Have a little faith in Me

Me (Introduction)

Welcome, today is the first Sunday of Advent, with that we are going to work through a sermon series called The Advent of Hope.

if you have an Advent wreath at home you can light it tonight at supper time. I have included in the bulletin a short reading and prayer. (Put in slide for Advent)

We (Build Tension)

Opening Prayer

If you have your Bibles with you today, please turn to (Slide)

26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

Galilee - small town located in Israel (about the size of Rivers) so we are talking about a small town and there is a very good chance people will know who Joseph is and more importantly who Mary is.

Lets take a quick break here and also explore the importance of the statement of virginity in this passage.

Virgin

Synopsis - Virgin

Generally a young person, especially a female, who has not had sexual intercourse. Virginity is an important quality in a bride, and its surrender or violation prior to marriage is sternly condemned. Virginity is also used metaphorically to denote purity and innocence.

Synopsis

Generally a young person, especially a female, who has not had sexual intercourse. Virginity is an important quality in a bride, and its surrender or violation prior to marriage is sternly condemned. In the miracle of the incarnation, Mary was still a virgin when Jesus Christ was conceived. Virginity is also used metaphorically to denote purity and innocence.

The church presented as a virgin bride

Virgins were sought as brides

;

(NASB95) — 14 now may it be that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’—may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown lovingkindness to my master.” 15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor, came out with her jar on her shoulder. 16 The girl was very beautiful, a virgin, and no man had had relations with her; and she went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up.

(NASB95) — 12 “A garden locked is my sister, my bride, A rock garden locked, a spring sealed up.

See also The word translated “maiden” might also refer to a virgin; ; ; ; ; ;

(NASB95) — 13 ‘He shall take a wife in her virginity. 14 ‘A widow, or a divorced woman, or one who is profaned by harlotry, these he may not take; but rather he is to marry a virgin of his own people,

(NASB95) — 13 “If any man takes a wife and goes in to her and then turns against her, 14 and charges her with shameful deeds and publicly defames her, and says, ‘I took this woman, but when I came near her, I did not find her a virgin,’ 15 then the girl’s father and her mother shall take and bring out the evidence of the girl’s virginity to the elders of the city at the gate. 16 “The girl’s father shall say to the elders, ‘I gave my daughter to this man for a wife, but he turned against her; 17 and behold, he has charged her with shameful deeds, saying, “I did not find your daughter a virgin.” But this is the evidence of my daughter’s virginity.’ And they shall spread the garment before the elders of the city. 18 “So the elders of that city shall take the man and chastise him, 19 and they shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver and give it to the girl’s father, because he publicly defamed a virgin of Israel. And she shall remain his wife; he cannot divorce her all his days.

(NASB95) — 2 Then the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.

(NASB95) — 17 The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

(NASB95) — 5 For as a young man marries a virgin, So your sons will marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So your God will rejoice over you.

(NASB95) — 22 “And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman but shall take virgins from the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.

The church presented as a virgin bride

(NASB95) — 2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.

(NASB95) — 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

(NASB95) — 7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

The loss of virginity before marriage

Of a virgin not pledged in marriage

(NASB95) — 16 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife. 17 “If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the dowry for virgins.

See also ;

(NASB95) — 28 “If a man finds a girl who is a virgin, who is not engaged, and seizes her and lies with her and they are discovered, 29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall become his wife because he has violated her; he cannot divorce her all his days.

Of a virgin pledged in marriage

(NASB95) — 20 “But if this charge is true, that the girl was not found a virgin, 21 then they shall bring out the girl to the doorway of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death because she has committed an act of folly in Israel by playing the harlot in her father’s house; thus you shall purge the evil from among you.

See also Betrothal was as serious a commitment as marriage itself; consorting with another person during this period was tantamount to adultery; ;

(NASB95) — 23 “If there is a girl who is a virgin engaged to a man, and another man finds her in the city and lies with her, 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city and you shall stone them to death; the girl, because she did not cry out in the city, and the man, because he has violated his neighbor’s wife. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.

