Title:
Christ Fulfilled the Law
Text:
Matthew 1: 22-25; Luke 2: 21-24
Date:
December 24, 2017
Place:
SGBC, New Jersey
Matthew 1: 22: Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23: Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and [a virgin] shall
bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being
interpreted is, God with us. 24:
Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden
him, and took unto him his wife: 25:
And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called
his name JESUS.
Joseph “knew her not till she had brought forth her
firstborn son.” Why did God include this fact in his word? Why was this
necessary? The Lord Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit in the womb of a
virgin. But just as necessary, the Lord
Jesus was born of a virgin.
Proposition: It was necessary that the Lord Jesus be conceived of the
Holy Ghost in the womb of a virgin and be born of a virgin in order that he
might fulfill, not only the prophets, but also the law, establishing his people
in everlasting righteousness, while honoring God his Father.
Matthew 5: 17:
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to
destroy, but to fulfil. 18: For
verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall
in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Illustration: The cup filled full!
When “the angel said unto them, Fear not: for,
behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy” (Lu 2: 10) it was not good
advice, but good news! For unto you is
born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Lu 2:
11) The good news is that God the Father sent his Son to fulfill the law
for his people.
Romans 8: 3:
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God
sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin
in the flesh: 4: That the
righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit.
So this
is why Joseph knew her not until after she had brought forth her firstborn son. Christ must fulfill the law for his
people. But what did that have to do with Christ fulfilling the law?
Luke 2: 21: And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of
the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he
was conceived in the womb. 22: 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;
23: (As it is written in the law
of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the
Lord;) 24: And to offer a
sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves,
or two young pigeons.
CHRIST FULFILLED THE LAW BY HIS BIRTH
Joseph
knew her not until after Christ was born so that Christ would come forth from the
womb fulfilling the law of God.
Notice verse
23, “As it was written in the law of the
LORD, Every male that OPENETH the womb shall be called holy to the LORD.” Every child of Adam comes forth from our
mother’s womb law-breakers, speaking lies; the GodMan, came forth obeying the
law. God’s law said,
Exodus 13: Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever
openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is
mine.
Numbers 3: 13: Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt
I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall
they be: I am the LORD.
Christ is
the first firstborn who truly opened the womb! Every other firstborn was
ceremonially sanctified and holy before God. But no other firstborn son
fulfilled the law of the firstborn in perfect righteousness. It is because by
every other child being conceived of man’s seed, the womb is opened at
conception when the seed travels from one end of the womb to the other. But
Christ, being conceived of the Holy Spirit, and Joseph not knowing her until he
was born, Christ is the first firstborn son to truly open the womb.
THE TRUE FIRSTBORN SON
Christ is
God’s true Firstborn Son. He is the only true Firstborn who perfectly fulfilled
the law of the firstborn.
·
Romans 8: 29 declares Christ is the Firstborn among many brethren.
·
Colossians 1: 15 declares Christ is the Firstborn of every creature.
·
Colossians 1: 18 declares Christ is the Firstborn from the dead (Col. 1:18).
·
Hebrews 12: 23 declares all God’s elect
redeemed by Christ are the church of the
Firstborn
·
And our text declares Christ is God’s Firstborn Son!
The
significance for his people is that the firstborn was entrusted by the father
of the house to glorify the father’s name as he saved all the rest of the father’s
children in the house. That is what Christ the Firstborn did. He glorified God
as he saved all God’s elect children. The firstborn was made the prophet, priest
and king of the house. That is what God the Father has made his Firstborn Son and
Christ was faithful to God his Father as such.
Hebrews 3: 1:
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the
Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; 2: Who was faithful to him that
appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. 3: For this man was counted
worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath
more honour than the house. 4: For
every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is
God. 5: And Moses verily was
faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which
were to be spoken after; 6: But
Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the
confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
The
purpose of God in electing and foreordaining whom he would to be his children is
for the sake of Christ his Firstborn:
Romans 8: 29: For whom he did foreknow, he also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the
firstborn among many brethren.
So we see
our Savior, the God-man, according to the law of God is the true Firstborn. He
is God’s firstborn. The one who sanctified and holy before God who was faithful
to God in building his house by saving his people from our sins.
CHRIST FULFILLED ALL THE LAW
By Christ
being the first to perfectly fulfill the law of the firstborn it foreshadows
the truth that Christ is the only one who fulfilled all the law of God for his
brethren in his house. Being the
Firstborn he is holy and separate and consecrated to God, made under the law to
serve God in perfect righteousness on behalf of his people.
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, 5: To
redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of
sons.
In our
text, we see Christ serving the Father in perfect righteousness under the law, even
giving us a double confirmation that Christ alone fulfilled the law for his
people. Not only did Christ fulfill the law of the firstborn by his birth, he also
fulfilled the next command of God by being circumcised at eight days old—“And when eight days were accomplished for
the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of
the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” (Lu 2: 21)
Circumcision
was instituted by God as a symbol of the new birth. The cutting away the filth
of the flesh which showed the necessity of God’s elect being purified by his
grace (Tit. 3:5-6). But Christ was born holy, without sin. What need did he
have of being circumcised? He was circumcised for the same reason he was
baptized, “Thus it becometh us to fulfill
all righteousness.” (Mt 3: 15) He was circumcised in the flesh declaring he
was already pure in heart. He was circumcised committing himself as the Surety
of God’s elect, his brethren. Just as circumcision identified the children of
Abraham as one, Christ’s circumcision identified him as one with Abraham’s spiritual
seed, God’s elect, whom he came to save.
