Conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary

Then the angel left her. So far, the reading of God's Word.

We're continuing in this series on the Apostles' Creed. We're now in that third article

of the Creed where we confess that Jesus Christ, the only eternal, only begotten Son of God,

the Father Almighty, our Lord, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

That phrase in the Creed is drawn directly from Luke 1, verse 35. And as we think about that phrase,

Luke 1:35

that great statement of the incarnation, it's also, as we've been doing this series, good to remind

ourselves of some of the benefits that the creeds bring to us. These ecumenical or universal creeds

of the church are personal, but they're not private. I, as an individual, am confessing my faith,

the faith that I believe, by means of the faith by which I believe. But I'm doing so with the church

of all ages, of all times, of all places. And so the creeds are these corporate, common summaries of

the faith that have been tried and tested by the church around the globe and even handed down through

the centuries. And in an age of ours that is so rootless, this is a wonderful blessing for us to be

rooted in an ancient faith. And so as we as individuals and together as the local church here

confess our faith using these words of the Apostles' Creed, we should realize that this act involves the

whole body of Christ in a very positive and lively role. We confess the creed, ex animo is the language we

traditionally use, from the soul. As one of my former teachers liked to say, breathlessly, breathlessly.

And as we do so, we remind ourselves of the identity of our God, Father, Son, and Spirit, of His great works,

and of the essence of our faith. And we affirm to our culture and to ourselves as we're constantly being

shaped and even catechized by that culture into the reign of sin and death and evil in the world,

rather than the gospel. As a gathered body right now, that we are explicitly publicly denying all other

pretenders to the divine throne, apart from Jesus Christ. That there is no other pathway to God,

but through Jesus Christ. God the Son come down to us from heaven to earth, the one who assumed our

humanity in order to bring us redemption and justification and sanctification and adoption

and glorification and salvation. God the Father acting for us in the Son by the Spirit.

And finally, by our use of the creeds, we are helped to remember that we are ascribing to God alone

the glory and honor that's due to Him as our Creator, but also as our Redeemer.

The church has concluded here in the creed, but also maybe even more particularly,

perhaps a little more decisively at the ecumenical council in Chalcedon in the year 451,

that Jesus Christ is both truly God and truly man. One person with two natures, divine and human.

United in that one person, yet those two natures are not confused, they don't change,

they don't separate, they're not divided, and that's what we want to think about here this evening together.

Three things, first of all, that Jesus is fully God.

Second, that Jesus is also fully human.

And third, briefly, what that means for us concerning His present ministry.

So first of all, the deity of Christ.

Jesus Christ is fully divine.

B.B. Warfield is a name that doubtless many of you know here,

and in one essay that he wrote on the person of the Lord Jesus Christ,

he made a very interesting statement.

He said,

The New Testament evidence for the deity of the Lord Jesus is so abundant and persuasive,

it can be difficult actually to state succinctly.

And his point is that our tendency to defend the deity of Jesus is to go to a handful of really big texts,

really big passages.

And that's good, that's right, because there are clear, explicit passages that teach that He is God.

But Warfield's point is even more than that,

because he's saying that the whole New Testament is predicated on,

is written on the presupposition that the one about whom these books are written is Himself very God.

That it seeps through on each page, in each paragraph.

You cannot miss it.

But of course we know that some passages are epitomizing.

They summarize for us very clearly the personal identity of Jesus.

That He is Himself God.

We think of Hebrews chapter 1.

Hebrews 1 · chapter mention

We think even more succinctly of the Gospel of John chapter 1.

John 1 · chapter mention

The opening words there.

In the beginning was the Word.

And the Word was with God.

The text says the Word was face to face with God.

And the Word was God.

He has all the attributes of deity.

The title of deity.

And yet there's a personal differentiation

between Father and Son.

And of course, Spirit.

Not in terms of divine being or divine essence.

But in terms of personal character.

And so wherever you look,

as the church fathers knew and understood so well,

it's not possible to speak about God the Father

without implying that God the Father is Father

because there is God the Son.

And it's not possible to speak about God the Son

without implying that there is God the Father.

And so too, if we extended this,

it's not possible to speak about God the Spirit

without speaking of God the Father and God the Son.

One God drives us to think about the three persons.

The three persons drive us to think about one God.

You know, that's the mystery of the incarnation.

But we read then in Hebrews chapter 1 verse 2

Hebrews 1:2

that it's particularly Jesus Christ.

He is the one for whom God created the world.

