What if Jesus wasn’t born to a Virgin?

Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth is generally seen as being told from

perspective. - Luke 1:26-33

Three times Luke tells us Mary is a “

,” but she will conceive a child through the power of the Holy Spirit instead of Joseph.

Matthew’s account is generally seen as being told from

perspective. - Matthew 1:18-25

Matthew adds that Mary remained a

until after giving birth to her Jesus.

But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born.…”* —Matthew 1:25 (NLT)

The Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 17th to 19th century, and emphasized

, individualism, skepticism and science. —Wikipedia

Enlightenment thinking among some theologians led to them trying to

the bias against the supernatural of the “enlightened” mind with the church’s historic teaching about Christ.

If we can’t

the Bible’s story of Jesus’ birth, what else can’t we

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?

WHY IS THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF JESUS SO IMPORTANT?

1. It affirms the credibility, trustworthiness and authority of

. Matthew was a tax collector who had to be

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in his work, while Luke was an educated man, a

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.

“Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us,just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.” *—Luke 1:1-4 (ESV)

The fact that Paul didn’t write about Jesus’ birth can be explained as simply as the issue wasn’t

in the churches, so he had no reason to write about it.

“‘Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.’” —Isaiah 7:14 (ESV)

2. It demonstrates the

of Christ.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.… 14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” —John 1:1,14 (ESV)

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” —Colossions 2:9 (NIV)

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” —2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)

Jesus was the full, perfect, sufficient, complete sacrifice for our sins, and that was only possible if he was

and

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.

3. It demonstrates the

of Christ.

“This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God.” —1 John 4:2 (NLT)

Jesus understands everything we’ve gone through, because he he’s faced every

known to man.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” —Hebrews 4:15 (NIV)

4. It shows God’s great

for all people.

The virgin conception and birth of Jesus was a complete act of God’s grace and love for

.