advent Part one - Galatians 4:4-5 (ESV) - Pastor Tim Kroeker

Lamentations 3:25–26:

“The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”

Download Bulletin

During the Christmas season, we sing many traditional songs that tell of Jesus' birth. Perhaps the most well-known is Silent Night. Other popular hymns include: “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Joy to the World,” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”

But in the book of Galatians, we find a short passage of Scripture that is perhaps the oldest of all the Christmas hymns. Many scholars believe Galatians 4:4-5 was a confession of faith included in early church worship, then later incorporated into the traditional liturgy of Christmas.

More than a fun song to sing gathered around a piano with family and friends, these two verses present the objective basis for the doctrine of justification by faith, which Paul defends throughout his letter.

So this Advent season, we’ll examine the 5 central ideas found in this ancient Christmas hymn, to better understand the person and saving work of God in Christ.

The hymn begins, “But when the fullness of time had come...”

The coming of Jesus Christ into human history was no accident. It was the culmination of God’s plan to save that he'd devised before the creation of the world. Not only did God have a plan. He sovereignly worked to bring that plan about according to His perfect timing. What’s more, we also see that God’s sovereign work in salvation still continues today, even in our own lives. The implications are immense. Because God has a plan and because He is the one who works His plan, we can patiently persevere.

Related messages