I believe in God the Father Almighty,maker of heaven and earth;

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord:who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

• Arianism : Jesus was the greatest of God’s creation

• Adoptionism : Jesus was adopted @ His baptism

• Metaphoric-ism : the incarnation = just a metaphor

• God’s only Son, our Lord

• conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin

• God breaking the traumatic silence

~ 400 years after Malachi, 600 years after Isaiah

• ‘homoousis’

~ same substance, co-eternal with the Father

• Lord ~ He’s Creator, Savior.

~ even in His birth (conception)

• the Messiah

~ Anointed One, Deliverer, Ruler

Matthew 1:1-25; Luke 3:23-37

• God’s sign (Isa 7:14) ~ miraculous conception

• a scandalized beginning for Mary & Joseph

• the salvation offered by God is supernatural

• an awesome genesis (pedigree) : David, Abraham

• goes back via the line of Solomon & Nathan

• includes 4 Gentile women & heroes of faith

• a son of Abraham ~ father of Israel (Gen 12,17)

• a son of David ~ messianic title (ruler of nation)

• a son of Adam ~ promise of crushing Satan (Gen 3)

~ representing all humanity

Luke 2:1-20; Matthew 2:1-12; John 1:1-14

• the unsterile manger

• the unprepared Chief Priests & Scribes

• the hostile neighbourhood

• the outcast & lowly shepherds

• the outside & pagan magi ~ gold for a king, frankinsense for a God, myrrh for the dead

• the absent Jewish community

• entering the neighborhood, walking in our shoes

• shining amidst the ugly, devouring darkness

• unwavering in Truth, overflowing in Grace

Matthew 2:13-23; 3:13-4:11

• an Idumean’s plot ~ Herod threatened

• becoming an Egyptian refugee

• returning to the backwaters of Nazareth

• God’s declaration of fatherhood

• Jesus’ Bar Mitzvah (“My Beloved Son”)

• Jesus’ credentials (sonship, approved, loved)

• misleading insinuations ~ “If you are …”

• hijacking power ~ calling to popular messianics

• thwarted tempter ~ the Son of God kept faithful

1. Examine your own ideas about JESUS &

His TOTAL SONSHIP, His MIRACULOUS

CONCEPTION. What is your response?

1. What is your response to God, Who disregards

SCANDALS & ABSURDITIES to come in His own

way?

2. The Messiah has MOVED INTO OUR DARK

NEIGHBORHOOD. What grace & truth does He

speak into your situation?