The writer there is reflecting on Genesis 1

just as John did in verse 1 of chapter 1

of the Gospel of John,

but doing so from a slightly different angle

because what the writer in Hebrews there

is saying to us when you read about God speaking

in Genesis, understand this,

the Lord Jesus Christ,

the Lord Jesus Christ,

the Lord Jesus Christ,

because He is the creator of all that there is.

He is also the one who governs providence.

Yes, He does so through the work of His Spirit.

You know, the Spirit is the perfecter of God's purposes.

Every act proceeds from the Father in the Son

and is brought to completion, perfection,

by the Spirit.

But particularly it's through the Son

that the very universe is upheld.

And were He to withdraw His hand,

it would collapse entirely.

In Him all things hold together.

Colossians 1, verse 16 and 17.

Colossians 1:16

By Him, Jesus Christ,

all things were created in heaven and earth,

both visible and invisible,

created through Him and created for Him.

So that not only in redemption,

but in creation and providence,

the Son is the way, the truth, and the life.

I mean, this is a remarkable picture of Jesus Christ.

And when we start to understand this,

perhaps we should not be so surprised

when we read a little further in Hebrews 1,

Hebrews 1:6

verse 6,

where God the Father pronounces, commands,

let all my angels worship Him,

God the Son.

You know, we often think about and sing

about the ascension of Jesus Christ,

the angelic response in that great psalm,

Psalm 24.

One of the absolute just marvels of our tradition

is our singing of Psalm 24.

And you can't sing it and not have your heart moved.

And the angels there, as it were,

are looking over the battlements of heaven,

asking, who is it that's coming back in triumph?

And the call goes out,

you ancient gates, lift up your heads,

you doors be open wide,

because it's the King of glory coming in.

He's the King of glory forever to abide.

And it's an extraordinary picture of Jesus.

But do you also think about that moment

when Jesus was conceived in the womb

of the Virgin Mary

and was utterly dependent on His mother there

in every way, for every aspect of His life,

in the darkness of her womb?

And the same command is then ringing through the heavens.

Let all my angels worship Him,

cherubim, seraphim,

gathered around the throne in awe and wonder,

because the Son of God

was taking human flesh.

And all things are to be His,

created for Him and through Him,

appointed heir of all things.

All things are Jesus Christ.

And this is why I think

in John's Gospel as well,

he tells us in chapter 12 there,

he references that wonderful vision

of the prophet Isaiah from Isaiah 6.

This incredible vision of the glory of God.

And John says,

that was a vision of Jesus Christ.

And think about that vision,

the angelic host there,

marvelous, glorious.

Yet they cover their faces,

they cover their feet.

You know, they are themselves without sin,

but they're created.

And so as creatures,

they must veil themselves,

they must tremble in the presence

of the infinite holiness

and majesty

and glory of God the Son.

Again, as John puts it

in that prologue to his Gospel,

he was in the beginning,

face to face with God,

because he was God.

And all things were made

through him and for him.

And without him

was not made anything

that was made.

And in him we beheld

the glory of God.

And God is jealous

for his glory.

God does not share his glory

with any other.

But in Jesus Christ,

we see the glory of God.

And when you start

to put all these pieces together,

you see how the Gospel

comes to grip you

when you learn who it is.

Who it is who has come for you.

When that finally gets

preached into our hearts,

when it penetrates

our very being.

Because the incarnation

does not mean

that Jesus was a little baby.

it's not a nativity set.

But it means that the creator

and sustainer of all things,

first in majesty and glory,

worshipped by the angels,

infinite, eternal,

and unchangeable in his wisdom,

his being, his power,

his holiness, his justice,

his goodness, his truth,

who at a single word

could dissolve this world,

which has sinned against him.

Descended to the depths

of this world

to assume our flesh,

to become our Savior.

Is that not overwhelming?

You see, the Gospel's

never done overwhelming us.

And that's why we need to hear it

again and again.

That's why it always needs

to be put in our ear,

because it's always new.

It's always startling.

It's always bringing forth in us

wave upon wave of adoration.

That God the Son

should come.

But not only that, loved ones,

that God the Son

should come for me.

For me.

It's very particular.

We see then that God

comes for us in Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is fully God,

but also, secondly,

he is fully man.

He is fully divine,

but also fully human.

You know, that is just

as important for us.

And sometimes we focus

so much of our energy

on defending the deity

of Christ

that we don't pay enough

attention, in fact,

to the humanity of Jesus.

Or as again,

Warfield concluded,

he said,

if there are no two natures,

divine and human,

in one person,

there's no incarnation.

And if there's no incarnation,

there's no Christianity

at all.

