Title: Unwrapping Christmas - From Fear to Faith
Theme: To show how during Christmas there is a transition from the fear of God to “trust” and faith in God.
Text:
Introduction
During the last few weeks we have been talking about Unwrapping Christmas.
A Wrapped Present
1) Wrapping of a present is designed to hide what is on the inside. There is a mystery there. The person is not suppose to know what is in there.
It believe this is also true when it comes to Christmas. There is a lot of mystery that surrounds it. Which brings me to my second analogy.
2) The wrapping is not what is most important. No matter how beautiful the package is. It is not about the package.
This morning as we look into scripture I would like us to take a look at the third mystery to unwrap. It is found here in Matthew 1
Message Introduction
This season as you look through the Christmas stories you notice a common theme. I noticed this in every one of the introductions. Either it was directly mentioned or just implied. That is that each one was afraid and they were comforted to “do not be afraid”. Yet this is more than just words but what they did with this.
Not just talking about faith but having action
Fear is a very powerful tool
Fear of the Dark
5-year old Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her a can of tomato soup, but he didn’t want to go in alone. “It’s dark in there and I’m scared.” She asked again, and he persisted. Finally she said, “It’s OK—Jesus will be in there with you.” Johnny walked hesitantly to the door and slowly opened it. He peeked inside, saw it was dark, and started to leave when all at once an idea came, and he said:
Jesus, if you’re in there, would you hand me that can of tomato soup?” — 10,000 Sermon Illustrations
There is a supportive story in 2 Kings. Samaria, where Elisha and his servant lived, was unexpectedly surrounded by the enemy. Ben-hadad besieged the city by night. When the servant of the prophet saw the army round about the city the following morning, he exclaimed: "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" Elisha answered: "Fear not, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (6:15-16). - 1000 Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching.
MOST of us have experienced our children's dependence on us to face their fears when they have nightmares or when it's thundering and lightning during a storm. They'll wake up, scream, and jump out of their bed. They will walk through the valley of their bedroom, down the valley of the hall, to the valley of your room. They jump in your bed, because what they need is somebody to be with them.
Your hugging them doesn't stop the rain, the thunder, or the lightning, but it changes how they face it. They'll fall asleep in your arms. The fear that they have alone, they no longer have, because Mama or Daddy holds them. You help them face their fears in the midst of their struggles. This is exactly what the heavenly Father does for us when we face our own fears and insecurities. [God's Presence] Ps. 23:4; Isa. 66:13 Tony Evans' Book of Illustrations: Stories, Quotes, and Anecdotes from More than 30 Years of Preaching and Public Speaking.
Faith is more than words
This is important. It is more than just words that are spoken. Some people teach that faith is just words we say. They claim to have faith and look for more faith by their words when their heart is far from it.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Now I know we need to be careful about our words. The Bible plain tells us in:
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Matthew 12:36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
So how and what we speak are important. But we are also reminded that
Matthew 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart,
Then he reminds us that “they defile a man.”
Yet James keeps us balanced by stating:
James 2:17-20 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (18) But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (19) You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble! (20) But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
This morning I want to share with you about the journey from Fear to Faith.
Quickly let us review some of the characters of Christmas as see what God speaks to them. I believe that there is a message about each one, about how to move from Fear to Faith
To Zacharias – Your prayers have been heard and answered
First we begin with Zacharias. Zacharias was a priest of the Lord. It had come his time to serve duty. This was usually a two week time.
Luke 1:8-17 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, (9) according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. (10) And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
It is amazing what happens when people pray.
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Acts 12 tells us that while the church was praying Peter was delivered from prison.
(11) Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. (12) And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. (13) But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. (14) And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. (15) For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. (16) And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. (17) He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' [2] and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
Zacharias Response
After at first unbelief then obedience
Luke 1:59-64 So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. (60) His mother answered and said, "No; he shall be called John." (61) But they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name." (62) So they made signs to his father--what he would have him called. (63) And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, "His name is John." So they all marveled. (64) Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.
He obeyed the Lord. When he obeyed the Lord then God opened up his mouth to speak. I wonder how many people have been caught up because they are living in fear.
