THE FULLNESS OF TIME, THE FOOLISHNESS OF MEN

GAL. 4:4-5

Pastor Rick Jackson

Sometime years ago I read in the paper of a religion said to predate Christianity. The reason the writer thought it predated Christianity was because it was before the birth of Christ. The author was both foolish and ignorant. Ignorant because he did not know the beginning of Christmas and Christianity, and foolish because he spoke authoritatively on that of which he was ignorant. Never a wise thing for any of us.

When did Christmas and Christianity begin? Where do you start looking? What will you find? How does it measure up? Our text reveals to us that God waited until everything was right, but it also reveals to us, that He had a plan all along. Let us consider - The Fullness of Time, the Foolishness of Men.

I. START IN THE GOSPELS

1. Matthew Goes Back to Abraham [1:1]

2. Luke Goes Back to Adam [3:38]

3. John Goes Back to the Ancient of days [1:1]

Daniel 7:13-14 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

II. SCRIPTURE REVEALS GOD’S GRANDEUR

1. A Pre-Incarnate Christ [v. 1-4]

2. A Pernicious Problem [v. 5-11]

3. A Predetermined Solution [v. 12-14, 29]

Rev. 13:8 calls Jesus “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

III. MEASURING THE MEASURELESS

1. It’s Ageless in Its Entirety [Rev. 13:8, Eph. 2:7, 3:2 - so nothing predates it]

2. It’s Matchless in Its Glory [Lk. 2:9, 14, 32; 24:26]

3. It’s Boundless in Its Scope [I Tm. 3:16, Heb. 7:25]