the apostles creed – week 3
TRANSCRIPT
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The Apostles Creed – Week 3 ~ Conceived by The Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary ~
Recap
We are in week 3 of our series in The Apostles’ Creed titled “The Foundation of Our
Hope…”
And each week I’ve been zealous to say that we called it that, NOT because we
believe the Creed is the foundation of our Hope – but because the message of the
Creed is!
So it’s important to say this right at the outset that we are Grace Bible Church – NOT
Grace Creedal Church!
I mean it’s literally right there in the name! Grace BIBLE Church…
We love the Creeds, but the Creeds are NOT Scripture!
The creeds reveal Scripture – they explain Scripture – they are NOT Scripture!
So it’s important to know that I have no intention of preaching the creed here today
– but rather – using the creed I’m going to preach the Bible – for our good & for
God’s glory!
So we are in the Creed but we’re NOT actually in the Creed – amen!
Christ
Now.. LAST TIME we covered the section of the creed that begins with the section
on Christ!
Now when we think about Jesus, there are really 2 categories of thought that
theology has classically used:
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• The first category is the Person of Jesus – Who He is & What He is like!
• And the second category of thought are the Works of Jesus – What He has
done – what He has accomplished!
And so last time we began looking at the Person of Jesus – by considering this
phrase:
Jesus Christ, God’s Only Son, Our Lord
And what we said was that in Jesus – The promised Messiah of Scripture has indeed
come!
That Jesus is the Christ – that He is the King of Kings & Lord of Lord’s…& that
He Himself is very God from very God!
And we kind of looked at those 3 titles here in the Creed:
Christ – Son – & Lord!
And so this week now – we’re going to begin to look at the works of Jesus as we
consider what it means that Jesus was:
Conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary…
So that’s the phrase – that’s the truth that we’re going to sink our teeth into here
this morning…
STAND TOGETHER
So – if you are able would you please stand with me as we recite the Apostles’ Creed
and then we’re going to get into today’s topic…
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So please stand with me now:
“I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.”
“I believe in Jesus Christ, His only 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 sits on the right hand of
the Father almighty, from which He shall come to judge the living and the
dead.”
“I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of the
saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life
everlasting, amen.”
Thankyou have a seat!
Introduction
Well according to the UN statistics – there are roughly around 250 babies born
every single minute…
Now that amounts (roughly) to around 360,000 (Thousand) babies born every single
day…
Or around 131 million babies born – every single year!
And if we’re going with those figures – then approximately 11,250 babies are going
to be born by the end of this sermon – some of you are now trying to work out how
long my sermon is going to be…
But the fact remains that is a lot of babies!
That is an incredible amount of babies being born…
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And so in light of this – in light of the sheer number of babies born every minute,
it’s worth asking the question:
What makes the birth of Jesus Christ such a significant event?!?! X2
Have you ever thought about that?
Why do we care so much about the birth of a little Jewish boy – born in the town of
Bethlehem – in a culture & time that is outside of our experience – to a mother who
was no one all that special…
Our calendar is literally divided into B.C. & A.D. because of it – because of this
birth!
Entire nations celebrate His coming every year by buying expensive gifts & singing
Christmas songs in December!
And just think about the sheer volume of ink that has been spilled over the centuries,
from men & women wanting to argue the validity & historicity of this birth!
And so no matter who you are – or what you believe – it’s worth asking the question:
What makes the birth of Jesus Christ such a significant event – why does the
world care about this… one… child?
Well I think the answer to that question, is found in the third instalment of our
series in the Apostles’ Creed here this morning…
I think the answer to that question is found in the fact that no other child has ever said
to have been:
Conceived by The Holy Spirit & Born of the Virgin Mary!
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Main Point
And so in light of this – in light of the Creed & everything that’s at stake here – the
main point I want us to see as we come to Matthew chapter 1 is this – that:
The virgin birth identifies Jesus as Truly God & Truly man in order to save
His people from their sins X2
Outline
And we’re gonna see this in 2 points:
Jesus Christ is Truly God – (Verses) 18-21
&
Jesus Christ is Truly Man – (Verses) 22-25
Matthew 1
But we’re gonna have to do a little but of work in the text before we get there, so if
you have your bibles – Matthew chapter 1 beginning in verse 18; hear now the very
word of God – it says:
“The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After His mother Mary had
been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she
was pregnant from the Holy Spirit…”
Opening Gambit
Many may know that Matthew’s Gospel was primarily written to a Jewish audience –
it was written primarily to demonstrate the validity & historicity of the birth of
Jesus Christ – That Jesus really is Immanuel – the promised Messiah – God with us!
