Our Lord Jesus Christ

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Our Lord Jesus Christ

• A birth like none other

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The Centrality of Jesus Birth
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Without Jesus in the manger, there would be no
Christianity
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Without Jesus in the manger, there would be no
Christianity

• The baby Jesus is the focus of December nativity
  scenes with all the festivities of the holidays

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• But just as the real meaning is lost to many in
  these scenes, so the devotion to Christ is lost
  to many in the glitter and tinsel of our busy
  lives
• (II Cor. 113) But I am afraid that, as the
  serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your
  minds will be led astray from the simplicity and
  purity of devotion to Christ.

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Single-heartedness, simplicity, purity of
devotion to Christ
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What blocking and tackling are to
football..
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and keeping your eye on the ball is
to baseball
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So devotion to Christ is to our lives as
Christians

• (Luke 1039-42) She had a sister called Mary, who
  was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His
  word. But Martha was distracted with all her
  preparations and she came up to Him and said,
  "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me
  to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to
  help me." But the Lord answered and said to her,

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So devotion to Christ is to our lives as
Christians

• "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered
  about so many things but only one thing is
  necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part,
  which shall not be taken away from her."

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The Superiority of Jesus Christ

• His birth was no ordinary birth

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The Divine Nature

• (John 858) Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I
  say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.
• (John 11) In the beginning was the Word, and the
  Word was with God, and the Word was God.
• (v. 3) All things came into being through Him,
  and apart from Him nothing came into being that
  has come into being.
• (Heb. 138) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday
  and today and forever.

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His virgin birthwhat were the possibilities?

• Conceived and born of human mother and father
• Created like angels, with no human parents
• Put the Spirit of Christ in some human
• (Heb. 105) Therefore, when He comes into the
  world, He says, Sacrifice and offering you have
  not desired, but a body you have prepared for
  me.

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His virgin birthwhat were the possibilities?

• God chose a virgin, who through miraculous
  conception brought forth a child that was both
  human and Divine

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Actuality, according to Scripture

• (Isa. 714) Therefore the Lord Himself will give
  you a sign Behold, a virgin will be with child
  and bear a son, and she will call His name
  Immanuel.
• The Hebrew for virgin (almah) meant a young woman
• The Greek for virgin (parthenos) means one who
  had not known another intimately

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• (Luke 126-27) Now in the sixth month the
  angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in
  Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a
  man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of
  David and the virgin's name was Mary.

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• (Luke 126-27) Now in the sixth month the
  angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in
  Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a
  man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of
  David and the virgin's name was Mary.

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• (Vv. 28-33) And coming in, he said to her,
  "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you."
  But she was very perplexed at this statement, and
  kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.
  The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary
  for you have found favor with God. And behold,
  you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
  and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great
  and will be called the Son of the Most High and
  the Lord God will give Him the throne of His
  father David and He will reign over the house of
  Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."

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• (v. 34) Mary said to the angel, "How can this be,
  since I am a virgin? (seeing I know not a
  man?ASV)
• (v. 35) The angel answered and said to her, "The
  Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of
  the Most High will over-shadow you and for that
  reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of
  God.

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Critics argue she was a virgin only when the
angel spoke to her

• (Matt. 118) Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as
  follows when His mother Mary had been betrothed
  to Joseph, before they came together she was
  found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
• (V. 19) And Joseph her husband, being a righteous
  man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to
  send her away secretly.

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• (Matt. 120-21) But when he had considered this,
  behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a
  dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be
  afraid to take Mary as your wife for the Child
  who has been conceived in her is of the Holy
  Spirit. She will bear a Son and you shall call
  His name Jesus, for He will save His people from
  their sins."

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• (Isa. 714) Therefore the Lord Himself will give
  you a sign Behold, a virgin will be with child
  and bear a son, and she will call His name
  Immanuel.
• (Matt. 122-23) Now all this took place to
  fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the
  prophet "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD
  AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS
  NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH
  US."

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• (vv. 24-25) And Joseph awoke from his sleep and
  did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and
  took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin
  until she gave birth to a Son and he called His
  name Jesus.

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The Practical Side of It All
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The virgin birth is more than just a story
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A man-made religion falls apart in at least three
areas

• A natural savior provides no supernatural help
• A strictly natural savior offers no divine hope
• A sinful savior is really no savior at all

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Why was Christs coming this way necessary?

• This equipped him to be the perfect mediator
• (I Tim. 25) For there is one God, and one
  mediator also between God and men, the man Christ
  Jesus
• (Heb. 86) But now He has obtained a more
  excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the
  mediator of a better covenant, which has been
  enacted on better promises.

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Why was Christ coming this way necessary?

• (Heb. 415) For we do not have a high priest who
  cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One
  who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet
  without sin.

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There is no other religion that can measure up
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• Eternal
• Divine
• Born of a virgin
• Performer of miracles
• Raised from the dead
• Forgiver of sins
• Judge of the world

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He is the only way

• (John 146) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and
  the truth, and the life no one comes to the
  Father but through Me.
• (1125) Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection
  and the life he who believes in Me will live
  even if he dies

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• (Matt. 1129-30) Come unto me, all ye that labor
  and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me for I am
  meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest
  unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my
  burden is light.

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• He that believes and is baptized shall be saved,
  but he that does not believe shall be condemned
  (Mark 1616)