(NASB95) — 25 “But if in the field the man finds the girl who is engaged, and the man forces her and lies with her, then only the man who lies with her shall die. 26 “But you shall do nothing to the girl; there is no sin in the girl worthy of death, for just as a man rises against his neighbor and murders him, so is this case. 27 “When he found her in the field, the engaged girl cried out, but there was no one to save her.

(NASB95) — 8 “Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof.”

See also

(NASB95) — 24 “Here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. Please let me bring them out that you may ravish them and do to them whatever you wish. But do not commit such an act of folly against this man.”

;

(NASB95) — 25 The singers went on, the musicians after them, In the midst of the maidens beating tambourines.

(NASB95) — 4 “Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! Again you will take up your tambourines, And go forth to the dances of the merrymakers.

See also ; ;

(NASB95) — 20 Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing. 21 Miriam answered them, “Sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”

(NASB95) — 34 When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing. Now she was his one and only child; besides her he had no son or daughter.

(NASB95) — 6 It happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments.

(NASB95) — 14 She will be led to the King in embroidered work; The virgins, her companions who follow her, Will be brought to You.

See also

(NASB95) — 1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

A virgin looked after King David

(NASB95) — 1 Now King David was old, advanced in age; and they covered him with clothes, but he could not keep warm. 2 So his servants said to him, “Let them seek a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her attend the king and become his nurse; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm.” 3 So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 The girl was very beautiful; and she became the king’s nurse and served him, but the king did not cohabit with her.

Virginity as a sign of purity and innocence

(NASB95) — 17 “Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man intimately. 18 “But all the girls who have not known man intimately, spare for yourselves.

See also

(NASB95) — 11 “This is the thing that you shall do: you shall utterly destroy every man and every woman who has lain with a man.” 12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins who had not known a man by lying with him; and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

(NASB95) — 13 “Therefore thus says the Lord, ‘Ask now among the nations, Who ever heard the like of this? The virgin of Israel Has done a most appalling thing.

See also ;

(NASB95) — 21 “Set up for yourself roadmarks, Place for yourself guideposts; Direct your mind to the highway, The way by which you went. Return, O virgin of Israel, Return to these your cities. 22 “How long will you go here and there, O faithless daughter? For the Lord has created a new thing in the earth— A woman will encompass a man.” 23 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Once again they will speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities when I restore their fortunes, ‘The Lord bless you, O abode of righteousness, O holy hill!’

(NASB95) — 3 and they played the harlot in Egypt. They played the harlot in their youth; there their breasts were pressed and there their virgin bosom was handled. 4 “Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister. And they became Mine, and they bore sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah and Jerusalem is Oholibah. 5 “Oholah played the harlot while she was Mine; and she lusted after her lovers, after the Assyrians, her neighbors, 6 who were clothed in purple, governors and officials, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses. 7 “She bestowed her harlotries on them, all of whom were the choicest men of Assyria; and with all whom she lusted after, with all their idols she defiled herself. 8 “She did not forsake her harlotries from the time in Egypt; for in her youth men had lain with her, and they handled her virgin bosom and poured out their lust on her.

;

(NASB95) — 21 “This is the word that the Lord has spoken against him: ‘She has despised you and mocked you, The virgin daughter of Zion; She has shaken her head behind you, The daughter of Jerusalem!

(NASB95) — 1 “Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; Sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no longer be called tender and delicate.

(NASB95) — 2 She has fallen, she will not rise again— The virgin Israel. She lies neglected on her land; There is none to raise her up.

See also

(NASB95) — 25 Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. 26 I think then that this is good in view of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.

;

(NASB95) — 8 But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I.

(NASB95) — 37 But he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has authority over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well. 38 So then both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better.

