WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.120 I listened to Rich uh Rick preach, but he said, No, you're gonna stay off that thing for two weeks. 00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:06.639 Do you understand that, preacher? 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:16.399 I said, Well, yes, I was supposed to, but uh anyway, and then I cheated a little bit Wednesday after my I meant what was it? 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:41.600 Wednesday, Tuesday was the uh surgery, and then Wednesday I went to therapy, and uh I figured if I could go to therapy I was okay, so let me and I did a little too much Wednesday and my knee went like that, so I decided I might better pay attention to what the doctor said about trying to stay off of it for a couple of weeks before I start back going. 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:42.960 You know what? 00:00:43.039 --> 00:00:44.079 Yeah, do that. 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:44.880 Thank you. 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:46.000 That's a good idea. 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:48.079 Yeah, that's a good idea. 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:49.679 Yeah, perfect. 00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:50.479 Look at there. 00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:53.520 All right, give give Darren a hand, amen. 00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:57.600 I want you to turn with me in your Bibles. 00:00:57.679 --> 00:01:00.079 I feel like I'm on a roller coaster here. 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:05.519 Uh turn with me in your Bibles to Luke chapter one. 00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:07.519 And boys, you know what? 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:13.760 I've I've had a ball, even though for the last two weeks and a half I've been in quarantine. 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:22.319 Uh one good thing about being a pastor, I love to read and study the scriptures, so I've had a lot, I've already gotten all three messages ready. 00:01:22.480 --> 00:01:28.079 So we're ready, and it's exciting because uh next week I'm gonna do a I'm gonna do a brand new. 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:30.959 Actually, this is kind of a new message. 00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:37.439 Uh I I did it one time about 20 years ago, and I found it. 00:01:37.599 --> 00:01:55.280 I had lost my Christmas file, but Susan, I found it in storage, and so I kind of went, started going back through some of my old Christmas messages that I had preached, and I found this one, and I said, wow, I have not preached that one in a while. 00:01:55.519 --> 00:02:01.760 But uh, so today we're gonna be looking at the fear nots of Christmas. 00:02:02.640 --> 00:02:12.159 And then next week we're gonna look at Christmas, brand new, hot off the press, through the eyes of Simeon. 00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:19.199 Simeon was in the temple, he and Anna, and it was really, guess what? 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:21.599 Baby dedication day. 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:27.520 All the people in the region, Jesus had been born for 40 days. 00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:36.159 Mary had gone through a purification, so they were all coming to the temple to dedicate their children to the Lord. 00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:38.879 How fitting for what? 00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:42.400 Baby dedication and not just baby dedication. 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:49.360 If you've got a child that's never been dedicated to the Lord and watching online, next Sunday bring them and let's dedicate them to the Lord. 00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:51.199 It's gonna be a sweet service. 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:56.000 Right now, it looks like we got anywhere from eight to ten people to be baptized next week. 00:02:56.159 --> 00:02:57.280 Can we give God a hand? 00:02:57.520 --> 00:02:58.159 Amen. 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:11.360 So it's gonna be a sweet service next week as we dedicate uh children to the Lord and watch uh young people and older people follow the Lord and believers' baptism. 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:13.120 So it's gonna be an exciting day. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:21.919 What a time of the year to be baptized or dedicate your uh children to the Lord or to even get saved. 00:03:22.080 --> 00:03:29.439 You know, uh I got saved in uh March, in spring, but I would have loved to have gotten saved around Christmas time. 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:33.520 Uh in fact, Christmas time is my birthday. 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:39.199 Uh should I say December the 15th, uh, I will be uh 67. 00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:40.800 And I know I don't look it. 00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:41.280 Amen. 00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:42.560 Thank you very much. 00:03:42.879 --> 00:03:46.319 Uh but I kind of feel it right now with my knee. 00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:50.479 Uh but that too shall pass. 00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:51.759 And I'll be back. 00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:56.080 I'll be back on the pickleball court pretty quick, whipping everybody. 00:03:56.240 --> 00:03:58.000 But uh till then. 00:03:58.560 --> 00:04:04.400 Today, though, I want you to know all of us fear something. 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:05.439 Amen. 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:07.759 We all have our fears. 