Heidelberg Catechism: Lord’s Day 14

This week’s questions take us straight to the heart of our faith: the mystery that the eternal Son of God became truly human. Not seeming to be human. Not half-human. But fully, truly, tangibly one of us. And not by accident or obligation—but by love.

Question 35

What does it mean that He “was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary”?
That the eternal Son of God,
who is and remains true and eternal God,
took to Himself, through the working of the Holy Spirit,
from the flesh and blood of the virgin Mary,
a truly human nature
so that He might become David’s true descendant,
like His brothers in every way except for sin.¹

¹ John 1:1, 14; Romans 1:3; Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 2:17; 4:15

Question 36

How does the holy conception and birth of Christ benefit you?
He is our mediator,
and with His innocence and perfect holiness
He removes from God’s sight
my sin—mine since I was conceived.²

² 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:17; 4:15; 7:26; Psalm 51:5; Romans 8:3–4; 2 Corinthians 5:21

The Miracle at the Center

The wonder of the incarnation is not that God visited us, but that He joined us. Jesus did not descend in a blaze of glory. He took on real human flesh. He was knit together in a womb. He had a heartbeat, a mother, a birth story. The One who upholds the universe became a baby who needed to be held.

This is no symbolic gesture. The Son of God became the Son of Mary, not just to relate to us, but to redeem us. The Catechism takes pains to say He didn’t just take on a “human appearance,” but a true human nature. And that’s not just a theological detail—it’s our only hope.

Because if He’s not truly human, He cannot stand in our place. And if He’s not truly God, He cannot save us.

But He is both. Fully God. Fully man. The mystery at the center of the gospel.

What Makes Him Our Mediator

The Catechism’s next move is subtle but stunning. It asks not just what happened, but why it matters. And the answer it gives is deeply personal.

Because of His holy conception and birth, Jesus is able to do what no one else can: remove our sin from God’s sight. Not just the sin we’ve committed lately. But the sin that goes all the way back to the beginning—to the womb.

This is a striking contrast. From the moment we are conceived, we are sinful. From the moment Christ was conceived, He was holy. And so His perfection is not abstract. It’s substitutionary. His holiness undoes our guilt. His innocence covers our corruption.

He is our Mediator—not merely because of what He did on the cross, but because of who He is from the very start.

The Comfort of His Humanity

We often rush past the humanity of Jesus. We emphasize His teaching, His death, His victory—but forget He got tired. He was hungry. He had friendships. He felt grief. He wept.

That matters. Because it means your Savior knows what it’s like to be you.

The incarnation tells you that God is not distant from your weakness. He took it on. And more than that—He took it all the way to the cross, carrying both your frailty and your guilt.

And now He stands before the Father as the perfect Mediator—holy, human, willing, and merciful.

So when you come to Him, you’re not approaching someone unfamiliar with your struggles. You’re drawing near to a Redeemer who became like you in every way, except sin—so that one day, you might become like Him in every way, without sin.

A Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,
You are God from eternity. And You became human for me.
You were born of Mary, wrapped in weakness, yet never touched by sin.

Thank You for being the kind of Savior who knows what it’s like to walk this world.
Thank You for taking my place—not only at the cross, but in the cradle.

You are my Mediator—holy, innocent, perfect.
And because You took on flesh, I am no longer condemned in mine.

Help me to live today in light of that wonder—
Not with fear, but with joy.
Not with guilt, but with gratitude.
Not alone, but always held by You.

Amen.

Daily Bible Readings

New Testament in a Year
April 6 – Luke 7:1–35
April 7 – Luke 7:36–50
April 8 – Luke 8:1–21
April 9 – Luke 8:22–39
April 10 – Luke 8:40–56
April 11 – Luke 9:1–17
April 12 – Luke 9:18–36

The Bible in a Year
April 6 – 1 Samuel 3–5; Luke 7:1–35
April 7 – 1 Samuel 6–8; Luke 7:36–50
April 8 – 1 Samuel 9–10; Luke 8:1–21
April 9 – 1 Samuel 11–13; Luke 8:22–39
April 10 – 1 Samuel 14–15; Luke 8:40–56
April 11 – 1 Samuel 16–17; Luke 9:1–17
April 12 – 1 Samuel 18–20; Luke 9:18–36