And so any Jewish person reading this text (listening to these words) would have
immediately picked up on the use of Matthew’s language here in this opening
phrase:
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The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way…
The word for birth here in the Greek, is the Greek word (gen-nay-sis) – it’s where
we get our English word Genesis from – and the word Genesis here literally means
“to be, to become, or to happen…”
And so what Matthew asserts by using this language of Scripture is that:
This is how it happened – this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came to be!
So by using this language of Genesis here, he immediately places the birth of Jesus
within the realm of history NOT mythology – within the realm of reality NOT
abstraction!
This story is no mere fairytale friends – this is no mere mythology – this is
NOT once upon a time!
These are real people – in real places – in real history!
Absolute, objective, undeniable proof that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah who
we will soon come to see:
God with us!
Jesus Christ really came to be! He really came to earth – & He really took on flesh!
He really condescended to our lowly estate & this!!! is how it happened!
Old Testament – Betrothal
“After his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before
they came together (that is prior to any sexual union) – Mary was pregnant
from the Holy Spirit…”
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Betrothal
This takes place after betrothal & prior to marriage!
After the engagement & prior to the wedding!
See in the Jewish system of marriage, there were sort of 2 stages to every wedding
that took place in Ancient Israel:
1. There was the betrothal period!
2. & there was the marriage period!
The betrothal period generally took place one year prior to the wedding – where the
couple would:
• Exchange vows & pledge their allegiance in anticipation of the coming day…
• The man would often go & prepare a home for his future bride getting
everything ready for them to live together after the wedding…
• The woman would often stay under the care & provision of her parents
making sure that she was mentally & spiritually prepared to enter into this
marriage covenant…
• & most importantly the couple would NOT engage in any kind of sexual
activity or involvement until after they were married in a public setting!
And so the idea of Betrothal was far more serious than our idea of being martially
engagement today!
So serious in fact (was this betrothal) – that it required a certificate of divorce to end
it!
And so this is where Joseph & Mary are at – they are legally betrothed – but they are
NOT yet married!
Joseph’s Reaction
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And when a woman was betrothed – and her husband discovers that she has been
caught in adultery – he had every right & every opportunity to take appropriate
action – and that’s what we see happening here in Verse 19:
“So her husband Joseph, being a righteous man, not wanting to disgrace her
publicly, decided to divorce her secretly…”
The Law of Moses determined that a woman be put to death for adultery according
to Deuteronomy chapter 22…
This is why we see the Jewish leaders bringing the woman caught in adultery to Jesus
in John chapter 8 – they wanted to stone her for her crimes…
But see the coming of the Romans had largely ended such Jewish executions – and
this why the Jews, (for instance) had to go to the Romans when it came time for
executing Jesus in the Gospels…
Because the Jews no longer had the power to execute themselves…
And so public divorce was now the common penalty for unfaithfulness back in
these days…
But see even divorce…was still an extremely harsh reality – because it meant that
any future marriage would now have serious ramifications!
And if Mary couldn’t get married – then there was no way of her supporting herself
financially with food & shelter…
A man of God
And so what is Joseph to do?!?! X2
If he marries Mary – people will assume that he got her pregnant…
But if he divorces Mary – people are going to know that Mary is unfaithful…
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And so no matter what way you look at this situation –– this is a broken situation!
Conviction & Compassion
Which makes verse 19 all the more stunning to read:
“So her husband Joseph, being a righteous man, not
wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her
secretly…”
Joseph was a man of:
1. Godly Conviction!
And a man of
2. Godly Compassion!
He was a man of godly conviction – Verse 19:
“So her husband Joseph; being a righteous man…”
Here was man that loved God’s law – here was a man that applied God’s law!
Joseph knew his bible – he read his Old Testament – and he
knew! that to be a man after God’s own heart, required him
to love what God loves – & to hate what God hates!
And part of what it means to be a man of God, leading the
home biblically according to Scripture – means that you take sin seriously!
He loved God – & He loved God’s law!
Compassion
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But secondly – notice the other characteristic:
Joseph was a man of godly Compassion…
“So her husband Joseph…not wanting to disgrace her
publicly, decided to divorce her secretly…”
He didn’t want to drag her name through the mud – he didn’t want to humiliate her
severely – or disgrace her publicly – but in his kindness & in His compassion – he
sought to divorce her quietly…
Heart & Actions
No doubt this comes as a result of his love for God & love for God’s law!