Marriage is the proper outlet for sexual passion

Though Paul urges abstinence, sexual passion is not wrong; however, sexual relationships must be confined to marriage;

(NASB95) — 9 But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

(NASB95) — 36 But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter, if she is past her youth, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let her marry.

Mary’s virginity at Jesus Christ’s conception

(NASB95) — 20 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. 21 “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 “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.” 24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

See also ; ;

(NASB95) — 14 “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.

(NASB95) — 1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 “Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 “For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. 6 “But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 “Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 “The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11 “Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12 “But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour. In the miracle of the incarnation, Mary was still a virgin when Jesus Christ was conceived. Virginity is also used metaphorically to denote purity and innocence.

Virginity is important in a bride

Virgins were sought as brides

;

(NASB95) — 14 now may it be that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’—may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown lovingkindness to my master.” 15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor, came out with her jar on her shoulder. 16 The girl was very beautiful, a virgin, and no man had had relations with her; and she went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up.

(NASB95) — 12 “A garden locked is my sister, my bride, A rock garden locked, a spring sealed up.

See also The word translated “maiden” might also refer to a virgin; ; ; ; ; ;

(NASB95) — 42 “So I came today to the spring, and said, ‘O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now You will make my journey on which I go successful; 43 behold, I am standing by the spring, and may it be that the maiden who comes out to draw, and to whom I say, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar”; 44 and she will say to me, “You drink, and I will draw for your camels also”; let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.’ 45 “Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder, and went down to the spring and drew, and I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’

(NASB95) — 13 ‘He shall take a wife in her virginity. 14 ‘A widow, or a divorced woman, or one who is profaned by harlotry, these he may not take; but rather he is to marry a virgin of his own people,

(NASB95) — 13 “If any man takes a wife and goes in to her and then turns against her, 14 and charges her with shameful deeds and publicly defames her, and says, ‘I took this woman, but when I came near her, I did not find her a virgin,’ 15 then the girl’s father and her mother shall take and bring out the evidence of the girl’s virginity to the elders of the city at the gate. 16 “The girl’s father shall say to the elders, ‘I gave my daughter to this man for a wife, but he turned against her; 17 and behold, he has charged her with shameful deeds, saying, “I did not find your daughter a virgin.” But this is the evidence of my daughter’s virginity.’ And they shall spread the garment before the elders of the city. 18 “So the elders of that city shall take the man and chastise him, 19 and they shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver and give it to the girl’s father, because he publicly defamed a virgin of Israel. And she shall remain his wife; he cannot divorce her all his days.

(NASB95) — 2 Then the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.

(NASB95) — 17 The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

(NASB95) — 5 For as a young man marries a virgin, So your sons will marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So your God will rejoice over you.

(NASB95) — 22 “And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman but shall take virgins from the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.

The church presented as a virgin bride

(NASB95) — 2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.

See also ;

(NASB95) — 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

(NASB95) — 7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

The loss of virginity before marriage

Of a virgin not pledged in marriage

(NASB95) — 16 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife. 17 “If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the dowry for virgins.

See also ;

(NASB95) — 28 “If a man finds a girl who is a virgin, who is not engaged, and seizes her and lies with her and they are discovered, 29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall become his wife because he has violated her; he cannot divorce her all his days.

(NASB95) — 12 But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this disgraceful thing! 13 “As for me, where could I get rid of my reproach? And as for you, you will be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 However, he would not listen to her; since he was stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her. 15 Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up, go away!” 16 But she said to him, “No, because this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you have done to me!” Yet he would not listen to her.

Of a virgin pledged in marriage

(NASB95) — 20 “But if this charge is true, that the girl was not found a virgin, 21 then they shall bring out the girl to the doorway of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death because she has committed an act of folly in Israel by playing the harlot in her father’s house; thus you shall purge the evil from among you.

