Life Disrupted - Finding Joy and Strength in God's Unexpected Plans

Introduction: The Concept of Life Disruption

interruptions are frustrating no matter how they manifest in our life.

it’s frustrating when you’re trying to explain some thing and you get interrupted by your spouse or your child. When you’re trying to tell the doctor what’s going on and he interrupts you with a premature diagnosis. When your friends pretend to be listening, but interrupt you with their conclusions of your life. Interruptions are frustrating.

Of course some conversations should be interrupted, like when your friend spends more than 30 seconds telling you about the latest Alabama game. Others shouldn’t, like when I’m describing the features of the latest iPhone. ;)

Have you ever faced a major life disruption? Have you had your plans interrupted forcing you to take a dramatically different path than you intended? We experienced this with the leukemia diagnosis several years ago we lived a very different life for three years than we had ever planned. Many of you have faced health struggles like this. Others of you have lost your loved ones surprisingly. It's powerful for us to remember that in the middle of the Christmas story there's a couple people whose lives were interrupted in a big way. There's a couple people for whom God's blessing meant major challenge.

Luke 1:26–28 ESV

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”

When we read this it sounds exciting it sounds like part of the Christmas story we all know and love. But we have to remember it was also a message to an unmarried teenage girl. She now have to explain this to her parents to the man she's engaged to and to everyone she knows and loves. I can't imagine a more disrupted life then what Mary had to experience.

So I want to start today and say this morning if you feel like you are living a life interrupted know that God can do extraordinary things in your life. If you feel like you are living a life interrupted know that God saved the world through a major interruption that looked like it was causing far more problems than good. If you are living with sickness with loss with any major changes to the plans you had for your life know this with God what may appear to be a life interruption may be the best thing that ever happened to you. With God what appears to be a problem can be the thing that changes your life around. With God what appears to be something you don't want could bring about the life changes that you've been asking God for all along. What appears to be the biggest problem in your life an insurmountable obstacle may be God providing a solution for millions of people for many people through your life.

So a life interrupted...

Untimely Timing: Trusting God in Unexpected Circumstances

Elizabeth's Story: Discuss Elizabeth's late pregnancy, highlighting God's perfect timing against human expectations.

Luke 1:5–7 ESV

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

They lived in a culture where having children was hugely important. and they were a couple that honored God and yet what they expected out of their lives did not happen. Living with unmet expectations is perhaps one of the most difficult things we do.

Living and trusting God over the long haul is one of the hardest and yet most clearly Biblical parts of our lives

The Israelites had to wait on God to get back to the promised land after Egypt.

The disciples of Jesus had to wait to see what God wanted to do through Jesus.

Then after Jesus went back to heaven they had to remain faithful over a lifetime.

Where is God calling you to be faithful and to wait on him?

And then we read in the story

Luke 1:11–13 ESV

11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

The Angel encounter zachariah and reminds them that God's timing is always perfect. Zechariah had prayed for children and God chose to finally answer his prayer. He answered his prayer in God's own perfect timing.

In our lives we will face situations that bring us to our knees prayers that go unanswered for years. It's powerful that we just got done talking about Abraham and Sarah waiting for God to keep his promises. And if you remember where we left them God still hasn't given them a son. God has just spent decades promising them children without giving an answer. Abraham, zachariah, Elizabeth, Sarah, and many others throughout history have had to wait on God. Don't be surprised when you or asked to wait too.

Isaiah 41:10 ESV

10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

I can imagine zachariah quoting this verse to Elizabeth to reassure her right now. I can imagine her reaction.

Ashley and I have a couple of friends in our community. A wonderful couple our age with children our age. To reiterate their children are right around 8 and 11. The wife is working a full time job and very happy with her career and life has been stable and good for them for several years. They just discovered that they are pregnant with another child. This was very much unexpected and despite planning and measures if you will. For them the news of this pregnancy brings anxiety and a major disruption to their lives. Ashley is consoling her friend as much as congratulating her.

As much as the promise of a child was Elizabeth meant God's blessing it also meant a major interruption of her life her plans. I would imagine she was quite happy by this point in her life content with where God had her. I would argue that a pregnancy at this point was very much not what she wanted or planned.

I think God gives us things that we really don't want sometimes.

God allowed our family diabetes and leukemia and we didn't want those things. God allowed my dad to be fired completely out of the blue and a traumatic experience I went through with them. Even years later no one has a real explanation for what happened or why. Some of you were able to have kids in your lives others of you weren't. Some of you have faced cancer some of you have had multiple people in your family face cancer I'm looking at you working Angela and many of the things that happen in our lives are often things that we don't want.

I was talking with Keith and Cindy in the hospital last Sunday and reflecting on how God works. I think we have to remember through whatever God leads us through the words of Isaiah on the screen.

And sure we get John the Baptist we get Jesus. Sure the Israelites got into the promised land after wandering for 40 years. Sure Paul and Elaine got Valerie who was there surprise child 10 years later and they are infinitely thankful for her. Sure both of our girls have survived and are surviving their health struggles.

But in the moment we need anchors for our soul….we need reminders of God’s promises.

Sometimes the best reminder of God’s provision in the middle of a hard time is friends and family coming around you.

Unexpected Encouragement: The Power of Community and God’s Word

Luke 1:39–45 ESV

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

The Meeting of Mary and Elizabeth: Reflect on the significance of their encounter and the mutual encouragement they provided.

Think how encouraging this would have been for both women! Both had their lives interrupted. Both had things happen to them that surprised them and that they didn’t know how things were going to work. They were perfectly suited to encourage each other.

But did you notice? They also challenged each other to trust in God.

Isaiah 40:29–31 ESV

29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Scriptural Support: Use Isaiah 40:29-31 to emphasize the strength and encouragement that comes from God and community.

Practical Advice: Encourage the congregation to be sources of support and encouragement for one another.

This season as we exchange gifts and spend time with loved ones let’s remember the value of encouraging each other. Let’s encourage each other not just with human strength, let’s point each other to God.

Make time for your friends and family.

Check in on others throughout this season.

Be an encouragement to point other to Jesus this season.

Unmatched Miracle: Recognizing God’s Work in Our Lives

Our lives can feel almost constantly interrupted but we always have the chance to offer encouragement to each other.

The Significance of the Births: Discuss the miraculous nature of both John the Baptist and Jesus Christ's births.

Both John and Jesus’ birth’s were miraculous and were part of God’s plan

John 1:24–26 ESV

24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know,

John 1:29 ESV

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

These births and John’s life pointed to the miracle of the Gospel.

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

The miracle of Christmas is that God worked through these interruptions to bring forgiveness of sins to the world.

All we have to do is to say yes to God!

Don’t forget the Dads

Today’s sermon is about Mary and Elizabeth and the miraculous pregnancies they carried. But we can forget the importance of dads. Zechariah was a righteous priest serving in the temple faithfully not knowing how God would interrupt His life with a miracle. God used his son to prepare the way for the Messiah. And Zechariah was faithful

Ephesians 5:1–2 ESV

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Of course we don’t see much at all about Joseph but we know he was obedient.

Conclusion: Embracing God’s Plan in Our Disruptions

Summary: Recap the key points of trusting God’s timing, finding encouragement, and recognizing miracles.

Invitation: Encourage the congregation to say "Yes" to God, especially in the midst of life's disruptions.

Closing Prayer: Offer a prayer for strength, faith, and joy in embracing God's plans.