Advent Week 2: What to Expect When You're Expecting

Church as am I doing sunny outside a couple games on my phone real quick, and then I'll get to the preaching. I'm just kidding me to bring my iPad. So this would be my Bible just in case you never know. Might want to use the Bible during worship interesting. Alright? The welcome back for those were your last week. We start our Advent Series. This is week 2 of that. If you remember we talked a little bit about like Advan it's kind of a higher level on this will be focused on the birth and I started telling their just thinking like always talk to the birth story and I opted to go different directions. So we'll be talking at the events leading up to the birth specifically because I think we'd last week if you were if you were here or if you're caught us or whatever. I was talking a lot about Advent beginning at the very beginning when mankind was created Christ coming and dying on the cross with God's plan. It wasn't he wasn't caught off guard by send a new our need for a savior was it was imminent absolute and was accommodated all the way back when the very first thing happened. He said he shall come your Offspring will that the snake will bruise his heel and Eve's Offspring will crush his head or or bruised his head, right? Let me see this going all the way back. So this week we were talking about as you move closer to Advent in the the events of Christ's first Advent. I actually wanted to spend some time talking about Mary not a big surprise there, but it will be in work today. This thing's acting alone. EMS going to go ahead and do the head it's being uncooperative. Toluca when Luke

Is that right? 126 good? Slide change are going to be a fun day folks. Everything's coming up Chris Luke the chapter who can be quite lengthy to be perfectly honest. And when I went to focus on today was this track of scripture here and this is where we see the the first conversation between directly between God through Messenger to marry. So if you want to join with me Luke 1 verses 26 will read all these 256. If you don't go on the screen, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the House of David and The Virgins name was Mary and he came to her and said greeting so favored one. The Lord is with you. But she was greatly troubled at the same and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be an angel said to her do not be afraid Mary for you have found favor with God and behold you will conceive in your room and bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the son of the most high and the Lord God will give to him the Throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and ever his kingdom. There will be no end and Mary said to the angel how will this be since I'm a virgin and Angel answered her the holy spirit will come upon you and the power of the most high will overshadow you there for the child to be born will be called. Holy the Son of God and behold your relative Elizabeth and her old age has also conceived a son and this is the sixth month with her who was called Darren or nothing will be impossible with God and Mary said behold. I am the servant of the Lord let it be to me according to your word and the angel departed from her. In those days Mariah Rose and went with haste Into the Hill Country to a town in Judah she under the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she explained to the loud cry blessed. Are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb and why is this Brandon to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me for bhldn the sound of your greeting came to my ears to baby in my womb leaped for joy and blessed. Is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord and Mary said my soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior where he has looked on the humble estate of his servant for behold from now on all generations will call me blessed or he who is mighty has done great things for me and holy is his name and his Mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation be as shown strength with his arm. He is scatter the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He is brought down the mighty from their Thrones and exalted those of humble. State he has filled the Hungry with good things in the Richie has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his Mercy as he spoke to our fathers to Abraham and to his offspring forever and I remain with her about three months in return to her home.

Only father we are grateful to be in this place to gather to read your word incredible to think of this. This story has been wonderful to think of it. Obviously this time of year little bit some of these of these passages that perhaps we've heard we've read literally thousands of times Lord. I pray that we don't just a turn our ears off or think of yes. I know the story. Well, I studied endlessly. This would be a good day to think about my shopping list or whatever Lord, but that we will open your word and look at this fresh and new today Lord and that we will trust as you promise that there will be a the holy spirit will move in Austin and help us to understand this word more fully today. Maybe finding something there some thoughtfulness about how very reactive or so on and so forth or that we can take and use in our life to help drive us towards doing your work more completely in this in this in this world in the city in the state Lord. Thank you for this time together. Thank you so much for your son. Thank you for a yearly reminder Lord. We can get together and and and remember this amazing event that happened to me since I met him in. All right, then we have to change the slides. I'll have to give you a sucker isn't she she's dead. All right, so let's first talk a little bit and we just read after that but let's go back and talk about what happened before kind of the short form version of this. So if the beginning of this it tells the story of Luke 1 the story of Zechariah. He was a priest d2sol vision and didn't believe I was told him to be perfectly honest right inverse 18 BC him say, this is Zacharias the angel when he's told that his wife will conceive. How will how shall I know this for? I'm an old man by my side vanston years because of that question. He was struck mute and will remain so until the birth of his son John who is John the Baptist? Very similar a parallel stories in some regards to what we hear from Mary's account what I just read write different couple. Angel appears says you're going to give birth Zechariah says How will I know now that the obvious answer has fallen angel told you that's how you know, well, I want something else Lord, right and Zacharias a priest. No speaking until you Sunburn and of course.