See also Betrothal was as serious a commitment as marriage itself; consorting with another person during this period was tantamount to adultery; ;

(NASB95) — 23 “If there is a girl who is a virgin engaged to a man, and another man finds her in the city and lies with her, 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city and you shall stone them to death; the girl, because she did not cry out in the city, and the man, because he has violated his neighbor’s wife. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.

(NASB95) — 25 “But if in the field the man finds the girl who is engaged, and the man forces her and lies with her, then only the man who lies with her shall die. 26 “But you shall do nothing to the girl; there is no sin in the girl worthy of death, for just as a man rises against his neighbor and murders him, so is this case. 27 “When he found her in the field, the engaged girl cried out, but there was no one to save her.

(NASB95) — 18 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. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.

Some fathers surrendered their daughters’ virginity

(NASB95) — 8 “Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof.”

See also

(NASB95) — 24 “Here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. Please let me bring them out that you may ravish them and do to them whatever you wish. But do not commit such an act of folly against this man.”

Particular roles involving virgins

Maidens in victory processions

;

(NASB95) — 25 The singers went on, the musicians after them, In the midst of the maidens beating tambourines.

(NASB95) — 4 “Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! Again you will take up your tambourines, And go forth to the dances of the merrymakers.

See also ; ;

(NASB95) — 20 Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing. 21 Miriam answered them, “Sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”

(NASB95) — 34 When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing. Now she was his one and only child; besides her he had no son or daughter.

(NASB95) — 6 It happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments.

Virgins as bridesmaids

(NASB95) — 14 She will be led to the King in embroidered work; The virgins, her companions who follow her, Will be brought to You.

See also

(NASB95) — 1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

A virgin looked after King David

(NASB95) — 1 Now King David was old, advanced in age; and they covered him with clothes, but he could not keep warm. 2 So his servants said to him, “Let them seek a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her attend the king and become his nurse; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm.” 3 So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 The girl was very beautiful; and she became the king’s nurse and served him, but the king did not cohabit with her.

Virginity as a sign of purity and innocence

Virgins were spared after military victories

(NASB95) — 17 “Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man intimately. 18 “But all the girls who have not known man intimately, spare for yourselves.

See also

(NASB95) — 11 “This is the thing that you shall do: you shall utterly destroy every man and every woman who has lain with a man.” 12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins who had not known a man by lying with him; and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

Israel’s virgin purity lost

(NASB95) — 13 “Therefore thus says the Lord, ‘Ask now among the nations, Who ever heard the like of this? The virgin of Israel Has done a most appalling thing.

See also ;

(NASB95) — 21 “Set up for yourself roadmarks, Place for yourself guideposts; Direct your mind to the highway, The way by which you went. Return, O virgin of Israel, Return to these your cities. 22 “How long will you go here and there, O faithless daughter? For the Lord has created a new thing in the earth— A woman will encompass a man.” 23 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Once again they will speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities when I restore their fortunes, ‘The Lord bless you, O abode of righteousness, O holy hill!’

(NASB95) — 3 and they played the harlot in Egypt. They played the harlot in their youth; there their breasts were pressed and there their virgin bosom was handled. 4 “Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister. And they became Mine, and they bore sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah and Jerusalem is Oholibah. 5 “Oholah played the harlot while she was Mine; and she lusted after her lovers, after the Assyrians, her neighbors, 6 who were clothed in purple, governors and officials, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses. 7 “She bestowed her harlotries on them, all of whom were the choicest men of Assyria; and with all whom she lusted after, with all their idols she defiled herself. 8 “She did not forsake her harlotries from the time in Egypt; for in her youth men had lain with her, and they handled her virgin bosom and poured out their lust on her.

Virginity as a metaphor for (apparent) inviolability

;

(NASB95) — 21 “This is the word that the Lord has spoken against him: ‘She has despised you and mocked you, The virgin daughter of Zion; She has shaken her head behind you, The daughter of Jerusalem!

(NASB95) — 1 “Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; Sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no longer be called tender and delicate.

