Now let me give the text one
more time, Luke chapter 2 verse 21 down to verse 24. I'm entitling the message from
these verses according to the law of God. According to the
law of God. That is mentioned, the law of
God is mentioned four times in this text. The holy law of God,
that Levitical law that was given to the nation of Israel by the
Lord. It's mentioned in verse 22, and
when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses
were accomplished, again in verse 23, as it is written in the law
of the Lord, again in verse 24, and to offer a sacrifice according
to that which is said in the law of the Lord, and again down
at verse 27. He came by the Spirit into the
temple, when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for
him after the order or custom of the law. Now this is very
significant. This is vital to the gospel of
the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, everything the Lord
Jesus Christ did as a real man even as an eight-day-old baby. Even in the latter part of this
chapter, in Luke chapter 2, when he was in the temple and said
he must be about his father's bigness being 12 years of age. Everything the Lord Jesus Christ
did as a real man, he did according to the law of the Lord. He voluntarily subjected himself
to the heavy yoke, rigorous burden of his own law. The law of God must be honored,
must be satisfied. Hold your place there in Luke
chapter 2, and if you would like to turn to Galatians chapter
4, I'll be reading at verse 4 of Galatians chapter 4. But when
the fullness of time was come, God sent forth, the fullness
of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman,
made, now this is significant, under the law. Talking about
the holy law of God. To redeem them that were under
the law. You see that? Now if you want
to put a marker here in Galatians, we're going to come back and
refer to some other scripture here. to redeem them that were
under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of
His Son into your heart, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore, thou
art no more a servant, but a son, and of a son, an heir of God,
through the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything the Lord Jesus Christ
did as a representative man, representing us, He did so to
honor His own law that He had given. Our Lord said this in
Matthew 5 verse 17. He said, I didn't come to destroy
the law and prophets, you remember? He came to honor the law of God. And He did that for us, for us,
for His people. He did so that the holy law of
God would be honored, that would enable God to be a just God and
Savior, Isaiah 45, to be just and the justifier of his people,
Romans 3, 26. This is a must. He did so, the
Lord Jesus Christ, in every aspect of his life, honoring every precept
of the law. Now we often think when we think
of the law of the Ten Commandments, but did you know there were seven
or eight hundred precepts of that law? The Lord Jesus Christ
perfectly honored the law of God for every elect given unto
Him, bringing in for us an everlasting righteousness. Now how do we
know that He did so. The Father speaks from heaven
not once but twice and said, ìThis is My beloved Son in whom
I am well pleased.î And then He says in Isaiah 42, 21, ìThe
Lord is well pleased for His righteousness sake. He will magnify
the law and make it honorable.î And He did that for His people. His covenant people. Blessed
is the man whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works. He honored the law of God in
every jot and every tittle. He did so in his life, also in
his death. He honored every precept of the
law. He also honored the penalty of
that law. Do you remember what the penalty
of the law was? The soul that sinneth. must die. The guilty must die. He did so
in every aspect of his death. The Lord Jesus Christ honored
the penalty of the law. That's why he died. He died for
our sins according to the Scriptures. The guilty, the law says, must
be punished for every offense, every iniquity, every transgression,
and every sin against the law, for sin is the transgression
of the law. Remember? 1 John 3, verse 4 and
5. The Lord Jesus Christ, upon Calvary's
tree, took all the sins of His people, His elect, all their
transgression, all their offenses that His people had committed,
He took them to Himself. He bare our sin in His own body
on the tree. And the Lord Jesus Christ made
full, complete, everlasting atonement and satisfaction for their sin,
thereby honoring the penalty of the law. Christ redeemed us
from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. God made
Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made
the righteousness of God in Him. Now, I hope you saved your place
there in Galatians. Turn back over there to Galatians
chapter 3. The Lord Jesus Christ honored
the law of God for us, and doing so brought in everlasting righteousness,
everlasting redemption for us. In Galatians chapter 3 verse
10, read there in verse 10, for as many as are of the works of
the law are under the curse of the law. For it's written, cursed
is everyone that continues not in all things which are written
in the book of the law to do them. The law said do this and
live, break one little, inty, inty bit, and death. But that no man is justified
by the law in the sight of God, it is evident, for the just shall
