Did the Virgin Birth Really Happen?

Some might say “to utter the phrase ‘virgin birth’ is an oxymoron”. And some might go so far as to say that “only a moron would believe such a thing!” We all know how babies are conceived; many of us learning that during a painfully awkward “birds and bees” talk with our parents. So how do we reconcile what we know about how babies are conceived with how the Bible tells us Jesus was conceived? For some, this is a barrier to belief. How would you answer the question: Did the virgin birth really happen?

Hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, the prophet Isaiah proclaimed: 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

Luke’s Gospel tells us that when Mary was told by an angel that she would conceive and give birth to a son, her reply was: 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Luke 1:34-35

Mary and Joseph both had questions and concerns when they heard the news about Mary’s pregnancy… “How can this be?” No doubt, the Virgin Birth is a central, foundational doctrine of the Christian faith, yet it goes against everything we know about how babies are conceived. So did it really happen? And why is it so important that we believe it? To be clear, the Virgin Birth can be believed exactly as the Bible claims; but how can we be so sure?

In the message this past Sunday at Watermark, we answered this and other important faith questions. If you haven’t had a chance to hear the message, or would like to share it with a friend, click on this link… True Story: Unwrapping the Truth About Christmas - Part 3 - Did the Virgin Birth Really Happen?