THE LIFE OF CHRIST: VIRGIN BIRTH

QUOTATION FROM THE PAST “Of course I do not believe in the virgin birth, or in the old fashioned doctrine of the atonement, and I do not know any intelligent Christian minister who does.” Harry Emersan Fosdick Harry Emersan Fosdick IS THERE A SCRIPTURAL BASIS TO BELIEVE THE VIRGIN BIRTH? YES!

HEAR THE WORDS OF INSPIRATION Luke 1:26-38 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, [27] To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. [28] And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. [29] And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

THOUGHT CONTINUES… [30] And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. [31] And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. [32] He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: [33] And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. [34] Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

THOUGHT CONTINUES… [35] 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. [36] And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. [37] For with God nothing shall be impossible. [38] And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

AGAIN NOTICE.. Matthew 1:18-25 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. [19] Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. [20] But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

THOUGHT CONTINUES.. [21] And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. [22] Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, [23] Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. [24] Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: [25] And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

VIRGIN BIRTH IN PROPHECY Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 1. In the prophecy reference is made to the seed of woman. 2. The natural seed inheres on the male side, such as “the seed of Abraham” or the “seed of David”. 3. Yet here it is “her seed” which would be the object of Satan’s enmity. 4. The thing prophesied in Gen. 3:15 would be brought about by woman alone apart from man.

CONSIDER THIS CHART GEN. 3:15 “.. ENMITY BETWEEN.. “THEE” (SATAN) …. “WOMAN” “THY SEED”… (SATAN) … “HER SEED” (CHRIST).

STATEMENT FROM ISAIAH 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. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. From this passage we learn: 1. Virgin birth would serve as a “sign” of the Messiah. 2. To remove the miracle from the birth of Jesus is to destroy the “sign”. 3. The sign would be given by the “Lord Himself”. What was the sign? Virgin birth!

MATTHEW QUOTES ISAIAH Matthew 1:22-23 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, [23] Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. In the passage, Matthew declares Isaiah’s prophecy to be fulfilled in the birth of Jesus.

LUKE SPEAKS OF THE “SIGN” Luke 2:34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; In the passage, Luke refers to the Virgin birth of Jesus as a Sign.

JEREMIAH’S STATEMENT Jeremiah 31:22 How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man. 1. “A woman shall compass a man” is here set apart as a direct declaration of something to be performed by a woman alone, apart from man. 2. The prophet declares that God would create a “new thing” in the earth. What is new about a woman carrying a child? Nothing unless the conception of that child was without the benefit of a sex partner.

VIRGIN BIRTH: A BIBLICAL REALITY 1. MARY RECOGNIZED THIS TO BE A MIRACLE. Luke 1:34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 2. JOSEPH’S RELATIONSHIP TO MARY PROVES THE VIRGIN BIRTH. Matthew 1:25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

ADDITIONAL VERSES TO CONSIDER: John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, Hebrews 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

CONSIDER MATT. 1:18-25 VS. 18… “Before they came together.” VS. 19… Joseph knew the child was not his. VS. 20… Matthew states this was fulfillment of prophecy. VS. 25… “He knew her not til she had brought forth a son.” VS. 18… “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise.” QUESTION: DO YOU BELIEVE IT?

WHY MUST WE BELIEVE IT? To fail to believe the virgin birth, denies the credibility of God’s promises To deny the virgin birth is to deny the credibility of the inspired writers Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Matthew, Luke, and Paul To reject the virgin birth is to deny the power of God.