah said, around a manager with angels, shepherds and a Roman census to lead Mary and Joseph to that little town of Bethlehem.
 
It had been a long time coming, since the first promise of a Savior; and a lot had been written in Old Testament history about this time.  The Messiah came, not in a setting that anyone would have expected, but certainly in a setting and at the time that God Himself had planned.  Thus this glorious incarnation was planned by a perfect Sovereign and planned around a perfect setting; and third, planned for a perfect Substitute.  The incarnation of Christ was planned for a specific purpose.  It’s a purpose that was first revealed in Genesis 3 after Adam and Eve sinned; a purpose given to sinful man in a promise of one who would come to crush the head of the serpent in order to remove the curse of sin by becoming a curse for us.  He would be our substitute; He would take our place.  This is why John the Baptist, when he sees Jesus says, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”  This is also why the apostle John says in Revelation that Jesus is the Lamb of God slain from before the creation of the world.
 
In a few minutes I will talk more about this purpose, but this point speaks to the planning of the incarnation.  It teaches us that from the beginning of time Jesus Christ had been ordained to be our substitute, and the entire Old Testament sacrificial system illustrated for us what was to come when God sent forth His Son.  And as the book of Hebrews tells us, this salvation that Jesus came to bring by dying on the cross to forgive our sins as our substitute (and do what the old covenant could not do nor was intended to do), could only happen because of the incarnation.  We read in Hebrews 10:  “When Christ came into the world he said: ‘Sacrifice and offerings you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me . . . I have come to do your will, O God.”  Thus God sent His Son into the world to take on our human body; to be in the flesh, because this was the perfect plan all along; and when the time had  fully come, God executed on His plan.
 
 
Second, as Paul writes about how God executed His plan, we see the power of the incarnation.  “God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law.”  We see the power of God demonstrated in the way God performs or carries out this plan.  First, we see a powerful method: Jesus is “born of a woman.”  God uses a method or a mode that was necessary for His Son to take on our flesh and experience our human nature, and as such we see His power and glory in the virgin birth.  Jesus took upon Himself our flesh but did not inherit our sin, thus He could perform and accomplish the work God sent Him to do as both God and Man, both divine and human.  This is the power of the incarnation; it’s not man’s work, it’s God’s work.  It’s supernatural which is why it’s glorious, as well as mysterious.
 
Second, we see a powerful ministry: Jesus is “born under law.”  This means that Jesus took on the task and responsibility of keeping the requirements of God’s law as the perfect man; an obligation that sinful man could not do.  This was an essential part of His powerful ministry, to do what no man could ever do, but to do it as the perfect substitute.  In 2 Corinthians 3 Paul says that the ministry of the old covenant led to death, because the people could not keep God’s law.  In contrast the ministry of the new covenant, which Jesus initiated by His coming, is glorious, because He fulfills the keeping of God’s law for us.  In Romans 8 Paul says, “For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature (the law can’t save us because we can’t keep it), God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering . . . in order that the righteous requirements of the law may be met in us.”  We receive the benefit through faith in Christ.
 
This is true because third, we see a powerful meditator: Jesus is born “to redeem those under law.” This is the work of ministry that He came to do and to accomplish for sinners like us.  As Paul says, “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.”  This is the glory of Christmas and the power of the incarnation.  God sent His Son to save us from sin.
Jesus is the only mediator, meaning that He is the only way for man to get to God; and it’s the incarnation of Christ that creates this way.  No religion or good deeds or Christmas cheer can forgive your sins; only Christ the Savior can do that for you; and for anyone who calls upon His name, and by faith trusts in this powerful work of salvation He came to achieve for sinners like us at the first Christmas.  The application of this great truth of the incarnation comes when you receive God’s Spirit through faith in Christ and as a result, the privilege of being in the family of God.  This then leads us to consider the third main point of our passage from verses 5 & 6: the purpose of the incarnation.
 
Paul writes these words: “To redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.  Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”  God’s purpose in sending His Son was to make us His sons.  God sent His perfect Son to redeem imperfect sinners.  His purpose was not just to show us the way; or to just give us an example of love to follow; or to just be one of many prophets that can teach you how to live better.  No, Christ is the way, and the only way for disobedient and wayward sinners to be redeemed, meaning to be bought and brought to God.  Thus first, God’s purpose was to purchase us.  The word “redeem” means to buy in the marketplace or to set free and deliver from one place to another.  Sinful man is under law, and the wages or result will be death, but Christ redeems us from that state of affairs; and makes peace with God for us.
 
