“He was conceived by the Spirit…”
In our Catechesis for the Church slot in the morning service, I did a series of short talks working through the Apostles’ Creed. Here’s an outline of the eighth talk on the words, “He was conceived by the Spirit…”. These have since been repurposed for an assembly in a junior school.
I don’t know what’s events you’ve already put on your calendar for next year.
End of School Term.
Birthday.
A fun activity - a party, a trip, an adventure, or a holiday.
There are two events that are on all our calendars.
These two events are on our calendars every year.
What am I thinking of?
Christmas.
And Easter.
These are two big events we remember as a church each year - usually having special services, such as a Carol Service, a Christmas Day Service, a Good Friday Service etc.
Why?
Because the Church has decided that it is important to remember Jesus’ birth and Jesus’ death and resurrection every year.
Now you can understand why Jesus’ death and resurrection are important. When you read the Gospels, 40-60% of them about it.
But Jesus’ birth…
That’s only 2 chapters in Matthew, and 2 chapters in Luke.
There is more about Jesus’ teaching and miracles but we don’t have special days to remember them by.
Why do make a big deal out of Jesus’ birth?
Working our way through the Apostles’ Creed, this summary of what the Bible teaches and what Christians believe, we come to this line which tells us that Jesus, God’s Son was “Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary.”
This is what Christians believe.
With this line we see that the CREED like our CALENDAR makes a big deal out of Jesus’ birth.
Why is Jesus’ birth so important?
One reason is because as the creed says - “He was conceived by the Spirit.”
That’s what we read in Luke 1:35.
”The angel replied to her (Mary) - The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”
This line from the creed, based on this verse from the Bible, is telling us simply that Jesus did not have a human father.
The Holy Spirit formed the body of Jesus in the womb of Mary and in some mysterious way unites or joins it to the Son of God.
This means two things about the baby, and this is why Jesus’ birth is so important?
Firstly, it means Jesus is God.
In Jesus, the baby in Mary’s womb, God became a man, yet remained fully God.
Jesus is God.
If He wasn’t, He wouldn’t be able to save everyone who trusts in Him from their sins.
It also means, secondly, Jesus is sinless.
If Jesus had a human father and mother, He would have been sinful from the moment of conception like Psalm 51 tells us we all are.
But Jesus was conceived of the Spirit.
The Spirit, as He formed the body of Jesus in the womb, ensured that none of the defects of the fallen Adam was passed onto Christ so that He was the holy one as the angel tells Mary.
If He wasn’t, He wouldn’t be able to save everyone who trusts in Him from their sins.
Jesus’ birth is so important because if Jesus was not conceived by the Spirit, Jesus’ death would not be able to save.
That is also why Jesus also needed to be born of the virgin Mary.
Jesus was conceived of the Spirit and because of this He can save us.
This is what Christians believe.
Do you believe this?