Sermon Title - Christmas Gifts That Won't Break: The Gift of Joy
"'She will bear a son and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.' All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 'Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name Him Emmanuel' which means, 'God is with us.' When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son and he named Him Jesus."
I am struck by the fact that this passage says Joseph "did as the angel of the Lord commanded" (v. 24). He could have allowed fear to overwhelm him and then fail to take any action. Or he might have doubted the angel and decide to do what he had thought to be a better course of action. Or he could have simply willfully disobeyed. But instead he did exactly what the angel of the Lord told him to do. And because of his obedience, he was allowed to play a critical role in the birth of the Son of God and has been part of the greatest story that has ever been told ever since. Thus, the rewards for his obedience were so much greater than he could have ever imagined.
What about us? Do we excuse our disobedience to what God has called us to do and be because of our own fears, doubts or desires? Are we willfully disobeying God in our thoughts, actions and attitudes? May we decide during this Christmas season that the best gift we can give God and others in our lives is to obey God. May we follow the example of Joseph and live our lives as God has commanded, and as we do, we will find the impact our obedience will have on our lives and the lives of others is so much greater than we could ever imagine.
This coming Sunday I will be speaking on one of God's unbreakable gifts that He provides through His Son Jesus Christ: the Gift of Joy. This gift is based on new life, God's promises and faith that produces obedience. Hope to see you on Sunday!
