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Sunday 25 November 2012

'THE REALITY OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH'



Rev. George Sinclair
By Rev. George Sinclair                           
 Pastor of the Church of the Messiah, Ottawa, ON.
 www.messiahchurch.ca

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(Podcast of CFRA broadcast on Sunday, November 25th, 2012)
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Broadcast Notes:
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(Abridged notes of a short Sermon on LUKE 1:26 –38

The Reality of the Virgin Birth’


Luke 1:26-38 (ESVUK)

Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed[a] to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favoured one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Luke does not tell a story based on true events or inspired by true events. He claims to tell the true story of Jesus. Luke is a former pagan who has become a Christian, He is writing to a pagan.

There are two different ways to listen to the story of Jesus. Will we listen like Zechariah (and not believe) or will we listen like Mary. Today we learn how Mary listens.

READ Luke 1:26-34

26 In the sixth month the angel (A)Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named (B)Nazareth, 27 (C)to a virgin betrothed[a] to a man whose name was Joseph, (D)of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, (E)O favoured one, (F)the Lord is with you!”[b] 29 But (G)she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for (H)you have found favour with God. 31 And behold, (I)you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and (J)you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of (K)the Most High. And the Lord God (L)will give to him the throne of (M)his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob (N)for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”[c]

Footnotes:
a.     Luke 1:27 That is, legally pledged to be married
b.     Luke 1:28 Some manuscripts add Blessed are you among women!
c.     Luke 1:34 Greek since I do not know a man

Cross references:
A.    Luke 1:26 : ver. 19
F.    Luke 1:28 : Judg. 6:12
I.      Luke 1:31 : Isa. 7:14

Many things kill curiosity in us. But God does not kill our curiosity. He wants us to remain curious.

Mary remains a virgin while God works a miracle to create a new life within her womb. God works a miracle of creation within the womb of Mary.

Science increases the wow factor when God performs a miracle.

That miracle of creation in the womb of Mary is the person of Jesus.

Read verse 31-38. Who is Jesus?

Luke 1:31-38

31 And behold, (A)you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and (B)you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of (C)the Most High. And the Lord God (D)will give to him the throne of (E)his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob (F)for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”[a]
35 And the angel answered her, (G)“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of (H)the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[b] will be called (I)holy—(J)the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her (K)who was called barren. 37 For (L)nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant[c] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And (M)the angel departed from her.

Footnotes:
a.     Luke 1:34 Greek since I do not know a man
b.     Luke 1:35 Some manuscripts add of you
c.     Luke 1:38 Greek bondservant; also verse 48

Cross references:
A.    Luke 1:31 : Isa. 7:14
I.      Luke 1:35 : John 6:69
K.   Luke 1:36 : ver. 7

Luke tells us the end of the story at the beginning.

Jesus’ death upon the cross will be the grace filled means to His reigning over a forever Kingdom.

We enter into Jesus’ grace filled reign and His grace filled reign enters into us by repentance and faith. He wants us to respond like Mary, “I am your servant, let it be to me according to Your will.”

Let’s pray:

Father, Thank you for Mary, for her willingness to suffer shame and embarrassment and public scorn by allowing you to work a miracle within her womb, so that Jesus was born, even though she had never known a man, sexually.

Thank you Father for this; but most of all, Father, we thank you for Jesus. We thank you that He came to our earth in a rescue mission, to die upon the Cross, to take my place so that I might be reconciled to you.

Father, help me to more and more and more: say to you, and to your description of Jesus, “I am your servant”.

Let it be to me according to your word. I am yours, in Jesus’ name, Amen.


Rev. George Sinclair
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