"Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1: 2|). He is the Christ of the Old Testament and the Christ of the New, born of the substance of the Virgin Mary His mother, very God and very Man, who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven. So we pray in the Collect, "As we have known the incarnation ofthy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an angel, so by his cross and passion may we be brought to the glory ofhis resurrection.“

[t is worth noting that they who deny the Virgin Birth are the same who deny the Resurrection ofthe Son of God. You see how complete the Collect for today is.

Dr. W. Gilbert Wilson, Dean ofConnor, Ireland, in his book, The Faith ofAn Anglican, says "The Catechism declaration that 'God the Son became man‘ is more fully expressed in the words ofthe Apostles‘ Creed that ‘he was conceived ofthe Holy Ghost, born ofthe Virgin Mary' - a statement intended to express the belief that Jesus was born ofa virgin without the intervention ofa human father." Critics ofthis doctrine often point to the paucity of Biblical references to support it. But although the Virgin Birth is alluded to only by St. Luke (1:34ffi and Matthew (1:18—25). St. Luke explicitly claims to have traced "all things accurately from the first" so that his reader "might know the truth." (Luke lz3ffl Dr. Plummer declares that in spite ofthe severest scrutiny St. Luke's accuracy can very rarely be impugned.

It is generally agreed among scholars that Luke must have received the facts which he records in the infancy narratives from Mary herself.

Notice as you read the Holy Gospel for the Annunciation that St. Luke gives every detail. The name ofthe angel is given - Gabriel. God sent His angel to a maiden - the name ofthe maiden is given ~ Mary — espoused to Joseph, of the tribe ofJudah. The name of the place is given. Every little particular about the Incarnation ofthe Son ofGod is given.

Dr. J. Patterson—Smyth in his People '5' Life (”Christ says, ”The Church did not believe the Virgin Birth because it was put into these Gospels, but it was put into these Gospels because the Church believed it." St. Matthew and St. Luke (in this) have the whole Church behind them.

Conclusion.

"Behold the handmaid ofthe Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." As she bowed her head and heard that message Mary became the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. and the Incarnation was accomplished.