live by faith. By the deeds of the law no flesh
shall be justified. And the law is not of faith,
but the man that doeth them shall live in them." Now look at verse
13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made
a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth
on the tree, that the blessing of Abraham," now this is what
we read about in Genesis 17, "...that the blessing of Abraham
might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive
the promise of the Spirit through faith," not works, not law, but
through faith, that is faith that looks to the Lord Jesus
Christ. Now back to Luke chapter 2. This
is what we're reading about here where it says in Luke chapter
2 verse 21. And when eight days were accomplished
for the circumcising of the child. Now this is not just any ordinary
child. We must remember that this eight
day old baby is none other than the infinite eternal God manifest
in the flesh. He had his beginning and His
birth in Bethlehem, but He is the Eternal God, the Eternal
God, from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God. But what we are
reading about here in these verses is the Lord Jesus Christ honoring
every precept of that law, even as an eight-day-old infant. Even
what the old timers called His passive obedience. And we read
about his passive obedience. We read about his active obedience
of the Lord Jesus Christ unto his Father. God our Savior, the
Lord Jesus Christ, satisfied the law of God for us. I cannot
overemphasize that fact. This is good news. Good news. Now, when eight days were accomplished,
the Lord Jesus Christ, as the God-man mediator, was circumcised. He was an eight-day-old Jewish
man-child in the humanity of his body, born into a Jewish
family, tribe of Judah, house of David. and they brought him
in Bethlehem where he was birthed, they brought him somewhere, it
doesn't reveal it in scripture, and had him circumcised according
to the law. Remember from Luke chapter 1
verse 59, the parents of John, Elizabeth, and Zechariah did
the exact same thing for John when he was eight days old. And
they did so to honor the law of God, the Lord Jesus, and John,
obedient to the word of the Lord. Why was this done? Why did God
do this? Why did they do this? He said
so. We read about that in Genesis
chapter 17. God said this will be a token
of the everlasting covenant made with Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ, now listen
to this, the Lord Jesus Christ was circumcised Shedding His
blood to be the everlasting surety of His people of that eternal
covenant of grace. The God of peace that brought
again from the dead that Lord Jesus Christ through the blood
of the everlasting covenant. The Lord Jesus Christ. Now think
about this. I've never thought about this
before. He shed His blood in the beginning when He was circumcised. He shed His blood again in the
garden of Gethsemane when he shed great drops of blood, and
he shed his blood again when he was nailed there on Calvary's
tree. But we can go back further than
that, because in the eternal covenant of grace, the Lord Jesus
Christ is the Lamb newly slain. He's the Lamb slain before the
foundation of the world. And God said, when I see the
blood, the blood of the Passover Lamb, I will pass over you. That's why He was circumcised. God said, do it. And that was
a symbol and sign of the everlasting covenant of grace. Secondly,
Why was he circumcised? To be identified with his covenant
people, with Abraham's seed. Now turn over to Hebrews chapter
2. Why was he circumcised? Well,
to be identified as one of Abraham's children. Had he not been circumcised,
oh, great implications would be involved, wouldn't it? Hebrews
chapter 2 verse 16, Well, verily, he took not on him the nature
of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. As the seed
of Abraham, to honor God, he had to be circumcised. Wherefore,
in all things, it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest, and things
pertaining to God, to make reconciliation atonement for the sins of the
people. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he
is able to help them, succor them, aid and assist them that
are tempted. Thirdly, our Lord being circumcised
by submitting to this ordinance of the Lord our God, he was putting
himself under the yoke and burden of his own law to keep it. Now turn back to Galatians again,
Galatians chapter 5. He was putting himself under
his own law and under the burden of that law to keep the law.
Galatians chapter 5 verse 1. Stand fast therefore in the liberty
wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again
with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I, Paul, say unto you
that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. Now
in the eternal covenant of grace, circumcision is not required.
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised that
he's a debtor, and here's the reason Christ was circumcised,
he's a debtor to do the whole law. Christ has become of no
effect unto you, whosoever you are justified by the law, you're
fallen from grace." Now the point I want us to see right here is,
the Lord Jesus Christ was circumcised under the law, and he was a debtor
to do the whole law of God. He placed himself willingly,
voluntarily, under that law, and he was a debtor unto it.
