| October 25, 1998 |
Vol. I, No. 26
|
I haven’t yet witnessed a miracle, but someday I will. Someday I will look into the face of my Savior who died for me. And I’ll be there when all the dead come forth from their graves, John 5:28-29. In the meantime, I am content with the inspired record of the miracles that were written so that I and others like me can read -- and believe -- and embrace everlasting life, John 20:30-31.
The Virgin Birth -- What It Was Not
Of all the miracles surrounding the life of Jesus, one of the most significant was His virgin birth. Yet, Jesus did not COME INTO EXISTENCE by that miraculous conception and virgin birth. Jesus always existed, John 1:1-3, 14. He existed “in the beginning” and without Him there would have been no beginning, Col. 1:16-17.
Jesus did not BECOME God’s Son by the virgin birth. Theirs is an eternal relationship -- having no beginning and no end. Rather than suggesting some age difference or difference in their essential nature, the Father-Son relationship suggests alikeness and equality. See John 10:30; 14:7-9. The Jews were correct in recognizing that by claiming God as His own Father, Jesus was declaring Himself EQUAL to God the Father, John 5:18. “Being in the form of God, [Jesus] did not consider it robbery to be equal with God” (Phil. 2:6). This may be beyond our complete comprehension but it is true, none the less.
The Virgin Birth -- What It Was
The virgin birth was the means by which Deity chose to come to earth manifested in human flesh. And the decision was not some Johnny-come-lately reaction to 4,000 years of human behavior. From the beginning of human sin, God began to unfold a plan to deal with Satan and his offspring by the Seed of woman. The promise in Gen. 3:15 seems vague and mysterious, but as God’s plan gradually materialized, the apostle Paul was able to make clear what at first had been shrouded in mystery. “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law” (Gal. 4:4). The Man, Jesus, was not the son of Joseph or of any other man. He was the Son of God, made of a woman without the help of a man.
About 750 B.C., the prophet Isaiah wrote: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14). Centuries passed. Finally God sent an angel “to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary... Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” When she pointed out that she had not had marital relations with any man, the angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you: therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:26-38).
As Mary’s pregnancy became obvious, God sent an angel to Joseph, instructing him, “Do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins...’ All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ‘Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated ‘God with us’” (Matt. 1:18-23).
The Virgin Birth -- Who Says?
Moses foretold it, Gen. 3:15. Isaiah foretold it, Isa. 7:14. Matthew and Luke recorded it, Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-56; 2:1-20. Paul acknowledged it, Gal. 4:4. Every time John referred to Jesus as the “only begotten Son of God,” he underscored the unique relationship between Jesus and the heavenly Father. And he underscored that Jesus was not the son of Joseph or some other man. And Mark, though he does not specifically mention Jesus’ birth or childhood, does refer to his writing as “the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1).
In a sense, the virgin birth was the miracle that opened the door for all the mighty miracles, signs and wonders of Jesus, culminating in the greatest miracle of all -- His resurrection from the dead.
--CRJ
Faults are thick where love is thin.
Do you know who Elijah is? How about Jesus, do you know who he is? Jesus is Elijah and Louis Farrakkan is Elijah, so Farrakkan is Jesus, according to the leader of the Nation of Islam. If this sounds “a little bit queer and funny to your ear” it is because the claim is silly. No matter, it is the bodacious pronouncement of the leader of the Black Muslims.
Just to set you straight, here are some direct quotes from a Farrakkan speech (we have this on tape):
“I’m hanging on a cross right now. I’m on Calvary right now.
And I’m ready to go all the way. Because I know that by my stripes
everyone of you will be healed. You don’t have to look anywhere for
your Jesus. I represent him.
“Seventy-five percent of what you read in the Bible referring to Jesus
is referring to a future man; and twenty-five percent of what you read
is referring to the man of 2,000 years ago who is considered a type.
A type is like a sign of the real. But the real question is, “Who
is Jesus?” The historical Jesus was not the Messiah. The prophetic
Jesus is the Messiah. He wasn’t born in Bethlehem of Judea.
He was born in Sandersville, Georgia.
“Who is Jesus? Who is Elijah? Jesus and Elijah are one and the same. I am that Elijah that was to come and now is.”
Those are direct quotes from a Farrakkan speech. You probably are thinking, “So what? He is a nut and we don’t need to be bothered about what he thinks.” Well, the fly in the ointment is: The United States government has given $20,000,000.00 of taxpayers’ money to Louis Farrakkan (Nation of Islam, that is). At this very moment there is a proposal to give him another million and a half dollars for his ridiculous and unfounded claim to have a cure for AIDS (Farrakkan says that white scientists created the HIV, which causes AIDS, to destroy the black man).
The majority of blacks in America do not agree with the ridiculous claims of Louis Farrakkan, and no members of the church accept what he teaches. But Donna Shalala, secretary of Health and Human Services for the present administration takes him seriously and gives him money... your money. Now, don’t you feel better?
--Firm Foundation, August 1996
In Matt. 7:1-6, Jesus says, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck out of your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye. Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.”
This passage has often been used by sinners as if it implied that Jesus’ servants were to take no interest in their friends and loved ones who are in sin. This misses the purpose for which the Lord made these statements. Jesus was seeking to produce in His servants a loving spirit, an attitude that does not always look for the worst in others. We must learn first to judge ourselves and make corrections in our own lives. Then, we may occasionally be in a position to be helpful to our friend or loved one who is having a problem with some sin. Notice that Jesus did not say “get the plank out of your eye, but leave the speck in the eye of your brother.” Hopefully, after cleaning up our own lives, we will be able to help others -- but we must always remember not to judge harshly and prejudicially. As James writes, “Judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy” (James 2:13).
Yet obviously, after full recognition that we should not set out in life looking for the worst in others, Jesus, later in this same sermon shows that there will be numerous occasions when we will have to weigh the merits of certain men and doctrines, and respond accordingly.
Every teacher must eventually decide when he is wasting his time with a certain individual he has been trying to teach, thus the Master suggests we must learn to tell when we are casting pearls before swine or giving what is holy to the dogs. Still later in this sermon, He says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:15-16).
Christians need to fully realize that we are not in the judging business, and that no matter how sure we are that we understand the motive of another, it is God who will make the final and fair judgment. On the other hand, we must never forget that certain requirements in life necessitate that each of us must frequently be fruit inspectors.
--CRJ