00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:09.280 I don't like snakes. 00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:11.280 Anybody else will agree with me there? 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:12.080 Amen. 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:14.240 Don't come at me with a snake. 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:17.040 I promise you, I'll pull them a gun and shoot you. 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:26.720 Now, bears and animals like that, lions, I'd rather you come at me with one of those instead of a snake. 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:31.199 I don't like snakes, can't stand snakes, don't think about snakes, don't even want to be around. 00:04:31.439 --> 00:04:33.759 Everybody says they're good snakes, not to me. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:35.360 There's no good snake. 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:39.360 Now I know there are good snakes, rat snakes, king snakes, I know. 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:42.399 But just don't bring them around me, please. 00:04:42.720 --> 00:04:48.720 And don't pull a joke on me with a snake because I will not be held responsible of what I will do. 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:52.959 So I'm forewarn you, don't do that. 00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:56.639 But anyway, a lot of you are afraid of heights. 00:04:56.959 --> 00:04:58.720 Anybody afraid of heights? 00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:00.079 Several. 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:03.360 I'm really not afraid of the height. 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:20.160 In fact, when you get up in a on a large uh building or like in New York State building, and and I've been on a lot of uh buildings, been up in the rotation uh uh restaurants and all that, beautiful sights. 00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:22.319 So that doesn't scare me. 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:29.839 Even I used to ride every kind of ride there was at the fair that would drop you, you know, from a height. 00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:32.480 Oh, it was exhilarating. 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:35.120 That didn't really scare me. 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:38.800 But you know what really scares me about height? 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:46.160 It's not the fall and it's not the height, it's the landing that scares me. 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:49.040 What's gonna happen when I splash? 00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:52.160 You know, that's what really scares me. 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:55.199 But we all are afraid of something. 00:05:55.360 --> 00:05:55.920 Spiders. 00:05:56.079 --> 00:06:05.759 My daughter's extremely scared of spiders and diseases and financial setbacks, old age, gray hair, no hair. 00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:11.839 I mean, we all are afraid of things, disappointments, rejections. 00:06:13.040 --> 00:06:19.920 Abraham, even in the Old Testament, he was afraid of the king, so he lied about his sister. 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:23.519 Jacob displayed fear of Esau. 00:06:23.759 --> 00:06:25.839 Moses feared Pharaoh. 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:34.079 Moses feared rejection, and the disciples feared the storm. 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:36.240 Nothing has changed. 00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:42.959 We all still are afraid of everything or a lot of things, should I say. 00:06:43.199 --> 00:07:03.680 So today we're gonna be looking at some of the things, and I think these really three pictures of the fear knights give us an introduction to Mary and what she feared when the angel appeared to her and said, Mary, you're gonna conceive of a child. 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:08.959 And Mary, there for a minute, and we're gonna look at the word troubled. 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:13.680 She was, hey, she was frightful, she was afraid. 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:17.759 I mean, she she didn't understand. 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:24.879 In fact, the word there troubled is dia tarazzo, and it literally means to be disturbed greatly. 00:07:25.360 --> 00:07:28.959 She was puzzled, she was frightened, she was upset. 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:30.560 Why? 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:36.079 Because how would you feel if all of a sudden the angel, ladies, let me put you in your place? 00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:43.360 And some of you girls, if you, you know, and here's the staggering thing about this whole story. 00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:47.600 You know how old Mary was, probably when this happened? 00:07:47.839 --> 00:07:50.800 Anywhere between 14 and 16. 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:56.319 Do we have any 14 to 16-year-old young ladies in here today? 00:07:58.399 --> 00:07:59.040 One? 00:07:59.839 --> 00:08:00.160 Okay. 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:02.639 How about that? 00:08:02.959 --> 00:08:03.519 Two? 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:05.920 14 to 16. 00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:08.399 How many teenage girls do we have in here? 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:09.199 Raise your hand. 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:10.000 Several. 00:08:10.240 --> 00:08:10.879 Yes. 00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:17.759 Can you imagine for all you teenage girls, on an evening, now watch this. 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:19.680 An angel appears to you. 