SERIES:

Jesus: Hope Foretold

MESSAGE:

A Birth Foretold

SPEAKER:

Skip Heitzig

SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 7:14

MESSAGE SUMMARY The birth of Jesus Christ provided the world with hope. That exceptional nativity would lead to His perfect life, His atoning death, His bodily resurrection, and His eventual return to rule the world. As we begin this short series leading up to Christmas titled Hope Foretold, we first consider the prediction of His birth. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, God was providing the world with three gifts: He gave us a sign, a Son, and a Savior. Let’s see why that matters. STUDY GUIDE Connect Group Recap: December 6, 2015 Teacher: Skip Heitzig Teaching: A Birth Foretold Text: Isaiah 7:14 Path The birth of Jesus Christ provided the world with hope. That exceptional nativity would lead to His perfect life, His atoning death, His bodily resurrection, and His eventual return to rule the world. As we begin this short series leading up to Christmas titled Jesus: Hope Foretold, we first consider the prediction of His birth. Here's the path Pastor Skip took through the text: I. II. III.

God Gave Us a Sign: "The Lord Himself will give you a sign" God Gave Us a Son: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son" God Gave Us a Savior: "and shall call His name Immanuel"

Points God Gave Us a Sign   



The Hebrew word for sign means signal, mark, token, or miracle. The prophecies of the Old Testament were road signs that pointed to the coming Messiah. The sign in the text of Isaiah 7 had an immediate fulfillment (during the time of Isaiah): within two to three years, two kings (Rezin and Pekah) no longer threatened Ahaz of Judah. But Isaiah widened the meaning of the text to include the house of David. In David's line, 700 years later, the Messiah—God with us (Immanuel)—would be born to a virgin as a sign to the nations. Other prophets also made specific predictions about the Messiah's birth and life. God wanted the Jewish people—and us—to be certain of the identity of Jesus, the Messiah.

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

Probe: What other signs did Jesus fulfill that demonstrated He was the Messiah? Read Genesis 49:10, Isaiah 11:1-10, and Jeremiah 23:5 for help.

God Gave Us a Son  

 

The ultimate sign God gave was intervening in Mary's conception, giving her, a virgin, the ability to bear the Son, Jesus. In nature, there is a reproductive process called parthenogenesis that allows animals (worms, frogs, etc.) to conceive without fertilization. But Jesus' birth was different. It was a miraculous intervention; no person has ever been born to a woman without a father. Furthermore, studies by scientist Gregory Pincus have concluded that if Mary had conceived by parthenogenesis, she would have had a daughter, not a son. Probe: Why is the virgin birth important to a biblical understanding of the Messiah? Could biblical Christianity prove true without the virgin birth? Why or why not?

God Gave Us a Savior     

The most important part of the virgin birth is that the child would be fully man (Son) and fully God (Immanuel). Jesus is human because He came from Mary's womb through a virgin birth; He is God because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. As a man, Jesus is a perfect representative of humanity; as God, Jesus is a perfect sacrifice for humanity. On the cross, Jesus' hands stretched across the chasm between God and man, bringing us together. Probe: In theological terms, the joining of the two natures of Christ is called the hypostatic union. Read John 1:1, 1:14, Colossians 2:9, and Hebrews 1:3. Why is it important to teach that Jesus is both God and man?

Practice Connect Up: Does the fact that Jesus is "God with us" help you worship God with deeper passion? What does it tell you about God that He would humble Himself to make Himself known to humanity? Connect In: How does Jesus' incarnation—the fact that He humbly became a man—help you minister to others in the body of Christ? What does Jesus' birth, life, death, and resurrection tell you about Jesus' love for the church? Connect Out: Knowing that God became man in Jesus Christ, how does this strengthen your outreach through evangelism? How would you explain to an unbeliever the two natures of Christ's person? Here's a hint: Christ is not 50 percent man and 50 percent God, but 100 percent man and 100 percent God. This can be expressed mathematically: 1x1=1. DETAILED NOTES I.

