Through a Virgin Vessel
(Luke 1:26-38)
Intro: C.S. Lewis
The virgin birth is one of the central claims of Christianity. It is confessed in the Apostles’ Creed: “(Jesus was) conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.”
and the Nicene Creed:
“(Jesus) became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary.”
The church father Irenaeus captured the virginal conception’s foundational character,
“If one does not accept [the Son of God’s] birth from a Virgin,
how can he accept His resurrection from the dead?”
Indeed, the doctrine of the virgin birth is essential and a necessary component of our message. It is vital, then, that we have an opportunity each year to reflect on the miracle of the virginal conception: That Jesus, unlike any other human who ever existed, was born without a human father.
Two questions that we are going to address:
What is the “virgin birth”?
The virgin birth actually refers to the virgin conception of Jesus. The virgin birth is distinct from the supposed perpetual virginity of Mary. The Latin Vulgate translation, “Ave Gratia pleta” contributes to the complete misunderstanding whereby these words have been translated “Hail, Mary, full of grace” (Douai version) And some of you have grown up with “Hail, Mary, full of grace” and believing them to mean that Mary was and is a source of grace to other people. But she’s not. That’s not what the angel says.
Brandon Crowe, “The virgin birth of Jesus, which is more accurately labeled the virginal conception of Jesus, teaches that Jesus Christ was born apart from the normal process of procreation, but was supernaturally conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of her, without sin” (Was Jesus Really Born of a Virgin?).
Matthew is even more emphatic about the virgin conception of Jesus, beginning with the genealogy (Matthew 1:12-16).
Why is it important to know and confess the “virgin birth?”
The virgin birth evidences God’s amazing Power.
The whole narrative is a testimony to the immutability of God’s person, promise and purpose.
Surprisingly, the virgin birth goes back to the Old Testament: “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’” (Matthew 1:22–23; Isa. 7:14).
When you consider the person who received the good news and the place where she received it, there was an utter absence of what the world calls “greatness.” We need not hesitate to conclude, that there was a wise providence in all this arrangement.
God is greater than we thought! “If God could perform the miracle of the virgin birth, then he is absolutely capable of handling the difficulties of our daily lives” (Dan Doriani, REC).
The virgin birth explains Jesus’ absolute Perfection (sinless humanity).
Given that man is sinful by ordinary generation, the virgin birth clearly shows us that Jesus was not corrupted by the guilt of Adam nor implicated in the sin of Adam. Fallen humanity could not produce its own Savior. The Savior/Redeemer had to come somewhere outside by way of divine initiative and intervention. Therefore, the Father sent his perfect Son into the world through the power the Holy Spirit. Christmas is about the work of the Triune God to bring about redemption to his chosen ones.
It teaches the full humanity of Jesus. “The infinitely high became infinitely low” (Jonathan Edwards). Dan Doriani adds, “The virgin birth preserves the humanity and deity of Jesus Christ. His conception by the Spirit points to his deity. His birth from a woman points to his humanity. One person, two natures – a divine nature and a human nature.”
The virgin birth shows us that our redeemer is fully, truly a man—yet without sin. This makes Jesus the second/last and greater Adam.
Because of the virgin birth, Jesus escaped the legal curse of sin (Galatians 4:4). Jesus was never tainted with the original sin. That is why He alone can redeem us from our sins.
We are more sinful than we thought! We are not just a little bit broken. We are destroyed. We are dead apart from the last Adam.
The virgin birth exhibits God’s abiding Presence.
The virgin birth is the platform for the fulfillment of the central promise of God in all of His covenant dealings with us. What was the one phrase used to summarize all of the hopes of the people of God for the promises that God had made to them in the Old Testament? Over and over you’ll hear this phrase: “I will be Your God; you will be My people.” And over and over you will hear this hope expressed that one day I will be Your God and you will be My people will be realized, and God will be with us. God with us (Matthew 1:23 - “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God with us.’”).
Brandon Crowe, “It is indeed the most glorious blessing imaginable that Jesus is God’s presence with us, yet this presence is a curse for those who oppose him. Put differently, Jesus is God’s presence for blessing or for cursing, depending on one’s relationship to Jesus.”
God is closer to us than we thought.
Conclusion and application
The virgin birth is not a take-it-or-leave-it matter.
The virgin birth should cause us to reflect and respond in a way that honors God.
Advent means the one who has come is coming again to fulfill the eschatological hope of his people. Maranatha (Even so, Lord, come quickly.)