Questions:

One: Have you ever experienced something extremely unfortunate only to have it become something that opened a door into a much brighter and pleasant future?

Two: What is your life ultimately about?

Three: Who is the Potter and who is the clay?

Four: What does “pick up your cross daily and follow Jesus” mean?

Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

-Luke 9:23 (NIV)

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you. Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

-Luke 1:26-29 (NIV)

“Greetings, you who are highly favored!”

Examples:

Abraham

Moses

Gideon

Historians tell us that Mary was part of the Anawim community.

Anawim: poor ones, pious ones, faithful poor”

The Lord crowns the humble with salvation. Psalm 149:4B (WEB)

For he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant… Luke 1:48B (NIV)

But the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus… How will this be, Mary asked the angel, since I am a virgin? The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

-Luke 1:30-31, 34-35 (NIV)

And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.

-Matthew 1:19 (NIV)

The Hebrew word used to describe Joseph is Tsadiq, which means he was known for his uncompromising obedience to the Torah.

She shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done an outrageous thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father’s house…

-Deuteronomy 22:21A (NIV)

But Joseph loved Mary and refuses to disgrace her.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

-Matthew 1:20 (NIV)

If Joseph commits to this baby, he would do so at enormous sacrifice.

God’s interruptions often work this way!

When God is going to work in someone’s life, it usually means an interruption of the norm.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

-Matthew 1:20 (NIV)

Anxiety removal is not God’s number one goal for Joseph. Joseph, by having his world turned upside down, is going to have to reconsider what real righteousness is.

Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

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Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire? They replied, Certainly, Your Majesty. He said, Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods. Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here! So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

-Daniel 3:19-27 (NIV)

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

-Matthew 1:24-25 (NIV)

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

-Matthew 5:20 (NIV)

"My response to divine interruptions will be determined by my reason for living."

…Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? Job 2:10B (NIV)

The entire simple Christmas story forces us to deal with an overarching reality:

1. God reserves the right to allow or even bring unfortunate circumstances into our lives to achieve His purposes in us and in this world.

2. Your response to the trials of your life will be determined by your faith and trust in that reality.

And Mary said: My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.

-Luke 1:46-49 (NIV)

I am the Lord’s servant, Mary answered. May your word to me be fulfilled… Luke 1:38A (NIV)

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