To Mary – Don’t be afraid I have chosen you
Luke 1:26-30 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, (27) to a virgin betrothed (engaged) to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. (28) And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" (29) But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. (30) Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
That is a confidence we can have in God. God chose us
John 15:16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (10) who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Ephesians 1:3-6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, (4) just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, (5) having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, (6) to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.
Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
Mary’s Response
Luke 1:46-55 (NCV) Then Mary said, “My soul praises the Lord; my heart rejoices in God my Savior, because he has shown his concern for his humble servant girl. From now on, all people will say that I am blessed, because the Powerful One has done great things for me. Now let’s look at Joseph.
To Joseph – Don’t be afraid I have a plan
Matthew 1:18-23 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. (19) Then Joseph her husband, being a just (upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commands of God ) man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. (20) But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. (21) And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (22) So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: (23) "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," [4] which is translated, "God with us."
The Lord said to Joseph, Don’t be afraid I have a plan.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Joseph’s Response -
Matthew 1:24-25 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, (25) and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. [5] And he called His name Jesus.
God said “I have a plan… trust me”. This is what we saw last Sunday. God does have a plan. God always has a plan. Nothing catches God off guard.
This again is important
And We see his response in his actions… He married her and did what was required – according to the will of God
When God calls you to serve Him there is a message:
The first part of the message is always the same – “You have been chosen to do my will”
The second part of the message is always the same – “I am with you and I have a plan”
To the Shepherds – Don’t be afraid God has a gift
Luke 2:8-15 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. (9) And behold, [7] an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. (10) Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. (11) For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (12) And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." (13) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: (14) "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" [8]
The angels told the shepherds that the Lord was going to give them a sign. We talked about signs and wonders in our first message. God is wanting to show us a sign.
Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
Shepherds Response – Let us go now
(15) So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."
From Rick Stacy's message The Journey from Faith to Fear
It has always been this way through out the Bible: From Message The Journey from Faith to Fear by
To Isaac God said, "I am the God of your father Abraham. Don’t be afraid, because I am with you." Genesis 26:24 (NCV)
To Joshua when he was to take the land God said, "Be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid of them and don’t be frightened, because the Lord your God will go with you. He will not leave you or forget you." Deuteronomy 31:6 (NCV). He also told him, "Remember that I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you everywhere you go." Joshua 1:9 (NCV)
To Jehoshaphat when his enemies were at the gate God said, "Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of this large army. The battle is not your battle, it is God’s." 2 Chronicles 20:15 (NCV)
To Jeremiah in the bottom of the pit God said, “Don’t be afraid.” Lamentations 3:55-57 (NCV)
To the people of Israel when they were weary God said, "So don’t worry, because I am with you. Don’t be afraid, because I am your God. I will make you strong and will help you; I will support you with my right hand that saves you." Isaiah 41:10 (NCV). When they were under attack God said, "Don’t be afraid of the evil things people say, and don’t be upset by their insults. Moths will eat those people as if they were clothes, and worms will eat them as if they were wool." Isaiah 51:7-8 (NCV) When they were taken captive God said, "People of Jacob, my servants, don’t be afraid; don’t be frightened, Israel. I will surely save you from those faraway places and your children from the lands where they are captives. The people of Jacob will have peace and safety again, and no one will make them afraid." Jeremiah 46:27-28 (NCV)
And to a synagogue leader when his child was sick, Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” Mark 5:35-36 (NCV)
To Peter when he was fishing Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will fish for people.” Luke 5:10-11 (NCV)
To Paul when he was being threatened He said, “Don’t be afraid. Continue talking to people and don’t be quiet. I am with you, and no one will hurt you because many of my people are in this city.” Acts 18:9-11 (NCV)
To Zechariah when the angel told him about his son who would be born to herald the way for Jesus God said, "Zechariah, don’t be afraid. God has heard your prayer."
You have been chosen… Israel in the OT was called the “chosen people”. In the New Covenant the followers of Jesus are the chosen people for we have heard the call of God who cries out to all of human kind.
We have been chosen to follow and to serve God’s will – not our own. Jesus prayed. “Not my will but yours”
He taught us to pray, “Our father which art in heaven, hallowed by thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done…
Conclusion
So now as we finish out this Christmas season we have a choice to make. We can leave with fear. Afraid of the world and what it brings us. Or we can lead with faith, knowing that no matter what we face surely our God is in control.
