Christmas Wisdom // Sunday, December 13, 2020
/
Sunday, December 13, 2020
Christmas Wisdom
3 Examples of people who overcame: Disillusionment, Change and Loss
Trust God’s plan. (Elizabeth)
Luke 1: 5 - 7 (NLT) When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. 6 Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.
7 They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.
The story of John the Baptist – Luke: 5 - 27 & 56 – 66
NEVER stop praying!
Luke 1: 13 (NLT) …the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.
Be patient.
Luke 1: 20 (NLT) …since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.
Luke 1: 24 & 25 (NLT) …Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25 “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”
Elizabeth was BLESSED, because she didn’t get BITTER…She trusted God’s plan
Believe God’s Word (Mary)
Luke 1: 26 - 29 (NLT) In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
The immaculate conception – Luke 1: 26 – 56
Luke 1: 29 (NLT) Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.
Luke 1: 37 (NLT) …the word of God will never fail.
Luke 1: 39 (NLT) Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
Luke 1: 45 (NLT) You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.
Mary was BLESSED because she BELIEVED God’s Word and dint’ allow her fear to overwhelm her.
Focus on God’s presence. (Anna)
Luke 2: 22 & 23 (NLT) Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.”