Hebrews 2: 16:
For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him
the seed of Abraham. 17: Wherefore
in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he
might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to
God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
By
submitting to this ordinance our blessed Savior voluntarily made himself a debtor
to do the whole law for us.
Galatians 5: 3: For I testify again to every man that is
circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Whenever
a child was circumcised he was brought under the law and legally required to
keep the whole law—but none ever did! Yet, by this one act of circumcision,
Christ came under the law and pledged himself to keep the law perfectly for his
people, even to being made sin for his people and shedding his own blood on the
cross!
But why
was it necessary Christ lay down his life as the Substitute of his people? It was necessary because God cannot justify
the guilty except his law be upheld in strict justice. Righteousness must be
maintained, justice must be satisfied as God pours out mercy and grace upon his
people. This is what is meant when God says he is “a just God and a Savior” (Isa. 45:20); “By mercy and truth iniquity
is purged” (Pro. 16:6); “Mercy
and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”
(Ps 85: 10); “But thou, O Lord, art a God
full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and
truth.” (Ps 86: 15)
So did
Christ accomplish the work? Yes, indeed! His name was called JESUS, “for he shall save his people from their
sins.”
Matthew 3:17: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
What
pleased God? What well-satisfied God?
Isaiah 42: 21: The LORD is well pleased for his
righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make [it] honourable.
Isaiah 53: 10: it pleased the LORD to bruise him;
For all
his people, Christ took our place as our substitute bearing our sin bearing our
curse and made perfect satisfaction to justice for us. Therefore, for everyone who believes on
Christ, scripture says:
Colossians 2: 10:
ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11: In whom also ye are circumcised
with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins
of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him
through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13: And you, being dead in your sins
and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having
forgiven you all trespasses; 14:
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was
contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Romans 7: 4: Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead
to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to
him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR BELIEVERS?
Seeing that
Christ is the only one who fulfilled the law, what does this mean for sinners
like us who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ?
One it
means the only way we can establish the law is through faith in Christ.
Romans 3: 31: Do we then make void the law through faith?
God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Romans 3: 28: Therefore we conclude that a man is
justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
I say to
every unbelieving sinner and to every self-righteous religious sinner, the only
way a sinner can fulfill the law of God is through faith in Christ who by
himself fulfilled it for his people. So repent from your works and believe on
him.
Two,
knowing Christ fulfilled the law for his people, every believer is free from
the law given at Mt. Sinai—that includes moral and ceremonial law.
Romans 7: 6: But now we are delivered from the law, that
being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and
not in the oldness of the letter.
Galatians 2:19: For I through the law am dead to the law,
that I might live unto God.
Three, being
made free from the law by the obedience of Christ, it means as believers we
must never attempt to worship God from a legal spirit using the moral law nor
carnal ordinances lest we be found like the Pharisees.
Romans 10: 2:
For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to
knowledge. 3: For they being
ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own
righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4: For Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Those who
make it a necessity to keep God’s law nullify the law and dishonor it. To
attempt to establish righteousness by the law is to dishonor God and his
Christ.
Galatians 6:13: For neither they themselves who are
circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may
glory in your flesh.
Romans 2:23: Thou that makest thy boast of the law,
through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
Galatians 2: 21: I do not frustrate the grace of God: for
if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Galatians 5: 4: Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever
of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
But men
will say, “You are antinomian! Lawless. Anti-law!” Not at all! Scripture says we are either the servants of
sin or the servants of righteousness! Those born of the Spirit of Christ are
under the gracious, loving, and merciful rule of Christ himself who rules
effectually in the hearts of his people as Head of his church! Paul said the
believer is,
1 Corinthians 9:21…not without law to God, but under the
law to Christ.
Galatians 5:18: But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are
not under the law.
Led of
the Spirit means we are led of Christ and obey the commandments of Christ, not
Moses and the law of Sinai. As Christ power and grace makes us yield our
members to the Lord our Righteousness, by his same power and grace Christ
promises to never allow us to be turned away from faith in him.
Romans 6:14 sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye
are not under the law, but under grace.
What is the commandment of Christ which believers obey? It is his light and
easy yoke: faith and love.
1 John 3:23: This is his commandment, That we should believe
on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us
commandment.
Galatians 5: 5: For we through the Spirit wait for the
hope of righteousness by faith. 6: For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision
availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
It was
necessary that the Lord Jesus be conceived of the Holy Ghost in the womb of a
virgin and be born of a virgin in order that he might fulfill, not only the
prophets, but also the law, that he might bring in everlasting righteousness
for his people while honoring God. Believe on Christ and do all that you do
constrained by his love, not law!
Amen!