Now for the believer, Because the Lord Jesus Christ has honored
the law of God for us, it says in Romans chapter 10 verse 4,
that the Lord Jesus Christ is the end of the law for righteousness
to everyone that believeth. He's the end of the law. Circumcision
for us is not required, because the Lord Jesus Christ has honored
the law of God for us. Matter of fact, circumcision
won't profit you anything. Christ is all and in all. Our Savior put Himself under
the law of God for our sake, and in every jot and every tittle,
He observed it. So we are delivered from its
dominion and from its curse. For the Lord Jesus Christ has
fulfilled the law on our account. It has no more claim on us. It
says in Romans 6, you're not under the law. but under grace."
You see, he honored the law of God for us. He took the burden
that we could not bear, and he bore that burden for us. One
old writer said this, without the Lord Jesus Christ being circumcised,
without it, he would not have fulfilled the law's requirement.
Without it, he could not have been recognized as the son of
David. Without it, he could not be known as the seed of Abraham,
nor the promised Messiah. You see how important this is?
Let us remember that circumcision was absolutely necessary before
our Lord could be heard as a teacher in Israel. Without it, he would
have no place in any lawful Jewish assembly, no right to any Jewish
ordinance. Without it, he would have been
regarded by all Jews as nothing better than an uncircumcised
Gentile. and apostate from the faith of
our fathers." You see why his circumcision was absolutely necessary
to honor God in all aspects, and he did that for us, for his
people. Now here's a second point. Turn
back to Luke chapter 2. And when the days of their purification,
according to the law of Moses, now this was 32 days after his
circumcision, or 40 days after his birth, as it's written in
Leviticus chapter 12. And when the days of her purification
according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord. Now, go back to verse 21. And when he was circumcised on
the eighth day, his name was called... What is that? Savior. Jesus. which was so named of
the angel before he was conceived in the womb." The Lord Jesus
Christ was circumcised and when he was circumcised he was given
his earthly name. Now where did he get this name?
Turn with me back to Matthew chapter 1. "...so named of the
angel before he was born." Both Mary and Joseph had this same
message from the messenger from heaven who said in Matthew 1,
21, look at verse 20, while he thought on these things, that
is, Joseph, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him
in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take
unto thee, marry thy wife, for that which is conceived in her
is of the Holy Ghost. She shall bring forth a son,
thou shalt call his name Jesus, now notice the marginal reference
means Savior, for he shall save his people from their sins. All this was done that the scripture
might be fulfilled. Behold, a virgin shall be with
child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his
name Immanuel, which being interpreted is God with us. The angel named
him Savior, for He shall save His people from their sin. In Luke chapter 1 verse 31, turn
over there, Luke chapter 1 verse 31, the angel also said unto
Mary, Luke 1 verse 31, the angel said to Mary, Fear not, Mary,
for thou hast found favor with God. Behold, thou shalt conceive
in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name
Jesus, and it means Savior, he shall be great, he shall be called
the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give unto him
the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house
of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end."
Mary said, how can this be? I don't know a man with God all
things are possible. Now his name here Remember when
they brought John to be circumcised, they tried to name him Zacharias
after his father. That didn't work because God
said his name shall be called John. And the Lord Jesus Christ
had to be called Savior. He is the Savior. He is what
he's called, the only Savior of sinners. There is salvation
in no other than the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the only Savior.
Don't look for another. He's the only one sent of God,
the only one authorized of God, the only one anointed of God.
There is no other Savior. Peter put it this way, neither
is there salvation in any other. There's no other name under heaven
given among men whereby we must be saved. This is the Savior
that you need to honor the law of God in precept and in penalty.
Is this the Savior that you have? That's the question. Is He all and in all to you?