Lost opportunities of virgin youthfulness

(NASB95) — 2 She has fallen, she will not rise again— The virgin Israel. She lies neglected on her land; There is none to raise her up.

See also

(NASB95) — 25 Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. 26 I think then that this is good in view of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.

Remaining unmarried is a preferred option

;

(NASB95) — 8 But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I.

(NASB95) — 37 But he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has authority over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well. 38 So then both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better.

Marriage is the proper outlet for sexual passion

Though Paul urges abstinence, sexual passion is not wrong; however, sexual relationships must be confined to marriage;

(NASB95) — 9 But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

(NASB95) — 36 But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter, if she is past her youth, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let her marry.

Mary’s virginity at Jesus Christ’s conception

(NASB95) — 20 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. 21 “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 “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.” 24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

See also ; ;

(NASB95) — 14 “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.

(NASB95) — 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

(NASB95) — 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.

Parable of the ten virgins

(NASB95) — 1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 “Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 “For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. 6 “But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 “Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 “The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11 “Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12 “But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

28 And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favoured woman! The Lord is with you.”

This section has given some controversy over a translation of words. Some might have heard it say this way “Full of Grace” when the more appropriate translation is “Highly favoured” this same language is used in the letter to the Eph. Mary is not greater than all other women she did however fit the requirements of the prophesy in Isiah.

29 But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be.

Mary was not a person of prosperity, she was not very rich even though she and her husband to be are from the royal blood line and are to be apart of the blood line of the coming Messiah. that did not make them very rich in fact they were a bit on the poor side.

with that being said when an Angel of that magnitude appears and gives you greetings chances are something great is about to happen or something terrible could happen. Its one thing to get a messenger from a far away place to send you greetings its quite another thing to have an angel appear but not just any Angel this one was Gabriel.

30 Then the angel told her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 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. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”

What a wonderful message to get! Mary has been chosen by the Grace of God to be the mother of Jesus who will take up the title of Messiah and be the saviour of all who call on His name.

I find this part very interesting, she just had an Angel appear, tell her that she is going to give birth, but not just that she is going to give birth to the Son of God! there must have been a million things running through her mind at this moment then logic hit and she asks this question.

34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?”

She simply asks the angel how? I am still a virgin and am pledged to Joseph in marriage. This is where the depth of this passage hits all new levels that we are going to explore today.

What the angel says next not only makes this event awesome but also very concerning for Mary.

35 The angel replied to her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 “And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Gabriel has just dropped a huge bomb shell on Mary. She is going to have a son, not just any son but Gods son. And she is not going to have sexual relations with her husband to be. She is going have the Holy Spirit come over her and have the power of God overshadow her.

This will happen to fulfil the prophesy that the Messiah will be born of God and not human will.

Gabriel also mentions that her relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son even though she should not be able to have one nor has she been able to have a son.

But some awesome truth is dropped here as well “For nothing will be impossible with God!”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

I love how Mary ends this part of the passage. She does not deny the information, she I am sure would have been scared, worried, unsure of some things but above all of that, above all of the uncertainty she has faith that God is in control.

Transition - how about you? (slide)

Have you ever faced a situation that seemed impossible?

Job Loss?

Failed Test?

Broken Marriage?

Divorce?

Substance Abuse?

Physical or Mental Abuse?

Being Bullied?

- What do you do when these things come up? what do you do when Things Seem Impossible?

What do you do when these things come up? what do you do when Things Seem Impossible?

Main Point - Trusting in God when things seem impossible

Just last week Amanda called me in a panic. I could tell right away something was wrong. My mind first thought was it Reven? Was it her job? was she hurt? what happened!

She did everything she could to explain to me that she was hurt and it was on her ankle, the one she just had surgery on. She asked me to come get her and take her to the hospital.

I grabbed my keys and ran for the door. In that moment I knew that this was not going to end well, she was going to have surgery and may never ride her horses again. The situation seemed impossible.

