In the Fulness of Time

Rev Gideon Lee

Yesterday we had our Christmas at the TOP. It was full house, more than 300 came and we had four salvation yesterday! Let's give God the glory. 

I appreciate all those that did the performances and dance, they practised hard and I know because my children was involved and I was here too during their practise and I want to give them our appreciation and thanks. It is all worth it not just because of the four salvation because we all came together as a church. 

How many of your are here today? Or do you just park your body here but you're away shopping. 

Let's look at the book of Luke. 

Luke 1:26-38

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Galatians 4:4-7

4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

As we come to the end of the year, I don't know about you but I think the year passed too fast. It seems like time just flew by us. I want to talk about time. Albert Einstein says time is relative. For some of us we think we have plenty of time when we are young and time passed by slowly. When I was 17, I can't wait to have the license to drive. And at 20

I can't wait to be 21 to be able to vote. The opposite is true for the elderly, where we wished we have more time. 

But God says here in the fulness of time. Means at the right time. At the right time of history. Jesus was sent at a time when God has prepared history for his coming. Greek was being used at that time and as you look into our bible you'll see that it's Greek. Paul's time. History helped in his coming. Alexander the Great was a great time during the Roman Empire. What was their greatest achievement? They build roads to connect their empire. It was these roads that allow Jesus to move town to town to preach. 

God also sent Jesus into our lives at the right time. Look back at your lives and you'll know there were times which leads to our salvation and in the fullness of time God came into our lives. 

God did not make a mistake when he sent his son into this world. 

We read that Mary was a virgin engaged to Joseph. Their engagement then was different from now. A pledge or contract has been made and sign of acceptance from both family. It was very difficult to call off once it's done as it'll bring shame to the family. That's why there are such things as honour killings. We've seen these in Pakistan and the Middle East. 

Mary at no more than 13 to 14 had the angel of the Lord appeared to her. 

Luke 1:28-30

28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.

Mary had the right to be troubled. If you put yourself in Mary's shoes you'll see why. She's a virgin and at that time there's no sex before marriage. 

I don't know about you if I hear that I'd be worried. We may not see it as something that is good or the right time. It can be dangerous for her. This would bring great shame to her and her family. See Mary's response. 

Luke 1:34

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

Mary's response was practical. How can it happen? It's not a right or wrong situation. And we see that God is also concerned about her situation. 

Luke 1:35-38

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

God answered her in a practical way and assured her with God nothing is impossible. He sent his son at the fulness of time. Not according to our convenience or schedule. 

See the last verse and the response. May it be to me as you have said. 

As we come to the close of the year. Many things have happened to us. Take a few minutes just to look back at this year and many things may have happened and we question the timing. We may ask if God could have postponed it. God allowed it to happened and in the beginning it may looked as if it's not good for you. But look at Mary's response. 

We don't invite things to happen in our life but our response should be this as we trust in him. Look at Galatians. Why did God send his son? To redeem us so that we receive the full rights of sons. 

To reconcile or redeem those under the law to give them a position to be sons and daughters of God. We can be the sons and daughters of Jesus. There is no problems to say we are the children of God. But to say we are sons and daughters is as if we are like Jesus. He made us co-heirs to the kingdom of God. That is what Jesus came to do in the fulness of time. 

I tell you a true story. 

In the year 2006, ABC news told a story about Sarah. After her first birthday she was adopted and she grew up in a close knit family. In a good environment of love. But as she grew up she wanted to look for her biological mother. She found the mother but the news was that her mother has passed away due to cancer. She was sad but what she did was she wanted to look for her biological father. And she found out that her father was still living and a ruling member of a tribe in Sierra Leone. A country torn with civil war. This actually made her a princess. 

So Sarah was royalty in that country so she flew to Sierra Leone to meet her father. When she arrived the whole tribe came to welcome her. Over 200-300 danced for her and she felt so welcomed. It was heartbreaking as much as she was happy. She saw the suffering so she started a foundation for Sierra Leone. When she was interviewed she said she did this is because the title princess meant responsibility and that was why she took it on. 

So was the title of son of God. It's not just a title we have. It tells us of our relationship with him. But more importantly that title came with responsibility. Jesus is our kinsman redeemer. He was not just someone outside. He came so that we can call him Abba father. God can redeem us from death because of Jesus. Just as the princess said, princess meant responsibility. We have responsibility toward God, the church and one another. Let's not just exercise our privilege but we will also exercise our responsibility. 

How wonderful it was for the 4 persons that came and found Jesus. Someone invited and brought them and when the altar call was made someone nudged them and in the fulness of time God came into their lives. And they are now sons and daughters of God. 

How many of you have bought your Christmas tree. Or how many of your has bought me my Christmas gift? (Laughs) The greatest gift we can give to someone is Jesus. We have that responsibility as sons and daughters of God. Many of us may have things happened to us in 2014, but let us respond like Mary.