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Virgin
When you think about the word “virgin” what comes to mind?
Questions to ponder this morning:
Do you believe in the virgin birth?
Why do you believe what you believe?
1998 Harris poll showed 83% of Americans believed in the virgin birth of Jesus.
Defined as Jesus was born of the virgin Mary
Jesus was born without a human father
2002 Survey in England showed 27 of British clergy “did not” believe in the virgin birth
One clergyman said “there was nothing special about his birth or his childhood - it was his adult life that was extraordinary.”
(Christianity today - Aug 2004)
2017 poll shows only 73% of those polled believed in virgin birth
by 2021 the number reduced to 66%
Is the virgin birth essential, it is important, or does it really matter?
- today I would like for us to look at
Virgin birth prophesied
Virgin birth proclaimed
Virgin birth protection (conclusion)
Virgin Birth Prophesied
Prophesy (verb) to say something (a specified thing) will happen in the future.
As you know there are many prophesies found in the scripture 1,817 according to J. Barton Payne Bible Encyclopedia.
There are many regarding the virgin birth, let’s cover a few.
Prophesied by Moses (Gen3:15)
The fall has happen, Adam and Eve hid, God called them out
Adam blamed Eve
Eve blamed the serpent
God spoke then to the serpent, let’s tune in right there
Add another version just because
Notice the verse says “her” it makes no reference to “him” or “his seed” which would be common
The Genesis prophesy is the first Messianic prophesy found in the scripture.
“He shall bruise your head.”
This is speaking of the seed of the woman, Jesus!
As mentioned a moment ago, normally it is the man’s seed that is referenced the expression is “seed of man” but here is “her seed.”
That is unique.
Prophesied by Isaiah (Isa7:10-14)
If you have your bible, turn with me so you can see it for yourself.
What is going on is Rezin king of Syria and Pekah came against Israel to make war against them.
God sent Isaiah to assure Ahaz the king of Judah, don’t sweat it, it is not going to happen (James paraphrase of (vv.1-9) - now we get to the passage
The Lord tells Ahaz, hey if you doubt me, go ahead ask for any sign you want.
Ahaz refuses, yet God still gives a sign.
Look at (Isa7:14), what was the sign?
OK, just for a couple of minutes let me dive into the word “virgin” in the Hebrew it it is the word “Almah” - some contend that the word translates only to mean “a young woman”
The word is used seven times in the scripture and in none of them do they mean a young woman who is not a virgin.
The Greek translation has the word “parthenos” and that can only mean a virgin.
(Transition) 0 just wanted to put that out there in case you have heard the skeptic thought on the word “virgin.”
The sign promised through Isaiah was not a young woman bearing a child, but a virgin bearing a child whose name was to be called Immanuel “God with us.”
Now there’s a sign for you.
Prophesied through Jeremiah (Jer31:22)
This is a promise made to Judah (the Southern kingdom)
What did The Lord say He had done (Jer31:22)?
He had created a new thing.
From under the Law of works
What was law of faith under Jesus Christ who would be born of a virgin.
What would be the results?
The woman would encompass a man.
Barnes Notes says: “The fathers saw in these words a prophesy of the miraculous conception of our Lord by the virgin.”
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(Transition) while this is a subtle inference to the virgin birth, of what was to come, but it if fulfilled and proclaimed as we look to the words of the New Testament.
Virgin Birth Proclaimed
From prophesy to proclamation.
A proclamation (Noun): a public or official announcement, especially one dealing with a matter of great importance.
Let’s look at some of the New Testament proclamations about the virgin birth.
Proclaimed by Matthew (Mt1:18-25)
Let’s look at the passage together and see what we can learn about the virgin birth.
Mary was with child, as scripture says conceived of the Holy Spirit (v.20)
It also says it is fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah (vv.22-23)
The word virgin is the Greek word “parthenos” as mentioned earlier, so that is confirmation that the word in Isaiah can only have referred to a virgin, not a young woman.
Proclaimed by Luke (Lk1:26-38)
Again I invite you to turn to Luke, and let’s look together at his account of the virgin birth.
Luke records virgin (v.27) and identifies it was Mary.
She describes what is to happen, instructions for her (v.30-33)
You can see Mary’s question (v.34)
The proof of what the angel is saying to be true (vv.36-37)
And the results, again look at the results (v.38).
(Transition) Nothing is impossible for God, a virgin birth is not impossible, just as salvation is not impossible, for it impossible for man, but not for God.
So, we have Matthew one of the apostles, an early disciple of Jesus, now Luke the investigator, the physician, historian proclaiming the virgin birth.
But wait, there is more
Proclaimed by Paul (Gal4:4)
Paul identifies son of God, born of a woman.
No where in Paul’s epistles does he credit an earthly father.
He notes from the seed of Abraham and the seed of David
He does proclaim born of a woman.
(Transition) Matthew, Luke, Paul all proclaim born of woman, a virgin, no credit to an earthly father.
But one more thing we should cover this morning too.
Virgin Birth Protection
There are skeptics that have various explanations about the so called virgin birth.
We, as Christians need to be prepared to protect the importance of the virgin birth.
Many other scripture implications of the virgin birth of Christ (Jn1:14, 18; 3:16; Lk1:35: Mt16:16)
We have a few minutes left, let me put forth the scriptures, since they are what is important.
they are the evidence presented.
They are time kept, time proven, they are the inerrant word of God.
All of these speak as “begotten of the Father, or only begotten Son
add to that Mt16:16
These state shall be called “Son of God, Son of the living God.”
So, I mentioned the skeptics here are a things some think:
Jesus comes from a relationship with a secret lover
Jesus is result of a rape by a Roman soldier
Jesus is result of sexual relations with Joseph prior to marriage
Jesus was conceived in normal fashion after the marriage and man predates the gospels to imply that the that the birth accounts by Matthew and Luke are just fables.
Why should we believe in the virgin birth?
If we don’t than we cannot believe the bible for the narratives would be false and unreliable
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