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:22.879 First of all, that's gonna frighten you to death. 00:08:23.120 --> 00:08:25.519 And I'm not talking about Casper. 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:37.360 But an angel appears to you and tells you, now wait, now here's the here's the whole thing. 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:39.759 First of all, you're engaged. 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:48.480 And all the parents are saying, they're too young to be engaged, a teenager. 00:08:49.200 --> 00:08:51.200 Well, it's a little different back then. 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:58.559 And not only that, back then, a lot of the times your parents would pick your husband, ladies. 00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:02.000 You go, uh-oh, am I in trouble? 00:09:02.240 --> 00:09:03.519 No, you're not in trouble. 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:05.679 Let me tell you why you're not in trouble. 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:16.960 Because if your daddy or your parents picked your husband, ladies, do you know most likely who they're gonna pick? 00:09:17.440 --> 00:09:19.759 Somebody just like your mother. 00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:23.360 You say, Well, I love my mother. 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:24.720 Absolutely. 00:09:24.960 --> 00:09:27.039 But we don't do that today. 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:30.080 And maybe that's we ought to go back to doing that. 00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:36.639 I was thinking about this as I was studying, because the divorce rate maybe would not be near as high. 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:40.720 But anyway, can you imagine a ghost appears to you? 00:09:40.879 --> 00:09:43.679 Your dreams are about ready to be fulfilled. 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:45.440 You're excited. 00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:51.440 I mean, you've met hopefully the man in your dreams, Joseph. 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:58.720 You're excited about getting married, you're gonna have a family, and you're gonna live happily ever after. 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:07.039 And by the way, there is a happy ever-after ending if it's done the storybook way. 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:09.840 And the storybook way is the B-I-B-L-E. 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:11.279 Can I get an amen? 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:13.840 So, can you imagine that? 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:17.120 Can you imagine, ladies, teenagers? 00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:21.919 And then on top of that, they're gonna tell you you're gonna have a baby. 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:23.279 Time out. 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:40.559 I'm a virgin, I've never had sex with any man, I've not even had sex with my engaged husband, which is a great admiration. 00:10:41.039 --> 00:10:52.399 Ladies, teenagers, you should preserve yourself and your whole body and your purity to the man that God sends you, in the same way with the men. 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:54.799 Can I get an amen from the parents? 00:10:57.200 --> 00:10:58.480 It's special. 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:03.440 But here, all of a sudden, you're praying, you've got to have a baby. 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:05.840 Now, first of all, you're you're troubled. 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:07.440 You don't know what's going on. 00:11:07.600 --> 00:11:11.840 First of all, why you've you've seen this supposedly an angel. 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:16.639 You know, you don't know what an angel is, you've never seen an angel, so you really don't know that's an angel. 00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:21.360 And then they speak to you directly and say, You're gonna have a baby. 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:24.799 And there you are saying, This is impossible. 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:32.240 If you watched my little devotional yesterday for Word for the Week, that's what I dealt with. 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:33.679 The impossible. 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:45.279 And not only do we see the impossible about Mary, even her friend Elizabeth in in her 80s, she's gonna have a baby. 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:49.919 Impossible! Which happened to be the baby of John the Baptist. 00:11:53.840 --> 00:11:56.960 And now, here you are. 00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:00.080 Sixteen years old. 00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:02.320 You're gonna have a baby. 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:11.200 You're terrified, you're not married, even though engagement back then was like you were really as if you were already married. 00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:14.799 Engagement meant something back then. 00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:22.320 And all of a sudden, now they say it's gonna be the son of God. 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:24.720 I would have fainted. 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:28.799 That would have carried it overboard. 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:42.720 I'm 16 years old, I'm excited about getting married, but now I'm gonna get pregnant before I get married, and it's gonna be the son of God, and now I don't even know who the father's gonna be, and then they say, Oh, yes, you do, it's gonna be the Holy Ghost. 