Spurgeon Meditations

 

Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isa 7 14

Let us to-day go down to Bethlehem and in company with wondering shepherds and adoring Magi let us see Him who was born King of the Jews for we by faith can claim an interest in Him and can sing Unto us a child is born, unto us a sonis given. Jesus is Jehovah incarnate our Lord and our God and yet our brother and friend; let us adore and admire. Let us notice at the very first glance His miraculous conception. It was a thing unheard of before and unparalleled since that a virgin should conceive and bear a Son. The first promise ran thus The seed of the woman, not the offspring of the man. Since venturous woman led the way in the sin which brought forth Paradise lost she and she alone ushers in the Regainer of Paradise. Our Saviour although truly man was as to His human nature the Holy One of God. Let us reverently bow before the holy Child whose innocence restores to manhood its ancient glory; and let us pray that He may be formed in us the hope of glory. Fail not to note His humble parentage. His mother has been described simply as "a virgin not a princess, orprophetess, nor a matron of large estate. True the blood ofkings ran in her veins; nor was her mind a weak and untaughtone, for she could sing most sweetly a song of praise; but yethow humble her position, how poor the man to whom she stoodaffianced, and how miserable the accommodation afforded to thenew-born King! Immanuel, God with us in our nature, in our sorrow, in ourlifework, in our punishment, in our grave, and now with us, orrather we with Him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, andSecond Advent splendour.% 12/26/AM The last Adam." --1 Corinthians 15:45 Jesus is the federal head of His elect. As in Adam every heir of flesh and blood has a personal interest because he is the covenant head and representative of the race as considered under the law of works; so under the law of grace every redeemed soul is one with the Lord from heaven since He is the Second Adam the Sponsor and Substitute of the elect in the new covenant of love. The apostle Paul declares that Levi was in the loins of Abraham when Melchizedek met him: it is a certain truth that the believer was in the loins of Jesus Christ the Mediator when in old eternity the covenant settlements of grace were decreed ratified and made sure for ever. Thus whatever Christ hath done He hath wrought for the whole body of His Church. We were crucified in Him and buried with Him (read Col. 2:10-13) and to make it still more wonderful we are risen with Him and even ascended with Him to the seats on high (Eph. 2:6). It is thus that the Church has fulfilled the law and is accepted in the beloved. It is thus that she is regarded with complacency by the just Jehovah for He views her in Jesus and does not look upon her as separate from her covenant head. As the Anointed Redeemer of Israel Christ Jesus has nothing distinct from His Church but all that He has He holds for her. Adam's righteousness was ours so long as he maintained it and his sin was ours the moment that he committed it; and in the same manner all that the Second Adam is or does is ours as well as His seeing that He is our representative. Here is the foundation of the covenant of grace. This gracious system of representation and substitution which moved Justin Martyr to cry out O blessed change, O sweet permutation! this is the very groundwork of the gospel of our salvation and is to be received with strong faith and rapturous joy.


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