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Text:
Lk. 1:1-4; Matt. 1:18, 20
Title:
"The Spirit of Christ's Birth"
Subject:
The Role of the Holy Spirit in Christ's birth.
Intro: The
Bible says, "And I will pray the
Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for
ever" (John 14:16)
I think all of us realize that the season of Christmas brings a different
spirit into the world, even if only for the 4 weeks between Thanksgiving and
Christmas. People seem a little more
tolerant, more helpful, and even friendlier. Just last week at the mall I heard
a mugger say, "Thank you," when the little old lady handed over her purse!
Unfortunately for the mugger she was packing heat, but she did say,
"Excuse me," as she blew a hole in him!
Truly, it is a special season!!
Unfortunately
that seasonal spirit is just that--seasonal!
It is based on the vapor of a pagan holiday that had been Christianized
by the Roman Catholic Church centuries ago, and is now commercialized by
everyone who can, and in every manner possible. Hallmark
even has Christmas cards for your pets!!
But the Bible says,
"And I will pray the
Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for
ever"
There is much wrong with Christ's Mass beyond the commercialization. It
is very unlikely that Christ was born in Dec.
There were more than 3 Wisemen, though three gifts.
The Wisemen did not visit Jesus in the manger, but in a house.
Gifts were not exchanged, but were presented to Christ.
Mary is not the mother of God.
A Christmas tree does not represent the Cross of Christ, nor do lights
represent Him as the Light of the World.
In fact, no where in Scripture are we taught to celebrate the birth of
Jesus Christ. We are to understand
it, we are to appreciate it, we are to proclaim it, but we are not taught to
celebrate it. And so it is the
spirit of the season that propels us to follow the traditions built on
pagan celebrations incorporated into Christianity centuries ago.
The
Bible says, "And I will pray the
Father, and He shall give you another Comforter,
that He may abide with you for ever"
But there is a Spirit of Christ's Birth.
And it is a Spirit that is totally separate from the spirit of the
season. I am speaking of the Holy
Spirit, who is the third member of the blessed Trinity.
The Holy Spirit, who is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the
Son, and who is fully God.
It was the Holy Spirit who was intimately involved in the birth of our
Lord and Saviour. It was the
Holy Spirit who recorded and preserved the details of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Do what you will with the spirit of the season--the spirit of Christ's
Mass--but tonight I would like to share with you the true Spirit of Christ's
Birth.
Text:
Lk. 1:1-4 -- "The Spirit of Christ's Birth" -- prayer
I.
THE HOLY SPIRIT AS RECORDER OF JESUS CHRIST'S BIRTH (Lk 1:4)
A. The Holy Spirit Prompted the Sources (v1-2a)
1. To set forth in order (God of order)
2. To declare that which is believed (truth we trust in)
a) Good news can't be kept inside!
3. To deliver them to the inspired writers (v2a)
B. The Holy Spirit Picked the
Writers (v2b)
1. Eyewitnesses ("from 'autopsy'; a personal, firsthand investigation")
from the beginning of Christ's ministry
2. Ministers (servants/under-rowers) of the Word.
(Here this is a medical term for doctors that served under a Chief
Physician)
a. Those who had seen and those who had served Christ
Note:
The term 'word' here (v2c )has the same meaning as in Jn. 1:1,14.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. And
the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory
as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
Since Luke wrote this preface last, we see that though he began to write
of Christ as the perfect man, he ended up seeing Jesus Christ as the Word made
flesh, or perfect God. This is his
final name for Christ.
C. The Holy Spirit Protected
the Writers (v3)
1. Had perfect ("accurate") understanding ("from thorough investigation")
2. Had complete recollection ("of all things")
3. Had heavenly direction ("from the very first" = from above)
4. Had organized presentation ("in order" = research & present)
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, Whom
the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you
(11 disciples) all
things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto
you"
(John 14:26)
D. The Holy Spirit Provided The
Document (v4)
1. We might know with certainty ("safety, security")
2. Things we have been instructed ("by word of mouth")
Note:
Theophilus had heard by word of mouth, but Luke was sending him a written
revelation of the facts upon which Theophilus could depend.
II. THE HOLY SPIRIT AS THE CONCEIVER OF JESUS
CHRIST (Matt. 1:18,20)
A. What Kind of Holy Spirit Conception Occurred?
1. First, a prophesied conception (some 700 yrs before birth)
"Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a
sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His
Name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14)
“For unto
us a Child is born (humanity),
unto us a Son is given (deity):
and the government shall be upon His
shoulder: and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace”
(Isa. 9:6).
2. A supernatural conception (Matt. 1:16, 18, 20)
a. Involved a virgin
1) A fulfillment of prophecy (Matt. 1:22-23)
a) "The" virgin (Matt. 1:18)
2) A consolation to Joseph (Matt. 1:20)
a) The source was not immorality, but the Holy Spirit
3) The testimony of Mary
"Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this
be, seeing I know not a man?"
