Note: This is a lot of notes put together for a message on the virgin birth and miracles. I wanted to show it all. There is an outline as you can see. Part of it came from a message by Wayne Dority on The Virgin Birth
Title: Unwrapping Christmas: The Virgin Birth and the Miraculous Power of God
Theme: To unwrap the mysteries of Christmas. Moving beyond the glitter to the story.
Text: Luke 1:26 - 34
Offering: Malachi 3:10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do," says the LORD Almighty, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!
Luke 1:26-34 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, (27) to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. (28) The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." (29) Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. (30) But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. (31) You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. (32) He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, (33) and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." (34) How will this be, Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" 35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. (36) Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. (37) For with God nothing will be impossible." (38) Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
Introduction
This morning I would like to begin a series of messages on Christmas. The title is called "Unwrapping Christmas". I chose this because of the uniqueness of what Christmas is and the analogy of a present. There are two things that I have observed about a wrapped present.
A Wrapped Present
1) Wrapping of a present is designed to hide what is on the inside. There is a mystery there. The person is not suppose to know what is in there.
It believe this is also true when it comes to Christmas. There is a lot of mystery that surrounds it. Which brings me to my second analogy.
2) The wrapping is not what is most important. No matter how beautiful the package is. It is not about the package.
The first mystery we want to look at is this idea of the virgin birth. This obliviously is out of the norm. It is unheard of at this point. Some people try to put previous historical events with it but they don't line up with the biblical facts.
The virgin birth is one of those mysteries that astound human reasoning.
I. The Prophecy of the Virgin Birth.
A. Gen 3:15 God speaks to the serpant
"I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed.
1. Jesus is called the seed of the woman.
You can search your Bible through and you will never find this phrase used concerning anyone else except Jesus Christ.
2. No other man in history has this ever been said about.
We often read of the seed of man or Abraham's seed but this phrase is a unique concept that can only be understood in the light of the virgin birth.
B. Notice another Prophetic statement made of the virgin birth.
Jeremiah 31:32 "The Lord hath created a new thing in the earth. A woman shall compass a man."
1. This means that a woman alone, without a male, would give birth to a son.
C. Isaiah 7:14"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
1. 700 years later that verse of scripture was fulfilled in
Mat. 1:21-23"She shall bring forth a son, and you shall call His name Jesus for He shall save His people from their sins...
Now all of this was done, that it might be fulfilled that which was spoken of the Lord saying.
"Behold a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son and they shall call His name Immanuel which being interpreted God with us.”
2. Now there're some modern translators of this Bible, that are trying to take that word virgin and make it mean anything other than what it really means.
They want to interpret it to say young woman, as if to say a young woman shall conceive and bear a son,
Now That wouldn’t mean anything to us.
1. The argument that the Hebrew word "alma" means a young woman who could have a questionable character is weak (Isaiah 7:14). When a Hebrew spoke of a young woman (alma) he meant virgin. This is clear when the word alma is studied. The word is used six times in the Bible, always referring to a young woman with pure character.
Rebekah, the young woman, was certainly a virgin (Genesis 24:43). The whole context verifies the point.
Miriam, the young sister of Moses, was also pointed to as a virgin by the context (Exodus 2:8).
Young women of pure character were those who were worthy to participate in the worship of God (Psalm 68:25).
The young women who were worthy of Solomon's love were not of impure character (Song of Sol. 1:3).
There were young women who were compared with queens and concubines (Song of Sol. 6:8).
The maiden (young woman) of Proverbs was contrasted with the adulterous woman (Proverbs 30:19-20).
In view of the heavy weight of this argument, the logical translation of alma is virgin. Of course, the virgin birth does not rest on this argument. However, we need to realize that unbelief snatches at every little gnat, trying its best to add every thing it can to disprove the divinity of Christ.
— Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible – Commentary
How? Birth by the Holy Spirit
Luke 1:35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
1. "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee." The thought is not after the manner of men, but after the manner of God's Spirit. What is the manner or operation of God's Spirit? God's Spirit sets apart and activates, creates and re-creates by the Word of God. God's Spirit simply speaks and it is done (see Deeper Study #1, pt.5—Luke 1:27). There is no such idea as a crude mating between the Holy Spirit and Mary. God's Spirit simply speaks and it is done, no matter what is to be done. (How foolish are the crude thoughts and unbelief of men!)
