Our call to worship this afternoon is Psalm 95, verses one through three. O come, let us sing unto the Lord. Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods.

Let us ask God's blessing on our worship this afternoon in a moment of silent prayer. We will now arise and sing Psalm 100, the first version, verses four and five as our opening doxology. Psalm 100, verses four and five, and we'll begin singing when we hear the music playing.

♪ Older than his gates with praise ♪
♪ Approach it for his courts unto ♪
♪ Praise God and bless his name always ♪
♪ For it is seemly so to do ♪
♪ For by the Lord our God is good ♪
His mercy is forever sure, His truth at all times firmly stood, And shall from age to age endure.

Beloved congregation and our Lord Jesus Christ, our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from God, our Father, and from Jesus Christ, our Lord, through the operation of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

We'll continue our worship this evening singing Psalm 133. Psalm 133. This is another of the songs of degrees. that God's people would sing as they made their way together to Jerusalem for the feasts. And in this psalm, they expressed the goodness of unity in the truth. And that is the blessedness that God gives to us yet today, that in Jesus Christ, we are unified in his truth.

We'll sing all of the verses, all three verses of Psalm 133. We'll listen to the tune first and then all three verses of Psalm 133.

Behold how good a thing it is, and how becoming well, together such as brethren are, in unity to dwell. Precious oil it met on the head, and down the beard it flowed. In heaven's ear, and through the stirs, did all his garments go. As firm as dew, the dew that doth on Zion's hills descend. For there the blessing God commenced, like that shall never end.

At this time, we make confession together of our Catholic, undoubted Christian faith using the words of the Apostles' Creed. Let each of us say, with the mouth and from the heart, I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried, he descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit. I believe in holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

We turn to the Psalms again now, this time to Psalm 72. Psalm 72. Psalm 72 is the great song of the victory of the king, Psalm 72 brings to a close one of the collections of the Psalms. In the 150 Psalms, it's the end of one of the books. As you can see at the end of Psalm 72, the prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended. And in this book of the Psalms, the previous Psalms have shown much suffering, much oppression, much opposition to the Lord Jesus Christ. But in Psalm 72, we have the end of it all, which is the great victory of our Lord. Our Lord is the King. His Son. O Lord, Thy judgments give the King, His Son, Thy righteousness. With right He shall Thy people judge, Thy poor with uprightness. And in that victory of the Lord Jesus Christ, we see by faith our victory over sin and death and every foe.

At this time, we will sing verses one through seven of the Psalm, Psalm 72, one through seven. We'll listen to the tune first, and then one through seven of Psalm 72.

O Lord, thy judgments give the king his son, thy righteousness. With right he shall thy people judge, Thy poor with uprightness. The lofty mountains shall bring forth Unto the people peace. ♪ Likewise the little hills the same ♪ ♪ Shall do by righteousness ♪ ♪ The people's poor ones he shall judge ♪ ♪ The needy's children save ♪ ♪ And old shall he if pieces break ♪ ♪ Whom them old presents have ♪ ♪ They shall be few, while sun and moon ♪ ♪ Do last through ages all ♪ ♪ Like rain on warm grass he shall drop ♪ ♪ Or shrubs of earth that fall ♪

The just shall flourish in his days and prosper in his reign. He shall walk of the moon and do abundant peace maintain.

You may be seated.

Let us call upon the name of our covenant God together now in congregational prayer.

Our Father which art in heaven, we come unto thee again, for thou hast said thy house is a house of prayer. And in this thou hast revealed wonderful things. For those who pray are those who are empty, those who have nothing of themselves. those who cannot draw out of themselves strength or life or righteousness, but who must have that strength and life and righteousness and indeed all things from another, from the one to whom they pray.

And what right should we have, we creatures of the dust, to come into thy house, the house of prayer, and call upon thee? According to our flesh and according to our nature, According to our first father, Adam, and our fall in him, and according to our daily sins, we should be cast out. Indeed, cast out, not only from thy house, but cast out into outer darkness, where the fire is not quenched, and where the worm dieth not, and where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth forever.