So let's move on from the next. Here's a story of a lovely lady.

It's pretty bad start back. Alright, yes people have an age. So this is Mary. She's a virgin intro finished. Now. I say this not to try to denigrate Mary like, oh she's so commonplace. But let's be honest, please. There's a reason for that. She stands in into the sister who Zechariah was an incredible woman of God. They argue as a hero of the Bible. All of those are the things that she is not God. She is not to be deified. Some people hold her in too high of a steam the story we see here as she is a a everyday kind of common Jewish gal going about her business. She's not a priest. There's no indication here that we see that she was anything incredible in enough herself. That's it. So, here's Mary. Hi Mary next. Okay. She's not a priest just marry and when Gabriel appears to her he gets right to business with some Deets details Brady Bunch reference within I think kids say dates and I could say dates right here that this is pretty pretty commonplace. If you notice every time the Angels appear there was a Greetings or hello and then you need to leave do not fear. I find that interesting pictures of angels are always these like humans with wings and like light and I call an angel gravitated toward it when we read what's happening in scripture. There's definitely a feeling that people would flee from them their visits must be somewhat terrifying because then the second word is usually don't be afraid. I know what you're thinking. She's so she's hanging out Angel appears High Mary. Don't be afraid your favored among God. That's good news. You're going to have a baby. No. News Mary flies in this may sound similar. How will this be since I'm a virgin? Write an answer it'll be divine and the child will be holy. Also your old bear and Aunt Liz is pregnant 6 months already, right? Like if if you have any doubts about this, I've got this handled right? There's there's another thing going on now. Why would he tell her about Liz and that event God's plan is God's plan, but as you might expect Mary's immediate reaction is I'm going to go talk to Elizabeth Ryan Stone Angel Pierce to her her reactions. How will this be since I'm a virgin?

Don't like one of our next life.

So this is this would be big news. No, no two ways about it, right? How does Mary apply? Behold, I am the servant of the Lord let it be to me according to your word. That's right there in 10 verse 38 to paraphrase. Nothing like that. I would argue by today's Laura Lee standard. This is an almost insane reply. Most of us here in the church would reply much as Zechariah do well. I need some sort of assurance by and I want you to How will I know? When were you saying about how will I know and that's Christians? I would argue that stuff for me. I want to know I want to be very confident. Mary's reply here is okay. You know, I am a servant of the Lord let it be at to me according to your work. If you're saying that this is of God. So be it if it's of God, let it happen as God would have it happen. End of story. I would a test. This is 100% the work of the Lord in Mary's like now for those of us here. That don't hold Mary is a deity or something like that. That's like okay, that's reasonable. I think the reason that it Bears noting is We compare this even to Zechariah. I've never heard of anybody say Zechariah is also to be held in high esteem. He is the father of John the Baptist who is the first Herald of Christ in many regards on this Earth. Nobody argues that case but somehow Mary because she was the mother of Jesus gets elevated to the status of what she must have also been without sanding and we don't see any indication of that the evidence here is not that Mary was intrinsically good or pure. We know nobody in this room would argue that Jesus was born of a Virgin Mary. There's a traditional notion. That's not the Immaculate Conception you've ever heard that term there's Edition ocean of Mary was also born of a virgin and I hope square away some confusion in the heads of people that think they have taken the Bible to another level. This is not true. Mary was a person a cynical person on this Earth that God had done something incredible in prior to this event, which is why she responding this way That's What We Believe Christian God was working regenerating Mary long before this event happened so that when that angel. She responded, okay, I believe my God. I trust my God, he will take care of me with faith. I'll go right. She may not be a priest but God made her a servant and she was all in there's not a hint of doubt in her reply to this Angel and I'd like to say that's how we should all be right sure. Not me I can tell you right now. I would probably be a lot more aligned with Zechariah and I wouldn't be preaching today at least some awkward things about a while. I was tracking you and I asked for a sign right that would be the sad reply a nice maybe shut them up for a second. No, such luck. No signs. No no mute Chris today, but I would like to tell you that all yeah Angel appeared and I was overwhelmed I said, oh God you have absolutely what we have me do. Chris you found favor. You'll bear another son. How will I know this I'm a man right guarantee that's what I was pregnant, right am I responsible? So be it like to be a butthole. Let it be to me according to your word, that would not be my reply but not because if it were my reply when did because I was so good. It'll be because God had convinced The Moment I Saw an angel I said whatever I believe this is a God in this is this is good till we see this here. We see Mary's apply. Let's not get confused that Mary was like man. What an amazing person I was yes. She was great. She did great things but it's because of the word of the Lord in her heart readying her for his Advent. Netflix How do we reply right?

