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THEME: It Is Written
Series: God’s Gift of Christmas
TITLE: The Essential Gift
Scripture: Isaiah 7:14; Lk.1:26-38
I. WHY SO IMPORTANT?
“No other fact in the Christmas story is more important than the virgin birth. The virgin birth must have happened exactly the way Scripture says. Otherwise, Christmas has no point at all. If Jesus is simply the illegitimate child of Mary’s infidelity, or even if He is the child of Joseph’s natural marital union with Mary, He is not God. If He is not God, His claims are lies. If His claims are lies, His salvation is a hoax. And if His salvation is a hoax, we are all doomed.”
“The supreme mystery the gospel confronts us with is not the Good Friday message of atonement, nor in the Easter message of resurrection, but in the Christmas message of incarnation.” J.I.Packer
The virgin birth is an underlying assumption in everything the Bible says (about Jesus).
Plainly put: if we deny Jesus is God, we have denied the very essence of Christianity.
II. WHY SO IMPACTFUL?
Why does it matter that Jesus was born of a virgin?
1. The (identity and mission) of Jesus is very clear.
2. Only (someone perfect) would be able to offer his life as a sacrifice; any other life would be just another human one.
3. The virgin birth shows the (master plan) of God from the very beginning.
4. The virgin birth is a (miracle).
The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity-hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory…” Packer
SERIES: God’s Gift of Christmas
NEXT WEEK: What the Birth Tells Us-Matthew 1: 1-17