And yet, Father, though this is what we deserve of ourselves, thou hast, and thy mercy called unto us and said, come unto me. Come into my house, you who have nothing. Come into my house, you who are empty and you who are unrighteous. Come into my house of prayer and receive from me all these things that are foreign and alien to you.

We thank thee, Father, that thou hast given us this call through Jesus Christ. so that in him we might have a true Sabbath day's rest. For he has called unto us, come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls, for my yoke is light and my burden is easy.

We thank Thee, Father, that Thou hast given unto us this wonderful gospel, that Thou hast shown us this mercy, and that Thou dost bring us into Thy house. We pray that Thou will bless us here. Will Thou bless us by Thy grace? Will Thou give unto us that word that is our life? that word of the gospel, that word that opens up Jesus Christ unto us, and reveals his perfect work, and reveals his sacrifice, and reveals all his perfection, will thou open up that word of thy promise, which reveals unto us the things as they are in thy counsel, that we who are here upon the earth might know the glad tidings of heaven, and that we might hear the message that thou dost speak to thy people the message of salvation, the message of mercy, the message of life everlasting in Jesus Christ. And wilt thou take us in this afternoon, in this worship service by thy word to that manger in Bethlehem where our Savior was born, where the firstborn was brought forth.

and wilt thou show us his poverty and his reproach, show us his lowliness, show us his identity, and wilt thou teach us there to see by faith, not according to the eyes of the flesh what the flesh can see, but teach us there to see by faith the wonder of thy love and thy mercy in him.

And we pray to that end that thou will remember us as we hear thy word. Will thou open our ears and by thy spirit carry thy word into our hearts and take that word into its many recesses that throughout our inner man we might have peace, the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Will thou work assurance and comfort in our souls this day.

Wilt thou also remember thy servant who brings thy word? Wilt thou give unto him a rich measure of thy grace, that he who knows nothing might know the mysteries of the kingdom, and that he who is an earthen vessel might be filled with the mystery of the gospel, that the excellency of the power might not be of man, but might be of Thee, so that we who are fed in our souls and nourished unto everlasting life might say of a surety we have heard the voice of our Savior and we have heard the word of our God.

We pray that Thou will remember the office bearers that Thou hast established in remnant. Will Thou continue to bless and keep them Will thou strengthen the elders for their oversight of the word that they might see to it that the congregation is not fed with the noxious weeds that are poisonous, the poison of man, but they are fed in the green pastures of thy word.

Will thou remember the deacons as they receive the alms and as they make distribution according to need, and we pray that they may overflow with the riches of Jesus Christ to them. that they might overflow to others with a word of comfort and season, along with those gifts that are necessary.

And we pray also that thou remember us in Singapore as we wonder and marvel at thy way in our midst, as thou dost continue week by week to gather thy church. We desire, Father, as thou knowest, we desire a church institute to be established here in due time, We wait upon thee for this, for thy timing is perfect and thy will is good.

To that end also wilt thou prepare brethren who may be able to stand in the office of elder and deacon in due time. We pray, Father, that thou wilt make these preparations by thy word and thy spirit, for we see that no man can build thy church. We see that no group of men can build thy church, but thy church is built by the great prophet, priest, and king, who is the Lord Jesus Christ.

We pray, Father, that thou will continue that work among us, and wilt thou give us patience and wisdom as we await thy will, and behold thy good pleasure.

We pray also that thou will remember the Christian school that thou hast given, and remnant, wilt thou bless pavilion Christian, And though that school is many leagues from us who are here in Singapore, nevertheless, we love that school and thank thee for it that thou dost provide such a means for the rearing of the covenant seed.

While thou continue to establish it, remember them now on their break as they have a time of refreshment away from their studies and classes, bring them back at the appointed time according to thy will. And we pray also, Father, that Thou wilt continue to bless the children in our midst. Will Thou bless the boys in their catechism instruction? Will Thou grant unto them the peace that passeth understanding even in their childhood? Will Thou grant them to see the mysteries of the kingdom according to their capacity that Thou dost give unto them?