And again, part of what it means to be righteous according to the Law means that
you don’t just follow the law…but that you actually love God’s people, made in
God’s image!
Joseph loved Mary – and he wanted to seek her good!
Spurgeon Quote
Charles Spurgeon commenting on this passage writes of Joseph:
“He was saddened and perplexed when he learned that she would become a
mother before they had actually been married. Many would have thrust her
away in indignation, and put her to an open shame…but Joseph was of a royal
mind as well as royal race. He would not expose what he thought to be the sin
of his espoused wife…
And then Spurgeon notes:
“When we have to do a severe thing, let us choose the tenderest manner. For
it may be, that we shall not have to do it…at all…”
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Conceived by the Holy Spirit
And it turns out that Joseph did not have to do this at all – Verse 20:
“But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to
him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, DO NOT be afraid to take
Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy
Spirit…
So this is now the second time in this very short account that Matthew has
emphasized the miraculous conception of Christ!
And so in this we can see that the Apostles’ Creed is taking its language right from
the pages of the Bible – Jesus Christ is miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit!
NOT celestial weirdness
But NOT in some carnal way – this is NOT some celestial sexual encounter sourced
from Greek pagan mythology…
This is a supernatural conception – by the Holy Spirit overshadowing Mary’s womb
– through the power of the Most High!
The dawn of creation
In fact you may remember in Luke’s account of this event when the angel Gabriel
comes to Mary and he announces that:
“The Holy Spirit will come upon, and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you…”
And when you read those words of the Holy Spirit overshadowing Mary’s womb –
you’re supposed to remember the very first pages of the bible:
“That in the beginning God created the heavens & the earth, and the earth
was without form & void, and the Spirit of God overshadowed the face of the
waters! – He was brooding over the face of the waters!
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So that in the act of creation, we see the Spirit of God overshadowing the face of
the deep:
And out of the nothingness – God in His divine sovereignty creates life!
The Spirit over Mary’s Womb
And in the same way – the Spirit of God was (overshadowing) brooding over the
depths of Mary’s womb to create life from nothing!
A New Humanity
In other words – this is NOT just a miraculous birth – this is a new creation – this is a
new beginning!
The Holy Spirit is recreating the world according to Matthew chapter 1!
So that when we say that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit – we are
saying that Jesus is the head of a new humanity – the start of a new creation!
That He is now the second Adam according to Romans chapter 5 who has come to
bring life to those lost in their sins!
This is a stunning reality that Matthew puts forth…
Jesus is Fully God
And then from there – we see a second glorious truth wrapped up in this saying –
one that is much more explicit in nature…
So when we say that Jesus was “Conceived by the Holy Spirit…” NOT ONLY are
we saying that He’s the start of a new creation, but we are also saying that:
Jesus Christ is full deity!
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The Son is full deity – Jesus Christ is NOT a god – nor is He god-like; the language
of the Creed will not allow for anything that resembles a Superhero…
Rather at the heart of authentic Christianity is the recognition that Jesus Christ
possesses an unequaled greatness!!!
FULL DEITY!
That’s what this phrase is intending to mean – He is conceived by the Holy Spirit
because:
He is none other than the Fully fledged –Divine Son of God who has always
existed in the presence of the Father!
There was never a time when the Son was NOT – there was never a time when Jesus
was NOT truly God!
So that the writer of Hebrews states it like this:
“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature…”
Colossians 1
In fact Paul is much more explicit when he talks about Jesus in Colossians chapter 1:
“For He is the image of the invisible God, the supreme One over all creation… [and]
He was before all things and in Him all things hold together…for in Him all the
fullness of God was pleased to dwell…”
All creation was made by Jesus & for Jesus – and all the fullness of God’s divine
nature was pleased to dwell in Jesus who took on human flesh!
Divinity Established
And so the fact that Matthew uses this language of “conception” here doesn’t
diminish His divine essence – it identifies it!
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It gets us back to the very source & substance of Who Christ is in nature – He is
from God & He is God Himself!
The virgin birth doesn’t undercut His eternality – it identifies it!
It establishes it – it describes His very essence as God Himself!
By pointing us toward the divine conception – Matthew is pointing us back to His
divine essence!
Why He had to be God
And so Jesus Christ is none other than full deity!
