Defending the Miracle

Devotional

Day 1: God does the impossible to fulfill redemption.

The angel's declaration "For nothing will be impossible with God" anchors the gospel in divine action rather than human ingenuity. Trusting this truth reframes situations that feel hopeless—salvation, healing, reconciliation—so that prayer and witness are not mere human efforts but invitations for God to move supernaturally. Live with expectant faith, praying big and relinquishing control while trusting God's sovereign purposes in every outcome. [12:33]

Luke 1:37 (ESV)
For nothing will be impossible with God.

Reflection: What is one situation you have quietly written off as beyond repair, and what would it look like to pray about that situation for three weeks with the expectation that God could do the impossible?

Day 2: The Spirit's overshadowing makes Jesus holy.

The Holy Spirit's coming upon Mary and the power of the Most High overshadowing her explain how Jesus is both truly human and truly divine without inheriting Adam's sinful seed. This truth—Jesus' sinless humanity—means his life and death qualify him to be the perfect, sufficient sacrifice for sinners, and it frees believers from shame because their salvation rests on his flawless righteousness. Treasure this mystery as the foundation for repentance and hope. [09:46]

Luke 1:35 (ESV)
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.”

Reflection: In what area of your life does the reality of Christ’s sinless perfection most help you resist shame, and what practical step will you take this week to confess that struggle to someone who can pray for you?

Day 3: Faith asks honest questions without doubting.

Mary’s question—“How will this be, since I am a virgin?”—models a faithful curiosity that seeks understanding while still accepting God’s word, unlike cynical skepticism that refuses to believe. It is faithful to ask “how” or “why” in hard places, but those questions should be asked in a posture of submission that says, “I do not fully understand, but I trust your promise.” Practice bringing your honest questions to God and let them lead you to worship rather than to disbelief. [09:46]

Luke 1:34 (ESV)
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

Reflection: Identify a theological or personal question you’ve been afraid to voice; how can you bring that question to God this week in a way that trusts His character while seeking clarity?

Day 4: Luke's orderly account grounds confident belief.

Luke’s careful opening (to Theophilus) reminds believers that the gospel is not a legend but a documented, eyewitness-based proclamation meant to give certainty. Grounding faith in historical testimony encourages a courageous, expectant trust that does not have to domesticate God to fit human explanations. Let this assurance free you from feeling the need to shrink God to your understanding and strengthen your confidence in preaching and sharing the truth. [02:05]

Luke 1:1-4 (ESV)
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

Reflection: When you share the gospel, which detail of Jesus’ life, death, or resurrection do you most naturally emphasize to give others confidence, and how might you reinforce that with a posture of historical trust this week?

Day 5: God's Word is living and transformative.

Hebrews teaches that the Word of God is living and active—able to pierce hearts and transform souls—so the ordinary means of grace (Scripture, prayer, worship, confession, and community) are the Spirit’s chosen tools to change believers. Expect the Bible to do something in you: conviction, comfort, correction, or renewal; do not treat regular disciplines as mere religious duties but as arenas for divine work. Commit to these means and watch God accomplish in the present what he promised in the past. [07:16]

Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Reflection: Which ordinary means of grace have you neglected recently, and what is one concrete habit you will adopt this week to re-engage that means and pray for the Spirit to make it fruitful?

Sermon Summary

Luke, the physician-historian, doesn’t spin a legend; he compiles an orderly account that can bear scrutiny. At the center stands the miracle many try to sideline: the virgin birth. If that thread is pulled, the whole tapestry unravels. The resurrection is the triumph over death, but the virgin birth is why Jesus was qualified to die for our sins at all. You can’t have the exit from the tomb without the miraculous entrance into the womb. In a world discipled by rationalism and materialism, we are invited to a faith that is reasonable, researched, and rooted in reality—and yet expects God to act beyond the limits of our understanding.

Mary shows us what that looks like. She asks a rational question in faith, “How will this be?” and heaven answers: the Holy Spirit will overshadow you. Creation language. God is not bound by the laws he authored; he can move the furniture in his own house to fulfill his redemptive purposes. Elizabeth’s pregnancy, long after hope had faded, is God pointing to a living exhibit: nothing will be impossible with God.

That truth reshapes prayer, evangelism, and perseverance. Salvation is never just a human decision—it is a miracle of the Spirit opening blind eyes and softening hard hearts. That is why we pray as we do. And we don’t only believe in miracles past; we receive God’s ordinary means as present miracles. The Word is living and active. The gathered church is how Christ builds a people. Confession and discipleship are Spirit-forged pathways for freedom from shame and from “hidden” sins that hollow us out. We are not left to manage ourselves; we are invited to walk in the Spirit’s power.