We pray that Thou wilt continue also to give unto us children of the covenant according to thy will and good pleasure, families according to thy will. Thou remember also each of us and the station and calling that thou has set us and whatever that station might be, whether in the early bloom of our life or whether in the later years of our life, in married life or in single life, in working or in retirement.

We pray, Father, that thou will bless us and that thou will strengthen us each according to our need. We thank Thee, Father, that Thou dost give all of this to us, for we are empty, always empty, always are we poor, and always have we nothing. But Thou art our God, and Thou art full, and Thou dost give unto us of Thy fullness, for we have received of Jesus Christ grace for grace, and of His fullness.

We pray that Thou will comfort our hearts with this knowledge. We pray also that thou will remember us in this week to come and the plans that we have for a lecture and for a gospel meeting and the plans we have for family visits and other visits for encouragement, mutual encouragement and for advice and decisions. We pray that thou will bless our fellowship.

We marvel, Father, at what Thou hast done, for Thou hast taken us who should be scattered far from each other and should have no warm fellowship, and Thou hast brought us together and given us warmth and given us joy and mutual encouragement. Father, Thou art good, and truly Thou dost build Thy church.

Will Thou hear our prayer, forgiving our sins, blotting them out in Jesus' blood, and keeping us from sin, that by our life and by our speech we might glorify Thy name and be edifying to the brother. We pray, Father, that Thou will do this and give unto us all of this. Hear our prayer now and answer us in mercy, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

At this time, the offering will be received. The two offerings in remnant will be according to the announcement in the bulletin. The one offering that will be received here in Singapore is for the Christian school.

We return to the Psalms now, returning to Psalm 72, and continuing to sing this great psalm of the victory of our Savior. This time we sing verses 8 through 14, seeing that His dominion extends from sea to sea, which language is reflective of the text that we saw this morning, that Abraham is the heir of the world. And we are in Him, in Jesus Christ.

We find that those who dwell in the wilderness bow down before Him. In verse 10, the great kings of the earth, the great ones, the kings of Tarshish, Sheba's and Seba's king, we find that He preserves the needy, verse 12, and spares the poor, verse 13. That is us who have nothing, but who receive everything in Christ.

Psalm 72, verses eight through 14. We'll rise to sing. We'll listen to the tune first, and then eight through 14 of Psalm 72. His large and brave dominion shall from sea to sea extend, If from the river shall reach forth unto earth's utmost end. They in the wilderness that dwell
Bow down before him most
And they that are his enemies
Shall lick the very dust

The kings of Tarshish and Leos, to him shall presents bring, and unto him shall offer gifts, Sheba's and Zeba's king. Yet all the mighty kings on earth before him down shall fall, and all the nations of the world do service to him shall. Only the needy shall preserve, when He to them doth call. The poor also, when in need, have no help of men at all. The poor men and the indigent, in mercy he shall spare. He shall preserve alive the souls of those that need him hard. From leaves sweet and violets, Their soul he shall set free, And in his sight bright radiance, And dear their blood shall be.

We turn in God's word this afternoon to Luke chapter 2. Luke chapter 2. We'll read the first 20 verses of Luke 2. And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them. And the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.

And it came to pass as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, let us now go even onto Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste. and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told unto them.

Thus far we read God's word this afternoon. May he bless it to our hearts. Our text this afternoon is verse seven. And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.

Beloved congregation and our Lord Jesus Christ, this afternoon we stand before the great wonder of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. And we stand before that wonder according to the context of our text that while they were in Bethlehem, verse six, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And that context indicates that the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ was not according to some earthly schedule, but the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ was according to the timetable of God himself and according to the will and counsel of Jehovah God. For it came to pass while they were there that the days were accomplished according to God's will and good pleasure.