Full deity in order to satisfy divine justice!
Full deity in order to live the sinless life of God!
Full Deity in order to endure eternal wrath!
Because Only a perfect God can satisfy perfect justice!
Only a perfect God can satisfy perfect wrath!
And because God’s wrath is eternal – we need an eternal God to save us from our
sin!
And so no mere human (brothers & sisters) is able to bear the weight of divine
justice!
Jesus Christ must be full deity in order to save us from our sin –Very God from very
God conceived (NOT made) by the Holy Spirit!
2. Jesus Christ is Fully Man
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And then secondly the Creed speaks about the human nature of Jesus in our 2nd
point here today:
Jesus Christ is Truly Man
Have a look at verse 22:
“Now, all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the
prophet: See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and
they will name Him Immanuel – Which is translated “God is with us. When
Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he
took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he
called his name Jesus…”
And so after the angel’s announcement to Joseph in verse 19 – Matthew provides
his own divine insight into what has just taken place by the miraculous conception of
Jesus in the womb of Mary…
Miraculous births have always played a pivotal role in the redemption of God’s
people!
Miraculous births throughout the pages of Scripture have always indicated that
something spectacular is about to place because – God is on the move!
Just think of the miraculous births recorded in the Old Testament Scripture – Isaac…
Samson… Samuel… John the Baptist (who is New Testament but still)…
In every one of these cases – the mother of the child was barren & unable to
conceive… until God opened their womb and gave them a child through the act of
pro-creation!
And so everyone of these men (born of these women) played a foundational role in
the redemption of God’s covenant people!
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A far greater sign
But now here! In this miraculous birth! A virgin will conceive and bear a child –
BUT NOT just any child!?!
For here in this miraculous birth a virgin will give birth to an eternal child (one
who is NOT conceived by a human father) in order that a far greater sign with far
greater significance is taking place!
And the far greater sign taking place is this:
God is now drawing near to His people in a unique & redemptive kind of
way…
Because the child to be born from this woman is going to be given the title – God
with us!
This child in this womb is God in the flesh!
He is fully Human!
The Wonder of the Hypostatic Union
DO NOT MISS THE WONDER that Matthew is recording here friends!!!
Do not miss the significance of this unique birth!
This birth is NOT just a distant birth recorded in ancient
Israel for the sake of fulfilling ancient prophecy – this birth is the pinnacle of creation
– the centre of ALL HUMAN HISTORY!!! – for here at this climactic event
Matthew says
that:
God draws near to His people in a unique & redemptive kind of way!
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No Illustration
What kind of humility did this cost God to do?!?!
What kind of compassion & condescension are we dealing with in the Person &
work of Christ?!?!
There is just nothing in all of creation that can explain the absolute humility of
God in accomplishing this!
Nothing that can justify the absolute condescension of God taking on human flesh!
Nothing in human language that can accurately depict this glorious truth!
Manilla Garbage
But I did find a story to help us think about this glorious condescension…
Written by author and pastor Leith Anderson, he describes for us a situation he
experienced many years ago when visiting a foreign country with some friends – he
writes this:
“Several years ago I was visiting Manila (in the Philippines) and was taken,
of all places, to the Manila garbage dump – it was there that I saw something
utterly beyond belief…
Tens of thousands taking up residency (and living) in that dump…
They had constructed shacks of garbage that other people had thrown
away…they sent their children out early every morning to scavenge food &
supplies – in order for them to have family meals [at breakfast, lunch, &
dinner]…
People are born there – people grow up there – people live there & people
die there…
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But perhaps the most shocking thing he witnessed that day… were the missionaries
who lived with those people in that place…
Christians who had chosen to leave their country & their home – their status & their
wealth – to communicate the saving Gospel of God to a broken & lowly people…
People who otherwise would never have heard the Good News of Christ…
The Humility of Christ
And as I was reflecting on that story this week I couldn’t help but think to myself
friends:
HOW MUCH MORE on an infinite scale!!!
Do we see the sinless Son of God condescending in human form…
In order that He may win souls for Himself!
Friends – this is the mystery of the incarnation:
Christ made Himself nothing NOT by ceasing to be God – but rather by
taking on a human nature he took to Himself a human body and became what
He was NOT!
So that nothing that is true of Him in eternity ceases to be true of Him in history!
When the word became flesh He didn’t lose any of what He was – He took to
Himself what He was not...
