INTRODUCTION:
A business man went into the hotel lobby where he was supposed to pick up a Mr. DeLancy. He asked the bellhop, "Where is Mr. DeLancy's room?" The bellhop said, "Come. Suh! And I shall SHOW you." They took the elevator to the fourth floor, walked to the end of the hall, and the bellhop indicated that the end room belonged to Mr. DeLancy. Then the businessman knocked repeatedly on the door, but there was no answer. After doing this about three times, the Bellhop said, "Suh! Mr. DeLancy is not in his room. He's down in the lobby awaiting someone."

TECHNICALLY, the businessman asked the wrong question.
TECHNICALLY, the bellhop COULD have told him ANYWAY.

Today, our lesson in Luke 1:31-33 is going to be a little TECHNICAL. But please listen closely, because God has really impressed this message upon my heart. And I believe He will do the same for you.

*******TEXT*******

A very intelligent lawyer stood in defense of his client and used flowing oratory, and technical knowledge of the law. He went on and on and on. Finally, he paused for a breath. The judge took that opportunity to speak, and said, "Sir, I'm quite sure that you are well-versed in the law, and you are an excellent speaker. But I'm afraid you have left this court ignorant as to the purpose of your speech."
The lawyer never skipped a beat. He came right back with a quick statement, "Oh! Well, maybe ignorant your honor, but certainly a great deal better informed.

After having read this very same text that you and I have read, I'm afraid that much of the world is perhaps better informed, but quite without understanding of the mangnificent and glorious statement made here.

The statement in our text is about THE MIRACLE OF INCARNATE GOD!

From the time of Jesus' ministry, this statement has been refuted, denied and abused. Every conceivable lie has been told about this statement.

For instance, in John 8:19, the Pharisees obviously were making a SLUR about Jesus' miraculous conception of a virgin when they asked Him, "WHERE is YOUR father?"

Later, when the apostle John was pastor in Ephesus, there was an old gnostic named Cerinthus. Cerinthus taught that Jesus was born by a natural generation from Joseph and Mary. He also taught that the Holy Spirit of God descended upon Jesus at his baptism, then left Him when He was crucified. You see, Cerinthus DENIED the INCARNATION, and he DENIED the VIRGIN BIRTH!

Today, millions of people are doing the SAME THING!

The TALMUD is a collection of oral traditions of the Jews which have been carried down through many generations. There are stories in the TALMUD of Jesus having been ILLIGITIMATE!

Celsus was an antagonist in the 2nd century, and he openly repeated those evil stories. Voltaire was a gifted French philosopher who also repeated those evil stories. Even in our own time, a Russian named Tolstoy, has repeated those stories.

But the TRUTH is: GOD BECAME INCARNATE THROUGH THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST! THAT'S what this text is all about!!

Today, there are two extremely volatile and spiritual battles raging in the world about Christianity. The FIRST is the battle over the inspiration of the Scriptures. Virtually every denomination of Christianity struggles or has struggled with this tremendous battle. Is the Bible God's inspired, infallible revelation of Himself to us? Or is it NOT? Well, let me answer that with this question. Which ONE person has found any ONE Scripture that he can REFUTE? NO ONE!!! NOT ONE!!

The SECOND battle raging in the world of Christianity today is the battle over the VIRGIN BIRTH! One thing I hope you will realize today: One can SAY that there is no virgin birth. But when they DO, how can they explain the FACT of JESUS CHRIST?!!

You can understand the genius of an Einstein. You can understand the brilliance of a Thomas Edison. But how can one understand or explain the awesome personality and power of JESUS CHRIST?

A man named Schmidt once wrote:
"Jesus is inexplicalble psychologically, casually or by evolutionary development. Something derived creatively from God is necessary to explain the life and consciousness of Jesus Christ."

How do you EXPLAIN Jesus? How do you explain that His life is touted and praised over 2000 years after His birth, and almost 2000 years after His death and resurrection?

Some people try to explain it away like they do the miracle of the Red Sea. They say it was actually the REED Sea -- only 3 or 4 inches of water. That sound really good - but how did all those Egyptians DROWN in 3 or for inches of water?

Some try to explain the virgin birth of Jesus away like they do the miracle of the fire on Mt. Carmel which consumed Elijah's sacrifice. They say it was just a LIGHTNING BOLT. Well, that's good too. But if it WASN'T fire from God Almighty, then why did 850 false prophets of Baal allow Elijah to KILL them?!!

Some people try to say the virgin birth is actually not part of the Bible. But in every manuscript of the gospels we FIND it!

Today, I want us to consider FOUR truths about the virgin birth of Jesus Christ which is THE MIRACLE OF INCARNATE GOD!

