When Science Fails
When Science Fails
Luke 1:26-38
Introduction
· I love science. As I always told my students--science is basically the study of the world/universe. Everyone should be interested in that.
· The wonders of science-ever since I was a child, I've been fascinated by the natural world-astronomy, biology, etc. Speed of light. Distance to the sun. The vast variety of organisms.
· A beautiful example of science at work in explaining our world--everyday happenings--normal: Newton's Three Laws of Motion (see notes)
o Law #1: An object in motion will stay in motion and an object at rest will stay at rest unless acted on by an unbalanced force
o Law #2: The force of an object is equal to its mass times its acceleration
o Law #3: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
· As wonderful as science is--highly effective in interpreting our world--the everyday stuff, even certain phenomena. Like, for example, the
· Northern Lights/Aurora Borealis (see notes)
But there are simply certain events/ experiences that lie outside the purview of science. Janice read the passage in Luke 1 a few minutes ago, and within that text we find at least three phenomena that science can't touch:
1. Angel appearing to a young Jewish virgin? Science can't explain that!!
· In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God."
· When's the last time an angel knocked on your front door for a brief visit? Come on! Let's talk about angels: do they exist? This would be somewhat like a close encounter with an alien from outer space--a close encounter of the third kind.
· Timmons. All three of my kids had a particular science (Did you hear that, science?) teacher in junior high who vowed and declared that she had witnessed an alien visitation to planet Earth. Now what do you think my kids and all the other kids that about that teacher? And what do we think about all those folks who make no bones about not only being visited by ETs but actually being abducted by them. Come on!!
· And here the Bible says that Mary was privy to a visit from a being beyond our normal human experience--and angel. What does science say about that? I did a search on the internet using the Google search engine and typed in "What does science say about angels?" I was bombarded instead with lots of information on "What does the Bible say about angels?" Science may make the attempt to explain encounters with angels by suggesting that they are hallucinations of the brain, etc. However, one basic tenet of science is that "Scientific statements must be 'falsifiable.' That is, there must be some outcome that at least in principle could show that the statement is false (William D. Phillips). But scientists cannot do that with angels. They cannot prove false the existence of angels nor can they disprove this wonderful visitation Mary experienced 2000+ years ago.
· Gabriel? Appears only here and to Zechariah (Luke 1.18-20), Daniel (Daniel 8.15f).
· Mary is called "favored one." She was blessed with divine favor.
· Mary was troubled (διαταράσσομαι : deeply troubled, confused) over the greeting. Why? She felt she didn't deserve such a lofty greeting. She was quite humble and . . .
· She was afraid! This is by implication, as Gabriel tells her: "Do not be afraid."
· Angel(s) to Joseph-don't be afraid; to Zechariah -don't be afraid; to the shepherds-don't be afraid; and here to Mary-don't be afraid.
· That had to be a terrifying experience, and an experience that science simply cannot explain. Rather it is explained by a simple yet profound statement found in v. 37: Nothing is impossible with God.
2. Young Jewish virgin having a baby and she's still a virgin after she's had the baby? Science can't explain that!!
· Some Bible students have down-played the concept of the virgin birth. Stop and think a minute. It's quite difficult to wrap one's rational mind around such a thing. Having a baby without any type of human insemination.
· The following word is translated virgin in v. 27: παρθένος. (female) virgin; 2.(male) virgin 3. unmarried person, one not necessarily a virgin. So one might say that based on this verse alone, Mary was simply a young unmarried woman and not actually a virgin.
But Mary herself asks a very reasonable question: "You say I'm going to have a baby? How can that be; I am a virgin?" Virgin here is literally: since I know no man.
Mary's no dummy. She's knows basic biology; she's aware that the stork thing is a myth. And she knows whether or not she's a virgin. So how can this happen?
Bock-Jewish marriage was a two-stage process. The initial stage of engagement (or betrothal) involves a formal witnessed agreement to marry and a financial exchange of a bride price. At this point the woman legally belongs to the groom and is referred to as his wife. About a year later, the marriage ceremony takes place when the husband takes the wife home.
I think it also intriguing that Luke was a physician, and it's quite likely that Mary would convey the fact of her virginity with him. He would be the type person a female would tell such a thing.
But how did it happen? It's a divine thing. Lk 1:35 (NIV) The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
Δύναμις: the power of God!!
ἐπισκιάζω: overshadow.
What Gabriel is saying that the birth of the God-man--the Christ will be the result of the creative power of God the Father through his Holy Spirit.
If you believe the incarnation of Christ, the God-man, then how hard is it to believe the virgin birth?
Was it possible that Mary was truly a virgin who gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God? Of course science would at best refuse to comment on such an idea, at worst deny the possibility. But, the virgin birth was not only a possibility but a reality because . . .
Nothing is impossible with God.
3. Old Jewish woman who is infertile having a child without technology? Science can't explain that!!
· Science and fertility. By the way, technology is simply applied science--using science to make our lives better-ha ha. And we've made marvelous advances in assisting women who have difficulty getting pregnant. Fertility research is amazing. Multiple births? In-vitro fertilization. Wow!
· 70-Year-Old Indian woman has baby. (See notes)
· But such a wonderful thing happened to Elizabeth as well. Without the help of technology. The announcement to Mary parallels to a point the announcement of John's birth in vv. 8-20. We don't have time to explore the details this morning, but you'd be blessed by your own personal study of the two passages. But I do want us to take a quick look at the announcement to Zechariah concerning John:
· Lk 1:8-20 (NIV) Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”
· Zechariah was reasonably skeptical about this announcement-they were a couple of old folks, and old folks don’t' have babies.
· Love what Gabriel tells him-"I stand in the presence of God and I have been sent to speak to you." The scoop was coming not second or third hand but straight from the mind of God himself.
· Again. Science can't explain such a thing, not without modern technology--fertility drugs, etc. But remember . . .
· Nothing is impossible with God.
· Kenneth R. Miller (professor of biology at Brown University): The categorical mistake of the atheist is to assume that God is natural, and therefore within the realm of science to investigate and test. By making God an ordinary part of the natural world, and failing to find Him there, they conclude that He does not exist. But God is not and cannot be part of nature. God is the reason for nature, the explanation of why things are. He is the answer to existence, not part of existence itself.
· I want you to really let this sink in: God is the reason, the explanation, the answer.
· With him nothing is impossible!!
Conclusion: Christmas . . . Science can't explain it!!
· Social event. Bonding of the species and all that stuff. That may explain the trappings of Christmas, but I'm sorry, it just can't explain CHRISTMAS.
· Interesting line from the movie: The Santa Clause (Tim Allen). . . "Seeing isn't believing. Believing is seeing." In other words, when it comes to the mystery of Christmas, believing doesn't follow seeing, but rather, when we believe, then we see.
· When it comes to Christmas, science fails. Because Christmas is a matter of faith.
Hymn: #230 O Little Town of Bethlehem