God Who Stays

Opening Framework:

Prayer

Series Intro: A Random Christmas

Luke 1:26-27

Message Title: God who stays

ME: Random moments

Finding / Taking job after becoming a Christian

Reading Katrina’s name on the lunch list

We: When we think of our life we probably have moments just like that

Some good moments that we’re just happy they happened. Meeting someone great, getting a promotion, or when someone randomly blesses you.

And then other moments too. Like: A Closed door in life you desperately wanted open A detour in life you didn’t want to take Or a season where you’re asking “Why is this happening?” over and over again.

And hopefully looking back we can see how God was moving in those moments.

And we see this in the Christmas story too. BUT in the beginning of the Christmas story Mary didn’t have hindsight. She’s living it.

God: And nothing about this random girl’s life was in fact random

Luke 1:26-38 - God interrupts Mary’s ordinary life

The information and news from the Angel explain’s the what & how… sure. But it didn’t explain the daily things.

So God essentially give’s Mary a plan but not an exact detail of how every little thing was going to happen.

Months Pass - Can you imagine the different thoughts that ran through her head? Rumors Spread - Can you imagine the things people said about her. Luke 2:4-5 - Travel happens - Travel she likely didn’t want or plan for.

Luke 2:7 - A birth no women dreams of

Matthew 2:16 - And even after the baby is born… Danger Happens

YET… In all of the random, chaotic, and at times horrible parts of the story… God never explained everything, He stayed present through everything.

You: And that’s what you can remember from this…

And that’s what you can remember from this… God may not give you all the details, but He will NOT LEAVE YOU.

The kid’s in service : Brief run through of Joseph’s story

Mary & Joseph are similar. They both showed trust and obedience while God used everything for a bigger story beyond them. And God is doing the same in your life.

This Christmas what part of your story seems confusing, chaotic, or just straight up bad right now? Because that might be the very part that God is working through if you stay faithful to God.

We: We’re all somewhere in a story

Some of us have come through and are looking back trying to understand why things happened

Some of us are looking forward unsure of what God might have planned for us

And some of us are in the middle, going through it right now this Christmas.

Yet regardless of where we are in OUR story… It’s all part of HIS story. So you can be sure that if you put your faith in Him… HE WILL BE WITH YOU IN YOUR STORY. Even if you don’t see the why right now

Emmanuel = God with us. Not GOD explaining everything to us. Isaiah 7:14

Alter Call:

Some of you are in a season right now that doesn’t make sense.

Some of you are carrying questions that you don’t have answers to

Some of you are tired of trying to figure it all out.

Regardless… all of us need to trust God through all of it.

The alter call is simple… it’s really to respond the way Mary did, the way Joseph did. “Lord… let your will be done over my life… and help me to trust you through ALL of it, even right now”