Sermon Notes; a Daily Devotional

Galatians 4:6 "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." Christmas has passed, and Epiphany approaches. The heart of the season is this: through Jesus, we are not only forgiven but adopted as God’s children. Jesus, fully God and eternally one with the Father, became fully human—born of a woman and raised under the Law. He perfectly fulfilled that Law to redeem those enslaved by it. We resist the label “slave,” yet sin held us in bondage—Jews under the Mosaic Law, Gentiles under the law written on their hearts. Christ’s death paid the price to set us free. But redemption’s goal is far greater than mere release. It is adoption: by pure grace, we become God’s sons and daughters, full heirs with all the rights of children. The Holy Spirit—the “Spirit of his Son”—is sent into our hearts to confirm this new identity. He enables us to cry “Abba, Father,” an intimate term like “Daddy,” expressing trust, love, and bold ...

Galatians 4:5 "To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." Christmas has passed, and life returns to normal. As wondrous as Jesus’ birth is, it is the cross and resurrection that changed everything. All creation and history point to Christ crucified and risen. God sent His only Son to rescue us. Through Jesus, we are not only forgiven but adopted as God’s children—this is our focus this week. Yesterday’s verse showed that the timing of Jesus’ coming was no coincidence but part of God’s eternal plan. Jesus is fully God—eternally one with the Father—and fully human, born of a woman and raised under the Mosaic Law. He perfectly fulfilled that law to redeem those enslaved by it. Today’s verse uses the Greek word exagorazō for “redeem,” meaning to buy someone out of slavery. Christ’s death paid the price to free us from sin’s bondage—a bondage shared by Jews under the Mosaic Law and Gentiles under the law written on their hearts. Born under...

Galatians 4:4 "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law," We’ve been studying how the prophets foretold Christmas centuries in advance. Our annual celebration of Jesus’ incarnate birth has passed, and soon we’ll pack away the decorations and return to normal life. Yet we must not forget His birth. As wondrous as that birth is, it is the cross and Easter morning that changed everything. All creation and history point to Christ on the cross. Our brokenness—our tendency to do what is right in our own eyes while unable to save ourselves—put Him there. So God sent His only Son to rescue us. Through Jesus, we are not only forgiven but adopted as God’s children. That is our focus this week. Today’s verse shows that the timing of Jesus’ birth was no mere historical coincidence (e.g., Roman stability or human readiness), but rooted in God’s sovereign plan from the beginning of creation. “God sent forth His Son” highlights t...

Isaiah 9:6&7 "6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." The prophets revealed God’s plan and His promises. The Bible—both Old and New Testaments—is the storehouse of God’s Word, giving us the fullest understanding possible. Isaiah wrote these words about 700 years before Jesus’ birth. Without divine inspiration, he could never have foreseen such details. Yet even with these clear prophecies, God’s full perspective remains beyond our grasp. Generations of believers have studied Scripture and left us a rich legacy of hymns and writings to help us ...

Isaiah 9:2 "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined." This week, we’ve explored how Christmas resembles John the Baptist: both boldly proclaim Jesus’ arrival to the world. The world’s response is often mixed—sometimes celebrating, sometimes trying to silence or imprison the message. Like John, we want to steadfastly praise and worship our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Christmas Day and every day! Jesus praises John as “a prophet? Yes, I say unto you, and more than a prophet” (Matthew 11:9). John is unique as the direct forerunner who announced “He is here!” while pointing to the personally present Jesus. In Jesus’ view—rooted in the Old Testament He often referenced—a prophet is God’s spokesman or messenger, tasked with: • Calling for repentance and faithfulness. • Foretelling future events or consequences (often judgment for sin or hope for restoration). • Speaking aut...

Matthew 11:8&9 "8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet." Christmas is much like John the Baptist: it boldly announces Jesus’ arrival to the world. Sometimes the world celebrates; sometimes it tries to silence or imprison the message. May we remain steadfast—like John—in praising and worshiping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Christmas Day and every day! In these verses, Jesus asks the crowd why they went into the wilderness to see John. He dismisses the notion that they expected a man in fine royal clothing. He then affirms that they went to see a prophet—yes, and more than a prophet—highlighting John's unique role as the Messiah's forerunner, fulfilling Malachi 3:1. This week's study reminds us that our experiences shape expectations, and John's interactions with Jesus va...

Matthew 11:6&7 "6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. 7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?" Merry Christmas! This season stirs all kinds of emotions—joy for some, deep suffering for others. Our expectations are shaped by our experiences. In Matthew 11, after a year in prison, John the Baptist has a moment of doubt and sends disciples to ask Jesus, “Art Thou He that should come, or do we look for another?" Jesus replies by pointing to His works—echoing Isaiah 35:5–6: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor hear good news. These are not just miracles; they are proof of His messianic identity and the arrival of God’s kingdom of healing, justice, and salvation. Once John’s messengers leave, Jesus turns to the crowd and asks what they went into the wilderness to see: “A reed s...