Deity was NOT subtracted from Him – Humanity was added to Him!
We are NOT talking about subtraction but addition!
Hypostasis Explained
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Perhaps I can explain it to you this way… this is Dr Fred Sanders who teaches at the
Torrey Honours Institute at Biola University:
“It’s no good thinking of the Son [of God] as departing from heaven and
landing on earth morphing from God to man on the journey. That assumes
that the divine nature turned into the human nature. But it’s also no good
thinking of the Son as operating a Mr. Jesus device by remote control from
His distant control center in heaven. One is too close; the other too far…He
is neither too far from our situation to help us, nor too close to our situation to
save us – He is at exactly the right distance…”
Fire & Steel
The Church father Origen (in the 3rd century A.D.) invites us to picture a blacksmith
holding a piece of hot iron that has been placed in a fire glowing hot – and with that
image in mind Origen says this:
The iron has officially become entirely fire… if anyone were to touch it, he
would feel the full force NOT of iron…
But of fire!
Is it iron or is it fire?!?! – It’s both!
Is Jesus God or is He man – He’s both!
Without ceasing to be God – He became what he was NOT – Jesus Christ added to
Himself a fully human nature and in so doing so He is Fully Human & Fully
Divine!
2 natures in the one body – neither one of those natures diminishing the other!
The Humiliation of Christ
Such was the heart of God – that the One who made man; became man – for us!
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Such was the humiliation of God that the One who flung the stars into place – took
His place under those stars!
Such was the love of God that the One who spoke the trees into existence – took
His place upon a tree at the cross – In order that He may save His people from their
sins!
Link to Application
And so what are we to take away from this passage here this morning – what are we
to glean from Matthew chapter 1 – and how are we to apply the incarnation to our
everyday lives…?!?!
Well I just have 2 small applications points that I want us to take home today & then
we’ll finish up here this morning…
Application #1
So application number 1 – the virgin birth teaches us that:
God is working a plan – that that plan is good – but that plan rarely works
itself out in the way that we think that it should…
Joseph’s Perspective
What do I mean by this?
Well from the perspective of Joseph his world was in utter chaos when he discovered
the unplanned pregnancy of his wife!
Falling to the ground in tears – he was in utter agony thinking about all the ways she
betrayed his heart!
There was just no way he could have ever perceived the promises of God were
going to play themselves out in this kind of situation…
The plans of God were hidden beneath the cloak of apparent adultery & sin!
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This was broken – this was hopeless – this was dire – this was wicked!!!
And yet!!! Out of the brokenness Joseph discovers the greatest news of the
incarnation!
The greatest event in all of human history comes through this scandalous situation!
The most wonderful event in human history comes through a broken-hearted Jew
ready to divorce his wife!?!?!
God is working a plan in the midst of broken people!
God’s Perspective
And it’s the same for us in our broken condition – God is working a plan – that plan
is always good – but it rarely plays itself out in the way that we think that it should!
And that’s what we need to remember when we are in the valley of the shadow of
death!
Always easier outside of us
Now…here’s what I know because I’ve been alive long enough to experience this
weird dilemma of the Christian life – we know this with our heads, but rarely do
we believe this with our hearts…
I know that when I stand up here and say to you:
Trust in the promises of God – He is faithful to fulfil His promises…”
But then when it comes to us living this out – we are far more resilient to “trust in
the promises of God!”
I mean let’s be honest – we know this in our heads but rarely do we know this truth
in our hearts…
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It's not like I just said that and you were like: “Oh, okay! Say that again pastor!”
“I just learned that I have cancer, but tell me again what I’m supposed to do?”
“Hey, my spouse is abusive and wants to get a divorce but tell me again pastor
exactly what I’m supposed to believe…?”
My kid just told me they are leaving the faith but tell me again pastor how good
God is?!?!
All I need to do is to trust Him?!?! – that’s the best you got! That’s your big idea…
Right so we know this in our heads, but rarely do we believe this in our hearts…
And so part of what I’m trying to do here is give you some practical application of
Mary & Joseph walking in obedience – walking in faith EVEN WHEN things seems
utterly hopeless!!!
And I know it sounds like a cope-out when I say this but believe me when I say:
God is at work in the mess!
They could have never perceived the promises of God were coming in this way…
And it’s the same for us in our current situation – wherever you are right now in your
Christian life – God is working a plan – that plan is good – but most of the time that
plan rarely plays itself out in the way that we think it’s going to!
