How God’s Plans Interfere With Our Plans (Christmas Sermon)

For example, suppose you had plans for Saturday. You were going to take the family to the lake, and have a nice family picnic. You had all the details worked out, and then the boss man comes up to you on Friday, before you leave to go home and says, “I hate to do this to you, I know you had plans for tomorrow, but I am going to insist that you come in tomorrow and work. We have a shipment going out, and I cannot get along without you.”

Isn’t this when we stick our tongue out at the boss man as he walks away? This is what I am talking about, we do not like anyone to mess up our plans.

However, did you know that not only do people mess up our plans, SO DOES GOD!

For example:

We might have a young Christian man here who has made all the plans to be a doctor or a lawyer, but yet the Lord continues to deal with you about becoming a Minister of the Gospel. GOD IS MESSING UP YOUR PLANS!

We might have a young lady here today that has taken all the courses in high school to go into nursing, and God is calling you into full time Christian service. GOD IS MESSING UP YOUR PLANS!

But nobodies plans were more messed up by God, than were Mary and Joseph’s.

For example, Joseph and Mary were engaged to get married, but look how God messed up their plans! During this time when a couple got married, it was usually pre-arranged by their parents. That is, often when they were children, their parents would get together and make all the arrangements. (When I see all the bad choices that some young folks are making for a life-time spouse, I still think this is a good arrangement. Ha! Ha!)

In this kind of arrangement, at some age the couple became aware of who their spouse was going to be. The news of who they were going to marry, probably was not announced to them until they were ready for marriage.

Wisdom would seem to demand that it would not be best for them to know who that person was, until they are ready to get married.

This seems to be the case with Joseph and Mary. They were officially engaged, and making all the plans to tie the knot. Mary, like all brides, was excited. She had all these thoughts running through her head:

• What am I going to wear?

• Where will it take place?

• Who will participate in the wedding?

• What will I serve?

• Who will I invite?

She had all these exciting thoughts going through her head.

Joseph was like most young men that are getting ready to get married. He was probably leaving all the details with Mary, but nevertheless he was involved, and he was excited.

Then, God messed up their plans in a way that no one has ever had their plans messed up. Before marriage, Mary discovered she was with child.

Can you imagine how Mary must have felt when she discovered this?

• How could she face her friends?

• How could she tell her parents?

• Even more important, how could she tell Joseph, the man she was preparing to marry?

This had to be one of the greatest problems she had ever faced.

She was excited about getting married, and then she is found with child. She probably had plans of having lots of children, but the last thing she wanted before marriage, was a child. But nevertheless, that is exactly what was going to happen to Mary, she was soon going to become a mother.

She got the nerve up to tell Joseph. And Joseph knew that her being pregnant, not only reflected on Mary’s character, but it also reflected on his character. We generally emphasize Mary’s problem. But Joseph’s problem was just as great. Think about this:

• He knew he was not the father.

• He knew he did not want to marry her in that condition.

But yet if he did not marry her, people would be saying, “Joseph is a bad man. He got her pregnant and now he won’t do the right thing, and marry her.”

But he knew that he was innocent of all the false rumors that would start once the news broke.

Mary knew she was also innocent, but she had to contend with everyone around her, and even Joseph thinking bad of her. DID GOD MESS UP HER PLANS!

Mary was thoroughly confused. She asks in Luke 1:34, "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?"

Joseph’s plans had become so messed up, he was ready to call off the wedding. God spoke to Him, and told Him what was going on. Look at Matthew 1: 18-25 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.”