How God Produces Children
Luke 1:26-35
Intro: What the Bible says about our Lord’s birth & the Christian New Birth are similar.
I. Both are Conceived by the Holy Spirit
A. v35 - The Holy Spirit came upon Mary.
1. v28 - This is described as the Lord being with her.
2. v30 - The Lord is with those with whom He finds favor.
B. The Holy Spirit is involved with the New Birth of Christians. Jn 3:3-5 - In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
1. v3 - The New Birth is absolutely necessary for a relationship with the Lord.
2. v5a - It involves water which is the Jewish emblem of purification.
3. v5b - It involves the Holy Spirit.
II. Both are Consummated through the Living Word
A. The Word of God was made flesh in Christ. - Jn 1:1-3 & 14 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made . . . The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
1. v3 - The Word was God’s agent for creating everything.
2. v14 - The Word became flesh - which was the means God used to redeem every- thing.
B. The Word of God has made flesh imperishable by giving us eternal life. I Pet 1:22-25 - Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God . . . And this is the word that was preached to you.
1. v25 - This word is the preached word - concerning the Living Word - Jesus.
2. v22 - This word will purify us when we are obedient to it.
3. v22 - This word will bear fruit in our lives.
III. Both have a Confession of Commitment
A. Mary made a commitment to the Lord’s will. Lk 1:38 - “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.”
1. She had a lot to lose: her future husband, her reputation - even her life. But she desired God’s will anyhow!
2. She expressed this trust in the Lord in a statement of loyalty.
B. You have to make a commitment to the Lord’s will. Jn 1:12-13 - Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
1. You need to express this trust in the Lord in a statement of loyalty. Rom 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
2. What is your statement of faith? This is the confession we ask you to make when you are baptized.
a. There are 2 Good Confessions.
b. Matt 16:15-16 - “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
c. Act 8:37 - I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
d. Rom 10: 9 - That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” . . . you will be saved.
e. I combine them into one. “I believe that Jesus is Lord, the Son of God.”
3. Jn 1:12 - This gives you the right (authority) to be God’s Child.
What, then, is the best possible gift you could give this Christmas?
Yourself to the Lord as His living sacrifice!
Lord Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross so you could experience His New Birth. You can now express your appreciation to Him by committing yourself as a living sacrificial life back to Him!
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