At the center stands Jesus, the Holy One, the sinless God-man. Because he was conceived by the Spirit and born of Mary, he is impeccable—unable to sin—and therefore uniquely able to be our substitute. That truth dismantles despair and silences shame: repentance becomes worship, not self-condemnation. So we take Mary’s posture into every arena—our doubts, our habits, our suffering—and say, “I am the Lord’s servant; may it be to me according to your Word.” We pray bigger than our control, trust deeper than our understanding, and expect God to do the impossible for the sake of his redeeming purposes.

Key Takeaways

1. The virgin birth qualifies our Savior. Jesus’ miraculous conception means he is the sinless God-man, not merely a great teacher with a clean record. Without his holy, impeccable nature, he could not stand in our place as the perfect substitute. The resurrection vindicates him; the virgin birth qualifies him. Our confidence rests on his unique person, not our performance. [32:18]
2. Expectant faith over rationalistic control. Mary’s question is honest yet faith-filled, and Gabriel answers with God’s power, not human plausibility. Miracles aren’t rule-breaking; they are the Author moving within his own story. Faith doesn’t reject reason—it refuses to enthrone it. We trust the One to whom the “house rules” themselves submit. [19:39]
3. Salvation is always a miracle. We don’t argue people into the kingdom; the Spirit opens eyes and awakens hearts. That’s why we pray for regeneration even as we share Christ boldly and clearly. The delay is not defeat; it is an arena for steadfast prayer. God delights to do what we cannot do. [17:23]
4. Ordinary means are present miracles. Scripture reading, gathered worship, confession, and fellowship aren’t “just routines”—they are Spirit-filled conduits of grace. The living Word exposes, heals, and reshapes us; the body builds itself up as each part works. Freedom from shame and habitual sin grows along these paths. Believe God’s present tense promises and walk in them. [25:28]
5. Pray big and endure with trust. Small prayers can keep us safe from disappointment but also small in expectancy. Ask for conversions, reconciliations, and healings—and anchor your heart in God’s character when he answers differently. Suffering is not a detour; it is often where his presence is most known. Courage grows where control yields to trust. [38:43]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:05] - Why the Virgin Birth Matters
[05:09] - Faith Over Rationalism and Deism
[07:16] - God’s Word Is Living and Active
[09:46] - Mary’s Faithful Question and Answer
[12:33] - Nothing Is Impossible With God
[14:18] - Expectant Prayer, Humble Trust
[15:58] - Salvation: The Miracle We Pray For
[19:39] - Miracles and the “House Rules”
[22:40] - When Pain Tests Our Faith
[25:28] - Ordinary Means, Present Miracles
[32:18] - The Sinless God-Man and Impeccability
[34:24] - Mary’s Posture: “Let It Be to Me”
[38:43] - Praying Big; Walking in Freedom
[41:53] - Coming to the Table

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
Luke 1:26–38
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Observation questions (3–4)

What specific promises and titles does Gabriel attach to the child (vv. 31–33)? How does that language shape expectations for who this child will be?
How does Mary respond to Gabriel’s announcement in verse 34 and again in verse 38? What differences do you notice between the two responses?
Luke describes his work as an “orderly account” and appeals to eyewitness testimony (see opening remarks about Luke’s method). How does that claim affect how readers should take the narrative in Luke 1? [02:05]
Gabriel points to Elizabeth’s unexpected pregnancy as evidence and concludes, “For nothing will be impossible with God” (v. 37). What immediate evidence does he give, and what point is that evidence meant to make? [12:33]

Interpretation questions (3–4)

What does the promise “The Holy Spirit will come upon you” (v. 35) mean theologically for the nature of Jesus’ conception and for the claim that Jesus is both fully God and fully human? [32:18]
How should the statement “nothing will be impossible with God” (v. 37) change how one understands the relationship between God’s rule and the ordinary “rules” of nature? [19:39]
In what way does the virgin birth relate to Jesus’ qualification to be the atoning substitute? Why would the manner of his conception matter for the work of salvation? [32:18]
Why is confessing sin to others and participating in the ordinary means of grace (Scripture, gathered worship, confession) described as “present miracles”? How do these means function as Spirit-worked pathways to change? [25:28]

Application questions (4–7)