He moves us from the world’s family, and out from under law, and into God’s family by keeping the law for us (in His perfect life and ministry) and by paying the penalty or wages for our sin as our mediator upon the cross.  Christ redeemed us by making atonement for our sin, so as to make peace with God the Father for us.  So we see second, God’s purpose was to adopt us.  Christ makes us sons of God because of His redemptive work on our behalf.
God’s purpose is to give us a new status or position that we did not have and could not get apart from Christ.  Why?  “For God so loved the world that He gave us His Son.”  “God demonstrates His love for us that even though we are sinners, Christ died for us.”  “In love, God predestined us to be adopted as His sons, through Jesus Christ.”  God’s purpose has nothing to do with us, but all to do with Christ, and the divine love that declares His glory.  God is the one glorified at Christmas, and because of His gracious love, we can reap the benefits.  And we are able to receive these benefits because third, God’s purpose was to change us.  God didn’t love us and do this so we could just stay the same.  Christ makes us new.
 
As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation – you have been changed – the old has gone, the new has come.”  If you personally apply the purpose of Christ’s incarnation to your life you will be changed; you cannot stay the same, because God will send the Spirit of His Son into your heart; and you will know for certain that God is your Father.  This is what changes people, not trying harder to be better or just going to church, but truly being changed by the power of the gospel and faith in Christ your Savior.  In verse 7 Paul sums things up be expanding on this application of what it means to be changed by Christ; and what the glory of the incarnation provides for us as God’s children living in this world as Christians. 
 
So the fourth main point we see in this passage, from verse 7, is the promise from the incarnation.  The promise of the incarnation of Christ came at Advent; the promise of God was fulfilled: Jesus Christ was born in the flesh; He lived, died and rose again to redeem His people.  And now as a part of His redeemed people, we now live in the reality of this promise fulfilled.  As Christians we experience that through Christ we are now children of God, for this is what He has made us, and we experience what Christ continues to give us as a result of Him sending His Spirit into our hearts.
One day we will experience what Christ has in store for us in the future when we see Him face to face.  All of this is ours because of the glory of the incarnation, thus Paul says in verse 7: “So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and since you are a son, God has made you also a heir.”  The promise from the incarnation is both present and future.  First, it’s the promise of a new person; our status has changed from slave to son.  In Christ we have a new identity; we are no longer spiritually dead and slaves to sin, but by faith we are now alive in Christ and children of God.  Jesus came in the flesh in order to set us free from the sin that dominates and controls our lives.  Peter says that Jesus was put to death in the body – His incarnate body – upon the cross; the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring us to God. 
 
This promise of a new person leads us secondly to the promise of a new purpose.  Our new purpose is to serve God, not ourselves; and because God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, we now have the desire and the ability to love God as our Father and to serve Him as our King.   The promise of the new covenant, that God would give us new hearts and would send His Spirit to live in us, rests upon the glory of the incarnation through which God applies these divine promises to us through the work of His Son.  So you see, God’s purpose in the incarnation is designed to give us purpose in our lives.  If you don’t understand your purpose, then you really don’t understand Christmas.
 
But third, our purpose as Christians is to not only worship and serve God here on earth, but it’s to worship and serve God forever, thus we see the promise of a new place.  This place in which we live and serve now is temporal, but God’s promise to us as His children is that we are kingdom heirs.  Paul says, “Since you are a son, God has made you also a heir.”  An heir is someone who has something great coming, and now that God is our Father because of Christ, we inherit eternal life and a place called heaven.  We have become joint heirs with Christ of this great and glorious kingdom to come. 
Why?  Why are all these things true for us who are Christians?  It’s all because of the incarnation.  Jesus came into this world at Christmas to take upon Himself our flesh, so that when we leave this world we will take on His glory (not based upon anything we did, but solely on the basis of what He did).  Without the incarnation there is no cross and there is no resurrection for Christ; and there is no forgiveness or hope for us.
 
But thankfully today, we rejoice and agree with the good news of great joy the angels proclaimed and sung on that first Christmas Day: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord!  Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.”

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