INTRODUCTION:

    A.  The Nature Of God.
          1.  God is, by nature, love -- I John 4:7-8.
          2.  It is the nature of love to give.
               a.  Ephesians 4:28.
               b.  James 2:15-17.
               c.  I John 3:17.
          3.  God gave the first and best gift when He sent His Son to this earth.
               a.  James 1:17.
               b.  John 3:16.
          4.  In giving His Son, God was right on time.

    B.  The Timing Of God.
          1.  "When the fulness of time was come . . . "
               a.  FULNESS = completness; filling.
               b.  "When time had been fully filled."
          2.  Jesus was born at just the right time.  (Note 4 great events of this time.)
               a.  The time God had ordained.  (In keeping with Daniel's prophecy of 483
                    years after the command to rebuild Jerusalem.
                b.  Mosaic law had done its works (Galatians 3:24).
                c.  The Law had reached its limit.
                d.  The Roman empire maintained peace.
                     1)  Roman roads made travel easy.
                     2)  The Greek language universally made the spread of the Gospel easy.
           3.  Under these conditions God used a Roman ruler to move a young man and
                woman to a place prophesied to accomplish His purpose.

  I. PREPARATION FOR THE MESSIAH.

    "When the fulness of time was come."

    1. Throughout the O.T. God was preparing the world for His Son.
        a.  Genesis 3:15 -- The first promise of the Messiah.
        b.  Genesis 3:21 -- The first picture of the Messiah.
        c.  Joseph, Moses, Joshua -- were all types of Christ.
    2.  People were prepared through the Law.
         a.  Galatians 3:24-25 -- The purpose of the Law.
         b.  Heb. 10:1, 4 ; 9:11-14, 22 -- The picture of the Law.
              (Every sacrifice pointed to Christ.)
    3.  Acts 10:43 -- The promise of the prophets.  Promised of:
         a. His birth -- Isaiah 7:14 ; 9:6.
         b. His place of birth -- Micah 5:2.  (Of His lineage, activity, and suffering.)
         c.  His death -- Isaiah 53 (vv. 2-3, 5, 7, 9).
    4.  God even prepared the way of the Messiah through Israel.
         a.  Call of Abraham.
         b.  Call of Jacob and his family.
         c.  Birth, preparation, leadership of Moses, liberation of Israel, preservation of God's people.
    5.  God had even designed and identified the family through which He would come.
         a.  Genesis 49:9-10.
         b.  Isaiah 11:1 ; Micah 5:2.
         c.  Heb. 7:14 ; Rev. 5:5.
    6.  I Peter 1:18-20 -- His coming was planned before creation.  God was telling the world,
         "I am coming to redeem you.  Get ready."

 II. THE PRESENTATION OF THE MESSIAH.

    A.  His Birth.
         1.  "Made of a woman . . . "
              a.  Isaiah 7:14.
              b.  Matthew 1:18-25 ; Luke 1:30-35.
         2.  The importance of those words.
              a.  Declares the deity of Jesus.
              b.  Fulfills prophecy.
         3.  How He was revealed -- not in a palace but in a manger.
              a.  Note the glory of His coming.
              b.  Revealed to shepherds by angels.  Sought by wise men.

    B.  His Pure Life.
         1.  "Made under the law . . . "
              Jesus kept the Law -- summed it up into two commands.
              a.  Love God with all your heart, soul, mind.
              b.  Love thy neighbor as thyself.
         2.  His earthly parents demonstrated a willingness to teach Him God's Law.
              a.  Sacrifices were made at His birth -- Luke 2:27.
              b.  Luke 2:42 -- Taught to keep the Law.
              c.  Luke 2:52 -- He increased "in favor with God and man."
         3.  Jesus expressed His desire and intention to obey the Father.
              a.  John 6:38.
              b.  John 14:31.
         4.  The declaration of Scripture.
              a.  Acts 2:22 -- Approved of God.
              b.  Hebrews 4:15 -- Tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

    C.  His Sacrificial Death.
         1.  We see Him again as we move to Calvary.
              a.  Crucified.
              b.  Hanging between two thieves.
         2.  Jesus said it was for this cause He came into the world.
         3.  Presented as:
              a.  The Lamb of God.
              b.  The only begotten of the Father.
              c.  The sin offering (sacrifice).
              d.  The propitiation (satisfaction) for our sins.
         4.  His sacrifice was declared by His disciples.
              a.  Acts 2:23-24.
              b.  Acts 3:14-15.

III. THE PURPOSE OF THE MESSIAH.

 "To redeem them that were under the law."

    A.  Why It Was Necessary.
         1.  REDEEM = purchase; buy up; release; set free out of bondage.
         2.  Adam's disobedience brought the bondage of sin to the human race -- Romans 5:12.
         3.  Romans 3:23 -- All have sinned.
         4.  Romans 2:11-23 -- All are under the curse of the Law.

    B. What He Did.
         1.  Romans 5:6-8 -- While we were yet sinners.
         2.  II Corinthians 5:21 -- Became sin for us.
         3.  Galatians 3:13 -- Redeemed us from the curse of the Law, which is death.

  CONCLUSION:

    1.  The coming of Christ doesn't end in a manger, but on a cross.
    2.  Jesus came to redeem men, to save them from their sin.
    3.  All of this was according to God's plan and took place right on schedule.  God has shown:
         a.  He is a God who can be believed.
         b.  He is a God who can be counted on.