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Sermon Notes
Apostles' Creed Series — Week 4
"Conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary"
"He moved first."
Conceived by the Holy Spirit
The Spirit who hovered over creation now hovers over a womb.
He brings forth a new creation- Jesus
Genesis 1:2 | Luke 1:35 | Isaiah 7:14
Born of the Virgin Mary
Fully human. Fully God. Completely sinless. The only qualified Lamb.
Isaiah 9:6 | Galatians 4:4-5 | John 1:1, 14 | Philippians 2:6-8
Romans 5:12 | 2 Corinthians 5:21 | Hebrews 4:15 | Hebrews 9:14
1 Peter 1:18-19 | John 1:29 | 1 Timothy 2:5
Mary's Posture
Willing. Excited. Available. A lifelong pattern of response.
Luke 1:38 | Luke 1:46-47 | Acts 1:14
“See, I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Immanuel: God with Us
We have a Savior who understands our weaknesses
He has been tempted as we are, yet is without sin
We receive mercy through His life and sacrifice.
Genesis 3:15 | Micah 5:2 | Matthew 1:23 | 1 Corinthians 15:20-22
Hebrews 2:14, 17-18 | Hebrews 4:15-16 | 1 Timothy 3:16 | Galatians 4:4-5
Reflection / Application Questions
- The sermon described God as the one who "moved first" in salvation.
- Where in your own story do you see God initiating before you were looking for Him?
- The virgin birth is described not as a decorative miracle but as the specific mechanism that secured Jesus's sinlessness.
- How does understanding that change how you think about the cross?
- Romans 5:12 establishes that sin travels through human generation.
- What does it mean to you personally that salvation arrived by a completely different route, from outside the human condition?
- Mary responded to an enormous, costly calling with willingness, excitement, and availability.
- Which of those three postures is hardest for you right now, and why?
- Hebrews 4:15-16 says we can approach God with confidence because Jesus was tempted in every way as we are.
- Is there an area of your life where you've been approaching God with shame instead of confidence?
- What would it look like to change that?
- The sermon ended with: He is not disgusted by your humanity. He wore it.
- What does it mean for how you live this week that God sanctified human life by entering it?
Time of Response
Take a few minutes of silence. Allow your own thoughts to quiet and be still. Where does the Holy Spirit want you to decrease so that Christ could increase in your life? What part of your life, if reduced, would make more room for you to thrive spiritually?
QUESTIONS TO ASK WHILE READING SCRIPTURE
What does this reveal about God?
What does this reveal about you in relation to God?
What do you need to do about it?
The Covenant Prayer from John Wesley's Covenant Service, 1780 (adapted)
I am no longer my own,
but Yours.
Put me to what you will,
rank me with whom you will.
Put me to doing,
put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for You or laid aside for You,
exalted for You or brought low for You.
Let me be full,
let me be empty.
Let me have all things,
let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
to Your pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
You are mine,
and I am Yours.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.
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How Can I Be Intentional When Reading Scripture?
One Method To Use When Reading Scripture:
The S.O.A.P.S. Method
S.cripture: Write down the Bible passage you will be studying.
O.bservations: Examine the text and write down what you notice and see. Start with the obvious and move to the deeper.
A.pplication: Apply God’s Word to your life in a practical way. What is God saying about Himself, about you and about what He is calling you to?
P.rayer: Respond to God’s Word with your own words.
S.hare: Commit to share what God is showing you with someone else.
- Inductive Bible Study:
- Observation (what does the passage say?)
- What is happening in the passage?
- Who is involved in the passage?
- What happened before and after the passage.
- Where are they located and how is that influencing the passage.
- Interpretation (what does it mean?)
- What is the passage saying considering everything I have observed and what I know from the rest of Scripture
- What does the scripture say within context of the entirety of Scripture?
- Application (how does it apply to my life?)
- What does the passage say about God?
- What does the passage say about me and to me?
- What am I being called to DO because of the passage of Scripture?
How do I talk with God?
WAYS TO PRAY
One Way to talk with God is to:
Pause.
Rejoice.
Ask.
Yield.
ANOTHER OPTION
Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication: Requests