" In our text we have the great wonder of the incarnation, the coming into our flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ. And in that incarnation, we see the identity of the Lord revealed. He is the firstborn. Mary brought forth her firstborn son. We see also in this text the great lowliness of our Lord, for he was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. And we see the reproach that our Lord bears, for there was no room for them in the inn. One little verse, a very familiar verse with a very familiar history. And yet in that verse, many, many things concerning our Lord Jesus Christ are revealed. And those things are revealed for our profit and for our salvation. For it was for us and for our salvation that the Lord Jesus Christ was born. 

And so this afternoon, we consider this text under the theme, The Firstborn Brought Forth. In the first place, consider his identity. In the second place, consider his lowliness. And in the third place, consider his reproach. The Firstborn Brought Forth, his identity, his lowliness, and his reproach. 

When it comes to the identity of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was born in Bethlehem, the text emphasizes that he was the firstborn. That word stands out. That word is prominent in the text. She brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and the rest. This was the firstborn of Mary. That word firstborn in the text does not merely indicate a certain order of birth. That word firstborn is not meant to indicate that there would be other children following. Now as a matter of fact, there were other children following. We read in the book of Mark of Jesus' brethren, those were his half-brothers and half-sisters who were also born from Mary, but who were born from Joseph as well. There would be other children following, but that word firstborn does not mean what it often does among us merely to indicate that there were several children born in the family and this one happened to be first. Rather, this description of Jesus as the Firstborn is a title. It indicates His identity. It shows who He is. That word Firstborn in the Old Testament had a powerful significance, and that word Firstborn, as it is used here, has a great significance. Jesus is the Firstborn. 

And so in this first point then, we begin by looking at the meaning of this firstborn. Who is this Jesus who was born? Who is this firstborn who was brought forth? The first thing to note about this firstborn is that he is the firstborn according to God's counsel. We read of that in Colossians 1 verses 15 and following. In Colossians 1 we are reading of Jesus. Verse 14 indicates we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. That's Jesus. And now we read about this Jesus in verses 15 and following that He is the firstborn. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created by him and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the father that in him should all fullness dwell."

That passage indicates that this concept of firstborn is rich. This concept of firstborn is full. Jesus Christ is the firstborn according to the counsel of Jehovah God.

When we see this truth of Jesus as the firstborn of the council of God, and when we see that truth out of Colossians 1, there is a puzzle, there is a mystery regarding this firstborn. Because we read about Jesus in verse 15, that he is the firstborn of every creature. Yet when you look at the unfolding of the history of the world, you do not find Jesus first. You find Jesus in the fullness of time, in the unfolding of the history of the world, made of a woman, made under the law. But first you find Adam created, and then Eve, and then many, many generations until the Lord Jesus Christ came. And yet here, the apostle declares about Jesus that he is the firstborn of every creature.

So that when we read in our text, Luke 2 verse 7, that Mary brought forth her firstborn son, we are reading something wonderful, connected to this firstborn of every creature. How can Jesus be the firstborn of every creature? That's explained in the following verses. were all things created, all things were created by him and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

What we are reading about here is Jesus Christ as he appears in the counsel of God, the eternal counsel of God. This is what we saw this morning with regard to the promise. The promise of God is His revelation concerning things as they are in His counsel. And when you examine that counsel and come to the very heart of that counsel and the very first thing in that counsel, you find there the firstborn. He's the firstborn in the decrees of God, the firstborn in the good pleasure of God. And the way to understand Jesus as the firstborn, who's before all things in that counsel of God is this, that Jesus Christ is the central purpose of all things, so that every single thing that God decreed and declared had as its purpose the Lord Jesus Christ, and the revelation of Jesus Christ, and the fullness of Jesus Christ.

The whole counsel of God centers around this firstborn, this central purpose of God, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. And that, for the Church of Christ, is a wonderful truth, because there are many, many things in our lives that are painful, that cause distress, There are many troubles, and yet every one of them was decreed with this central purpose, the Lord Jesus Christ. Not one of those things that is troublesome for us can be against us. This is Jesus, the firstborn, the firstborn in the counsel of God.