There are plenty of people

who make the mistake

of thinking that

the humanity

of Jesus

is transfused

with deity

so that actually

the life and experience

of Jesus

is somehow radically

different from us.

But that's not true.

Of course,

he has the full measure

of the Spirit.

But what the Scriptures

tell us from beginning

to end,

what is the great emphasis

over and over

and over again,

is that if he's not

really,

truly,

fully man,

sharing our world,

sharing our frailty,

knowing each of our weaknesses,

getting thirsty,

getting hungry,

not a child prodigy,

but growing in knowledge

and understanding,

going to a funeral

and shedding tears

of sorrow

at the death

of his friend,

becoming exhausted

in his body,

without these things

he would not at all

be fit to be our Savior.

And that brings us,

then,

to these opening chapters

of Genesis.

And we only read

from Genesis 3,

but I'm sure

we're familiar

with Genesis 1 and 2

as well.

I thought,

there's a limit

to how much

I can read

this evening.

But when God created Adam,

we know,

he gave him

the great privilege

of sharing communion

and fellowship with him.

And Eden was there

created as a sanctuary.

It was a garden temple.

And God,

the great king,

set Adam there

to be a gardener,

to be a priest king

under him,

to rule in his name.

And the world

was created good,

but it was not

in its final condition.

And Adam was then

given a task.

He had the task

to subdue it,

to guard it,

to tend it,

to extend

that glorious reign.

And he was provided

by God

with everything necessary

for that task.

And he was called

to follow the pattern

of his creator

because he was made

an analogy of God

in the very image

and likeness of God.

And God himself

there in creation

led this wonderful

procession

of six days

of labor,

transforming

the tohu abohu,

the darkness

and void,

into creation.

No longer lifeless

and void

and this confused mass,

but God molded it

and shaped it

and ordered it.

And he separated

the waters

in the night

from the day

and through all

of his ordering

and separating

and naming,

he called Adam

to follow him,

to lead all of creation

in another procession,

a parade,

as it were,

behind the Lord himself

in royal procession

from his holy hill

in Eden,

doing what God

commanded him to do

to the very ends

of the earth.

There's one writer here

who has marvelously put it

summing this up.

Whether plant,

tree,

sun,

moon,

star,

bird,

or fish,

everything performs

its duly ordained office

in the first two chapters

of Genesis,

just like the priests

and Levites

of the sanctuary

in their appointed work.

And finally,

Adam as the archpriest

and crown

of the whole created order,

God's very vice-regent

along with Eve,

exercising dominion

under God

in this vast

cosmic empire

in which everything

that happens

is meant to redound

to the glory

of God.

Now,

that was the commission.

That was the task.

Adam was created

there in covenant,

in a covenant of works.

He had a job to do.

He was on probation.

There was a trial.

Would he do that job?

Would he follow

his creator?

And of course,

we know what happened.

Adam forfeited

his role.

He listened

to the false witness,

the blasphemy

of the serpent,

that agent of Satan.

The very one

who he is supposed

to drive out

of the garden.

That's the one

from whom

he takes counsel.

Not only takes counsel,

but takes counsel

against the Lord,

his creator.

As though Adam

might instead be God.

As we read

from Genesis 3,

Genesis 3:8

verse 8,

they heard,

that is Adam and Eve,

the sound of the Lord

God walking in the garden

in the cool of the day.

The cool of the day.

The scene there

could not be

any more different

from that old hymn.

Perhaps

you have the unfortunate

privilege,

like I do,

of not being able

to excise it

from your mind.

You know,

I come to the garden alone.

The dew is still

on the roses,

and the joy we share

while we tarry there.

None other has ever known.

But that is not it at all.

That is not at all

the picture.

This is the arrival

of God as judge.

God is on a mission

of judgment here.

The cool of the day

is in fact

the spirit of the day.

This is the day

of the Lord.

The one who's come

to execute judgment

upon Adam

in his sin.

His image bearer

who becomes

the covenant breaker.

And when that call

comes to Adam

from his covenant Lord,

Adam, where are you?

It's not that God

doesn't know

where Adam is.

You think of that

question that perhaps

maybe a wife

can ask a husband.

Where are you

in this relationship?

There's something

in between here.

Where are you right now?

You're not here.

The true servant

of the Lord

that Adam was meant to be

should have called back,

Here I am.

Let it be done to me

according to your word.

But he disobeyed

the voice of his father.

And in his transgression

he plunged

all in his stead,

all of humanity

into sin

and death

and alienation

from God.

But you know

there's another promise

as we read.

