Erlo Stegen emphasizes the significance of Jesus' circumcision as a symbol of the removal of sinful flesh and the beginning of His sacrificial journey for humanity. He explains that Jesus, born under the law, took on our sinful nature to save us from our sins, highlighting the contrast between our wretchedness and His innocence. The sermon illustrates the transformative power of Christ's sacrifice through a parable of two brothers, where one takes the punishment for the other, mirroring Jesus' atonement for our sins. Stegen calls for believers to put off their old sinful nature and embrace a new life of holiness through faith in Christ. He challenges the congregation to reflect on their own spiritual circumcision and the freedom it brings from sin.

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." Gal 4:4, "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law" Col 2:11-13, "In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses" Col 1:16-18, "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence." Rom 7:24-25, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!" * Today we remember Jesus' circumcision for on the eigth day He was circumcised. He was called Jesus, "Saviour". It was a very common name. Many were called Jesus or Joshua. He became a human being like unto us. And we read in Gal 4 that He even was born under the law. He not only took our flesh upon Himself but He took our sinful flesh upon Himself. Circumcision is symbolical of the removal of sinful flesh from man, the lusts of the flesh, lies, slander, jealousy. His Blood already started flowing at the tender age of eight days because of your and my sin. He Who was without sin took our vulgar sins upon Himself so that we could be saved. The old nature always wants to place its own sin and blame onto someone else. But Jesus did the exact opposite. He Who was innocent took our guilt upon Himself. * "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!" The story is told of two brothers, the one a Christian and the other a thief and burglar. One day the evil brother murdered someone during a burglary and the police was after him. He ran to his brother's house and told him the whole story. So his brother told him to take off his bloodied clothes and put on his clean clothes. And so that brother fled with the clean clothes. The Christian brother then put on his brother's bloodied clothes and the police found him and put him in prison. During his trial he kept silent and he was found guilty and condemned to death. While in prison he wrote a letter to his brother, "I die in your place; now you live as a Christian in my place." When the brother got the letter he was shocked, gave his life to Christ and handed himself over to the police and told them the whole story. After discussing the matter they decided that the penalty had been paid and that they would not execute a second person. They let him go free and he did indeed live as a Christian for the rest of his life and preached the Gospel. Jesus died in your stead. Now you live the life of Jesus - gone is the life of sin. Put off the life of sin and put on the life of holiness. You will only find this deliverance from the body of death through the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you experienced the circumcision without hands - being freed from the body of sin? We read in Matthew 1:21, "you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."