The Lord Jesus Christ, like Joshua of old, and that's the Old Testament
name for Jesus, is Joshua. Did you know that? Like Joshua
of old, he led the children of Israel into the promised land. The Lord Jesus Christ is our
Joshua. He leads us into God's everlasting
and eternal life. He said, I am the way, the truth,
the life. No man comes to the Father but
by and through me. The Lord Jesus Christ is called
the captain of our salvation that's bringing many sons unto
glory. He is our Savior. He is the Lord
our Savior. He is called in Scripture, God
our Savior. Now if you go back and look at
the story of Joshua, Moses could not lead them into the Canaan
land, promised land. God raised up a Joshua to do
so. Joshua and Caleb. Caleb's name
means faithful dog. Joshua's name means Savior. Joshua and Caleb were the only
men over 20 years old that crossed over Jordan picturing the Savior
and the dog entering into glory. Now here's where I want you to
stay with me here and let me develop this thought. When Israel
came out of Egypt, Egyptian bondage 430 years, crossed over Jordan,
went into the wilderness, and they sent out those spies to
spy out the land of Canaan. Those twelve spies, ten of them
came back and said, we can't take the land. Two of them came
back and said, we can do it, God's with us, Joshua and Caleb. Because they did not believe
the promise of God, God gave them 40 years in the wilderness
to wander around and around and around, two or three million
people. God killed a whole generation.
And what it said in Scripture in the book of Numbers chapter
14, only two men of all those that came out of Egypt who wandered
around in the wilderness for 40 years, God killed every one
of them for their unbelief, but two men. Joshua and Caleb. The Savior and the dog. The Savior and the dog crossed
over Jordan, entered into the Promised Land. That's a picture
of the gospel. The Lord Jesus Christ is our
Joshua. He's our Savior. And you know
who He saves? Dogs. Gentile dogs. Gentile sinners. And He saves
us by His blood. He justifies sinners. He justifies
the ungodly with His blood, justified freely by His grace through the
redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. You see how you
need Joshua? You see how you need the Savior
to be your Savior? There is no redemption from your
sin but by the blood of this Savior. There is no other. There
is salvation in no other. There is redemption from sin
and no other than His blood atonement. The Lord Jesus Christ, our Joshua,
saves us by His power. The power, the gospel is the
power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. The
Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, our Joshua, saves us by His grace. How does God save sinners anyway?
For by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourself.
It is a gift of God, not of worth that any man should boast. He
saves us in Himself. Christ Himself is our Savior. I love what Simeon says here
in the temple, verse 30 of Luke chapter 2, For mine eyes have
seen thy salvation. Now I ask you again, is He your
Savior? Is this the one that you look
to, to save you from your sin, to provide a righteousness satisfying
unto God, the Lord Jesus Christ is the Lord, our righteousness,
be done with anything else. Now here's the third thing I
see here. In verse 22 and verse 23, in
Luke chapter 2, Mary, When the days of her purification,
according to the law of Moses, this is given in Leviticus chapter
12, they brought him to Jerusalem. Now they were in Bethlehem, which
is south of Jerusalem. And when the days of her purification
came to pass, 40 days after birth was given, they brought him to
the temple. According to the law of the Lord,
they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. As
it is written in the law of the Lord, every male that openeth
the womb shall be called holy to the Lord, and to offer a sacrifice
according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, a pair,
a turtle dove, or two young pigeons. The Lord Jesus Christ, and this
is amazing to think about this, verse 22. They brought Him to
the temple, to Jerusalem, to present Him. They presented Him
to the Lord. You see, this is God's Messiah,
God's Christ. Mary came from Bethlehem. to
the temple to offer a blood sacrifice for ceremonial cleansing forty
days after the Lord Jesus Christ was born. Now, why did she do
this? This is what the law of God required.