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:43.600 What? 00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:47.840 Go tell that to your parents. 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:54.639 Hey, mom, sit down. 00:12:56.960 --> 00:12:59.679 You're not gonna believe what I'm about to tell you. 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:02.320 Guess what? 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:07.200 An angel came to me last night and said that I'm gonna have a son. 00:13:08.720 --> 00:13:11.279 And the son's gonna be the son of God. 00:13:13.440 --> 00:13:18.320 And the father of that baby is gonna be the Holy Ghost. 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:20.320 And you know what mom's gonna do? 00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:22.000 She's gonna faint. 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:29.519 But that's the context of the story right here. 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:31.759 Can you imagine that? 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:50.320 Now, with that said, it brought me to a situation that the Scottish preacher John McNeil, I found this illustration. 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:57.840 So during his childhood, he was walking a long distance home every evening and he had to go through a deep ravine. 00:13:57.919 --> 00:14:09.039 And in that ravine, supposedly, supposedly, there were all kind of wild animals and all kind of robbers and thieves that would rob people during this time. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:24.799 And sure enough, one night he was coming from work later than normal, and he started hearing all these noises, and sure enough, he heard this shriek of a sail that called out. 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:42.720 And he called out and he said, John! But it was such a shriek he couldn't, and so far away he couldn't understand it, so he even got scared her and he started trembling and he started thinking, Oh my goodness, it's a robber, I'm gonna be robbed, I could be killed. 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:48.320 And then all of a sudden he heard the name called again. 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:50.879 Except this time it was with full clarity. 00:14:51.200 --> 00:14:53.279 John, is that you? 00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:57.919 And he recognized the voice. 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:01.919 It was his daddy. 00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:06.559 And his daddy came and his daddy met him. 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:14.159 And he grabbed his hand and he said, I knew you'd be terrified tonight. 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:15.440 It was late. 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:20.559 So I wanted to come and meet you and walk with you home. 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:25.360 I thought to myself, oh my goodness. 00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:29.039 Isn't that what Jesus does for us? 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:36.559 When we're frightened to death, when we don't know what to do, when we don't know where to go, we don't know who to turn to. 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:44.879 And he just reaches out and he grabs our hand and he says, follow me. 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:53.519 If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:55.360 And he grabs us by hand. 00:15:56.399 --> 00:16:20.320 And so basically, in these three situations this morning, I want us to look at a word from the Father because in verse 37, where we see that nothing's impossible with God, and then verse 38, we see Mary's response after the angel has told Mary what's gonna happen. 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:23.519 Then he he blatantly says, Fear not. 00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:42.480 And then after Mary realizes the peace of God and that this is of God, she makes a profound statement in verse 38, where she says, and look at what it what she said in verse 38. 00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:44.159 It is so powerful. 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:54.480 And she said, and Mary said, Behold the handmaid, that means servant, that means submission to the Lord. 00:16:55.279 --> 00:17:00.320 Be it unto me according to thy word, and the angel departed from her. 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:02.159 Wow. 00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:15.200 What we need today in the midst of our fears is a word from God that says, Fear not. 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:21.920 For God's not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:25.759 Second Timothy 1:7. 00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:30.720 And here we pick up the story. 00:17:31.119 --> 00:17:33.200 And what a beautiful story. 00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:45.599 And in the sixth month, verse 26, the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin, espoused to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David. 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:54.000 And the virgin, virgin's name was Mary, and the angel came unto her and said, Hail thou that are highly favored. 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:57.200 Now, if you underline some words in your Bible, I do. 00:17:57.359 --> 00:18:01.440 I want you to underline the word highly favored. 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:03.680 This morning, listen to me. 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:07.440 This ought to get, this ought to make a Presbyterian shout. 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:13.279 If you are saved this morning, you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior this morning. 