This is why we read

Genesis 3.

Genesis 3.15

that first announcement

of the gospel.

There will be another son

born of the woman

who will undo

all that Adam did.

Who will do

all that Adam

failed to do.

Who will provide

not only a sacrifice

of atonement

but also an obedient life.

Because ultimately

it's not sacrifice

but it's obedience

that God delights in.

And that's the task

given to

and taken up gladly

by our Lord Jesus Christ.

The eternal son of God

who becomes incarnate

to give his life

for his people.

And this is particularly

the focus

of that promise to Mary

that we read

in Luke 1.

Adam became a living being

by the breath

of the spirit.

Genesis 2.7.

Here in Luke

the Holy Spirit

coming upon Mary

to overshadow her

as the power

of the Most High

so that she'll

become pregnant.

This is part

of the basic vocabulary

of the spirit's work

throughout the Bible.

We think of

Genesis 1.2.

The spirit there

hovering over the waters

of creation.

It's the exact same

language we find

from Moses

singing to the assembly

of the Lord.

Israel there

in Deuteronomy 32.

He compares the Lord

in verse 11

to an eagle

that stirs up its nest,

flutters over its young,

that spreads out its wings.

And by the way,

you notice

that the same spirit

who's at work

in the womb of Mary

has already been at work

in her heart.

That is why

she answers

amen

to that promise.

That's why

all generations

shall call her blessed.

So the spirit

prepares a body

for the son.

The son

who is the exact image

and imprint

of God.

It's not at all

actually

the virgin birth.

You try to

change the language

but you can only

get so far.

It's the virgin conception.

Because the conception

of Jesus Christ

is

ex nihilo creation

out of nothing.

The exact parallel

to the very beginning

let there be light

divine fiat

and there was light.

So that his humanity

would be untainted

by sin.

And like Adam

before the fall

not yet confirmed

in righteousness

and glory.

But his gestation

his

delivery

are all

all too normal.

100% normal.

Still dependent

on the word

and spirit

but following

that other kind

of creation

you find in Genesis.

Let the earth

bring forth

and the earth

brought forth.

And there was pain.

Mary was in labor

giving birth

to a child.

No obstetrics care.

There was a placenta.

It was bloody.

A real human

with a real soul

was born to her.

A particular Jewish male

Jesus of Nazareth.

You see

the word

became flesh.

Yes

but the word

became flesh.

Only God

can save.

Only God

incarnate

in our humanity

can save fully.

Because the great

gift of Jesus Christ

is that he is

second man.

Second Adam.

The last Adam.

Paul belabors

that point

for us

in Romans

Romans 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5

and 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

chapter 15.

That he is the one

who's come in our flesh

to undergo

the curse

of the first man

that first Adam

and to fulfill

the covenant

of works

for our sake.

winning the right

to unlock

that gate of heaven

and lead his people

in procession

into glory.

So he is the God man.

He's the mediator

of the covenant

of grace

for our sake.

That's the promise

to Mary.

That the Lord

shall become

the servant.

The servant

who is the Lord.

And every moment

of the life

of Jesus Christ

then we see him

on trial,

on probation,

recapitulating,

restoring all

that was lost

in Adam,

fulfilling all

that was promised

throughout every stage

of redemptive history.

And all of God's

covenant promises

converge in him.

He is the true Israel.

He is the messianic

savior,

the son of David,

the one whose kingdom

shall have no end.

So that finally

you see a proper

relationship

has come into view.

There's actually

now a proper

conversation

between covenant

Lord and covenant

servant.

The Lord speaks,

Adam,

where are you?

The true servant

of the Lord,

Jesus Christ,

answers back,

here I am

in obedience

to God's glory.

And for the first time

the world

has an Adam,

Israel has a king

who only does

all that the Father

commands him.

That's what we read

in John 8.

I always do,

Jesus says,

what is pleasing

to my Father.

Because he is

our answer.

He is our proper

response to God

in his perfect

life and obedience.

But you see,

he's also God's answer

in flesh and blood

to sinners,

to me,

to you.

And when he died

to bear God's judgment

for our sake,

he was then also

raised as the first fruits

of a new world

altogether.

So the day shall come,

it's guaranteed

for us

that out of the graves

even,

God's people

will be resurrected.

And in Christ,

even the last enemy

will be subdued

and all things

will be made

subject to him.

because of his

true humanity,

you see,

we can even be sure

of those last lines

of the creed,

the resurrection

of the dead

and the life everlasting.

And his last act

of salvation

is then to lead

that procession,

that parade

that Adam was

supposed to have done.

