Fear Not!

Sometimes we equate and mistaken ‘being favored’ to great material blessings, cool life, everything taken care of and life just looks trouble free and perfect. Let us face the reality on these grounds ‘being favored’ to Mary seemed to be joke. To have a child out of wedlock would mean the child would be illegitimate, fatherless and Mary would be indicted to be stoned to death for adultery. What kind of favor was this? Her family and life would be on the line. Her family would eventually disown her for this heinous sin. In the temple Simeon had blessed and prophesied over her saying, “A sword shall pierce your soul.” Was God out of His mind by putting her in such a vulnerable and unsafe place? The bottom line is that Mary is the most favored of all women because she would bear the greatest of all children, Jesus. Luke highlights Mary’s unwavering faith in what God spoke to her through the angel.

This woman had no wealth or social standing; nothing about her was remarkable. She came from nowhere special; she lived in a cultural backwater, and was a citizen of a forgotten country. Yet God chose her to be his instruments for bringing into the world the Messiah who would shape the faith of millions, throughout the world. Many a times ‘being favored’ doesn’t mean everything is going to go well for you. For many of us tonight, God’s love and favor upon our lives may not feel right in our own eyes but God has greater plans and thoughts about us … much more that we can ever imagine. He has favored us beyond measure though His favor doesn’t really sound and seem right but as time goes by and you come out of the fog, you will praise God for His favor upon your lives.

Illustration: Story of my wife. [Specialized as a Pediatrics Nurse … living a reversed call of God]

Application: How many ladies tonight just feel that they are in the same spot where Mary was more than 2,000 years ago? You have no wealth, nothing saved for rainy days or for old age, you have no status quo, you are not even considered special and live in the cultural backwater. Some of you are alone, may be stuck with a physically/mentally challenged person at home, feel lonely because of a loss of a loved one and some of you ladies may be widows and are still fostering the wounds of a lost or dead husband. The family and the world might have forgotten you but you are precious in God’s eyes and He has chosen you for a divine plan and purpose. Will you this day “Fear Not, for you have found favor with God.”

3. Fear Not, for behold, I bring you GOOD TIDINGS of GREAT JOY … to all people (Luke 2:10-12)

Of all the wonderful promises contained in the Christmas story, the one that seems to be missing the most today is “great joy.” How many people do you know that would describe their life as being full of GREAT JOY? And yet that is the proclamation by the angels to the shepherds. The Savior of the world would bring good news of great joy for all people. The angels declared joy. Mary and Joseph were amazed with joy. The wise men were filled with joy. The shepherds returned with rejoicing in their hearts. Even John the Baptist leaped for joy in Elizabeth’s womb.