When we continue considering that idea of firstborn, the question might be asked, why is Jesus the firstborn in the council of God? Why is he the central purpose around which everything else was decreed? And the answer could be given. It was the good pleasure of God. He willed it. In fact, that's the ultimate answer that can be given. God who is wise, God who is all wise, knows how to decree all things for his own glory. And the decree of all things for his own glory is found in Christ. But there's another layer that the scriptures unfold to us regarding Jesus, the firstborn, in the counsel of God, and why it is that Jesus is the firstborn in the counsel of God.

And that other layer is unfolded in Colossians 1, verse 15, at the beginning. We've been looking in Colossians 1 at the fact that Jesus is the firstborn of every creature, that he is before all things. All things were made by him and for him. But at the beginning of verse 15, we read about Jesus that He is the image of the invisible God. And here we have the explanation from God's own point of view for why Jesus is the central purpose. It's because of who this Jesus is in relationship to God. He's the image of the invisible God.

So that God who is invisible to man, because he is divine, and he is exalted, and he is holy, God who is invisible to man is seen in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the image of that invisible God. So that seeing Jesus Christ, you see God. That's what Jesus said to his disciples too when he had announced in John 13 and 14 that he was going away from them. And as the disciples were perplexed and asked Jesus about what he meant that they would not be able to find him where he was going. Because he was going away from them to heaven, Jesus comforted them and said, let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go and prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.

Jesus comforted his disciples. And then the disciples had some questions. Lord, we don't know the way. How can we know the way? And Jesus comforted them again. You do know the way. Have I been so long with you and you don't know who I am? I'm the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. And then another question from the disciples. Lord, show us the Father, finally, and it sufficeth us. We have all these questions for you, but just show us the Father and all our questions will be answered. And Jesus said, Have you not known that He which hath seen Me hath seen the Father? You've seen Him already when you've seen Me because Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God.

You see in Jesus Christ the wisdom of God. You see in Jesus Christ the righteousness of God. You see the mercy of God. You see all things regarding God in Jesus Christ. so that the book of Hebrews can say that Jesus Christ is before all things and that Jesus Christ is, according to Hebrews 1 verse 3, the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person. Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God. That is why He is the firstborn of every creature. That's why He's the purpose around which all things were decreed and for whom all things were decreed. Because at the heart of God's counsel is His own glory in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's worthy of God. God is worthy of that honor. That at the heart of all things is Jehovah God who is revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ.

That too is a great comfort for the people of God because we say with the disciples, show us the Father and it sufficeth us That's what we need to see. We need to see our God as we live here in this world. As all things look to be against us, as there are fears and troubles on every side, show us the Father. We must see him. And God says to us, I show you myself in the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is my son. Here is my firstborn. And seeing him, you see me.

Then in the third place, as we consider this truth of Jesus the firstborn, as he is revealed in our text, she brought forth her firstborn son. We see that not only is Jesus the center of God's counsel, not only is he the image of the invisible God as the firstborn, but Jesus Christ is also the firstborn with regard to the portion.

In the Old Testament, The title firstborn was significant, very significant. The firstborn of the family was not merely the first in order of whichever others would follow, but in the Old Testament, the firstborn would receive a double portion above all the brethren. So in the case of Jacob and Esau, that well-known history of Jacob and Esau, Esau was the firstborn, which means that belonging to Esau was the birthright. And the birthright was that double portion that belonged to the firstborn in those days. Esau despised his birthright, showed that he cared nothing for the promise of God, nothing for the covenant of God that God had established with Abraham and Isaac and would continue with Jacob. So Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of pottage.

But the birthright in the Old Testament was the double portion, the great portion that was given to the firstborn. And now the Lord Jesus Christ is the firstborn. He is the firstborn of Mary, but he is the firstborn of Jehovah God. The portion belongs to him. And God speaks of that portion that he gives to his son throughout the scriptures. He speaks of that portion, for example, in Psalm 2, I will declare the decree. The Lord said unto me, thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. And the Lord declares there the throne and the kingdom and the power that belongs to his son, so that he will rule over his enemies and have the victory over them.