According to the law of the Lord, Exodus 13.2, and I'll read that
in just a minute. Certainly again, here we have
another reminder, without the shedding of blood, there's no
remission. Whenever you see blood being
shed, of a sacrificial animal in the temple or upon the altar,
always immediately think of the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified. It's the blood of Jesus Christ,
God's Son, cleanses us from all our sins. Why is she bringing
a sacrifice, a blood sacrifice unto the Lord? It is a picture
and type of Christ shedding His blood for us. We read in Hebrews
9, Almost all things are by the law purged with blood. Without
the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. Thank God the blood of Jesus
Christ, God's Son cleanses us from all our sin. Now, several things here on this
point. The Lord Jesus Christ came to the temple. to fulfill
prophecy. It says in Malachi 3.1, we read
this recently, Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall
prepare the way before me. And the Lord, whom ye seek, shall
suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant,
whom ye delight in. Behold, he shall come, he shall
come, here he comes, to be presented to the Lord. Behold, he shall
come, saith the Lord of hosts." Secondly, the Lord Jesus Christ
came into the temple and was presented to the Lord as the
firstborn that belonged to the Lord. It shall be called holy
to the Lord as it says there in verse 23. As it is written
in the law of the Lord, every male that openeth a womb shall
be called holy. to the Lord, that is to be used
for holy purposes. Now here's the reference that's
given there, Exodus 13, 2. Now here's the scripture, let
me just read it to you. Sanctify unto me, the Lord said,
all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children
of Israel, both man and beast, God said, it is mine. He said,
it's mine. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
firstborn of Mary. Right? Look at Luke chapter 2
verse 7. She brought forth her firstborn
son, not begotten of a man, but begotten of God, brought forth
Firstborn son. The Lord Jesus Christ is called,
I want you to turn with me to this scripture. The Lord Jesus
Christ is called in Romans 8, He is called in scripture, the
firstborn. The firstborn. God said, this
is my only begotten son. He's the firstborn. Romans 8,
look at verse 28. Romans 8, 28. And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are called
according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that
He might be the firstborn." The firstborn belongs to who? God
said the firstborn is mine. The Lord Jesus Christ is God's
Savior. He claims Him to be His own. The firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called. Whom He
called, them He also justified. And whom He justified, them He
also glorified. He's the firstborn among many
brethren. Now turn to one other scripture.
Colossians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1. This is
so significant that the Lord, everything we read here is so
significant relating to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. How
he was circumcised, how he was presented, how Mary brought a
blood offering for her ceremonial cleansing in the temple, Colossians
chapter 1. Let's begin at verse 12. "...giving
thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light, who hath delivered us
from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom
of His dear Son, in whom we have redemption through His blood,
even the forgiveness of sin, who is the image of the invisible
God, the firstborn..." He's the firstborn. "...of every creature. For by Him are all things created,
In heaven and earth, visible, invisible, whether it be throne,
dominions, principalities, or powers, all things were created
by Him and for Him. Read on verse 17, He is before
all things, by Him all things consist. He is the head of the
body, who is the beginning, the firstborn. from the dead, that
in all things He might have preeminence. For it pleased the Father that
in Him should all fullness dwell, having made peace through the
blood of His cross by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself.
By Him, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in
heaven, and you that were sometimes alienated enemies in your mind
by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of
His flesh through death to present you holy, unblameable, unreprovable
in His sight. He is our firstborn before the
Lord. When He was presented before
the Lord, we were presented before the Lord in Him. The Lord Jesus
Christ is the only begotten, well-beloved Son of God. As the
firstborn rightful heir to the everlasting throne of God, God
said, I've set my king upon my holy hill Zion. What's true of
Him is true of us. Listen to Scripture, that covenant
Psalm, Psalm 89. Also I will make Him my firstborn,
higher than the kings of the earth. My mercy will I keep for
Him forever. My covenant shall stand fast
with Him. His seed also will I make to
endure forever, and His throne at the days of heaven. The point
I'm making is this. We are made in Christ, heirs
of God, and joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. We have
an incorruptible inheritance, undefiled, that fade not away,
who are kept by the power of God. Christ is our firstborn. He is blessed and we're blessed
in Him with all spiritual blessing. Matter of fact, turn to Hebrews
chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12. The church
of the Lord Jesus Christ, do you know what it's called? Hebrews
12 verse 22. The church of the Lord Jesus
Christ is called the church of the firstborn. Did you know that? Hebrews 12 verse 22. You are come unto Mount Zion,
not Mount Sinai now, unto the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem, to the innumerable company of angels, to the general
assembly of the church of the firstborn, which are written
in heaven, and to God the judge of all men, and to the spirits
of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the
new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better
things than that of Abel, Abel's sacrifice pictured the way of
substitution and satisfaction by the blood offering, but the
blood atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ speaketh better things
than that of Abel. We are blessed in the Lord Jesus
Christ because we have that eternal union with Him, and we are one
with Him in Christ. In Him dwells all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily, and in Christ we stand complete. Now
if you want to jot this scripture down, Jude, in the book of Jude
chapter 1 verse 24 and 25, you see they brought him to the temple
to present him to the Lord. And when they brought Him, they
brought us, because we were in Him, and one with Him, and in
union with Him. Now listen to this scripture
in Jude. I'll just read it to you. Jude 1, 24 and 25. Now to
Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present
you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.