At last,

the faithful son,

you see,

the son of God

who's become a son

and who broke

the neck

of the tempter,

that false witness,

and who leads

all of creation

back to God,

the head

of a new people,

bringing them

with him

in his train.

This is why

Jesus says

in Hebrews chapter 2,

Hebrews 2 · chapter mention

presenting himself

to the Father,

he says,

here I am.

And you see

who I've brought

with me?

Brothers and sisters,

now made children

of God,

the very ones

that you have

given to me.

That's why we need

Jesus to be fully

man as well.

Finally,

briefly,

Jesus did not

take our humanity

only for a season.

There wasn't

a clock

that was running

out here.

He didn't ascend

to heaven

like a SpaceX

rocket

from Elosk Musk,

flying,

flying to the moon,

leaving the scaffolding,

all of the

things necessary

to get him there.

Christ,

who stands

victorious

at the right hand

of God the Father,

is still the God-man,

and he'll be so forever.

He descended

from heaven.

This is the wonder

in such a way

that without

even leaving heaven

from his divinity,

he willed

to be born

in the virgin's womb,

to be found

in that cradle,

to do the work

of his Father

on earth,

to be upheld

by the Spirit,

to hang on the cross,

and yet

he continuously

filled the world,

even as he had done

from the beginning.

The mystery

of the incarnation

is one person

and two natures,

divine and human,

but the divine

does not absorb

the human,

does not mix

with it,

nor is it separated

from it,

but from eternity

he has pledged

himself that

for eternity

he will be

enfleshed,

the God-man,

that he might

in his earthly life

and throughout

all of his royal session

be perfectly fitted

to us,

men and women,

for our salvation.

He continues

to have a body,

he will always

be circumscribed

by time and space.

And reflecting

on this again,

the writer

to the Hebrews

writes in chapter 2

verses 17 and 18,

he, Jesus,

was made like

his brothers

in every respect

so that he might

be a merciful

and faithful

high priest

in God's service

to make propitiation

for the sins

of the people

and because he himself

suffered when tempted,

he is,

not he was,

he is,

even now,

he is able

to help all those

who are being tempted.

Time permits us

to say only one thing

briefly about temptation.

Jesus faced temptation

in the wilderness.

He faced temptation

in the Garden

of Gethsemane

where he agonized

over the most bitter

temptation.

temptation.

What is his prayer

there?

My Father,

he says,

let this cup

pass from me.

That is what I desire.

Let this cup

pass from me.

That is what I desire.

We ought not to move

so quickly

past those words.

You know,

this was a perfectly

holy desire

because any other

desire would have

been unholy.

The fully human

Son,

Jesus Christ,

could never

desire to cry out

that cry of

dereliction.

My God,

my God,

why have you

forsaken me?

what he desired

was not that tree.

Not the cross.

Is there no other way?

And when Adam and Eve

ate from that tree

in the midst

of the garden

and they saw,

you know,

it delights the eyes,

they doubted the words

of their Father.

But Jesus Christ

was faced

with another tree.

And he pled

with his Father,

not that tree.

Is there no other way?

And then he said,

nevertheless,

your will be done.

Because you see,

Father,

Son,

and Spirit

had from all eternity

determined

to create,

to redeem,

to gather a church

for everlasting

fellowship.

born out of

the love of God.

The love of God.

And so the incarnate

Son becomes

obedient to death,

even death

on the cross.

And have you ever

wondered why

there in Luke 22?

We're told an angel

is sent to him

from heaven

to strengthen him.

Just imagine that.

Let all my angels

worship him.

at his birth.

Let one of you

now go minister

to him

in his need.

Go strengthen him

in his hour

of temptation

to take the cup,

to drink it

to its bitter dregs

so that we might enjoy

the cup of blessing,

the cup of glory,

the cup of salvation.

Knowing all this,

you see,

how can we not know

that Jesus Christ,

loved ones,

will care for you?

That he will strengthen

you in your temptation

when you call on him.

Because he is the one

who's earned our trust.

Do you ever think about that?

That he has actually

earned your trust.

It's not,

as we heard this morning,

there's an object of faith.

It's not faith

in wood fairies.

He's earned our faith.

He's earned our trust.

He's earned our trust.

And so,

what can we do then

but put our trust in him?

Whether for the first time

or for the thousandth time.

Because there is no other mediator

between man and God.

There is no other faithful son.

There is no other champion

of his brothers and sisters

than our Lord Jesus Christ,

conceived by the Holy Spirit

and born of the Virgin Mary.

Amen.