Luke 1:34 (present tense, she
knew not a man at any time)
a) How can this be since I am a virgin?
b) How can this be without a man involved?
b. A different conception (Matt. 1:16, 18)
1) "Begat" = line of descent to "Born" = makes a change from begat
2) "Birth...on this wise" = different from normal
3. A Divine conception (Matt. 1:16-18)
a. Did not involve a man
1) The testimony of Joseph (Matt. 1:19)
2) The testimony of Mary (Lk. 1:34)
b. Only Mary was involved as a willing instrument of God
1) "Of whom" (fem., sing.) (Matt. 1:16)
2) "Before they came together" (Matt. 1:18), and "Joseph knew her not"
(Matt. 1:25)
B. What Was The Holy Spirit's Work In Conception?
1. The Agent/source of Conception
a. An overview/summation of the conception. (Matt. 1:18) ("found with
child of the Holy Ghost.")
b. The fact of the conception (Matt. 1:20) ("for that which is conceived
in her is of the Holy Ghost")
c. The result of the conception (Matt. 1:23)
1) A virgin shall be with child (humanity)
2) A virgin shall bring forth a Son (deity)
3) The combination of humanity and deity shall be called "God with us."
2. The Activity of the Holy Spirit in Conception (Lk.
1:35)
Note:
How interesting that the Holy Spirit used Luke, the physician, to give us the
medical explanation of what took place. And this was the closest the medical
mind of Luke could come to explaining the conception of Jesus Christ in Mary. As
the presence and power of the Holy Spirit enveloped Mary, a miracle took place
which is answered by the angel.
“Then said
Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?”
a. The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee (“shall be at hand & superintend,
be in charge of”)
b. By the power (strength/ability) of the Highest (the omnipotence that
resides in God, the ability do to what God determines to do.)
c. The Holy Spirit shall overshadow thee =
1) The figure of a cloud casting a shadow or obscuring.
2) To envelope in darkness
3) And/or to be enveloped in the Shekinah Glory of God, representing the
presence and power of God
d. The Holy Spirit shall conceive in thee
1) That holy (separate, distinct, unique) thing
2) Who shall be born (complete humanity)
3) Who shall be called the Son ("same as") of God (full deity)
Note:
G. Campbell Morgan says it best, "The angel answered the biological question,
saying, 'The thing shall be done by the direct act of God, the power of the Most
High, the Holy Spirit, wrapping thee round, overshadowing thee, producing in thy
womb the Manchild; and also, by that same act, by that same energy, by that same
force, the Holy Spirit overshadowing , that which is begotten shall be held from
contamination with the sin of thy nature, and in human nature.
It shall be holy. It shall
have being in thy womb by the act of God; and it shall be held from
contamination with the sinfulness of thy nature, by the same act of God'."
III. AS PROTECTOR OF JESUS CHRIST
(Heb. 10:5)
Heb 10:5 says,
“Wherefore when He (Christ)
cometh into the world, He saith,
‘Sacrifice and offering Thou (God)
wouldest not, but a Body hast Thou prepared (“knit”)
Me’.”
A. It
was the Holy Spirit of God that protected Jesus from the
destructive nature of the sin-nature
1.
It was not that Jesus never sinned, but that Jesus did not have a sin-nature to
cause sinful acts, thoughts, etc.
IV. MARY PONDERED ALL THIS IN HER HEART
A. Acknowledging Her 4 Responses to God’s Will
1.
Behold the handmaid (“female slave”) of the Lord (Lk. 1:38)
2. Be it unto me according to
Thy Word (Lk. 1:38)
3. My soul doth magnify
(“declare as great”) (present, active, indicative) the Lord (1:46)
4.
My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour (1:47)
Note:
It is not recorded when this conception took place.
It is not clearly recorded how or in what manner this was directly
accomplished. Mary makes no mention
of any divine "experience" accompanying this event.
She only makes a one sentence summation of what came to pass, "For He
that is mighty hath done to me great things..."
Concl:
The birth of Jesus and the incarnation of Christ, was totally the work
and wonder of the Holy Spirit of God.
But this act made it possible for God to come in human flesh to die for
the sins of sinful man. The Holy Spirit did something which will never be
repeated when He conceived a Child without a human father and without the
contamination of sin; and when He brought together humanity and deity in the
same person, the Lord Jesus Christ.
How are you and the Holy Spirit getting along this season?
Has He been shut out of your plans and purposes, because He might put a
crimp into your celebrations? Is
your focus on the celebration of Christ’s Mass, or is it on the realty that God
came in human flesh, to live a human life, to die a human death, to pay for
human sins?
How easily we are distracted by bright, shiny objects!