Fearless Sermon (2)

Welcome

Luke 1:26–38 (NLT)

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail.”

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

Fear Holding new born Babies

I have a fear of holding other peoples babies and i just think to myself do not drop the baby.

But this Fear is disappeared when i had my own, i didnt have a fear of holding them, and i think its because they were my own, and i knew that they were safe and secure in my hands.

I want to let you know today that you are you are in you Heavenly Fathers Hands and you are a CHILD of God. You dont have to fear that god will drop you, hold you too tightly or treatly wrong. NO Because you are a CHILD OF GOD.

FEAR NOT because in HIS hANDs there is provision

FEAR NOT because in HIS HANDS there is saftey

FEAR NOT because in HIS HANDS security

FEAR NOT because in HIS HANDS there is purpose

FEAR NOT becuase in HIS HANDS there is power

FEAR NOT because in HIS HANDS there is love

Even in this uncertain times when we dont know what is happening, when there is a cost of living crisis, where there are wars, where there are strange things happening that we have not seen before. I want to encourage you today to FEAR NOT.

The idea is great but reality is different story

Scooting with Josh and Naomi The idea is great but the reality is a different story

Idea of being an entrepre is great but the reality is a different story

Weightloss until xmas day comes The idea is great but the reality is a different GET PEOPLE TO REPEAT THE WORD STORY

Idea of marriage is great but the reality is a ...

The idea of FEAR NOT is great, but the reality is different story

I believe the story that we have parachuted into this morning illustrates this truth.

Dont be Afraid

The angel greets mary favoured woman, the LORD IS WITH YOU Mary is confused and bemused by what Angel has just said. Then the Angel says these very interesting words to Mary ‘ DONT BE AFRAID. FEAR NOT

But it is easy for the Angel to say this dont be afraid. Because..

It wasnt the angel that just had this divine being show up out of no where.

He had time to process the infomration on his uber ride from heaven to earth

THE STORY DIDNT AFFECT HIM.

Isnt funny people are quick to say brave stuff, when it dont effect them.

Like i love snow, of course you love snow, because your 5 foot nothing but im 6’3 17 plus stone and if slip and drop on this ice it, i dont fall like a graceful ballerina or a deck of cards NO, i fall hard and probably break a bone, which i why i STAYED in my house when is snowed.

Because it was Angel but MARY, who this was all going to impact

Mary’s life that would never be the same again

Mary’s social location that was under threat. There were two places women were safe in that society, there Fathers Household, or their Husband household and she would now be thrown from both.

Mary who would experience who could left vulnerable because she lived in a shame and honour culture that would have condon disowning her because she brought shame on the house.

Mary who may have to seperate from the man she loved.

It is easy to say dont be afraid, because the Idea of Fear not is great but the reality is a different story.

No Judgement

The angel says don’t be afraid. Angel doesnt say..

whats wrong with you, why are you afraid

cyou been in church a long time, walking with Jesus and doing this whole christian thing for while and now your telling your afraid COME MARY YOUR BETTER THAN THIS.

the mere fact that your afraid is a sign that your weak and you dont have any faith

No the Angel says Don’t be Afraid,

HE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT SHE IS AFRAID AND IS ENCOURAGING HER TO NOT BE.

Fear vs Faith

When i hear people talk about fear in a church context it is very binary. Its either FEAR OR FAITH!!

Fear and faith cant live in the same house

fear and faith cant drive in the same car

fear and faith cant eat at the same table

BUT this verse tells me something different..

GOD MAKES SPACE FOR OUR FEAR.

there is no judgement or value on the statement that the Angel makes

I want to encourage you today and let you know that your FEAR is not a sign of your LACK FAITH, but an Indicator that you are HUMAN.

God told Joseph dont be afraid

God told the Shepherds dont be afraid

God told Zeceriah Dont be Afraid

WHY BECAUSE FEAR IS A NATURE HUMAN EMOTION.

Mary has legimate reasons to be afraid, her life will never be the same again.

We have legimate reasons to be afraid

Covid

loss

tradgey

God makes space for your fear, He acknowlegdes your Fear. its okay that your ...

afraid

Worried

concerned

Because these are not signs of a lack of faith, but a sing that your human being. Do not deny yourself of the feelings and emotions.

To be Fearless doesnt mean the absence of fear but the absolute control of FEAR.

Me and Leanne used to lead a youth group called FEARLESS, and as I have grown in life i come to understand what being Fearless means.

To be Fearless doesnt mean the absence of fear but the absolute control of FEAR.

My Problem with this story.

I want to share my problem with this story, becasue Mary has heard everything that from the Angel and she has already workouted all of implications of it what it meant, and still Mary responded by saying I AM YOUR SERVANT.

My question is what made Mary despite her life never being the same again, despite the fact that she was afraid, What mad e her say yes.

The answer to the questions is found all the way back in

Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), Lk 1:28.

This is what the christmas story is about, that no matter what you are in, where you are, what your going through God is with you.

whether you believe it or not God is with you

Whether you feel it or not God is with you.

The Proclamation of God being with you is a demonstration of his Love and Power.

The Lord is with you

But he assumed the flesh and shape of man and became one of us to remain with us Emmanuel the permenant friend of all the faithfull, he depicted the inexhaustable goodness of power and the deep mystery of his love.

The incarnation is a demonstration of Gods love and God’s

In the person of Jesus christ we have LOVE & we POWER.

Split the room, We have LOVE AND WE HAVE POWER

ROOM SPILT

If i have love, you feel valued, you feel respected, you feel like you are worth something.

If i get into a fight, i dont just need Love i need some POWER.

Power has the ability to fight for you, Power has the ability to pull you through.

God’s love is something that keeps you, and God’s power is something that brings you through.

So when we say God is with you, we understand that its God Love that keeps us and God’s power that brings us through.

Mary understood that She had God’s love beside her and God’s power that will bring her.

AND THATS WHY SHE IS CAN BE FEARLESS. Because the outcome of the situation she is in is not based upon her, but on Gods’ Love keeping her and Gods power bringing her through.

I am here to encourage you this morning to let you know you are not alone, because God is with you, God’s love is running after you and God’s power to bring you through this dark and fearful time.

Challenge to Christian

Mary responds to all this with a Yes i will do what you ask of me, and for some of you in here is time for you to say YES. You thought the presence of fear was sign of your lack faith, and this has stopped you from saying Yes to what you knwo God has been speaking to you about, but it aint. And if God has asked you then he will be with you- which means his love and his power.

Challenge to those on journey to Christ

You may be sitting their saying, i want God to be with me. I want to live in God’s love and have God’s power in my live. Jesus made this all possible when came to earth, to took on the wrong and error of humanity which seperated them from God. Jesus became the bridge between humanity and God. You can walk back into relationship with Jesus today. This happens by turning your back on your own life, own way of living, you being in control and Walking to Jesus. By pledging your loyal, alligence and life to Jesus.