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:17.200 Ladies and gentlemen, listening online, and there's a bunch of you. 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:19.839 Listen, you are highly favored. 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:22.400 Say this with me, church. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:24.720 I am highly favored. 00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:26.640 Say it better. 00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:29.119 You can say it with more passion than that. 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:31.039 I am highly favored. 00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:38.079 And then notice what he says: the Lord is with thee. 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:43.519 And then underline the next word: blessed art thou among women. 00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:46.720 Underline the word blessed. 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:49.119 Say this with me, church. 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:51.359 I am blessed. 00:18:53.599 --> 00:19:06.799 During the month of December, more suicide attempts, more suicides, more unfortunate, unbelievable things happen, and people are more depressed during December than any other month. 00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:08.240 Why is that? 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:13.599 Because they don't understand that they are highly favored and that they are blessed. 00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:22.000 The Bible says in Psalms 115 that God is mindful of us to bless us. 00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:23.759 Can I get an amen? 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:28.799 So don't let Satan win. 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:31.920 Don't let him defeat you. 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:40.960 And when she saw him, she was troubled at this saying and cast in her mind what manner of salutation. 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:50.799 In other words, what in the world's going on? 00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:54.559 And the angel said unto her, here it is. 00:19:54.799 --> 00:19:55.599 Underline it. 00:19:55.759 --> 00:19:59.680 Fear not, for thou hast found favor with God. 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:01.359 Say this with me, church. 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:04.480 Underline the word, two words, found favor. 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:06.640 Say this. 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:09.039 I have say, I have found favor. 00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:12.240 Now say this. 00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:14.400 I have found favor with God. 00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:20.799 And when you find favor with God, hey, you are blessed. 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:23.759 Amen, church. 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:40.799 And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus on the line, the word Jesus, neither is there salvation in any other, for there's none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus. 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:47.839 And he shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest. 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:59.759 In other words, he's God, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom there shall be no end. 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:03.279 And then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be? 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:04.559 I know not a man. 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:11.440 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the high shall overshadow thee. 00:21:11.599 --> 00:21:17.599 Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:23.119 I am my father of one, Jesus says in John 10, 30. 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:30.640 And behold, the cousin Elizabeth was bearing a child too, doing the impossible, who was John the Baptist. 00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:34.000 And then Mary said, Behold, your servant. 00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:40.400 Wow. 00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:42.160 Wow. 00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:44.160 Three times. 00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:48.079 The angels speak the word of fear not. 00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:53.680 So this morning I want us to look at each of those fear not. 00:21:55.200 --> 00:21:59.759 And let's see the message of these angels. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:04.160 So that we can learn our for ourselves what it means to fear not. 00:22:04.319 --> 00:22:08.319 Number one, from what I want you to put down in your outline. 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:12.319 And boy, what a beautiful. 00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:13.680 First of all, introduction. 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:20.559 Mary was troubled, greatly disturbed, upset, frightened. 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:28.000 But notice after she understands that it's a word from God. 00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:30.079 Now that's important. 00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:34.000 You know, that's what gets me so excited as a pastor. 00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:37.680 We have a word from God in every situation. 00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:40.960 We really do, folks. 