He presents us in Him before the Father spotless, holy, unblameable,
unreprovable in His sight. presents you faultless before
the presence of His glory with exceeding joy to the only one
God our Savior be glory and majesty and dominion both now and forever."
You see, we are accepted in the Beloved. We are blessed in the
Beloved. My Beloved is mine and I am His. Now here's the last thing I want
to show you. Back to Luke chapter 2 verse
24. Mary came to offer a sacrifice
according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, a pair
of turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a sin offering, one for
a burn offering. The law of God required a lamb
for a burn offering unto the Lord or a young pigeon or two
turtle doves for a sin offering. But, now here's the point I'm
making. It says there in Leviticus chapter 12 verse 6 and 8, if
the parents were too poor to bring a lamb, they were allowed,
because of their poverty, to bring either two doves or two
pigeons to the Lord. One for a burnt offering, one
for a sin offering, for ceremonial cleansing. This is what Joseph
and Mary did because they were born in poverty. The Lord Jesus Christ, when He
came to redeem us and to accomplish our salvation, He was not born
in a palace. He was born in a barn. He identified
in His humanity with our poverty, with our poverty. He was born
into an impoverished family. Mary and Joseph could not afford
a lamb, but God provided a sacrifice. Poverty, someone said, was our
Lord's portion upon this earth. From the days of his earliest
infancy, he was nursed and tended as a babe by a poor woman. He passed the first 33 years
of his life on this earth under a poor man's roof. We need not
doubt that he ate poor man's food, he wore poor man's apparel,
he worked in a poor man's workshop, shared all the poor man's troubles. Truly marvelous the stoop of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Though He was rich, yet He became
poor, that you through His poverty might be made rich. He was tempted
and tested in all points like as we are, yet without sin. He became the poorest of men,
that we might receive the unsearchable riches of His grace. He impoverished
Himself with our humanity, and He impoverished Himself with
our sin. God made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that
we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. The Lord suffered
the poverty of our flesh that we might have eternal life. He
redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for
us. The Lord Jesus Christ endured
the agony of the cross, that we might have righteousness in
Him. Suffer the death of the cross
that we might have eternal life and salvation in Him alone. I want you to see this Scripture. Find II Corinthians 8 and 9. I quoted it just a moment ago.
But I'll have you turn there and you can mark it if you want
to or jot this reference down because it describes what I'm
trying to tell you about here. the poverty of his humanity.
He was a real man, born of a woman, made under the law to redeem
us. 2 Corinthians 8, 9, You know
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet
for your sake he became poor. He was rich beyond description.
rich in righteousness, rich in holiness, rich in gold, rich
in every way you can think of, rich in love, rich in mercy,
rich in grace, yet he stripped himself, made himself a servant,
yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty
might be made rich." We're enriched in every way through the Lord
Jesus Christ. He made Himself of no reputation,
took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness
of men, and being found in fashion as a man, Philippians chapter
2 verse 8, being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself,
became obedient unto death, The death of the cross. You see the
necessity of His coming? To honor the law of God. You
see the necessity of His circumcision? To honor the law of God. You
see the necessity of Him being named the Savior? To honor the
law of God and to save His people from their sin. We see the necessity
of Him being presented unto the Lord as the firstborn. And we're blessed in Him. We're
complete in Him. What an amazing story. He took
our poverty and gave us His riches, gave us His righteousness. We
call that substitution. We call that satisfaction. Well,
next week we'll see about Simeon there in the temple and how the
Lord reveals Himself unto him as the only Savior of sinners.