Audio - The Circumcision of Christ

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The First Sunday in the New Year
January 4, 2009
The Circumcision of Christ

TEXT: NKJ Luke 2:21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
 
Eight days after Jesus’ birth, His parents took Him to the Temple to be circumcised.
 
Circumcision—what a ridiculous command—it seems so useless
 
If Abraham had followed reason—he would not have believed God really expected this of him—such a foolish thing—can anything be more absurd?—but such are all of God’s commandments—in our eyes they appear foolish
 
In the New Testament we have baptism—again this is contrary to reason—much of the works of God appear contrary to reason and foolish
 
Noah building the ark in preparation for the flood—Lot looked like a fool when he preached that Sodom and Gomorrah were about to perish—Moses and Aaron appeared as fools before the Pharaoh—Abraham and his seed received the rite of circumcision to mark their covenant with God
 
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the Christian foolishness of today
 
Circumcision was an external mark to distinguish God’s people from other nations—our N.T. mark is baptism into the one body of Christ—this too appears foolish to the world
 
Why did God command circumcision?
Why not circumcise a finger?  An ear?  An eye?  The tongue?  Some other member?—if God’s intent was to “cut off evil” any of these would have made sense—fingers perform evil works and deeds—the ear hears evil—the eye sees evil—the tongue speaks evil
 
If some other member had been selected it would have been a sign that the fault lay in our words or works—this particular member was chosen because it is our very nature that is sinful and corrupt—sins of lust may be the reason this member was chosen—evil lust manifests itself most in this member of the body—Luther comments that Adam and Eve felt the disobedience of their flesh there—when they sinned they sought a covering for their nakedness—this sinful nature cannot be eradicated—perhaps that is why God chose to use circumcision to be a constant reminder of our sinful nature
Why did God demand circumcision of males only?
 
Women are more involved in the birth than the men—why wouldn’t they receive a sign on their body?—the psalmist, David, seems to agree
 
NKJ Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.
 
When a man fertilizes a woman—it is flesh and flesh—the conception is natural—and our human nature is corruptible or sinful from the moment of that conception—Christ could not be born of the flesh—He could not be sinful at birth
 
Luther’s response to the question of why circumcise only men—Christ willed not to be conceived of a man—that His mother also might not be under the necessity of sinning and of conceiving Him in sin—He made use of her womanly flesh and body for natural birth—but not for natural conception—He was conceived and born a true man without sin
 
It is possible for an innocent birth of a woman—but from a man only a sinful birth is possible—hence circumcision is only required on men.
 
Was there Power in Circumcision?
 
Were it God’s intent to use circumcision for justification—wouldn’t it be more appropriate to use 8 years—for past sins—for the avoidance of future sins—but circumcision did not justify Abraham or any others in the Old Testament—it was faith that justified a man—and circumcision was just a sign of that faith
 
Let’s examine the Scriptures—Abraham was accounted as righteous when he was about 80 years old
 
NKJ Genesis 15:5 Then He brought him [Abram] outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." 6 And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
 
But Abraham was not circumcised until he was 99 years old—his righteousness preceded his circumcision
 
 
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NKJ Genesis 17:23 So Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very same day, as God had said to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
 
Paul sums this up for us in his letter to the Romans
 
NKJ Romans 4:11 And he [Abraham] received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also,
 
Why was it necessary to perform circumcision on the eighth day?
 
Perhaps the eighth day was selected to allow the baby to grow strong enough to endure the trauma of the act BUT…
 
The spiritual significance is of much greater importance—Genesis 1 defines the first 7 days of the week—the eighth day will be Judgment Day—an eternal day—the day that the promises marked by circumcision will be fulfilled—those of faith will be in heaven for all eternity
 
Both the Old Testament and the New Testament urge faith—faith in Christ—the Christ promised to come in the flesh—and the Christ promised to return in Judgment
 
But circumcision was not included in the Law of Moses—nor was it given to any fathers before Abraham—there was no need until the promise of a Savior—circumcision was the outward sign of that faith in that Savior—ON THE 8TH DAY THAT PROMISE WILL BE FULFILLED.
 
When Jesus was resurrected and redeemed our sins—the promise was fulfilled—there was no further need for an outward sign of the Savior to come—He has come!—Christ instituted baptism as our new outward sign of faith—we are dipped, or splashed, or poured upon with water—and the water washes away our sins
 
At our baptism we are given our “Christian” name—it was the same with circumcision—although that was the custom of the time—Jesus was named prior to His conception—the angel said He would be called Jesus
 
NKJ Luke 2:21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
 
The name Jesus translates to Savior—He came to save
 
Circumcision was an outward sign of faith in the Savior to come—Jesus was that Savior—yet He subjected Himself to circumcision—He put Himself under the Law to defeat the Law for all of us
 
He was named Jesus—Savior—a name which all Christians share
 
ALL GLORY BE TO GOD!