Why Christmas Matters

Slide 1: Why Christmas Matters

Slide 2: Why Christmas Matters . . . Christmas matters because the virgin birth of Jesus Christ matters . . .

Slide 3: A 10-year-old boy was becoming quite  knowledgeable about the Bible because of her grandmother’s teaching . . .  “Which Virgin was the mother of Jesus? The Virgin Mary or the King James Virgin?”

Slide 4: THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF CHRIST • Strictly speaking, the term “virgin birth” is a misnomer. The term should be “virginal conception.” • The “Virgin Birth” affirms that Jesus was born as other men are, but denies that He was conceived as other men are.

Slide 5: CHRISTIANITY TODAY (SEPT. 11, 1970) • Who does NOT believe in the virgin birth? • 60% of Methodists • 49% of Presbyterians • 44% of Episcopalians • 34% of American Baptists • 19% of American Lutherans

Slide 6: Ali: “You say Jesus  is the Son of God because He was born of a virgin. Adam had no mother. Wouldn’t that make him more a “son of God” than Jesus?

Slide 7: Rogers: “Champ,  Jesus is not the Son of God because He was born of a virgin. He was born of a virgin because He is the Son of God.”

Slide 8: Three (3) Key Biblical Texts that speak of the Virgin Birth: 1 Isaiah 7:14 2 Matthew 1:18-25 3 Luke 1:26-38 (Other texts allude to virgin birth; Gal.4:4)

Slide 9: 1 Isaiah 7:14: • “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

Slide 10: 2 Matthew 1:18-25 3 Luke 1:26-38 (Other texts allude to virgin birth; Gal.4:4)

Slide 11: Matthew Teaches Us: 1. Joseph was in no way involved in the conception of Jesus (18; 20; 25). 2. Joseph did have normal relations with her afterwards (25). 3. He was responsible for naming the child (25).

Slide 12: Matthew Teaches Us: 1. All of this was a fulfillment of the Virgin Birth prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 (vv.22-23). 2. The name Immanuel (“God with us”) is significant because it reminds us that Jesus is 100% God and 100% man.

Slide 13: Luke Emphasizes: That Mary is a virgin. Matthew also 1. has this emphasis (26-27). 2. That the entire complex of events was a surprise (29-30). 3. The divine agency of the Holy Spirit. This point is again not ignored in Matthew, but is given greater attention in verse 35.

Slide 14: Luke Emphasizes: That the virgin birth is impossible 1. apart from a divine miracle (37). 2. The miracle of recognition by Elizabeth and John (39-44).

Slide 15: Why the Virgin Birth Matters (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology) • The virgin birth made possible the uniting of full deity and full humanity in one person. • The virgin birth also makes possible Christ’s true humanity without inherited sin.

Slide 16: Why the Virgin Birth Matters (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology) • Jesus did not descend from Adam in exactly the same way in which every other human being has descended. This helps to understand why the legal guilt and moral corruption that belongs to all other human beings did not belong to Christ.

Slide 17: A Hymn by John Newton 1. O LORD, from Whom there’s nought concealed, Who sees my inward frame; to Thee I always stand revealed exactly as I am! 2. Since I, at times, can hardly bear what in myself I see; how vile and foul must I appear, most holy God to Thee! 3. But since my Saviour stands between, Who shed His precious blood, ‘tis He, instead of me is seen, when I approach to God.

Slide 18: 1. Thus, though a sinner, I am safe: He pleads before the throne His life and death on my behalf, and calls my sins His own. 2. What wondrous love, what mysteries, in this appointment shine! My breaches of the law are His, and His obedience mine.

Slide 19: Joy to the World Joy to the world! The Lord is come; Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And heav’n and nature sing, And heav’n and nature sing, And heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.

Slide 20: No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make his blessings flow Far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as the curse is found.

Slide 21: He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love, And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders of His love.