December 23, 2007
Sun Oak Baptist Church

Introduction

        The story of “Silent Night.”

        Spurgeon: “Christianity rests on three great pillars: the Incarnation, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Incarnation alone could not redeem sinful men, and apart from the Incarnation there could be no propitiatory sacrifice that would avail to put away sin…”

        The Incarnation, God becoming flesh, was made manifest by means of the virgin birth. See Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; Is. 7; etc.

        Sun Oak’s Statement of Faith: “We teach that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can be born of woman and that He is both the Son of God and God, the Son.” We preach and teach that Jesus Christ was literally and supernaturally born of a virgin.

        2 reasons why the doctrine of the virgin birth is so important to the Christian faith.

I. Because of what the virgin birth means.

        At least 5 critically important theological statements. See Matt. 1:18-25.

        A. Statement #1: the virgin birth means that Jesus was born by a         direct act of God.

        B. #2: the virgin birth means that no human being was involved in         Christ’s birth.

        C. #3: the doctrine of the virgin birth establishes that Jesus Christ         must be both fully human and fully divine. (Theologians call this the         “hypostatic union”).

        D. #4: the virgin birth means that Jesus Christ was and is without sin.

        E. #5: only the virgin birth could accomplish the 3 conditions that had         to be satisfied in order for Christ to be the Savior of mankind.

                1. The Messiah had to be a man.

                2. The Savior also had to be an infinite man.

                3. The Savior also had to be an innocent man.

II. Second: because questioning the virgin birth opens the door to other questions.

        A. For example: questioning the virgin birth means questioning the         authority of the Bible.

        B. Questioning the virgin birth means questioning the single means of         salvation that God has provided mankind.

Conclusion

        “Blessed”

        If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.

        If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who won’t survive the week.

        If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people around the world.

        If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.

        If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.

        If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

        If you can hold someone’s hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer others God’s love.

        If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.

        “Silent Night…holy night…” Because of the virgin birth of Christ any one can be blessed in ways they will not know or fully comprehend until they get to heaven.