Part 1 – Incarnation and Virgin Birth
Intro: We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His true humanity, His miracles, His vicarious and atoning death on the cross, His bodily resurrection, His ascension into heaven, His present intercession and sole mediatorship, and His personal and visible return in power and glory.
Matthew 1:18-23 – 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.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Genealogy – Matthew 1:1-17 – Begat 39x, cf. vs. 16 – Born
Terminology – Matthew 2:1-11 – Wisemen, Young Child and His Mother
Vs. 12-20 – Joseph
Luke 1:26-35 – And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Elizabeth – vs. 42-45 – “Mother of my LORD”
Mary – vs. 46-50 – “God my Saviour”
Shepherds – Luke 2:8-14
Old Testament
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.
Isaiah 9:6-7 – For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: 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.
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
New Testament
John 1:1-4 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Vs. 14 – 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.
1 Timothy 3:16 – And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory
Part 2 – Sacrifice & Mediator
Intro: Man was created in a state of innocence and placed in the Garden of God. The consequence of sin was spiritual death, known to us as the “Fall of Man.” The remedy was twofold. The LORD made a blood sacrifice when replacing the “fig leaves” of religion with animal skins in Gen 3:21. A prophecy to redeem mankind was also given in verses 14&15.
It is evident that man was taught by God to bring a blood sacrifice. Genesis 4:1-7 relays the account of Abel and Cain. Everyone knows which sacrifice was accepted by God.
The last plague issued upon the gods of Egypt by the hand of Moses was the death of the firstborn. The only assurance of the angel of death “passing over” a household was to mark the home with the blood of a lamb over the doorway. (Exodus 12:12-13)
Hebrews 9:16-28 – “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” (vs. 22)
1. Sacrifice
Zechariah 13:1-2 – Prophecy of a “Fountain”
Matthew 26:26-30 – Purchased by the blood of the Savior, Jesus.
Cf. Acts 20:28
John 19:32-37 – Pierced – cf. Zechariah 12:9-10
Romans 3:23-26 – Christ our Propitiation/mercy seat
2 Corinthians 13:14 – The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
Romans 5:7-9 – Motivation – the Love of Christ. Cf. Revelation 1:5
Ephesians 1:3-7 – Redemption
Colossians 1:12-14
Hebrews 9:11-14, 15-22
1 Peter 1:18-19
Revelation 5:8-9
Hebrews 13:12 – Sanctification
1 John 1:7-9
Revelation 7:14
1 Peter 1:2 – Election
Revelation 12:10-11 – Overcoming evil
Revelation 19:11-13 – The Return of Christ in Victory
2. Mediator
1 Timothy 2:1-5 – The only One
Cf. 1 John 3:4-5 – Qualified
Colossians 1:12-14 – The Deliverer
Cf. Galatians 1:1-4
1 Corinthians 15:3-5 – He who died for us!
Hebrews 7:24-25 – Making Intercession for us!
Conc: Hebrews 12:24 – “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.”
Part 2 – 2nd Coming/False Teaching
Intro: When Jesus came to earth the first time, He purchased a Bride with His own precious blood. We are betrothed to Him, while He prepares our room in His Father’s house. We are waiting with anticipation for Him to return for the week long wedding feast and then to abide with Him in His Kingdom!
1. 2nd Coming
For His bride, the Church. Pre-millennial/Pre-tribulational
John 14:1-6 – “I will come again”
Acts 1:9-11 – This SAME Jesus!
Titus 2:13 – Our Blessed Hope
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 – Raptured and Glorified (Resurrection)
The Lord Himself
1 Corinthians 15:51-57 – The Twinkling of an Eye
Ephesians 5:22-27 – The Bride – presented without blemish/spot
2. False Teaching
Prophet – Every Easter, the figure of Jesus dying on the cross appears on the cover of our most famous magazines. The inside story relays great historical and philosophical truths proclaiming Jesus as a great human figure and the chiefest of religious prophets.
Islam – not only claims Jesus as their prophet but asserts that he never died on the cross and will come again in the last days to introduce the Mahdi (messiah) and rebuke the people of the book (Jews and Christians) to turn them to Islam.
Angel – The present-day Jehovah’s Witnesses present Jesus as the most prominent of God’s created beings. “….. the Word was a god.” John 1:1 NWT
Arianism – as Gnosticism fought to overtake Christianity in its infancy, Arius, Bishop of Alexandria, promoted this heresy, challenging the deity of Christ. The Council of Nicea (325 AD) addressed the Unity vs. Trinity controversy. Bishop Athanasius rallied the council to stand for truth. His three main arguments refuting Arianism were:
son = demigod
Polytheism
Redemption – Only God can redeem
Extra-Terrestrial – The modern day gnostic version of Jesus. Many ufologists claim that humans were seeded on our planet (panspermia) by an advanced civilization from another star system and that Jesus is an extra-terrestrial god. This theory is widely publicized on the History Channel (Ancient Aliens) and originates from the works of Zecharia Sitchin (Summerians) and Erik Von Daniken (Chariots of the Gods).
Conc: New Age teachings, based on ancient Hindu beliefs, urge all humans to seek “enlightenment” (Higher frequency). Through “initiations,” an enlightened spirit is able to achieve passage into the 5th dimension. Reaching the 7th dimension, initiates you into what’s known as the “Great White Brotherhood.” Jesus is believed to be a part of this brotherhood.
Helena Blavatsky, the mother of Theosophy, led the Theosophical Society in the 1870s.
UFO abductees in the 1950’s and 60’s testified of the GWB and the Golden Age.
Christ Consciousness – is an updated form of Pantheism. Jesus is reduced to a Universal Omnipresent Force. Everything – is Connected/ Unified. (Edgar Cayce)