Making Plans for Christmas

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Making Plans for Christmas

• December 21

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Think about it

• When have you experienced a surprising change of
  plans?
• Most of you have probably made plans for your
  Christmas celebrations
• Having your plans changed can be a challenge
• Today we look at how Gods Christmas plan changes
  peoples lives
•  

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Listen for Josephs change of plan.

• Matthew 118-19 (NIV) 18 This is how the birth
  of Jesus Christ came about His mother Mary was
  pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they
  came together, she was found to be with child
  through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her
  husband was a righteous man and did not want to
  expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to
  divorce her quietly.

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Adjust to Gods Plan

• What plans did Mary and Joseph have in place that
  they had to be willing to adjust to conform to
  Gods plan.
• How would their willingness to change become a
  test of their trust and obedience?
• Marys pregnancy was explained by, she was found
  to be with child through the Holy Spirit. In
  what ways might this explanation intensify the
  crisis of trust and obedience rather than
  eliminate it?

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Adjust to Gods Plan

• How do you think a typical church might have
  handled Marys pre-marriage pregnancy?
• What are some different ways Mary could have
  responded in this situation?
• What options did Joseph have for dealing with
  this situation with Mary?

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Adjust to Gods Plan

• How did Josephs being a just/righteous man
  affect his decision?
• Why do you think God chose this sequence of
  events surrounding the birth of the Messiah? Why
  not wait until Mary and Joseph were married
  much less embarrassing?

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Listen for new plans.

• Matthew 120-23 (NIV) 20 But after he had
  considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to
  him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do
  not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,
  because what is conceived in her is from the Holy
  Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you
  are to give him the name

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Listen for new plans.

• Jesus, because he will save his people from their
  sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what
  the Lord had said through the prophet 23 "The
  virgin will be with child and will give birth to
  a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which
  means, "God with us."

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Benefits of Gods Plan

• As a bit of an aside, note how the angel
  addressed Joseph as son of David. This was not
  the name of Josephs father. So, how was
  Josephs ancestry significant?
• Why did Joseph change his plans to divorce Mary?
  
• How does God help us overcome our fears to follow
  His directions, especially in a change of plans?
• Joseph was obedient to God in a very stressful
  situation. What kinds of direction would God
  have for us in stressful situations?

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Listen for obedience demonstrated.

• Matthew 124-25 (NIV) 24 When Joseph woke up, he
  did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him
  and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he had no
  union with her until she gave birth to a son. And
  he gave him the name Jesus.

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Obey Gods Plan

• How did Joseph respond to his dream?
• What do these verses teach us about Joseph?
• Consider there were some things Joseph did not
  know of the future.
• The difficulty of traveling to Bethlehem with a
  pregnant wife.
• The threat to the babys life by King Herod
• A forced and extended trip of escape to Egypt
• How much people would whisper about and mistreat
  Mary and Jesus in the future

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Obey Gods Plan

• How should Gods Christmas plan influence your
  plans all year long?
• What will be the fruits or results of courageous
  obedience to God?
• How can we help one another identify and obey
  Gods directions?

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Application

• Accept Gods plan
• If you have never set aside your own plans to
  accept Gods plan, do so today.
• Its not too late for God to change your life
• Receive the true Christmas gift of eternal life

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Application

• Follow Gods plan
• Maybe lifes circumstances have changed some
  plans at this stage of your life.
• Be willing to pray what Jesus prayed, Not my
  will, but Thine be done.
• Trust in Gods direction and Gods love for you

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Application

• Support Gods plan
• You might know someone whose Christmas
  celebration will be totally different from what
  was expected.
• Contact that family this week
• Offer your encouragement, support, and presence

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Making Plans for Christmas

• December 21