Matthew 6:9-13 - After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

 

The Sermon for this week is: Why I Believe In The Virgin Birth

 

INTRODUCTION

 

1. In 1998, a Harris poll revealed that 83 percent of Americans believe in the virgin birth...

a. That Jesus was born of the virgin Mary

b. Without a human father

 

2. In 2002, another poll showed that 27 percent of the British Clergy do not...

a. The view of one Hampshire vicar was typical: “There was nothing special about his birth or his childhood - it was his adult life that was extraordinary. ”

b. He declined to be named, saying: “I have a very traditional bishop and this is one of those topics - I do not go public on. I need to keep the job I have got.”

 

[With the majority of Americans, along with adherents of Islam, I also believe in the virgin birth of Christ. Here are some reasons why...]

 

I. THE VIRGIN BIRTH WAS PROPHESIED

 

A. THROUGH MOSES...

 

1. In the promise made to the serpent (Satan) - 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.

a. The first Messianic prophecy found in Scripture

b. “He shall bruise your head; and you shall bruise His heel”

 

2. Note that it says “her seed”

a. The reference to the seed of a woman is unique

b. The normal expression is the seed of man - e.g., Romans 1:3 - Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

 

-- While not overwhelming proof, it is a subtle hint for what was to come!

 

B. THROUGH ISAIAH...

 

1. In the promise made to the House of David - Isaiah 7:13-14 - And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

a. Though Ahaz rejected a sign, God chose to give one anyway to his descendants

b. A virgin (Heb., almah) shall conceive and bear a son

 

2. Concerning almah, which some contend simply means “a young woman”

a. “As a matter of fact there is no place among the seven occurrences of ‘almah’ in the Old Testament where the word is clearly used of a woman who was not a virgin.” - J. Gresham Machen, The Virgin Birth of Christ

b. In the LXX (the Septuagint version of the OT translated around 250 B.C.) almah in Isaiah 7:14 is translated by the Greek word parthenos which can only mean a virgin

c. “The fact that the seventy who were the most eminent Hebrew scholars in the world translated the word ‘virgin’ is sufficient evidence that in this connection the word could have no other meaning. ” – Al red Edersheim, The Life And Times Of Jesus, The Messiah

 

-- A young woman bearing a child is not sign; but a virgin bearing a child, whose name was to be called Immanuel (“God with us”)...now that is a sign!

 

C. THROUGH JEREMIAH...

 

1. In the promise made to Judah - 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

a. The Lord would create a new thing in the earth

b. “A woman shall compass a man”

 

2. The phrase has been variously interpreted; even so...

a. “The fathers saw in these words a prophecy of the miraculous conception of our Lord by the Virgin” - Barnes

b. Any other explanation would not likely involve God creating a new thing!

 

-- This prophecy may also be a subtle reference to what was to come!

 

[Especially with regards to the prophecy in Isaiah, we have a promise that the Messiah would be born of a virgin. Unsurprisingly, in the gospel of Jesus Christ we find...]

 

II. THE VIRGIN BIRTH WAS PROCLAIMED

 

A. BY MATTHEW...

 

1. In his account of the birth of Jesus - 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. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 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. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 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. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

a. Mary was found with child, conceived of the Holy Spirit

b. In fulfillment of the prophecy found in the book of Isaiah

 

2. Concerning parthenos, used by Matthew in his account

a. It is the Greek word for “virgin”

b. Leaving no doubt that the prophecy in Isaiah referred to a virgin

 

-- Matthew, an early disciple and one of the 12 apostles, proclaimed the virgin birth!

 

B. BY LUKE...

 

1. In his account of the birth of Jesus - Luke 1:26-38 - And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 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. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 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: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 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. 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. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

a. He also calls Mary a virgin (parthenos)

b. She was to have a child without the benefit of a man

 

2. Note the words of the angel Gabriel

a. “For with God nothing is impossible ”

b. If one believes in God, the concept of a virgin birth is not an impossibility

 

-- Luke, a physician and notable historian, proclaimed the virgin birth!

 

C. BY PAUL...

 

1. In his epistle to the Galatians - 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,

a. Writing of the coming of the Son of God

b. Of whom he says was “born of a woman”

 

2. Note how careful Paul is in his epistles

a. He proclaims Jesus to be the seed of Abraham and David

b. He never ascribes the sonship of Jesus to any earthly father, only to God

c. Yet he has no hesitation ascribing His birth to a woman!

 

-- Paul, an apostle of Christ, by implication certainly proclaimed the virgin birth!

 

CONCLUSION

 

1. There is certainly more in the Scriptures that implies the virgin birth of Christ...

a. Such expressions as “begotten of God” - e.g., 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. ; John 1:18 - No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. ; John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

b. The many references to Jesus as “the Son of God - e.g., Luke 1:35 - 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. ; Matthew 16:16 - And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

 

2. Skeptics have offered alternative explanations of the conception, such as...

a. A relationship with a secret lover

b. A rape by a Roman soldier

c. Sexual relationships with her fiancée, Joseph

d. Jesus was conceived as a result of normal relations between Mary and Joseph after marriage

 

-- Each of these imply that the virgin birth stories in Matthew and Luke were simple fables, invented decades after Jesus ’ conception, without any grounding in fact

 

3. It is important to believe in the virgin birth of Christ; otherwise we claim that...

a. The New Testament narratives to be false and unreliable

b. We are more knowledgeable than Matthew, Luke, or Paul

 

4. Who are you willing to believe...?

a. The views of skeptics and opponents, who seek to undermine faith in Jesus?

b. The opinions of theologians and professors , who publish for the sake of tenure and profit?

c. The inspired apostles and writers of the New Testament, who suffered for their testimony?

 

I am content to place my faith in Matthew and Luke, and to heed such warnings as this by Paul:

1 Timothy 6:20-21 - O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

 

Committed to our trust is the wonderful truth that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin...!

 

Mark 16:15-16 - And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

 

Matthew 28:19-20 - Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

 

Prayer: Lord I truly thank You for giving me the opportunity to present these words to my brethrens. I pray that You will give them Your eternal blessings and accept them into Your heart - this  I pray in the name of Thy Son, Jesus, the Messiah, Your only begotten son which Ye sent to save mankind from themselves. Ephesians 6:23-24 - Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

 

This sermon is in the Public Domain - Free for all to use with the only requirement: That it never be used for profit.