The Ramifications of the Reality of the Virgin Birth of Christ

Matthew 1:18-25 “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. 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.”

Date: December 17, 2008

Introduction: Have you ever thought about God’s promises and began to doubt Him? Tonight, we’re going to talk about a man who didn’t understand fully what God was doing but when confronted with His Word submitted fully to His mandates.

Thesis: God will accomplish His purposes and produce greater faith through the fulfillment of His Word.

The Problem of pre-marital pregnancy: Things aren’t always what they appear to be.

Mary was found pregnant during the 1-year period of waiting before consummating the marriage.

The bride and groom were paired up by their parents.

Jewish marriage custom mandated that the couple, considered married, stay apart for 1 year to demonstrate the faithfulness of the pledge of purity.

Jewish custom permitted Joseph to divorce her and even go as far as to have her punished for her actions: death. (Deut. 24:1, Deut. 22:23-24)

Joseph determined to divorce Mary privately.

The Vision of the Savior: Believers in Christ can trust God because He keeps His Word.

Though predicted long ago, God will accomplish His purposes in His timing.

God revealed the plan of the Virgin birth through Isaiah to Judah in the midst of national turmoil in 734 B. C.

Though the monarch of the nation responded in disbelief, God brought about His purpose in Mary and the Virgin Birth of Christ.

God accomplished His purpose of Salvation through the Work of His Son. (Phil. 2:5-8)

The Response of Faith: Believers in Christ must always trust God’s promises, because He will keep His Word.

Believers must trust God’s Word immediately.

Joseph broke custom and brought Mary into his home.

This signified his belief in the promise of God.

Believers must act on God’s Word thoroughly.

Conclusion: Though we face much uncertainty in our lives we can trust our God. Joseph prior to the angel had a plan that he had conceived but when faced with God’s Word he changed his plan and submitted to what God intended. We as believers in Christ must do the same. We cannot allow our thinking to dictate the course of our lives but allow God and His Word to be the rule for our lifestyle. We belong to Him wholly (I Cor. 6:20) and therefore must live in the way that pleases Him best. When confronted with His Word, in which we are not submitted, we must obey immediately and thoroughly; not reserving anything for ourselves because we do not belong to ourselves.