The portion that God gives his firstborn son is the throne of David, that everlasting throne which no man can overthrow. The portion given to Jesus Christ is all things, that's the double portion that God has appointed to him, so that all of the kingdom of Jehovah God has become the kingdom of God's dear Son. That's the firstborn, the one who inherits the portion And this is tremendous for the people of God, because that portion that Christ has inherited as the firstborn, He has inherited for our sakes. He gives us that portion, pours that portion upon us.

The kingdom is His. The whole kingdom of heaven is His. And he says to his brethren, my brethren, I as the firstborn among many brethren, give you all that I have. I speak to you not as servants, but I speak to you as my friends. And I reveal to you the love and mercy of God in all of these things. The children of God, who of themselves have nothing, who are so empty, have through Jesus Christ the portion, his portion, the kingdom of heaven as our own. This is Jesus Christ as the firstborn. This is his identity as the firstborn.

The text before us this afternoon also teaches about this firstborn, his lowliness, his Great lowliness. The lowliness of the Lord Jesus Christ is indicated in the fact that Mary brought him forth and that she wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger. She brought forth her firstborn son. What we're dealing with here in this matter of lowliness is the matter of Jesus' incarnation. Just as the first point, his identity, is all about Jesus the firstborn, so the second point, his lowliness, is all about Jesus in his incarnation. The Lord Jesus Christ in his incarnation was made low, very low, though he was Jehovah God himself and the firstborn. 

In the first place, with regard to this incarnation, which is the lowliness of the Lord, the incarnation means that Jesus came in our flesh. Philippians explains that. The Apostle Paul in the book of Philippians chapter two says about Jesus Christ, verse six, that he was in the form of God and thought it not robbery to be equal with God." This describes who Jesus is according to his person. Jesus is God. That word form here does not mean merely he looked like God but wasn't really God. It means that he had everything that God is. He's in the form of God. The second person of the Trinity is God. And therefore the man, Jesus Christ, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. There was nothing that took away from the glory of God for Jesus to claim equality with God. 

But this one who is in the form of God and who thought it not robbery to be equal with God, verse seven, made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. The Lord Jesus Christ, who is God, has come in our flesh in the incarnation. He came down to us in our flesh, in that incarnation, so that the Word, the eternal living Word, was made flesh, and in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Jesus Christ came in our flesh incarnate, which was humiliation for Him, which was His great lowliness. This is the wonder of the incarnation, the comfort of the incarnation. for the people of God because that one who is equal with God calls you brethren and me brother. He came in our flesh and is not ashamed of us to be called our brethren. We are those who by rights should cause shame to our brethren. What are we? These creatures of the dust, these sinners, And yet the Lord Jesus Christ was not ashamed to call us brethren, but took on him the nature of Abraham, that is, took on him not the nature of angels, but a human nature, and was incarnate with us. The Lord Jesus Christ was humiliated and became very lowly for us. 

Second, with regard to that truth of the incarnation, Christ came in our flesh and took upon himself our poverty and our emptiness. That stands out in Luke 2 verse 7. She brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.

She wrapped this newborn baby in the strips of cloth that were normal for wrapping a newborn in and laid him in a manger, not in a bed, not in a house, but in a manger. That thing in the barn or the shed or the cave, whatever it was where Jesus was born, where the animals eat from. The place where the straw is put and the preventer for the animals to eat. That was the bed of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And that manger is significant. The angels repeat it later. In fact, they even call that manger a sign. Verse 12, this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

That doesn't just mean a mark by which you can identify that you found the right baby, There's not many babies lying in mangers, so look for the baby lying in a manger, and that will be the baby you're looking for. No, when the angels call it a sign, they mean there's heavenly significance, spiritual significance, to this being wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

And the heavenly significance is this. Jesus Christ took upon Him, Himself, our filth, He took upon himself our poverty. He took upon himself our emptiness. A baby lying in a manger is a testimony of nothingness. There's nothing there to see. That's why it's a sign. There's nothing great about it.