Introduction A. Jesus holds the record for the most unusual birth A Birth Foretold - Isaiah 7:14 | SkipHeitzig.com/3944 Page | 2

II.

III.

1. It provided the world with hope 2. Because of what He would do B. When Jesus was born, hope came into the world 1. He was born at just the right time spiritually (see Galatians 4:4) a. Rome occupied Israel and Israel longed for their Messiah b. People of other religions were burnt out on their religions and turned to Judaism 2. He was born at the right time culturally a. The world was unified under the Greek language b. Everyone spoke this language and could communicate easily 3. He was born at the right time politically a. Rome had taken over the world b. Though oppressive, it unified the world c. Caesar Augustus imposed the Pax Romana I. Roman peace II. Nearly 200 years of economic and cultural growth III. Military stability IV. Almost no military conflicts d. Road system C. Isaiah the prophet 1. Quoted in the New Testament more than any other Old Testament prophet 2. Predicted the birth of Christ 700 years before it happened God Gave Us a Sign: "The Lord Himself will give you a sign" A. The Old Testament is filled with prophecies that point to something coming down the road 1. Matthew 1:22-23 refers to Isaiah's prophecy of Jesus' birth 2. Isaiah 7 a. This chapter is about Isaiah the prophet visiting Ahaz, the king of Judea b. Ahaz was worried because three nations were bearing down on him politically and militarily I. Kingdom of Israel under King Pekah II. Kingdom of Syria III. Kingdom of Assyria c. Isaiah told the king to ask God for a sign d. The king said no because he was not going to test the Lord I. Sounds pious II. Translates to he was not going to trust the Lord e. Isaiah told him God would give him a sign anyway I. A virgin birth II. Immanuel B. God wanted to make sure that people knew exactly who He sent to the world 1. By giving them signs in advance 2. The prophet Micah predicted Jesus would be born in Bethlehem 720 years before it happened (see Micah 5:2) 3. Hosea predicted He would arise out of Egypt (see Hosea 11:1) C. This is important because other religions' books lack fulfilled prophecy God Gave Us a Son: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son" A Birth Foretold - Isaiah 7:14 | SkipHeitzig.com/3944 Page | 3

A.

IV.

V.

The fact that a virgin conceived is miraculous in and of itself 1. Besides Jesus, no person has ever been born without a father 2. Human birth requires a human source B. This is why Joseph had a hard time 1. He had to get a special visit from an angel (see Matthew 1:20-25) 2. Virgin conception had never happened before and will never happen again C. Some creatures are conceived asexually 1. Parthenogenesis 2. This does not explain human virgin birth 3. Parthenogenesis can only reproduce genetically identical species a. The offspring will always be genetically identical to the mother b. Female c. If Mary had conceived parthenogenetically, she would have had a daughter, not a son D. The first prediction of this is in Genesis 3:15 God Gave Us a Savior: "and shall call His name Immanuel" A. Immanuel 1. "God with us" (Matthew 1:23) 2. A title, not a formal name 3. Designates what His position would be 4. Isaiah 9:6 B. He was human because He came through the womb of Mary C. He is divine because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit Closing A. If there is no virgin birth, there is no hope 1. That would mean Jesus was born just like everyone else 2. Then He would not be God 3. Then His claims are lies, because He said He was God 4. Then salvation is a hoax B. Jesus is the God-man 1. As man, He is the perfect representation of us 2. As God, He is the perfect sacrifice for us C. He is the virgin-born child who saved us

Figures referenced: Caesar Augustus, Larry King, Gregory Pincus Cross references: Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7; 9:6; Hosea 11:1; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:20-25; Galatians 4:4

Topic: Prophecy Keywords: virgin birth, virgin, Mary, Rome, Pax Romana, prophecy, sign, parthenogenesis, Immanuel, human, divine, salvation, Jesus Christ, Christmas

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