Some people try to make this out to be more that what it is. It is not about the sexual union it is about the power of God. The Holy Spirit came upon her. In that there is power.
2. "The power of the Highest [God] shall overshadow thee." God Himself was going to look after the whole matter. The child's conception and growth during pregnancy and His birth and life were under the shadow and wing of Almighty God. It was God's power that saw to the whole operation, not the presence or power of an angel or of a man or of any other creature.
God is looking after this matter. This was not regulated to angels but God himself.
3. The child born of Mary would be holy, "the Son of God." Note the most critical point: who "the Son of God" is.
He is "the holy One" born by the power and the Word and the will of God through the virgin Mary.
He is "the holy One" whom "God sent forth...made of a woman" by His power, Word, and will (Galatians 4:4).
— Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible – Commentary
The virgin birth for some seems to be a boring doctrine. For others it seems to be unimportant. I have heard it said that whether or not we believe in the virgin birth doesn't make a difference. But it does. It shows us the miracle working power of God.
It shows how God works and intervenes in our society. It is called the doctrine of Divine Providence "God intervenes in our lives"
It also shows how God chooses to do this. There are three words that shows us God's powerful intervention. They are often used together throughout the Bible. Miracles, signs and wonders.
These are often used interchangeable. Although they are used interchangeable I believe they each describe a unique characteristic of God's power and purpose in use.
II. The Provision in the Virgin Birth
Ill... If your sinking on a Luxury liner. You could be tossed a line from the upper deck…
But what you really need is someone in a different boat to throw you a life raft.
You see that’s what Jesus Christ was,
"we were sinking in a ship of sin, and quickly going under.
The news is that,
This redeemer that came to save us wasn't on a top deck just offering us temporary rescue,
But He was on a life raft of grace and mercy.
He bids us to change ships this morning.
You see without a virgin birth He would have been born in sin Himself.
Paul said in Rom 5:12, "because of Adam wherefore by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin, so death passed upon all men. For all have sinned.
By nature everybody born after Adam is born into sin.
And if Jesus Christ would have been born a natural birth, He too would have been born in sin.
But that was not the case,
He was born sinless, John 8:46 Jesus said himself. "Which of you convienceth me of sin?"
The Power of the Virgin Birth – Wonders, Signs and Miracles
Signs
“Sign” may be an object or daily activity as well as an unexpected divine action (Genesis 1:14 ; Exodus 12:13 , RSV; Joshua 4:6 Ezekiel 24:24 . The basic nature of a sign is that it points people to God. “Wonders” describe God's supernatural activity, a special manifestation of His power (Exodus 7:3 ), but false prophets can perform actions people perceive as signs and wonders. (Deuteronomy 13:1-3 )
Signs seek to bring belief (Exodus 4:5 ; compare Exodus 10:2 ), but they do not compel a person to believe (Exodus 4:9 ). At times God invites people to ask for signs (Isaiah 7:11 ). The signs He has done should make all peoples on earth stand in awe (Psalm 65:8 ). They should join the Psalmist in confessing that the God of Israel “alone works wonders” (Psalm 72:18 NAS).
New Testament The phrase “signs and wonders” is often used in the New Testament in the same sense as it is found in the Old Testament and also in Hellenistic literature. (Matthew 24:24 ; Mark 13:22 ; John 4:48 ; Acts 2:43 ; Acts 4:30 ; Acts 5:12 ; Acts 6:8 ; Acts 7:36 ; Acts 14:3 ; Acts 15:12 ; Romans 15:19 ; 2 Corinthians 12:12 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:9 ; Hebrews 2:4 ).
