Dedicated To The Men of God Who Preach the Word of God As It
Is To Men As They Are
"Preach The Word"
The Virgin Born Savior
Text: Luke 1:26-27.
Introduction:
Christianity has claims that no other religious group in the world has to offer. A very basic claim is that our Savior was born of a virgin woman named Mary. Mary was favored and blessed by the Lord.
Joseph and Mary were espoused or engaged but they had not experienced an intimate physical relationship between themselves. At the same time, the Jews regarded them a being married. It took a bill of divorcement to break the espousal.
God never intended for Mary to be worshiped. She was a special woman but we find in the Bible that she need a Savior (Luke 1:47)—for she said, " My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior." You just do not worship people who need a Savior–by the way, that includes everyone. Only Jesus is to be worshiped and praise to the highest heavens!
The angel Gabriel came in the sixth month of Mary’s pregnancy and gave the message in our text verses.
There are several things by way of introduction I am going to say about the virgin birth of Christ:
1. It is mandatory.
It is not given as a condition of salvation but no one who is truly born of God can deny the truthfulness and reality of the virgin birth of Christ.
The modernist and liberals who would deny it are without God and hope because they do not have the right kind of Savior.
2. It is miraculous.
This birth of Jesus was absolutely and without controversy a miracle. Mary had not known a man in an intimate physical way, for she was a virgin, yet she had a child conceived in her.
A miracle is defined in the Random House Dictionary as: "an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause." That is certainly true of the conception of Christ in the womb of a virgin. It certain was a miraculous conception.
3. It is meaningful.
Christianity takes on a special meaning and significance because of it. Our Savior is different than any other kind of Messiah or Savior. Ours was supernaturally conceived of the Holy Ghost.
Luke 1:35 says, "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."
"Overshadow" has the idea of casting a shade over, or enveloping in a haze of brilliancy. It is used of the glory cloud that came at the Mt. of Transfiguration when Jesus was transfigured before His disciples ( Matt. 17:5). God wrapped Mary in a cloud of divine glory and brightness and while that was going on, the body of Jesus had its beginning. I believe it was the Shekinah glory cloud of the Old Testament.
Note:
In the O.T. tabernacle the Shekinah glory cloud would come down in the tabernacle, and rest over the mercy seat, between the cherubim. It was symbolic of the presence of Holy God. Wonderful things happen when God manifests His presence.
I. The Prediction of His Virgin Birth
Micah 5:1-6:
1 ¶ Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
5 And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.
6 And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.
A. A Bethlehem Born One
A more than significant Person was born in a small town.He was born just where the Scriptures said he would be born."Bethlehem" means "house of bread." There Jesus the "Bread of Life"–that which could satisfy the hungry soul would be born.
We are eating of the "Bread of Bethlehem" as saints of God.
B. An Eternal One
His going forth has been from old of everlasting.
Jesus did not begin- but He did begin other things.
In incarnation he merely assumed a "human form."
C. A Ruling One
Micah 5:2 says, "He is to be ruler in Israel." That has not happened yet. It is a future time, when during the millennial reign of Christ, He will rule upon the throne of David from Jerusalem.
Remember, this has not yet happened. Christ was rejected by the Jew, but there is a day coming the Jews will receive Him as Messiah. I believe it will happen just after the Battle of Armageddon when the Lord visibly defeats the enemies and adversaries of the Jews. Their blindness will be gone and they will say, "Here is our Messiah."
D. A Great One
"He shall be great unto the ends of the earth" (Micah 5:4).
E. A Peace Giving One
"This man shall be the peace" (Micah 5:5).
II. The Purposes Of The Virgin B irth
A. Provide A Savior
It is necessary to have a Savior not taint by the sinful nature of Adam. God by passed the human male, through which many believe the sin nature is passed. The Holy Spirit of God conceived Jesus.
It would take a perfect sacrifice to save the souls of men. That is why in the OT the sacrifices had to be offered over and over again. They could not permanently satisfy the Lord. But Hallelujah, when Jesus died, the Heavenly Father accepted that sacrifice as the perfect payment for man’s sins. He then raised Christ from the dead to manifest His acceptance of the sacrifice.
Aren’t you glad we do not have to deal with a sacrificial system as did the Jews?
B. Promote The Sovereign
This shows God has power to do the impossible.
He by passed the natural way of giving birth and make it a supernatural and spiritual thing.
C. Paralyze The Devil
The Bible says in 1 John 3:8–" For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. "Destroy" means to "render inoperative." Can have the idea of paralyzing.
D. Perpetuate Abundant Life
Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly" (Jn. 10:10).
III. The Provisions of the Virgin Birth
A. A Unique Person
The God man–Deity and human join together. There never has been anyone just like Him.
B. An Understanding Provider
Heb. 4:15 says, "He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin." He knows what it means to be a man and face weakness experientially.
C. An Unchanging Message
He will never cease to be the Perfect One, so we will never have to change our message.
D. An Undying Love
Though man had sinned and grieved God, the Lord gave his life for those who were against Him and opposed to His righteouness.
Conclusion:
1. Do you appreciate Jesus coming down the first time?
2. How much do you appreciate it?
3. Are you convinced He is the virgin born Son of God?
I am guilty of that, how about you?
Sermon From Dr. Tom Walker
