Spirit of Obedience

December 21st, 2025

Series: The Spirit of Christmas

Sermon Title: The Spirit of Obedience

Topic: The work that God does in us to prepare us for His blessings.

Key Passages: Luke 1:57-2:21

Topic: Christmas, Jesus, Obedience

Sermon Blurb: In today’s message, we will see how God uses seasons of preparation and waiting to make us ready for His blessings.

***1st week ODD months add communion & target message at 15 pages.

***1st week EVEN months add space for dedication, baptism, or ministry highlight & target message at 15 pages.

***Green in sermons means illustration, something we are looking for a response from, and/or a picture that goes on the screens.

***Yellow means what is yellow will be on the screens and in the handout.

Sermon:

Good morning and welcome to Family Church… whether you are here in person or watching online! We are so glad you are here!

Family Moment –

Start with something personal from your life recently to help people get to know you.

Celebrate salvations / rededications / disciple making / baptisms last week.

Who is SO EXCITED that Christmas is just a few days away!!!

Aren’t you excited!?!?

Who has all of your Christmas gifts completely purchased?? (show of hands)

Who will be wrapping things up on the 24th??? (show of hands)

I will be honest with you all…

        I look forward to this service all year long!

        This is one of my favorite services every year!

        I love that we sing those classic Christmas songs!

        I love that we end this service with the traditional candle lighting!

        I love that every year we give you a gift as you exit!

        I love it!!!!

        I love Christmas time!!!!

And parents…

        I know all your kids are with you today.

        We do these full family services now and again because we want your kids to worship alongside you!

        And do NOT worry if your kids make noise, talk, or need to get up and go to the bathroom!

        They will not disturb me or anyone around you.

        We are a church that LOVES the next generation, and we are happy they are all here worshiping with you!

And one last thing that will make some of you super happy this year.

        In years past, we have always done our next weekend service online only.

        But we sought feedback from you all and realized that you guys don’t love that we do that…

        Starting this year, we will also be holding services next weekend!

PAUSE

Today we are going to learn a powerful lesson on how obedience to God can lead to blessings in our lives...

Today, our message is titled “The Spirit of Obedience.”

PAUSE

Let’s start with a question to consider...

Have you ever had to obey something that didn’t make sense to you at first…

But later, you realized that it was exactly what you needed?

Anyone?

Kids, you might think, “Yes, Pastor... every day with my parents! None of their rules makes any sense to me!”

Kids… listen, one day you will realize that their rules were exactly what you needed!

And the same is true for all of us in our relationship with God!

Maybe it was in a relationship.

Where it imploded, and in that moment, it hurt so bad.

But later, you realized it was for the best.

Maybe it was with your career.

The big break didn’t happen…and you were mad.

But later, you actually became glad it didn’t.

PAUSE

Sometimes life does not make sense…

Sometimes obedience doesn’t make sense.

And the Christmas story is no exception.

See, without the obedience of Elizabeth and Zechariah.

Mary and Joseph.

The shepherds.

We would not see the unfolding of God’s salvation story!

Their obedience models how we, too, can walk faithfully to God and experience His blessings in our lives today!  

If you have your Bibles with you today, and I always hope you do, open them to

Luke 1

New Person Bible Connection:

If you do not have a Bible, that is ok!

After service, we will give you an AMAZING leather-bound study Bible!

Just go to ADD YOUR CAMPUS PLACE and get one for FREE!!!              

Or you can always download the Family Church app and follow along on your phone as well.

Just download the app and click sermon notes on the main page.

PAUSE

Where we pick up in the Christmas story is at the scene of the first of two births.

The birth of John the Baptist.

Remember, Elizabeth was pregnant (in her old age), and last week she was visited by her cousin, Mary, who was also pregnant in her young age.

And here in verse 57, it’s time for Elizabeth to give birth...

Read along with me...

Luke 1:57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.

58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,

60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.

63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”

64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.

65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.

66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

“When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.

Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

And that brings us to the first point in our study today, and that is this...

You can write this down...

In order to experience God’s blessings, we must be obedient to God’s Word.

(repeat)

We see that point so clearly in what we just read.

Elizabeth FINALLY has her son...

She had waited DECADES for the answer to so many prayers...

So many years of pain.

Heartache.

Shame as a result of her barrenness.

And now the day is finally here, and her son is born!

He made it!

And maybe more incredibly, she made it, through child birth in her old age.

And all of their friends and family were there to share in her joy!

What a day of celebration!

PAUSE

But then, let's look back at verse 59 with me...

The time had come to name the child, and everyone there assumed he would be named after his father, Zechariah...

But then we see Elizabeth say, “No! His name is to be John.”

Now, that would have SHOCKED all of the friends and family who were there...

Why?

Because at that time and in that culture, it was customary, it was tradition to name the son after the father.

And not only was John obviously not Zechariah...

But John wasn’t a family name either.

No relatives had that name.

PAUSE

So, everyone there was thinking...

What about custom?

What about tradition?

What about expectation?

The name “John” didn’t make sense to the family and friends who were there.

BUT church, the name John was in obedience to the Word of God!

Do you remember what the angel (Gabriel) said to Zechariah back up in verse 13.from the prior weeks?

The Angel said God told them to name him John.

That was a direct command from God, conveyed through His messenger, Gabriel.

PAUSE

Elizabeth decided to obey God’s command.

And Zechariah confirmed it by writing, “His name is John.”

Despite the pressure of family and friends.

And tradition.

Tradition, custom, and expectation from the culture around us can be a powerful force, can I get an amen…

All of us face this tension when tradition and God clash…

Will we obey God or follow tradition?

What will you do if you feel God is calling you to…

Leave the church your parents raised you in…and still go to!