00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:43.839 That's why I encourage you to stay in the word. 00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:47.359 Have that daily time in the word and in prayer. 00:22:47.680 --> 00:22:49.279 Because God will give you word. 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:51.279 That's why you come to church. 00:22:51.759 --> 00:23:00.240 Again, God's going to give you a word every time you come into this building through a teacher of the word or a preacher of the word. 00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:08.720 Or it could be one of your friends in the Lord that's been studying the word and God's given them a word and they share word with you and it speaks to you. 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:11.759 That's why you fellowship with other Christians. 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:19.920 I want to be around the people that I know spinning the word so that they can give me the right wisdom, the right counsel, the right direction. 00:23:22.559 --> 00:23:26.000 I don't need the worldly direction and the worldly wisdom. 00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:28.240 We get enough of that 24-7. 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:32.079 I need God's word, God's wisdom. 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:33.279 God gives wisdom. 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:36.400 Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:39.279 Proverbs 2, 6. 00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:44.720 But notice the first thing: the providence of God. 00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:55.039 The word providence there means the care, the guard, the guardianship, and control, it means controlled. 00:23:55.359 --> 00:23:56.160 Here it is. 00:23:56.319 --> 00:23:57.119 Write it down. 00:23:57.279 --> 00:23:59.039 It means controlled. 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:06.079 Hey, control exercised by the deity of God. 00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:12.799 In other words, God exercises his control for our lives. 00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:14.240 Is that not good? 00:24:14.960 --> 00:24:18.319 And that's exactly what we see here with Mary. 00:24:18.559 --> 00:24:20.240 It's divine direction. 00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:27.599 In other words, it's the overruling watch care and involvement of God in our lives. 00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:29.039 That gets me excited. 00:24:29.359 --> 00:24:30.720 God cares for me. 00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:32.240 I am highly favored. 00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:33.599 I am blessed. 00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:38.240 And He cares about what He wants me to do for Him. 00:24:39.920 --> 00:24:47.599 So this Christmas, it's not about all these gifts and this beautiful tree, which Rosemary and all that are involved just. 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:51.759 You do such a magnificent job. 00:24:51.920 --> 00:25:02.400 And by the way, on Christmas Eve, and all day Christmas, we're going to record Susan and I doing the Christmas tree story. 00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:10.079 So you will be able to watch that on Christmas Eve and Christmas and get your friends and relatives. 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:10.720 Who knows? 00:25:10.799 --> 00:25:15.119 On Christmas Day, you could say, hey, I want you to watch this. 00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:26.559 Our pastor and his wife are going to read the Christmas story and tell the Christmas tree story and how the Christmas tree presents the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:28.720 It's going to be a sweet time. 00:25:28.960 --> 00:25:29.920 It really is. 00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:36.400 But with that said, we see the calmness of Mary's life in verses 26 through 27. 00:25:37.039 --> 00:25:38.079 She's calm. 00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:41.039 Even though she's frightened to death, she's troubled. 00:25:41.119 --> 00:25:42.240 She's calm. 00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:50.400 And again, what we see about Mary's calmness is that she was a devout Christian. 00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:55.519 She was a devout follower of the Lord. 00:25:56.559 --> 00:25:58.480 You know what I've learned? 00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:02.319 I've been in ministry 40 plus years now. 00:26:02.640 --> 00:26:06.000 I've been in every kind of situation, circumstances you can see. 00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:09.200 And by the way, we still need to be lifting Steve up. 00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:17.119 Please keep him in deep prayer because he's in a situation that just needs a divine intervention. 00:26:17.279 --> 00:26:18.559 Can I get an amen? 00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:20.000 He really does. 00:26:20.160 --> 00:26:21.200 Steve McCloda. 00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:22.720 Keep him in your prayer. 00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:24.319 Keep him in your prayer. 00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:28.799 But you know, I was thinking all these circumstances. 00:26:28.880 --> 00:26:32.400 I've been in circumstances with lost people and saved people. 00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:36.960 And let me tell you, church, it's a difference between night and day. 00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:42.640 How they handle those circumstances. 00:26:44.559 --> 00:26:47.680 Mary didn't get upset, she didn't lose control. 00:26:48.079 --> 00:26:50.000 She, now was she fearful? 00:26:50.240 --> 00:26:51.440 Absolutely. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:54.400 But she knew God was in control. 