“Sign” (semeion ) in the New Testament is used of miracles taken as evidence of divine authority. Sometimes it is translated as “miracle” (Luke 23:8 NIV; Acts 4:16 ,Acts 4:16,4:22 NAS, NIV). John was particularly fond of using “sign” to denote miraculous activity (see John 2:11 ,John 2:11,2:18 ,John 2:18,2:23 ; John 3:2 ; John 4:54 ; John 6:2 ,John 6:2,6:14 ,John 6:14,6:26 ; John 7:31 ; John 9:16 ; John 10:41 ; John 11:47 ; John 12:18 ; John 37:1 ; John 20:30 ; Revelation 12:1 ,Revelation 12:1,12:3 ,; Revelation 13:13-14 ; Revelation 15:1 ; Revelation 16:14 ; Revelation 19:20 )
Wonders
First used in relation to Pharaoh and Egypt
H6381 - Original: פּלא - Transliteration: Pala' - Phonetic: paw-law'
- Definition:
1. to be marvellous, be wonderful, be surpassing, be extraordinary, separate by distinguishing action
a. (Niphal)
1. to be beyond one's power, be difficult to do
d. (Hiphil)
1. to do extraordinary or hard or difficult thing
2. to make wonderful, do wondrously
e. (Hithpael) to show oneself wonderful or marvellous
“Wonders” (teras ) translates a Greek word from which the word terror comes. It denotes something unusual that causes the beholder to marvel. Although it usually follows “signs,” it sometimes precedes it ( Acts 2:22 ,Acts 2:22,2:43 ; Acts 6:8 ) or occurs alone (as in Acts 2:19 ). Whereas a sign appeals to the understanding, a wonder appeals to the imagination. “Wonders” are usually presented as God's activity (Acts 2:19 ; Acts 4:30 ; Acts 5:12 ; Acts 6:8 ; Acts 7:36 ; Acts 14:3 ; Acts 15:12 ), though sometimes they refer to the work of Satan through human instruments (Matthew 24:24 ; Mark 13:22 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:9 ; Revelation 13:11-13 ).
New Testament writers also used dunamis , power or inherent ability, to refer to activity of supernatural origin or character (Mark 6:2 ; Acts 8:13 ; Acts 19:11 ; Romans 15:19 ; 1Corinthians 12:10,1 Corinthians 12:28-29 ; Galatians 3:5 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:9 ; Hebrews 2:4 ).
Wonder
mopet (H4159), "wonder; sign; portent." The 36 appearances of this word are in all periods of biblical literature except wisdom literature. Poetical literature manifests it only 5 times and only in the Psalter.
First, this word signifies a divine act or a special display of divine power: "When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand..." (Exo_4:21—the first biblical occurrence of the word). Acts effecting the divine curses are called "wonders." Thus the word does not necessarily refer to a miraculous act, if "miracle" means something outside the realm of ordinary providence.
Second, the word can represent a "sign" from God or a token of a future event: "This is the sign which the Lord hath spoken: Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out" (1Ki_13:3). This sense sometimes has the nuance "symbol": "Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you-indeed they are men who are a symbol..." (Zec_3:8, NASB; cf. Psa_71:7).
Hebrew
H4159
- Original: מפת מופת
- Transliteration: Mowpheth
- Phonetic: mo-faith'
- Definition:
1. wonder, sign, miracle, portent
a. wonder (as a special display of God's power)
b. sign, token (of future event)
- Origin: from H3302 in the sense of conspicuousness
- TWOT entry: 152a
- Part(s) of speech: Noun Masculine
- Strong's: From H3302 in the sense of conspicuousness; a miracle; by implication a token or omen: - miracle sign wonder (-ed at).
Total KJV Occurrences: 36
• miracle, 1
Exo_7:9
• miracles, 1
Deu_29:3
• sign, 8
1Ki_13:3(2); 1Ki_13:5; 2Ch_32:24; Eze_12:6; Eze_12:11; Eze_24:24; Eze_24:27
• wonder, 6
Deu_13:1; Deu_13:2; Deu_28:46; 2Ch_32:31; Psa_71:7; Isa_20:3
• wondered, 1
Zec_3:8
• wonders, 19
Exo_4:21; Exo_7:3; Exo_11:9; Exo_11:10; Deu_4:34; Deu_6:22; Deu_7:19; Deu_26:8; Deu_34:11; 1Ch_16:12; Neh_9:10; Psa_78:43; Psa_105:5; Psa_105:27; Psa_135:9; Isa_8:18; Jer_32:20; Jer_32:21; Joe_2:30
Miracles
Websters defined
Miracle
MIR'ACLE, n. [L. miraculum, from miror, to wonder.]