Expectant faith: “Nothing will be impossible with God.” Where are you defaulting to rationalism or control (work, relationships, health) rather than praying with expectant faith? What is one specific big prayer you will bring to God this week? [38:43]
Evangelism and prayer: Salvation is a miracle of the Spirit. Who in your life needs both clear gospel witness and sustained prayer for regeneration? How will you pair faithful witness with prayer in the next month? [17:23]
Ordinary means as grace: Scripture, worship, confession, and fellowship are channels of the Spirit’s work. Which of these ordinary means have you undervalued? What practical next step will you take to receive that means (e.g., join a Bible study, set a daily reading time, confess a struggle to a trusted friend)? [25:28]
Shame and repentance: Jesus is the sinless God‑man; repentance is worship, not self-condemnation. When shame tempts you to hide a habitual sin, what single concrete action will you take this week to move toward confession and accountability? [37:08]
Mary’s posture: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” In what area of life (decision, habit, suffering) do you need to adopt Mary’s posture of submission? How will you practice that posture in prayer this week? [34:24]
Enduring suffering: Suffering can be an arena for God’s presence. If you are in a season of pain, how can you reframe this suffering to look for God’s purposes and presence rather than assuming absence? What is one concrete spiritual discipline (Scripture, silence, lament, community) you will keep this week to seek God in the pain? [14:18]

(Use the Luke 1:26–38 reading above to ground the discussion.)

Sermon Clips

And the virgin birth, then, friends, is necessary for the resurrection to mean anything, right? If you pull this virgin birth thread out and you pull it out all together, the entire tapestry comes undone, and it doesn't communicate what God has done for us. The resurrection is proof that Jesus conquered death, and the virgin birth is the reason that He was qualified to die for our sins. You cannot have the exit from the tomb without the miraculous entrance into the womb. [00:03:37] (36 seconds) #VirginBirthMatters

And so if Luke is merely being sentimental and he's merely trying to communicate what has been passed down through oral tradition, then our faith is a house of cards, and it will topple. But thankfully, praise God, that is not the case. Luke is recording a researched, documented, historical miracle, and we're dealing with a God who is unbound by our limitations, and our faith is anchored in reality. Amen? [00:04:13] (32 seconds) #GospelIsHistorical

But I'll tell you one reason why every Christian in a way believes in that. Because you pray. I mean, what are we doing when we pray? We're saying, Lord, would you, you might say something like, would you open their heart to understand what the gospel is? Would you open their eyes so that they can see what biblical truth is? But beyond just being able to read the Bible and understand it, they might see it and know it and believe it. Would you make their heart alive with faith? We're asking God to do the miraculous. We're asking God to supernaturally work in a person's life so that their eyes would be open to the gospel. [00:17:44] (52 seconds) #PrayForOpenHearts

God's people were waiting and they were waiting for what? They were waiting for a political reformer, which is why when Jesus enacted his ministry, people, the disciples were so confused. They were ready for him to go and to remove the oppression of Rome. They were ready for him to do things in ways that were very different from what God's purposes were. But rather than sending a political reformer, God does one better. He shows up himself. He shows up himself suddenly, miraculously to purify his people. And this is the sudden miracle that Malachi foretold of. [00:19:04] (42 seconds) #HeCameToPurify

Think about it like this. The laws of nature are not a prison or a box for the Lord. In a sense, they're God, they're his protocol that he established. They're the house rules, if you will, for the normal operation of how the world works. But a miracle, as I said earlier, it's not breaking the rules. It's the owner of the house walking in and just moving a piece of furniture. He owns the house. He establishes the rules. And he transcends all of them because he is God. [00:19:47] (37 seconds) #GodOwnsTheRules

So at any point when you recognize in your life, I'm really struggling in this area rather than listening to the lies of the enemy that ought to make, I'm sorry, that tell you that you ought to feel shame. No, you push against that and say, no, I don't need to feel shame because Jesus came as the God-man. He lived perfectly because he's unable to sin, and he died on the cross to pay the full penalty for my sin. So shame has no hold on me. So I confess my sin before the Lord. I acknowledge it to him with thankfulness and gratitude. Repentance, friends, is worship. [00:33:43] (40 seconds) #RepentanceIsWorship

In your evangelism, you might say, well, that person's too old to finally understand the gospel. Maybe they're too smart to have faith in the things I believe. Or maybe they're just so far gone secularly. They just love this world and the things of the world. They'll never believe. God is in the business of bringing new life, making hearts of flesh out of hearts of stone. The trouble is we don't know who it's going to be. That's above our pay grade. Our responsibility is to share the love of Jesus, not church, not behavior. Savior. [00:40:42] (40 seconds) #GodOpensHearts

In your suffering, the old way, the way that we want to put off is to think, oh, this suffering is too much for me. I can't handle this. I can't endure this. It's too strong. We put off that old mindset, that unbiblical mindset. And we, after being transformed by the renewing of our mind, we put on a new mindset that says, this suffering may just be the way God has given me to experience the blessing of His presence in the midst of suffering. To carry me through suffering. To help me yearn for Him and to desire Him more. [00:41:41] (41 seconds) #BlessingInSuffering

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