There are great babies who are born to great men and to great women. But this baby lying in a manger, there's nothing to see there. Among the regular citizens of a country, there's something to see when a baby is born. They're in the hospital lying in their bassinet. But here, a baby lying in a manger, there's nothing to see there. There's nothing but filth. There's nothing but rejection. There's nothing but emptiness. And that's the sign. That's the spiritual significance.

Because this baby who was born was full. He was full and he was rich. He's the son of God. Come with power. And yet he came in our flesh to be born in whatever cattle stall he was and laid in this manger. He took upon himself the filth and the emptiness and the nothingness that belongs to us because that nothingness is you and that nothingness is me. There might be great men to see somewhere. There might be great ones in the citizens of the kingdom, but not you, not me. There's nothing to see here, nothing to see in the church. We are those who are empty. We are not mighty. We are the weakest of all, the most sinful of all, the most ungodly of all.

The Lord Jesus Christ came in our flesh to take on himself that nothingness and to be nothing to see as he lay there in the manger. and what was the spiritual significance of that nothingness and that emptiness, and this in the third place with regard to His incarnation, He took upon Himself our sins and the curse that was due to us. Your and my nothingness is not merely this, that we don't have a great name. Your and my nothingness is that we're sinners, Your and my nothingness is that we're filthy sinners, that we are famous, infamous sinners. We are ungodly. We say with that publican in the parable of Jesus, God be merciful to me, the chief of sinners. I am the chief of all of them. I am the sinner. And we say with the apostle Paul, I am the chief of sinners.

The children of God have nothing in our sin. That's our filth. That's our emptiness. The Lord Jesus Christ came in our flesh to take upon Himself that emptiness and that filth, all of that sin. And because that sin was laid upon Him, our sin, He also took the curse that was due to us for those sins. So that the wrath of God lay upon Him, His whole life, from the beginning of his life to the end of his life, especially at the end, but from the beginning to there in the manger, you find the Lord Jesus Christ already bearing the curse of God against our sins. And that's tremendous comfort for the people of God. And it is this comfort that that curse of God can never find me, can never rest upon me, can never be laid upon me. It cannot. And it cannot, not because there's someone outside of God imposing that upon him, but it cannot because God himself already took the curse due to me and laid it on his only begotten son, so that that curse is finished and exhausted.

The Lord Jesus Christ took upon himself our filth, our emptiness, our curse, and that for our salvation. And then we find in this bringing forth of the firstborn the great reproach of the Lord. That reproach is indicated in the last part of the verse, because there was no room for them in the inn. That word room is a good translation, it's fine, but you could say there was no place, no place. That's a good translation of the word and the main meaning of the word there. There was no place for them in the end and that's the word of man to Jesus Christ. There's no place for you.

The reproach of Christ is that there was never a place for him among men. They didn't want him in their midst. When Mary was great with child before he was even born and they arrived in Bethlehem and the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. There's no place for Jesus to be born among men. He must be born outside the company of men, outside polite society. He must be born outside the camp as it were in that cattle stall and be laid in a manger. There was no place for him in the inn.

And when Presently, he would begin his earthly ministry at 30 years of age. There was no place for the Lord Jesus Christ in this world. There was no place for him in Nazareth, where he opened the scriptures to Isaiah 61 and announced to the people that the words of that prophecy were fulfilled in their ears that day, for he was the one anointed of God to preach glad tidings to the meek. And when they heard this message, they took hold of Him and would cast Him out of their midst and even kill Him if they could. There was no place for Him.

There was no place for Jesus among the church of the day, the Sanhedrin and the Pharisees and the Sadducees who constantly came to Him, trying to trap Him, trying to expose Him as the fraud that they thought He was because they did not believe this Jesus. There was no place for Him. in their church, which they had built as a grand and glittering edifice to man. There was no place for the Lord Jesus Christ.

And finally, when they were able to get their hands on him, being betrayed by Judas Iscariot, because all things were now full according to God's counsel, They took him to Pilate and said to Pontius Pilate, crucify him, crucify him. And what was crucifixion but a testimony by the men upon the earth. There's no place for you upon the earth. They thrust him away from themselves, lifting him up in the air upon that tree of the cross. There's no place for you here. in our midst. That was the reproach of Jesus Christ from the beginning of his life to the end. There was no place for him among men.

