“Becoming Like Men"
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Ravi Zacharias, in "Questions I Would Like to Ask God," writes:
I have often referenced the quote by the talk show host Larry King, in his response to a particular question: "If you could select any one person across all of history to interview, who would it be?" Mr. King's answer was that he would like to interview Jesus Christ. When the questioner followed with, "And what would you like to ask him?" King replied, "I would like to ask him if he was indeed virgin-born. The answer to that question would define history for me."
Why is this such an important day... I mean the day we celebrate the birth of Christ? What is all the fuss about? Some may wonder and say Shane... Why is it that you find a way to bring it up every single Sunday? You make an effort to talk about his birth and death every Sunday. Here at Central every Sunday is Christmas and Easter.
This is the most wonderful time of the year... but for our world and culture…is it really because of the birth of Jesus? Or is it about great parties, great food, great decorations, and great presents? If it is not .... it sure does seem that way. Are we losing one of the most important Christian celebrations of the year? Are we losing one of the most important doctrines of Christianity that is sooo important that it should be highlighted in every single sermon preached? This is one of the most important essentials to understanding the beauty of the gospel. It is a must ... there is no Christianity without the birth of Jesus... don’t believe me... let’s ask the scriptures.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
5 oHave this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,1 6 pwho, though he was in qthe form of God, did not count equality with God ra thing to be grasped,2 7 but semptied himself, by taking the form of a tservant,3 ubeing born in the likeness of men.
The grass withers the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.
The Significance of the Virgin Birth
Did He have to Be Human?
Did We Lose it this Year?
The first thing we will look at today is the significance and importance of the virgin birth. The second thing we will explore deeper is the necessity of the humanity of Jesus and why it is vital to our faith. Finally, as we take a good look at ourselves this season, we can always look to Christ and find hope for the holidays.
Thesis: Though sin and the pattern of this world cause us to lose sight of Christ during the holiday season, it is the truth of the scriptures and the power of the Holy Spirit that will rekindle our vibrancy for the truth and joy we find in Christ the light of the world.
I. The Significance of the Virgin Birth
- With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
A. First of all, it shows that Salvation belongs to the Lord.
And I will cause hostility between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel.”
- I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
- The understanding that Jesus was born of a virgin makes it clear that salvation comes by the work of God. This is impossible with man but it is possible with God. This is not humanly possible. It brings us to our knees in understanding that it takes sooo much more than we have to save ourselves.
B. Second, this helps us to understand Jesus as God and Man (theanthropon). If he was created in heaven and descended, we may have a hard time believing that he was human. If he was born of both man and women then infused with divinity, then we may have a difficult time believing that he was God... too normal to be special. God in his divine wisdom helps us by using both human and divine influences in the birth ... we can see the human part in birth and divinity in the virgin conceived by the Holy Spirit
C. Third, Christ inherited no sin from Adam…because he was Conceived by the Holy Spirit “imputed sin” was not on his account... he was not born in sin like we are. We are?? Yes, I am afraid so.
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
For I was born a sinner—
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies.
These wicked people are born sinners;
even from birth they have lied and gone their own way.
- With Christ there was a break in the chain and he did not carry the guilt and corruption that we inherit from Adam as our representative or federal head.
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.
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.
- No Incarnation no salvation.
D. It is an absolute beauty to see a truth so wonderfully represented here. That God’s ways are not our ways and we continue to see how the works of His hands are not to be figured out but to be beheld in awe and wonder. The very reasons the skeptics say why they won’t believe are the reasons that make us rejoice in hope. They say it is impossible, but we rejoice because God said that He is the God that is able to do the impossible. The more the world cries that’s impossible, the more the church cries Jesus is the Son of God.
E. Sure, the Virgin birth continues to boggle the minds of many in this world with our continued conclusions of the reality of paradox. Many stand bewildered, squinting their eyes in skepticism at this…but Christian today we stand awestruck, eyes wide open in wonder at this amazing thing. The wonderful paradox…Jesus comes into this world by way of a virgin womb, he departs by way of an empty tomb, He comes through the sign of no entrance, he departs though the sign of no exit. The world cries that’s impossible, the church cries Jesus is the Son of God.