1. Literally, a wonder or wonderful thing; but appropriately,
2. In theology, an event or effect contrary to the established constitution and course of things, or a deviation from the known laws of nature; a supernatural event. Miracles can be wrought only by Almighty power, as when Christ healed lepers, saying, "I will, be thou clean," or calmed the tempest, "Peace, be still."
They considered not the miracle of the loaves. Mark 6.
A man approved of God by miracles and signs. Acts 2.
Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. 2 For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
Holman Bible Dictionary
Old Testament The two Hebrew words most frequently used for “miracle” are translated “sign” (oth ) and “wonder” (mopheth ). They are synonyms and often occur together in the same text (Exodus 7:3 ; Deuteronomy 4:34 ; Deuteronomy 6:22 ; Deuteronomy 7:19 ; Deuteronomy 13:1 ; Deuteronomy 26:8 ; Deuteronomy 28:46 ; Deuteronomy 34:11 ; Nehemiah 9:10 ; Psalm 105:27 ; Isaiah 8:18 ; Jeremiah 32:20 ; Daniel 6:27 ).
“Work” (ergon ) is also employed in the New Testament in the sense of “miracle.” John the Baptist heard of the “works” of Jesus while he was in prison (Matthew 11:2 ). The apostle John used the term frequently (Matthew 5:20 ,Matthew 5:20,5:36 ; Matthew 7:3 ; Matthew 10:38 ; Matthew 14:11-12 ; Matthew 15:24 ).
Bridgeway:
The first of these periods was the time of the Israelites’ bondage in Egypt, which challenged God’s purposes to establish his people as an independent nation. By mighty acts God saved his people and brought them into the land he had promised them (Deut 4:34-35; Josh 4:23-24). The second period was that of Elijah and Elisha, when Israel’s religion was threatened with destruction. By some unusual miracles God preserved the minority who remained faithful to him, and acted in judgment against those who tried to wipe out the worship of Yahweh from Israel (1 Kings 19:15-18). The third period was that of the coming of the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ and the establishment of his church through those to whom he had given his special power (Acts 2:22; 3:6; 4:10; 1 Cor 12:10,28-29; 2 Cor 12:12).
If we believe in a personal God who created and controls the world (Gen 1:1; Col 1:16-17), we should have no trouble in believing the biblical record of the miracles he performed. The physical creation is not something self-sufficient or mechanical, as if it were like a huge clock that, once wound up, runs on automatically till finally God stops it. The God of creation is a living God who is active in his creation (John 5:17).
The purpose of miracles
Miracles were usually ‘signs’, that is, works of God that revealed his power and purposes (Exod 7:3; Deut 4:34; Isa 7:11; Matt 16:1; John 2:11; 6:14; 20:30; Acts 2:43; see SIGNS). However, messengers of God never used miracles just to impress people or to persuade people to believe them (Matt 12:38-39; Luke 23:8). It was the false prophet who used apparent miracles to gain a following (Deut 13:1-3; Matt 24:24; 2 Thess 2:9-11; Rev 13:13-14). God’s miracles were usually linked with faith (2 Kings 3:1-7; Dan 3:16-18; 6:22; Heb 11:29-30).
This was clearly seen in the miracles of Jesus Christ. Jesus used miracles not to try to force people to believe in him, but to help those who already believed. He performed miracles in response to faith, not to try to create faith (Matt 9:27-29; Mark 2:3-5; 5:34,36; 6:5-6). Frequently, Jesus told those whom he had healed not to spread the news of his miraculous work. He did not want to be bothered by people who wanted to see a wonder-worker but who felt no spiritual need themselves (Matt 9:30; Mark 5:43; 8:26).
Nevertheless, it is clear that many of those who saw Jesus’ miracles were filled with awe and glorified God (Matt 9:8; Luke 5:26; 7:16; 9:43). To those who believed in Jesus as the Son of God and the Messiah, the miracles confirmed the truth of their beliefs and revealed to them something of God’s glory (John 2:11; 11:40; Acts 14:3; Heb 2:3-4; see MESSIAH). There was a connection between the miracles of Jesus and the era of the Messiah. This may explain why miracles were common in the early church but almost died out once the original order of apostles died out (Matt 10:5-8; Luke 9:1; 10:9; Acts 4:16,29-30; 5:12; Rom 15:19; 1 Cor 12:9-10; 2 Cor 12:12).