And that reproach of Jesus Christ goes even deeper yet. Because when men thrust Jesus up from themselves upon the cross and said there's no place for you here among men, That cross was at the same time the testimony, there's no place for Jesus with God either. That's what the tree of the cross was. It was being hung between heaven and earth with no place in either one. Men didn't want Him and God didn't want Him. That's the meaning of the cross. That's the curse of the cross.

And Jesus even cried out during the darkness of that cross, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? There's no place for Jesus, even with God, according to that curse, our curse, that God poured out upon Him. And it's no wonder then that for the church of Jesus Christ in this earth, there's no place among men either. The church never finds a place here. The church is not welcomed with open arms. Oh, if the church will give men what they want, then they'll welcome the church with open arms. But when the church of Jesus Christ declares man is nothing and God is everything, when the church declares man is not God, mere man is not God, and mere man is not the Savior, God is God and God is the Savior, then the world says to the church, there's no place for you here. That's not the kingdom we're building. We're building a kingdom of man where man is something and man is the Savior and man has glory.

It's no wonder that the church bears the reproach of Christ, for Jesus Christ was reproached. There was no room for them in the inn. But the beauty of Jesus' reproach is that though for Jesus there was no place among men and no place with God either as he hung on the cross, that the Lord Jesus Christ bore that reproach that we might have a place with God, that we might have a place with God forever.

For the Lord Jesus Christ, taking our curse upon himself, delivered us from it. He was the one who cried, why hast thou forsaken me? That we might never be forsaken of God, but received of God for the sake of his dear son. And that place that we have with God, is by God's own counsel and God's own purpose in the Lord Jesus Christ. For Jesus Christ is the center of his counsel, as the image of the invisible God. And God has decreed all things, including our place with him, for Jesus' sake.

There in the reproach of Jesus Christ is the comfort and the peace of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here we stand then at Bethlehem. Here we see the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here we behold the wonder of the firstborn who was incarnate among us as our brother. And here we see the salvation of God. And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger. because there was no room for them in the inn. Amen.

Let us pray. Our Father, which art in heaven, we call upon Thee as we close this sermon. We thank Thee for Thy word. Will Thou bless it to our hearts and give us its comfort in our sojourn this week. We pray that Thou'll remember that we are dust, remember our frame, and give to us the peace of Thy gospel. Hear our prayer and answer us in mercy for Jesus sake amen

We turn now to psalm 72 again We'll finish singing the psalm at this point and In Remnant, the verses listed to sing are 15 through 17 to the tune that's in the book. And then you will proceed directly into the doxology for the evening, which is verses 18 and 19, which is a different tune. So in Remnant, you'll use the familiar tune for 18 and 19. And here in Singapore, we will sing 15 all the way through 19 to the same tune, since I don't think we have the tune for the normal doxology with us. So we'll sing at this point, we'll rise to sing verses 15 through 17 and remnant 15 through 19 in Singapore. We'll listen to the tune first here in Singapore and then sing.

He shall live and give to Him shall He of Sheba's gold. For Him shall they pray and He shall daily be extolled. Of God and men full in the earth, ♪ On tops of mountains high ♪ ♪ With prosperous roots shall shape thy trees ♪ ♪ On heaven and earth be ♪ ♪ The city shall be flourishing ♪ ♪ Her citizens abound ♪ In number shall lie to the cross, and rose upon the ground. His name forever shall endure, last like the sun it shall. ♪ Then shall be blessed in him the best ♪ ♪ All nations shall him call ♪ ♪ Now blessed be the Lord our God ♪ ♪ The God of Israel ♪ ♪ For he alone doth wondrous works ♪ ♪ In glory that excels ♪ ♪ And blessed be his glorious name ♪ ♪ To all eternity ♪ ♪ The whole earth let his glory fill ♪ ♪ On it so let it be ♪

Receive the blessing of our God. The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace. Amen.