In the TV show thirtysomething Hope, a Christian, argues with her Jewish husband, Michael, about the holidays.
Michael exploded…. “Do you really believe an angel appeared to some teenage girl who then got pregnant without ever having sex and traveled on horseback to Bethlehem where she spent the night in a barn and had a baby who turned out to be the Savior of the world?”
There is something about the narrative of the virgin birth/conception that seems almost unnecessary and cumbersome. The whole story of Jesus, it seems, would be easier to swallow and have more credibility if it weren’t for this
Is it true?
Well, it was prophesied in the OT and therefore expected.
Church historians note that there was never a time that the church did NOT believe in the virgin birth. In fact, there was a sect known as the Ebionites who objected to the idea. How did the concept of the virgin birth arise so soon if it was not based on fact?
The fact that the writing of Gospels date back to only decades after the events ocurred demonstrate that there was no adequate time for the growth of a myth surrounding the birth of Christ. (compare that to the miraculous conception stories surrounding Buddha which began-5-10 centuries later!)
Even the Koran makes reference to it!
Q: Was it all really necessary, and is it crucial for me to believe it?
According to what we read here, you CANNOT be a Christian and deny this.
The Apostle’s Creed: "I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary"
Not only is it foundational for the Christian faith, but also for our own spiritual welbeing.
Why The Virgin Birth is Absolutely Necessary
A. To be a sign.
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)
In Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace, a couple of Jedi Knights conclude that Anikan Skywalker must be the one the prophesies spoke of about the one who would bring balance to the Force. Why? One of the main reasons is because of the fact that he was miraculously conceived. Anikan only had a mother. Why did George Lucas find it necessary for Anikan to be born miraculously? To set him apart and make it obvious to the all that this was the One.
Greek mythology often refers to heroes being miraculously conceived (however, there would always be something bizaare about it like Zeus chucking a lightning bolt at the woman, or a god turning into a snake and coming to the woman; things that make it obvious that it is myth and not literal or historical)
Genesis 3:15 refers to the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head (vs. the seed of the man)
What if Jesus wasn’t virgin born but came in the same way that everyone else does? How would we know that he was the Messiah promised?
God doesn’t want us groping in the dark, but wants us to know him
If the Virgin Birth would never have taken place, we would still be in doubt. Whereas some might see the Virgin Birth as the reason NOT to believe in Jesus, I could not believe in Jesus EXCEPT for the Virgin Birth! The Virgin Birth separates Jesus from all other historical figures.
Larry King was once asked the question, "If you could select any one person across all of history to interview, who would it be?" King said he would like to interview Jesus Christ.
"And what would you like to ask him?"
"I would like to know if he was virgin-born. The answer to that question would define history for me."
In other words, King would see this as THE evidence for Christ’s divinity and the historicity of his miracles, death and resurrection.
B. For our salvation.
The reason why Jesus was born of a virgin was because he didn’t come to simply be a prophet, example, teacher, leader but a savior/substitute
The name Mary was to give to the baby was Jesus. Why? Because "he will save his people from their sins" (Matt.1:21)
The Bible teaches that man’s essential problem is that he is alienated from God due to sin.
"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom.3:23)
That is why we are continually looking for satisfaction, purpose, fulfillment and peace. Man stands guilty before God as a law-breaker, and will inevitably be condemned unless ... he is somehow saved
In order for Jesus to be qualified as a true Savior, freeing us from our sins and restoring us back to God, two things must be true:
1. He has to be fully human -- since it is man who is guilty.
He had to be someone who represents mankind.
Jesus had to be a true man, not just dress up like one. And he WAS! -- conceived - fetus - baby - man -- one of us!
Not only that, he had to be a perfect, sinless man, otherwise he would have been condemned himself.
--The angel refers to the baby as "the holy one"(v.35)
All of the OT sacrificial lambs were said to be "without blemish". Why? Because they were all pictures or foreshadowings of the sinless sacrifice of Jesus. Thus, every animal sacrifice implied a Virgin Birth.
If Jesus was not sinless then he could not have been the sin-bearer. But in order for him to be sinless he could not have been conceived in the natural way, for then the sin nature of Adam would have been transfered to him.
sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned (Rom.5:12)
cp. to babies born to parents with HIV
Every human being is "born in sin". We sinned in Adam and were condemned in Adam. Jesus was not, since he was conceived by the Spirit.
2. He has to be fully God -- since only God can take on him the sins of the world and bear the punishment and wrath of God and endure it. That is exactly what Jesus did when he died on the cross. (Romans 3:24-26)
God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement [the one who would turn aside his wrath], through faith in his blood.(Rom.3:25)
Compare to when Gandalf faced the Balrog in the Lord of the Rings. He turns to his companions and yells: "Fly! This is beyond any of you." No human being can bear the punishment of the world and endure the wrath of God.
Here is the Gospel: We are so sinful, desperate, helpless that nothing less than God himself becoming a man and dying in our place could possibly make us right with God.
In the miraculous conception you have a perfect joining of two: a human mother; divine father; a perfect mediator between God and man.
Q: Can there be a better indicator of God’s concern for us and commitment to us, than the miraculous conception?
Application:
a) It gives us great hope in life.
"nothing is impossible with God"
If God could cause a virgin to conceive ... can’t he cure cancer, break the power of addiction, change a husband’s heart towards his wife, a sinner’s heart towards God?
b) It gives us great confidence in prayer
If God would so humble himself as to step from heaven to earth, from a throne to a womb, from being the "Son of the Most High" to a fetus and a baby -- in order to save us -- Could there be any more powerful sign of his concern for you, longing for you, commitment to you?
-if he was willing to do THAT, what is he NOT willing to do?
It’s a startling idea that a virgin was selected by God to bear His son as a way of showing his love and concern.
….This story has a magnificent appeal. Almost nobody has seen God, and almost nobody has any real idea of what He is like. But everyone has seen babies, and most people like them. If God wanted to be loved… if God wanted to be intimately a part of our life, he has moved correctly, for the experience of birth and family is our most intimate and precious experience. [Harry Reasoner. 60 Minutes “What Christ Looked Like.” Christmas Eve. 1968”]
God is APPROACHABLE!
So? -- Pray! And do so boldly, confidently. Ask for BIG things! Go often.
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"How will this be...?" asks Mary. How many people stumble over this! How many write off Christianity because of this.
Gabriel responds by saying, "Nothing is impossible with God" (v.37)
If you believe in God and the supernatural, it really isn’t too difficult to believe in the Virgin Birth is it?
At its heart Christianity is a call to BELIEVE something. It is about faith (vs. DO something; morals, values, lifestyle)
Jesus was constantly challenging people’s faith, calling them to believe in Him -- "Who do you say I am?"
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" (v.35)
*What happened to Mary is what must happen to all of us. The Holy Spirit comes upon us. He produces something us; creates something in us. Salvation is His work.
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith (Eph.3:16-17) It is like the miraculous conception happens over and over again; Jesus coming to dwell on our hearts through the Spirit’s power.
"I am the Lord’s servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."
This is how we are to respond to the Gospel: "You’re God, in control, rule; you are worthy of my trust, service and life. I don’t understand how all this works but I believe your promise, what you say, what you have done on my behalf."
Have you done this?
"Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" (Luke 2:45)
-and blessed are you/WE
