Unexpected News Series

Video Transition: Mary did you know video!

Series: Unexpected Christmas

Thesis of Series: Christmas season is filled with surprises and the unexpected twists and turns that come with this holiday. The original Christmas was also filled with surprises from Heaven and the unexpected twists and turns from God. God loves doing the unexpected – so we should learn to expect the unexpected from the Lord – He loves saying “surprise”! Maybe even the word “Tada!”

Illustration:

I have told the story before about a children’s third grade Sunday School class. The teacher had just finished talking about how Jesus had been crucified and put into a tomb. She went on to try and convey the excitement and surprise of Easter morning and the resurrection by asking her students, “And what do you think were Jesus’ first words when he came bursting out of the tomb alive?” A little girl raised her hand, bounced up and down with excitement and shouted, “I know, I know, I know.” “Great,” replied the teacher, “Please tell us. Throwing her arms high in the air she sang out, “TA-DA!”

Challenge for the Christmas Season: “Can you decide to expect the unexpected from the Lord this season?” or let me word it this way “Are you willing to expect the unexpected because God is predictably unpredictable this Christmas Season?.”

Sermon 1: Unexpected News

Thesis: “Extra – Extra read all about Mary in Nazareth is pregnant and she is not married yet! She claims the Holy Spirit did it!” Joseph claims the same Mary Is pregnant from the Holy Spirit

Scripture: Matthew 1:21: “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Introduction:

What was the greatest surprise ever sprung on you? A surprise party, a proposal, a gift, a visit from someone unexpected at Christmas or Thanksgiving, maybe even a surprise baby?

My 40th surprise birthday party was my biggest surprise by Kathy – tell the story trip to Princeton to get a car - furnace not working to get in church – by the way my wife loves surprises – from unexpected notes in my desk to elaborate birthday gifts like 55 birthday things every man needs. I know you are thinking what were those 55 things? Keep guessing because that’s a secret between her and I.

My mom’s biggest surprise was Kathy’s sponge cake.

My daughter Tiffany biggest surprise was while in college and married and not wanting kids until done school - got pregnant anyway but not with one child but two.

What was the movie which had the biggest surprise ending you know of – Sixth Sense, The Sting, The Undoing?

How about Tv show with biggest surprise ending? Lost, Manifest, Game of the Thrones, Monk?

How about the book with the biggest surprise ending? Agatha Christie's The Murder of John Rourke or Fight Night, Green mile?

Have you ever been a part of a flash mob event?

How about the biggest surprise invention that we’re totally accidental? (Bestlifeonline.com)

*Microwave Oven

*The Post it Note

*Penicillin

*Chocolate Chip Cookies

*The X Ray machine

* Pace Maker

* Chips

* Chewing gum

* Popsicles

So, what was one of your greatest surprises?

God loves surprises too - How do I know God likes surprises? Just read the Bible! Can I say as you read about the life of Biblical heroes “Surprise – Surprise – Surprise!”

Let me share a couple stories:

How about Moses, tending sheep in the desert and surprise there is a burning bush – He investigate’s and see’s the bush not being consumed by the fire and then God talks from the bush – the bush calls his name - can I hear the word “Surprise!” He heard - “Hi, Moses God here – take off your shoes!” A talking bush is a crazy thing to experience as crazy as thinking an animal can talk – OH yeah – God talked through a donkey too! “Surprise” – so God using people like me is not a big deal right! “Surprise”

Thoughts by Mark Batterson from ALL IN: “The Element of Surprise - Moses lived on the back side of the desert staring at the backside of sheep for four decades. In case you care, that’s over twenty-one million minutes. His life was defined by monotony until he had an epiphany. On a day that started out like the 14,600 days before, Moses spotted a burning bush out of the corner of his eye. Then he heard a voice from out of the bush calling his name. The burning bush reveals the playful side of God’s personality. The heavenly Father loves surprising His earthly children! You better expect the unexpected because God is predictably unpredictable. But this one takes the cake, doesn’t it? A talking bush is about as absurd as a talking donkey. Oh, wait, God did that too! Batterson, Mark. All In (pp. 128-129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.