A simple "YES" will do
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· 8 viewsJesus doesn't need you to get ready for Him...He just asks you to open the door and say "yes"
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Monologue: “He Could Have Said No” (skitguys): Curtis Pryor
Intro following monologue:
“A simple ‘yes’ will do!”
“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.”
“A simple ‘yes’ will do!”
Mary said “yes”
“A simple ‘yes’ will do!”
She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. But the angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus. He will be great, be called ‘Son of the Highest.’ The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David; He will rule Jacob’s house forever— no end, ever, to his kingdom.” Mary said to the angel, “But how? I’ve never slept with a man.” The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you; Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God. “And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.” And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now: I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say. Then the angel left her.
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
Mary…young, inexperience girl, unsure of herself. But when God called her....she said “yes”
Joseph said “yes”
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Mt 1:28-38
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn’t know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced. While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God’s angel spoke in the dream: “Joseph, son of David, don’t hesitate to get married. Mary’s pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God’s Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—‘God saves’—because he will save his people from their sins.” This would bring the prophet’s embryonic sermon to full term: Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for “God is with us”). Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God’s angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus.
Jesus had to be born in Bethlehem…no place else would do. Who knew God would bring all of the necessary little elements together for Jesus’ birth to take place in Bethlehem just as the prophet foretold?
“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.”
The fulfilment of this prophecy is found in the Gospel of Luke:
The fulfilment of this prophecy is found in the Gospel of Luke:
“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.”
Micah 5:2
The fulfilment of this prophecy is found in the Gospel of Luke:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. 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. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 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.
The birthplace of Jesus is just one example of a multitude of Old Testament prophecies about Him that were fulfilled in His birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection. Statistically, it would be impossible for all of those prophecies to be fulfilled, unless, of course, they were true. They were!
An important detail for all of the prophecies concerning Christ to come to pass was the fact that many people, along the way, had to say “yes”
Big Idea: Jesus doesn't need you to get ready for Him...He just asks you to open the door and say "yes"
Jesus doesn't need you to get ready for Him...He just asks you to open the door and say "yes"
…throughout history, a simple and sincere “Yes” is what God asked for…it is still true today
THE PROPHETS SAID “YES”
THE PROPHETS SAID “YES”
Some of them willingly said yes…others had to go through some things before they figured it out
Isaiah
Isaiah
Isaiah
Isaiah
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him. Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness— only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with olive oil. Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire; your fields are being stripped by foreigners right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers. Daughter Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a cucumber field, like a city under siege.
Isaiah 1:4-8
Moses
Moses
Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”
Unlike Isaiah, Moses doubted his competence rather than his righteousness
“O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue” (). Unlike Isaiah, Moses doubted his competence rather than his righteousness.
But he did say “yes” — with some prodding and help from the Lord
He became the voice of God for the people of Israel as they escaped the slavery of Egypt and as they lived in the wilderness for 40 years.
Transitional: God called quite a few prophets…they all said “yes” one way or another — God uses all kind of people…the unexpected and unqualified.
THE MAGI SAID “YES”
THE MAGI SAID “YES”
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THE MAGI SAID “YES”
THE MAGI SAID “YES”
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
The Magi (aka “the wise men” or “kings from the east”) were not followers of God — yet when they saw a sign…they followed it to God’s people,so they could go and worship this king.
THEY SAID YES
They didn’t know that King Herod wanted to kill Jesus, but they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod…so they went home by another route
They didn’t know that King Herod wanted to kill Jesus, but they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod…so they went home by another route
THEY SAID YES...
…the unexpected…the unqualified in human terms
THE SHEPHERDS SAID “YES”
THE SHEPHERDS SAID “YES”
THE SHEPHERDS SAID “YES”
THE SHEPHERDS SAID “YES”
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 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.”
Lk 2:8-
We know the story…they were out in the fields (near Bethlehem), minding their own business, keeping watch over their flocks…it was a dark night.
All of a sudden, the angel of the Lord appeared before them, and the bright light of God’s glory terrified them
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Lk 2:10-
Right then, a massive number of angels…a “heavenly host”, appeared,…praising the Lord — “glory to God in the highest…peace on earth...”
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.”
Luke 2:15
They had to go…the angel told them where (City of David) and what (a baby in a manger)
They said “Yes” — even though they were terrified — even though they were not important people in the community — they said “yes” — even though they were not prepared to meet the Savior
Transitional: God used many people to point to Jesus as the Messiah…even Jesus’ cousin
JOHN THE BAPTIST SAID “YES”
JOHN THE BAPTIST SAID “YES”
The last prophet in the style of the OT prophets
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.
He was “sent”
He said “yes”
He was anointed and filled with the Holy Spirit while he was still in his mother’s womb
He said a passionate “yes”
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”
“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
John 1:26-27
Transitional: Jesus calls many people…He began with the Disciples
THE DISCIPLES SAID “YES”
THE DISCIPLES SAID “YES”
They were not important, highly educated men — they were not religious leaders
Tax collector, fisherman, unlikely people
People that were not ready for God in the flesh to come to them and say “follow me”
That’s basically all Jesus said - “Follow me”
They said “yes” — they left everything behind and followed Him.
CHALLENGE
The prophets, John the Baptist, the shepherds, the magi, Mary, Joseph, the innkeeper, the Disciples, and many others (those that Jesus preached to, healed, and touched with His love)…all have a few things in common:
They, like us, needed a Savior
Like us, they were not ready for God’s plans
They all said “yes” to the Lord
Jesus doesn't need you to get ready for Him...He just asks you to open the door and say "yes"
What will you do?
If you know Jesus, do you say “yes” to Him every day?
Is it a way of life?
If you are not sure where you stand with Jesus, He is asking you to follow Him
You don’t have to do anything to prepare yourself
All you need to do is say a sincere “Yes”