And so I think Matthew is telling us:
Hey listen Joseph was faithful – Mary was faithful…So keep walking in
obedience & faithfulness to His Word! Because that’s the key to joy &
triumph when life seems utterly beyond repair…
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Trust God and KNOW that He’s got this!
God is working a plan – that plan is good – but most of the time that plan rarely
plays itself out in the way that we think it’s going to!
Application #2
Now the second thing I think the virgin birth demonstrates is this:
Jesus is a great high priest able to sympathize with our greatest weakness
This is nothing revolutionary – this is nothing new – this is what the author of
Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 4:15 – that He had to be made like us in every way yet
without sin!
That He was tempted – that He was tried in EVERY WAY yet without sin!
Friends – Jesus went through it all!
He went through the darkest temptation the world has ever seen!
He went through the deepest sorrows of a broken heart!
He went through the worst betrayal of a friend in a garden!
He went through the greatest loss of being abandoned by God on the cross!
You will NEVER KNOW weakness!
You will NEVER KNOW Temptation!
You will NEVER KNOW pain!
You will NEVER KNOW sorrow!
LIKE JESUS KNOWS THOSE THINGS!
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There is nothing that you’re going through right now that Jesus doesn’t know &
feel because He is Truly Human!
Crown His head with crowns and he painfully feels!
Rip open His back with a scourge and He profusely bleeds!
Pierce His hands with spikes and He unbearably screams!
Crucify Him on a cross and He appropriately dies!
He had a real human body – a real human mind – & real human emotions!
He knows what it’s like to be us – He knows that it’s scary to be us!
Jesus is a faithful high priest who is able to sympathize with EVERY ONE of our
weakness & temptation!
And therefore there is not one trial that we face in 2020 that He has NOT already
faced for us in the flesh!
Jesus was a man of sorrows & acquainted with grief…
Christianity is not humanity seeking to reach up to heaven finding God – Christianity
is God coming down to earth in order to find us!
So much so that He actually presences Himself among the human race – He is God
with us!
Conclusion
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail the incarnate deity –pleased as man with
man to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel!
What makes the birth of Jesus Christ such a significant event friends?!?!
No other human can ever be said to be:
Conceived by the Holy Spirit & born of the virgin Mary…
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No other human being is ever like Jesus Christ…
He is loving beyond your wildest dreams!
Holy beyond your deepest fears!
Gracious beyond your profoundest needs!
Forgiving beyond your ugliest shame!
You can know Him – but never contain Him!
You can know Him as human – but never NOT as Creator of heaven & earth!
You can have Him as your friend – but never NOT as your Lord!
He is incomprehensible – inscrutable – inexhaustible – irreducible – immeasurable –
uncontainable – all seeing – all knowing – all powerful – ever present!
And the One who took on human sin for us!
The incarnation of Jesus Christ is not some superficial news for giddy people – it is
hopeful news for broken people – glorious news for needy people!
Gospel Call
And the reality is friends – that the incarnation was a big deal, because all people
have a big problem X2
We all have sin – we all have sin & corruption deep-down in the very pits of our
broken hearts!
And the reason why sin is such a big problem for us – is because sin first and
foremost sin is an offence to a holy God!
God created everything which means everything is accountable to Him!
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And if everything is accountable to Him then He decides what the punishment is
going to be!
His bigness requires big consequences for sin!
And see the punishment for sin is so severe because of how big God is!
God is holy He must (by virtue of His bigness) punish sin eternally in the presence of
His greatness – in the presence of His wrath!
But the Good News – the great news of the virgin birth is that God has provided a
way out by providing His way in!
He has provided a way for us to escape His wrath while at the same time coming
into His creation to take on that wrath!
And so without compromising on His holiness – He assumes the form of lowliness…
He takes on flesh to take on sin!
As one pastor has said:
“The Birth of Jesus Christ is God’s loving & merciful response to sinners who
deserve death because of God’s perfect justice…” X2
And without this perfect God there would be no perfect substitution!
Without this perfect God there would be no perfect sacrifice for sins!
God has provided a way out by providing a way in through the Person & Work of
the Lord Jesus Christ and anyone who would trust in His death on the cross is forever
and finally forgiven of that sin that accosted Jesus His very life!
Without the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ Christianity has no message!
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Without the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ Christianity has no answer!
Without the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ you & I have no hope!
Everything turns!!! on the coming of God to us in the Person of His Son!
And to deny that birth is to deny the very promise of eternal life itself!
