Galatians 4:4 begins with, "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son..." On many occasions I have contemplated and marveled at this verse. I have taught on this verse and heard this verse taught on more than one occasion. But, all of the contemplation and teaching surrounding this has happened around only one occasion — Christmas — celebrating the incarnation of Jesus, the Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us.
It's March, not December, yet I find myself contemplating this verse once again.
I don't know if it is type-casting because I am near my early 30s and have Jewish features, or because someone has a false perception of holiness about me, or because I am a pastor and must be available for church productions...or if it's simply by the will of God...but, I have the wonderful, scary, solemn, joyful privilege of playing Jesus in our church's Good Friday dramatic production. I will seek to portray the sufferings and final sayings of Jesus while He is hanging on the cross. This responsibility will force anyone to take a deep, long look at their life and dwell on the incredible price Jesus paid.
This has led me to Galatians 4:4. I no longer see it as simply a Christmas passage. It is an Easter passage, too.
I have always taught and heard it taught that by God's divine sovereignty and omniscience, He chose to come during the Pax Romana, a relative time of peace the world has never seen before. The Romans developed an intricate road system during this time that essentially connected the known ancient world. The gospel could spread to all peoples, as we see happening in Acts. It is no wonder "the fullness of time" was during the Pax Romana. The gospel could get to the ends of the earth. God knows what He is doing!
The next verse is essential in seeing that Galatians 4:4 is not only a Christmas passage though. It says that God sent forth His son in the fullness of time, "to redeem those who were under the law..." How is it that Jesus redeems those who are under the law? It's by his vicarious atonement. By His sufferings. By His death. By His resurrection. Jesus became the once-for-all sacrifice that the law required for sin. It's Good Friday. It's the cross. The nails. The blood. Jesus was born to die.
Not only did the Romans bring a time of peace and intricate road systems...they brought crucifixion. Of all the times in history, "the fullness of time" that God chose to come was when the death sentence was the most gruesome, torturous, and bloody. When He would feel the most pain. When He would suffer to the greatest extent. If Jesus came today in America and was sentenced to die, He would get lethal injection. No pain. No suffering.
Jesus came to be crucified.
For you.
In your place.
So you don't have to.
This means that you can be saved if you believe in Him. He paid the penalty of every one of your sins. This also means that there is not a single thing that you are going through of which God can't say, "I know exactly how you feel." Every pain. Every heartache. Every loss. Every temptation. Every ounce of suffering. Every tear. You are not alone. You are loved. That love led Him to suffer and die for you. It's the reason that He came.
"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." -Galatians 4:4-5
You can be forgiven and made right with God. He loves you and gave Himself for you.