The situation we read in today’s passage seems impossible as well first an angel appears to Mary, the text does not say if she was praying but there is a chance that she could have been but suddenly an angel appears and tells her that she is going to have a child

“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”

“The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David”

“He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end”

- And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

what a situation this must have been. She was just faced with a situation that is impossible. The angel just told her that she is going to bear a son and God is going to make Him king but she knew that she was still a virgin so how could that happen?

She did the right thing in the face of an impossible situation. She asked.

Many commentators have debated this event for a very long time, they are always trying to figure out why she would have said “how can this be” but when you look at it from a basic logical point of view… how can she have a son if she has never been with a man? its simple! you cant its impossible for a women to have a child without having a father.

Life Change - its not very often that an angel will appear to give you a message from God. The scriptures tell us God use to speak through the prophets but in these last days God has spoken through His Son. Angels still do appear with messages from time to time after Christ was risen and the Holy Spirit had been poured out but still angelic messengers are few and far between.

So how is it then that we when faced with an impossible or even hard situation can ask? better yet what do we ask?

well if you are blessed with an angelic visit simply ask questions however most of the time we need to pray.

The Holy Spirit dwells within all of us that gives us a connection back to God so we should really use this opportunity to communicate with our Father in heaven through prayer.

Illustration - When I got that phone call from Amanda last week she was in a lot of pain and did her best to tell me what happend. As I was leaving the church my head started to fill up with thoughts of “never again’s” I stopped half way in the sanctuary and remembered to call my Father.

Transition - When you are faced with a hard situation or an impossible situation we need to give daddy a call and tell Him what is going on. And just like any conversation its not just one way. we need to wait for a reply.

Listen for a message from God

waiting is one of the hardest thing to do. After I got into the car I started to drive toward Brandon, I could not help but think about the pain Amanda was going through and if Reven is there he must be scared or maybe her co-workers are with her. Did we call her parents yet? what are we going to do. I ended up calling out to God asking for guidance on this situation, I did not know what to pray or what to ask for so I asked God “how is this going to go?”

When we look at the story of Mary we see that Mary is faced with a seemingly impossible situation she has been told she is going to give birth to the Son of God but she is not sure how that is all going to work out. So asked and got an answer back.

Jesus did tell us “Ask and you shall receive” boy did she ever get a responce!

This passage is very deep, it talks about the Holy Spirit, the Power of God, and Jesus the Son of God. this is one of the passages that is used in the doctrine or teaching of the Trinity, today’s message is about trusting God but when we start the series on “God, who are you?” we will cover the Trinity.

The angel tells Mary the answer to her question, The Holy Spirit will be upon her. This is common when it comes to other biblical men such as David, Daniel, John The Baptist, Elijah, and so on. Each person who walks close with God to do His will tends to have the Holy Spirit upon them. Same thing happens to Mary when she is to be the mother of our Saviour.

Next the angel tells her that the Power of God will overshadow her some commentaries explain this as a cloud God showing Himself as a cloud and surrounds Mary.

it is thought this event that allows for Mary to conceive a son not just any son But the Son of God.

That sounds pretty wild, so the angel tells Mary that her relative Elizabeth has conceived a son. She is past the age of having children but and was told that she could never have children, yet she does end up having a son through the Power of God. The angel tells Mary that her relative is 6 months pregnant.

Life Change - Now, just like any conversation one talks and the other listens, Mary got a message, asked a question, and got an answer right away. Some times however when you are faced with a difficult situation you ask why or what to do and you don’t get an answer right away.

When I was driving toward Brandon, clearly I was upset with the situation I was very concerned and needed to know what is going to happen next. I didn’t know what to ask God so I asked him for help at first. As I was praying the Holy Spirit gave me words to say. I called out the promises of God, as the Holy Spirit had allowed me to recall the teachings of Jesus. Not to worry because God cares for Sparrows and cloths the grass. He reminded me that when I lay my troubles at His feet I will find rest, He reminded me that God does not like to see His children to suffer.