Friends – Why is the birth of Jesus Christ such a significant event?!?!
Because only Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit & born of the Virgin
Mary,
C.S Lewis famously said:
“The Son of God became a man – so that man could become sons of God…”
Friends – the virgin birth demonstrates that Jesus Christ is truly God & truly man in
order that He may save His people from their eternal sins…
In order that He may be the substitutionary atonement on the cross for our sins – and
in doing so He unequivocally descends into the very depths of hell itself!
But that’s a small cliff-hanger for next week…
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The Virgin Birth – God with us ~ Discussion Questions ~
Main Point: The virgin birth identifies Jesus as Truly God & Truly man
in order to save His people from their sins
Q1. Do you ever struggle to believe the validity of the virgin birth? –
Why or why not? – Why do we sometimes struggle to believe miraculous
events can occur in the world? – As Christians what biblical grounds do
we have for believing that miracles can occur?
Q2. Does the virgin birth have any bearing on Mary’s sainthood? – In
other words, should we consider Mary to be more holy or godlier because
she was the earthly mother of Jesus? – why or why not? – What is the
right & proper way to think about Mary in light of the incarnation? –
What does it mean that Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph? –
What was the period of the pledge designed to test?
Q3. Read Matthew 1:19. What was Joseph’s response when he
discovered that Mary was pregnant? – What are the 2 characteristics
Joseph displays in his response? – What does this tell us about the
character of Joseph? – How should this challenge us to act when we face
difficult dilemmas in life?
Q4. Read Matthew 1:18; 20; Luke 1:35. How does the Angel Gabriel
describe/announce the divine conception? – Does this remind you of
another part of the bible (Read Genesis 1:1-3) – What is the link between
the Genesis account of creation & the virgin birth?
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Q5. Read Genesis 11:30; 21:1-7; Judges 13:1-5; 1 Samuel 1:1-7; 20;
Luke 1:5-7. What do all of these births have in common? – What do
miraculous births in Scripture indicate? – Why is Mary’s birth unique &
set apart from the other miraculous births in the bible?
Q6. Does the fact that Jesus took on flesh (Conceived by the Spirit) in
time & space diminish His divinity? – Why or why not? – Why was it
necessary that Jesus’ Father not be a human father by birth? – Why is it
necessary for Jesus to be truly God?
Q7. Why is it necessary for Jesus to be truly Man? – Does His Human
Nature diminish His Divine Nature in any way? – Why or why not?
Q8. Considering God’s promises of the Messiah throughout the Old
Testament, Jesus’ birth fulfilled these prophecies. What does this tell us
about God and His character?
Q9. What does the incarnation itself – God with us – tell us about God’s
desire and plan for redemption?
Q10. What were the 2 application points from Matthew 1:18-25? – Can
you relate to being in a difficult situation and feeling like God has
abandoned you? – How does the situation of Joseph in grief indicate that
God is working in the apparent sin & brokenness of the world? – Read
Hebrews 4:15. Does the thought of Jesus sympathizing with your sin &
weakness bring you comfort & joy? – How should this truth impact your
holiness & obedience toward God?
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Application Questions
Q1. What catches your attention most in this very familiar account of the
birth of Jesus? – What do you learn about Joseph from these verses? –
What do you learn about God from these verses?
Q2. How do you think you would have responded if you thought that
your spouse had been with another person? – How does Joseph’s
response encourage you to walk in times of difficulty? – What does the
incarnation ultimately demonstrate about God’s nature and His ability to
be working in the mess?
Q3. Jesus’ existence as both truly God & truly Man can be difficult to
conceptualize. Does this mystery concern you? – Why or why not?
Q4. Jesus could have appeared to people in any way He chose. Why do
you think He chose the way of the incarnation? – Read Hebrews 4:14-
15. How is Jesus’ identity as Immanuel (God With Us) confirmed in
these verses?
Q5. Why was it important for Him to become like us and be born as a
baby? In theological terms, why is the incarnation crucial to the gospel
message?
Q6. Read Hebrews 4:15-16. What comfort is this verse to you? – What
weakness and temptations do you face regularly? – How does Joseph’s
story encourage you that God knows what He’s doing even if you don’t
understand?
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Q7. Is there something God has asked you to do that you haven’t
followed through on? – How could you take steps toward obedience this
week?
Q8. Who do you know who needs Christ’s salvation? How might you
share the good news of Jesus with that person?