Temple Baptist Church - 12-14-2025
Matthew 1:18-25
Introduction:
A. At least once a year, especially around the Christmas Season, I preach on the precious doctrine of the Virgin Birth of Christ.
1. The Virgin Birth of Christ is often called “The Doctrine of Holy Ground!” “The Pearl of The Ages!” So, this morning, let us spiritually “remove our shoes” as we approach God as Moses did at the Burning Bush and Joshua did before the Captain of the Lord’s Host!
2. The virgin birth of Christ is the pivotal point between Promise or Prophecy and the Performance of the “Seed of the Woman.” It is the Centerpiece of Time as the event marks our calendar. “A day that will live in infamy!”
3. Both the Julian and Gregorian (the calendar that we now use) Calendars mark the Birth of Christ: BC means Before Christ, while AD (Anno Domini) means The Year of Our Lord.
a) The Prophecy of Israel’s Messiah looked forward to His First Advent. The coming of Israel’s Messiah and our Saviour.
1) While Israel missed their Messiah, “HE CAME UNTO HIS OWN, AND HIS OWN RECEIVED HIM NOT,”
2) Thank God, “AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM” speaks to us, trusting Christ as our Lord and Saviour.
b) The Performance of the birth of Israel’s Messiah was the Fulfillment of that Prophecy.
B. The Book of Matthew portrays the Lord Jesus Christ as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the coming of the King of Israel.
1. Matthew 1:1-17 shows the lineage of Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. In these verses, we find the names of men who “begat” sons divided into three time periods.
2. From Abraham to David, from David to the Babylonish Captivity, from the Babylonish Captivity to Christ.
C. In Matthew 1:18, we find the words: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise.”
1. Showing a deviation from, a differentiation of the natural births of the last 42 generations mentioned, where the seed of men begat men.
2. The bible is very detailed concerning the virgin birth so that there is no confusion. Yet, many religions continue to confuse their congregations on the matter.
“Espoused wife” and “before they came together” declare a birth like none that preceded it and none that would come after it.
D. The word “espoused” in Matthew 1:18 speaks of Mary’s relationship to Joseph and is also found in Luke 1:27 and Luke 2:5. Espoused means betrothed or engaged to.
1. The virgin birth is well explained within Matthew’s context:
Matthew 1:18 - “before they came together”
Matthew 1:23 “a virgin shall be with child”
Matthew 1:25 - “and knew her not till”
2. The Virgin Birth is further explained in Luke’s Gospel. Luke 1:34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
E. The Virgin Birth of Christ is a doctrine both sweetly adored by God’s children and severely attacked by the unbelievers. Loved by God’s people and hated by Satan’s people.
A birth like none other. There has never been nor will there ever be another virgin birth. No man or woman, since Adam and Eve, except for Jesus Christ, came into the world through a virgin birth or without the seed of man involved.
F. The Virgin Birth of Christ is:
1. The mystery of mysteries, the jewel of all ages, the hope of mankind, and the love of God manifested for the sinner. The love, compassion, mercy, and grace of God extended as an Olive Branch to humanity.
2. It was a miraculous event. A miracle is a phenomenon that cannot be explained outside the realm of supernatural intervention. It is an event that supersedes natural law.
1 Timothy 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
3. The immortal became mortal that the mortal may become immortal.
a) Immortality and eternality are attributes of God. 1 Timothy 6:16a “Who only hath immortality”
b) Mortal became Immortal in Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
4. The Unapproachable became approachable, The Untouchable became touchable.
a) The Unapproachable God – 1 Timothy 6:15-16 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; (16) Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
b) Became the Touchable Saviour – Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;.
G. The Virgin Birth was necessary because:
1. The Child born was to be the God-Man. 100% man on His mother’s side and 100% God on His Father’s side. As three distinct Persons represent the Trinity, Jesus Christ is represented by two distinct persons. Uniting the fullness of humanity with the fullness of Deity.
2. The Child was born to be the sinless Son of God. Sin came through Adam’s seed, but Christ went through the Woman’s Seed without Adamic sin. Sin came through Adam’s seed, not Eve’s.
3. The Child was born of a virgin to guarantee that salvation would come through Christ alone and not man. Born sinless because of the absence of the Adamic seed.
a) Sin came through the seed of Adam - Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
b) The Saviour came through the seed of the woman - Galatians 4:4-5 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
H. The Virgin Birth Prophesied. Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
J. The Virgin Birth Performed. Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. (“On this wise” sets the birth of Christ apart from the “begats” of the first 17 verses!)
K. The Virgin Birth Purposed. Matthew 1:21-23 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
a. The Virgin Birth of Christ was about Sin. Disobedience to God and God’s hatred for sin.
b. The Virgin Birth of Christ was about Sinners. God’s love for the sinner despite sinfulness.
c. The Virgin Birth of Christ was about Separation. Man hiding and God seeking.
d. The Virgin Birth of Christ was about Substitution. The innocent died for the guilty so that the guilty could become the innocent.
e. The Virgin Birth of Christ was about the Saviour. The coming of Messiah, Christ Jesus, the Saviour of the world.
f. The Virgin Birth of Christ was about Salvation. Free to all who would repent and believe.
g. The Virgin Birth of Christ was about Security—eternal restoration, eternal life, everlasting joy, through an eternal Saviour.
L. Dr. Herbert Lockyer said it this way, “The incarnation is the most stupendous miracle comprehending and involving all other miracles, and because it is a theme both deep and delicate, infinite and incomprehensible, how about “finding out acceptable words”. The ground we approach is holy calling for the putting off of our shoes.”
M. G. Campbell Morgan said that in the presence of such a holy miracle “there can be no fitting attitude of the human intellect save that of acceptance of the truth without any attempt to explain the mystery.”
N. Another writer expressed it this way, “I will seek to believe rather than to reason, to adore rather than to explain, to give thanks rather than to penetrate; to love rather than to know; to humble myself rather than to speak.”
The Ancient of Days became a babe at Bethlehem.
He who thunders in the heavens, crying in a cradle.
He who gives to all their meat in due season, nursing at his Mother’s breast.
He who made all flesh now made of flesh.
He who could summon legions of angels, while wrapped in infant’s clothes.
The mighty God, now a helpless child
God and man became one Person.
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Conclusion: The Virgin Birth was an event beyond human comprehension! The Seed of the Woman: a conception and birth without man. The God-Man, our Lord Jesus Christ.
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