1. The Conception by God's Holy Spirit,
   
2. The Intervention of God in Human History,
   
3. The Creation of A Body for SACRIFICE,
   
4. The Biological MIRACLE of JESUS CHRIST!
   

I. THE CONCEPTION BY GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT

1. The Holy God, whom Jesus defined as SPIRIT (john 4:24) caused Mary to conceive.
   
2. GOD caused it to happen ((See Luke 1:35))
   
3. Jesus became the "SON" of God - ((See Heb. 1:1-3))
   
4. The Holy Spirit of God also raised jesus from the dead (Rom. 1:4)
   
5. This Jesus, born of a virgin, is inexplicable in His earthly ministry. He healed lepers, blind, lame, deaf, raised the dead...!!
   
6. LISTEN NOW!! He was BORN of God because He IS God INCARNATE!
   

II. THE INTERVENTION OF GOD IN HUMAN HISTORY

1. God, from the beginning of time, has miraculously intervened in human history.
   
2. Adam & Eve sinned, and God CAME to them!
   
3. In the days of universal wickedness - God allowed Noah to find grace, and saved the world through him.
   
4. In the days of universal apostasy - God sent ELIJAH!
   
5. In the days of the age of grace - God sent John the Baptist.
   
6. But the GREATEST intervention of God in history is when He Himself, left the awesome glory of His eternal throne and became a BABY!
   
7. He became "numbered with us," lived a life like you and me with all its temptations. He cried, He was tired, He hungered, He thirsted. But He NEVER sinned! Then, vicariously, and for OUR benefit, He willingly died on the cross to pay the debt of our sins!
   Which brings us to our NEXT topic:
   

III. THE CREATION OF A BODY FOR SACRIFICE

1. God, Who is SPIRIT, willingly consigned Himself to a BODY!
   
2. And God's PURPOSE for that body was to SACRIFICE it for your sins and mine!!
   
3. Heb. 10 tells us that the blood of bulls and goats could NEVER wash away sins! People had to ALWAYS offer them -- CONTINUALLY! TOO MANY SINS!! Sins TOO OFTEN!! NEVER enough SACRIFICE!!
   
4. But God prepared Himself a BODY and sacrificed it ONCE for ALL mankind ((Heb. 10:4-10))
   
5. When the Holy Spirit of God moved, brooded, over the virgin Mary, she conceived a child WITHOUT benefit of a man. And that "holy thing" (the Bible says) was JESUS CHRIST, the LORD, EMMANUEL, God WITH us!!
   

And now we come to my final point today, and that is:
IV. THE BIOLOGICAL MIRACLE OF GOD IN JESUS CHRIST

1. Now, here's where I want to get a little TECNICAL.
   
2. God has allowed scientific study to reveal a few things that are important to us today.
   
3. In the field of genetics, there is a special understanding of how human bodies are formed.
   
4. FIRST - there is cell division.
   
   1. In every body there are millions upon millions of cells.
      
   2. Each cell has 46 chromosomes.
      
   3. God created Adam & Eve this way so they would have the power of PROCREATION -- to produce children by God's DESIGN and DECREE!
      
   4. EVERY cell has 46 chromosomes: fingers, eyes, toes, nose...
      
   5. EXCEPT the reproductive cells!!!
      
   6. In THOSE cells, the male has 23 chromosomes, and the female has 23!
      
5. And THIS, folk, THIS is where doctors, lawyers and even our Supreme Court of the USA have MISSED the MIRACLE of PROCREATION!!
   
6. LIFE begins when 23 chromosomes from the male and 23 from the female MEET!!
   1. It's as easy as 1 + 1 = 2!!!
      
   2. You simply CANNOT escape it!!!
      
   3. A human life BEGINS when 23 chromosomes from a male MEETS 23 chromosomes from a female! Life begins at CONCEPTION!!!
      
7. But WAIT a minute!! When God caused Mary to conceive, He created a body for Himself OUTSIDE the law of procreation!!
   

   The conception of Jesus in a virgin is GOD'S CREATION OF GOD!!
   

In Genesis 3:15, God told Satan that the "seed of the woman" would crush Satan's head. The "seed of the woman" would give Satan TOTAL and FINAL DEFEAT!!

And friends, THAT "seed" is JESUS CHRIST!

Now, THAT'S what the VIRGIN BIRTH is all about!
And, THAT'S what GOD INCARNATE means!!
And, THAT's how JESUS CHRIST came into the world to save sinners!

"..when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Gal. 4:4-5)

What a WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL "WORD" from God!! (John 1:1-3, 14)

INVITATION:
I just have ONE question for you today. Have YOU surrendered your life to Jesus Christ as LORD?