When you are faced with hard times, and you ask God for help though prayer you will get a message back. Sometimes that message will be verbal, but not always. In my case God had simply allowed me to recall biblical promises, I heard the message loud and clear through the prayers to Him. I have found more often then not that God will answer you in ways and at times when you least expect it. It comes in the form of studying God though His word.

It comes when you hear a message from a preacher, it comes when you pray and words come out that make you go “Ohhhhhhh now I get it” it comes when you talk with others and they offer advice or you offer advice to others. God works in all things for His Glory.

What I am trying to say is that God is not limited to talking verbally, in fact He speaks more using other means than verbally.

Transition - we need to keep our eyes open and our ears open to God so when He does speak you will know and when that happens you will know that nothing is impossible with God.

At this point Mary is clearly in deep, a major event is about to take place in her life. She is going to give birth to a son who will be God’s Son and the Messiah. She has just been told that the conception will not be of human will but of God’s will. She now has to face another impossible situation. She is pledged to marry Joseph and that is going to pose a problem. The angel after telling how she and her barren relative is going to bare sons is told this:

This passage rings truth from the Old Testament it was said that Sarah would have a son even though she was unable to have children.

Jeremiah says to God in prayer “You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You.”

Job speaks to God saying “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.”

Jesus Himself says “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God!”

Life Change - so what do these passages have in common with today’s point? a simple word called “knowledge” we know that with God nothing is impossible.

Jeremiah knew that “Nothing is too difficult for” God.

Job a man who lost everything material of this world knew that God can do all things and nothing can stop God’s plans.

The angles of heaven know that with God nothing is impossible.

Jesus confirms this by saying that with people it is impossible but with God… nothing is impossible.

When you face an impossible situation, know that God has the whole situation under His control and nothing is impossible.

Now, You know that Amanda here is still very much in pain. She did not get healed instantly when I prayed. I waited on God for an answer and was reminded that He is in control and no matter what happens I know that God has everything under control.

will Amanda have to get surgery again? maybe. will she walk way from this. maybe. Will she ever be able to ride a horse again? maybe.

What I do know is this, what looks impossible from my view point is possible from God’s point of view. Amanda will never be 100% again in her ankle, doctors have done their best and its now impossible. I know 2 truths

God will heal her and what was impossible for people will be made possible for God’s Glory.

or, God will make new possibilities open for Amanda that were never possible before.

Transition - I am going to close with the end of the passage.

This angel just laid out some heavy information.

There is a good chance that Mary was very young and a good possibility that she would have been closer to early teens.

She is a virgin pledged to be married to Joseph, this is not a very good thing to happen. The law was very clear about adultery at this time in history, women at this time did not have the same rights as men so her testimony would not have been accepted as valid, she could have faced death or public humiliation.

She is going to be the mother of a person who is going to ascend to the throne of David, during Roman occupation of the country that for sure could have started a war.

on top of that God has spoken, something that has not happened in a few hundred years.

The situation seemed very difficult and impossible. Yet she trusted God.

When faced with an impossible situation… pray

Trust in God when things seem impossible, when that situation comes up start by praying, wait for a message from God and know that with God all things are possible even if the answer you get is not what you were expecting, just know that God is in control.

Intro

Passage

Description

Life Change

Transition -

Listen for a message from God

Lets pray.

Intro

Passage

Description

Life Change

Transition -

Know that nothing is impossible with God

Intro

Passage

Description

Life Change

Transition -

Have a little faith in Me

“Have a little faith in Me”

Trusting God when thins seem impossible

We (Build Tension)

God (Illumination)

Today’s Passage

How about you?

Trust in God When Things Seem Impossible

1. When faced with an impossible situation… pray

- Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

Listen for a message from God

#3 Know that nothing is impossible with God

- 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Have Faith

- “I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.