F. This is the awesome way of our Lord. His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. I love the bewilderment. The more He astonishes the move my faith is increased. The day I figure out the Lord in every way, is probably the day I will doubt that He is God. If He is God than he will do the extraordinary. That is what the virgin birth is, something extraordinary. This is why when the world cries that’s impossible, the church cries Jesus is the Son of God.
II. Did He have to Be Human?
- To deny the humanity of Christ is to deny something at the very heart of Christianity – Dr. Wayne Grudem
A. If Christ was not human as well as divine, then we have no salvation. The apostle John makes this very clear with a very important warning.
3 But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.
This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.
B. Interestingly, it was the attack on Jesus’ humanity which was the first heresies…Docetism. The first thing under attack was not the deity of Christ but His humanity and what John was directly addressing. This is vital to understand.
C. First of all, Christ becoming human because our representative, like Adam was, but yet Christ would be successful where Adam failed.
Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.
He was our representative... and He lived the life we should have lived. No representation ... no salvation.
D. He was our Substitute - He died the death we should have died, and he could die “for” us because he was a man.
We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.
For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
- If he was not man... his death would not have mattered. God was not going to let us pay him with Gum, Master Card or Visa. Payment for the many? That’s why he needed to be God as well...infinite value of sufferings for us all. He died the death we should have died. No propitiation... no salvation.
E. He was to be our mediator between us and God the Father. Because of Sin ... we were alienated from our Holy God. He is holy. We needed mediation. Like a mutual friend trying to get his friends to bury the hatchet and be friends again. We needed a mediator who could represent us to God and who could represent God to us.
- For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
For,
There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.
F. No birth of Christ no mediation... no mediation no salvation
G. Here is the last reason I will give and it’s a very very... did I say very very just incase you missed it... a very very important reason. God said that it would happen this way in the scriptures... not only is it going to be that way, it must be that way. It is our God given revelation. He is called in the scripture to be the seed of the women and Abraham.
For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.
G. These are the scriptures, the inspired word of God. It is the words from the creator of heaven and earth. If Christ is not born and become man...then…
H. He is a lunatic... he has no idea what is going on. He is not in control. He is not aware. He is not playing with a full deck. He has lost his marbles. His cheese fell off his cracker. He does not have it together. No revelation from God
I. Or much worse ... He is a LIAR. No revelation from God. Can’t trust it
J. If Christ was not born of a virgin, then the Scriptures are worthless, and if the scriptures are worthless then there is no special revelation. If there is no revelation, then there is no salvation.
K. This is why the Birth of Jesus is important ... if Jesus did not become man then, eat drink and be merry... there is no hope and no salvation.
III. Did we lose it this year?
- When it is Christmas time, do we immediately think of all of this?
A. This is the most wonderful time of the year, but for us as Christians its the most wonderful time... this is everyday, but especially this one appox. Month. Salvation is here and we have it in Christ.
B. But man... we just cannot get though this month without getting frustrated, mad, upset, and behaving in a way that is unbecoming of a child of God.
C. How many of us lost our patience with those that work retail this year? How many of us lost focus when they tell you to come to the store because the product is in stock, but when you got there you find out that they were sold out 2 days ago.
D. How many of us got mad at those who are parked and took forever to get out because they saw you waiting for the space.
E. Sin comes in and causes us to focus on ourselves more than God’s commands ... to love our neighbor as ourselves. To focus on the creation instead of the creator.
F. Sin comes in and causes us to focus on ourselves with all our souls mind and strength more than loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength
G. Sin comes in and causes us to focus on everything that leads us away from the manger and to the mall. Away from the King of kings and to king soopers.
H. Sin causes us to focus on the season instead of the reason. Did you get that?
I. We are losing focus and we lose it because of sin... But we rejoice because the king born in a manger came to seek and save that which was lost. We were lost but now we are found. All of the sin we committed during this time is covered by the blood of Jesus
J. We rejoice today and everyday... Immanuel has come to us and we are saved. We see that salvation belongs to the Lord. We are saved not because of what we do but because of what He has done.
K. We have life and life more abundantly through our Lord Jesus.
L. He lived the life we should have lived, and he died the death we should have died... he died for our sins according to the scriptures. If you are not a Christian...
N. Let us not forget the importance of the birth of Christ... every time you see a candy-cane... it is about the birth of Christ. The virgin birth.