When God calls you to send the kids to a different school, or homeschool…

What if God calls you to move away from family... 

What will you do when God’s Word and family or church tradition clash?

Let me encourage you.

Be like Zechariah and Elizabeth.

Obey God! 

PAUSE

Now, look at what happens as a result of their obedience... 

Verse 64,

 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.

65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.

66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

This is so amazing... as a result of their obedience to God, Zechariah gets his voice back!

Remember, for the prior 9 months of his wife’s pregnancy, he was MUTE because he did not believe God’s promise of a son.

But immediately, when he obeys God’s command to name him John.

God sets his tongue free, and he begins to speak and praise God!

And listen Family Church…

That happens to all who obey God’s Word...

When we obey God…

We see God being faithful to His promises!

PAUSE

And speaking about being faithful to promises…

Let’s move on to another couple, to another birth story, and yet another wrestle with the plans of God...

Flip forwards a page to Luke 2:1, which says,

Luke 2: 1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.

2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)

3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.

5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.

She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Stop reading there for now.

This brings us to the second point in our study today, you can write this down...

In order to find ourselves in the center of God’s will, we must be obedient to God’s plan.

(repeat)

Mary and Joseph gave birth to Jesus.

And no doubt, they were processing everything that had happened leading up to the birth of Jesus...

However, the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census be taken of the entire Roman world.

No doubt, this census was ordered for the purpose of taxing the people...

But listen, the Emperor was just playing a part in the ultimate plans of God!

That 80-mile journey pregnantMary and Joseph were forced to go on…

Which in those days would have been a major undertaking…

Both in time and money..

This fulfilled the plan of God that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, as predicted in

Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

Church, do you see that?

What could look (at face value) like a political decree motivated by a selfish, powerful ruler... was actually the hand of God orchestrating events to accomplish His purposes!

Israel’s Messiah, the Savior of the world, had to be born in Bethlehem.

And so, God used a political leader, who was not a man of God, to accomplish His plans!

God also used the natural birthplace of Joseph (being Bethlehem) to lead to that place, so that Jesus (the Messiah) would be born there.

God was moving and working behind the scenes and through political leaders to accomplish His wonderful plans for the world!

Isn’t God AWESOME?!?

PAUSE

However, that didn’t mean it was convenient or comfortable for Mary and Joseph.

They still had a choice to make.

Would they be obedient to God’s plan?

Did they know the prophecies?

Would they choose to see the Hand of God working through these natural circumstances?

They did... and their obedience to God’s plan positioned them right in the center of God’s will.

And the same is true in each one of our lives, as well.

PAUSE

Family Church…

As we seek to follow God’s plan in our lives…

Which isn’t always comfortable, convenient, or easy.

We will find ourselves right in the center of God’s will, which is precisely where we want to be!

PAUSE

Lastly, we are going to move away from the births of John and Jesus, to some unnamed shepherds tending their flocks at night...

Let’s keep reading in Luke 2 verse 8…

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another,

“Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,

18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Stop reading there…

So, here we find these shepherds...

Ordinary people, who are out working their normal job... just like any other night...

When suddenly an angel came and appeared to them, announced GOOD NEWS...

The Messiah... the Savior of the World has been born!

Imagine that!!!!

Then a bunch of other angels appear and all praise God (in what I would think would sound like Pentatonix) singing,

Play “Angels we have heard on high” by Pentatonix just the chorus “Gloria, in excelsis Deo” which means “Glory to God in the highest...”

Wouldn’t that be AWESOME to experience?

Then, as suddenly as these angels appeared, they disappeared, leaving these ordinary shepherds in awe!

PAUSE

But notice, the first thing they say to each other is... look back at verse 15... they say, “LET’S GO!”

These ordinary shepherds do exactly what the angel said to do.       

Go look for Jesus,

And after they found Jesus.

They did what the angel said, and they went and told EVERYONE about Jesus!

PAUSE

Family Church listen...

This is an incredible truth to discover...

The VERY FIRST evangelists for Jesus were ORDINARY PEOPLE!!!!

Think about that!

They were NOT the most educated people!

They were NOT the richest people!

They were NOT the most connected people in the community!

Yet God called them to be the FIRST evangelists to spread the Good News of Great Joy found in Jesus Christ!

Incredible, right?

But listen, they too had to obey!

They had to do what the Angel told them to do!

        Just like you and I can listen to God’s call on our life or NOT.

PAUSE

If you are not aware, just like the shepherds here, God has called us to tell others about Jesus and help them grow to follow Him.

We call that disciple-making.

And obedience to that call will make us participants in His mission...

And that is something that you and I will not regret!

In fact as you exit service today we are going to give you all a book…

        It is the last book in the Real Jesus series that is designed to help you be like the Shepards and help others come to know Jesus!

        We would encourage you all to read it and then walk through it with someone else…

PAUSE

As we conclude our time together this morning, we will focus on a period of reflection and action —a time we call our “Life Application.”

This is a time when we encourage all of us to think about what the Holy Spirit has been saying to each one of us personally, and then we commit to stepping out in simple obedience.

So, write down what you sense God is calling you to do this week in obedience to His Word and then talk about that over lunch with your friends or family members… and watch and see how God will work in your lives!

Life Application: Who could you tell about the Good News of Jesus this Christmas season? As a result of today’s message, I will… _______________________________________________ ________________________________________

Prayer:

Make sure to do a salvation call!

Worship Team… Holy Night with Candles…

Remind people as they exit:

        Offering + Candy Bags + Books

Offering:

Thank you all for being here today!

If you would like to continue your worship through giving, there are offering boxes by the doors as you exit, or behind me on the screens. You can also see other ways to give here at Family Church.

You can also place any connection cards you filled out in there.

Week #3 –

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Have a great week!!