00:26:54.559 --> 00:26:58.240 That's why she was able to say, At thy word, I will do what thy say. 00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:01.039 So she was calm. 00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:03.200 Notice the second thing. 00:27:05.279 --> 00:27:08.240 There was a challenge to Mary's life. 00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:19.759 In verses 28 through 37, when Gabriel makes his announcement to Mary, her life is immediately turned upside down. 00:27:20.799 --> 00:27:22.160 Immediately. 00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:29.599 Have you ever been going in one direction and then all of a sudden circumstances come into your life? 00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:38.000 Things come into your life, circumstances come into your life, and all of a sudden your life is turned upside down. 00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:40.400 Ever been there? 00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:44.160 Only four or five of us? 00:27:44.480 --> 00:27:45.839 Oh my goodness. 00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:50.000 I'm telling you. 00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:52.319 Oh, mercy me. 00:27:53.119 --> 00:27:53.839 You're excited. 00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:56.160 You're about ready to go in one direction. 00:27:56.319 --> 00:27:58.000 You get a phone call? 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:05.039 Someone has died close to you? 00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:07.119 Someone's been in an accident. 00:28:09.279 --> 00:28:15.039 Something major has happened, and now your life is turned upside down. 00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:23.519 So there was a challenge. 00:28:23.839 --> 00:28:29.200 When our lives do not go as we have planned, it's easy to fear the unknown, is it not? 00:28:30.160 --> 00:28:32.799 But we see here Mary didn't do that. 00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:44.160 Often God, by the way, will allow things to happen in our lives in mind that they are hard to bear and hard to understand, just like Mary, she didn't understand it. 00:28:44.319 --> 00:28:46.079 She didn't know how it was going to happen. 00:28:46.240 --> 00:28:56.400 Yet the Lord sends, hey, to us and to Mary, things and comfort so that we might grow in the likeness of Christ. 00:28:56.640 --> 00:28:58.079 You know what I've learned? 00:28:58.400 --> 00:29:04.799 When those circumstances that turn our life upside down, there's three things. 00:29:04.960 --> 00:29:06.880 Now this will be worth you writing down. 00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:16.000 There's three things in 40 plus years of ministry, God has taught me when I get in a situation and my life is turned upside down. 00:29:16.240 --> 00:29:24.559 It could be a you walk in and all of a sudden they lay off, they lay you off and other people in your job situation. 00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:33.920 Next thing you know, you've had a good income coming in, you've had a good retirement, and all of a sudden overnight, bam, your life is turned upside down. 00:29:37.200 --> 00:29:37.839 Hello? 00:29:43.279 --> 00:29:48.240 I know I don't think Benji and Sarah would mind me using this illustration. 00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:54.319 Benji and Sarah had gotten married. 00:29:55.200 --> 00:29:58.559 They got married a lot quicker than they had planned. 00:29:58.880 --> 00:30:04.079 Because David and I told them better to marry than to burn. 00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:08.400 Y'all didn't get that joke, but that's okay. 00:30:10.079 --> 00:30:15.279 But anyway, they got married and then that sweet little baby girl came along. 00:30:15.599 --> 00:30:17.279 We were all excited. 00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:23.039 Planning for a great, you know, baby's birth. 00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:30.799 And then, sure enough, the baby was born early, born with major complications. 00:30:31.039 --> 00:30:33.119 Didn't think she was gonna live. 00:30:33.440 --> 00:30:37.680 Stayed at the hospital all these days. 00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:43.119 But you know one thing we we believed in? 00:30:43.839 --> 00:30:46.400 That God was gonna come through. 00:30:46.640 --> 00:30:50.720 That God was gonna heal that little baby. 00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:54.319 We never doubt it. 00:30:57.359 --> 00:30:59.440 Now look at that little baby. 00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:01.359 You never know. 00:31:02.319 --> 00:31:03.759 She almost died. 00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:08.559 You never know anything that was wrong with her. 00:31:09.599 --> 00:31:14.559 But their life was turned upside down that night that she was born. 00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:18.799 Our life was turned upside down. 00:31:20.960 --> 00:31:27.359 Mine and Susan's life was turned upside down when our little boy was born dead. 00:31:30.480 --> 00:31:32.960 But we were able to stay calm. 00:31:34.319 --> 00:31:34.960 Why? 00:31:35.680 --> 00:31:43.279 We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. 00:31:43.599 --> 00:31:44.240 We know. 00:31:45.039 --> 00:31:57.440 Even though we don't understand, either know we're upset, either no we're troubled, even though all these feelings of uncertainty and annulled are just rushing you. 00:31:58.000 --> 00:32:02.160 When you lose that job, they're rushing you, and you don't know what am I going to do. 00:32:02.559 --> 00:32:10.559 Satan is trying to get you in every which way he can to say, just get frightened and disturbed and lose hope and lose faith. 00:32:14.160 --> 00:32:15.920 It's a challenge. 00:32:18.079 --> 00:32:19.599 It's a challenge. 00:32:19.920 --> 00:32:21.279 But three things. 00:32:21.440 --> 00:32:26.480