So real quick the example I use this is this is not going to happen again. If you look through the Bible in the understand, Jesus will not be coming back as a baby again and round Tuit none of them, but he comes back the next time it'll be a lot different markedly. So nobody will be no debate as to what's going on or why every knee shall bow every tongue confess. There's a reason for that but we're faced with this sort of thing. We're faced with a conundrum where face from a sign from God or a move. We read in his word and were like, oh my gosh, I am called I have got to do something about this. I'm reading it. I'm not doing it. What do I do? We got two options How will I know or how will this be? Maybe those sound like the same thing. Really the same thing, right? If you just say how will I know and how will it be or how will I know it will be but there's a big difference when it comes to what you're presuming. The presumption of the first part is I should know. I'm going to need more information. What you're telling me and your word is not enough you're telling me to go to the poor and the imprisoned but how do I know? I'm supposed to do that. Everybody here is that dealt with maybe children or lousy coworkers or something? I don't know and you say I need you to change the garbage and they say and your kids. Well, how will I know you want me to change the garbage? I just told you to change the garbage. Well, how will I know for I am only a child. Change the garbage try like and you might strike them you'd Maybe. Shut up and change your carpets. Right? I'm not saying this is a exercising parenting. Right but this is relatable the frustration of why he was struck me and should it to Beaver ever. I know I'm old. I don't care. I'm telling you how it's going to be. I'm God. This is the the fundamental difference Mary saying, how can this be? That's like a child saying, how do I do it change the garbage How can I How can I change the garbage right? I don't know how to do it. I'm a virgin. I don't understand how I can be pregnant for it. I'm I'm confused by what you're asking me to do. I'm not saying do I need to do it or is it right for me to do I just really would like to know more details about how it is to be done that most people wouldn't say I said do what you figured out now, let me show you that maybe if I showed you two or three times as different, right but like no don't do it do it big difference of the final blow their faith in God and that was enough. She knows it's going to happen curious about how it's going to happen. She doesn't need God to prove it to her in another way. I don't need I don't need you to make me aware of this that has happened. You have made me aware this next life.

In this whole thing. There is this overarching tone of Grace. All of advent is Grace, right? We were condemned from the start deserve to be wages of sin death Soviet the very fact that God told us back in Genesis that there's going to come a time when the head will be crushed is Grace. He's there the whole time Grace and Mary's Choice here. No question. But God's not done showing Mary his presence in her life. When we talked about this no Chevelle, why would he tell her about Elizabeth? There's a reason for that God knows she's going to go seek out Elizabeth cuz she's got wonderful news to share with Elizabeth, and she now knows Elizabeth has wonderful news to share with her that matching if you were in Elizabeth shoes just for a bit. She finds out maybe to some I don't know. I don't have it right there, but she realizes she's pregnant. About that time her husband is no longer talking. Right, like iy struck mute embarrassing as there's a pretty strict. What's wrong? I can't talk while I doubt it. We're really what the angel say. When he said you're going to be pregnant. I know that I could have told you that idiot right now. I guess I'll do all the whatever phone calls before that phone calls, but I'll handle all that's right. Whatever job he had to do now. She's intrigued as to write on paper. We see some of that later on right? So here's Elizabeth dealing with all this and in Mary now gets this vision and she says so how's this going to because I'm afraid to take care of it Divine Foley Son of God, you take care of a great and then why any normal person in my opinion? She's like, well I need to do to move out of here. I need to I need to hit the road it the way it says it was pretty funny cuz I If I find a real quick.

In those days Mario rose, so it was right after this in 39. Mary said the hole in the servant of the Lord let it be to me according to your word answer the party for her next paragraph in those days Mario rose and went with haste and of the hill come to a town in Judah and she entered the house after I agree. Elizabeth, right? So she arose with haste. This isn't like I'll get there when I get there and she pumped out she's excited. And so she goes on to talk Elizabeth is going to be great but next time

Jumping John so Vision that situation Mary Greaves Elizabeth, right? So she walks in the door and says, hey, it's it's Mary whatever. That's your niece, Mary and immediately. John the Baptist in Elizabeth's womb doesn't flip course Elizabeth realizes this but it's not just that right when this when this occurs it says very clearly this isn't me thinking when I was the Holy Spirit moving John know when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary the baby lived in a room and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit at that same moment. Holy Spirit Wham fills it in Elizabeth tells Mary story to Mary. Hey, it's me. If you read what Elizabeth says next. She's basically spilling the beans of like you're not going to believe what this angel said now, I wouldn't believe it. However the Holy Spirit into Wells Elizabeth who says to marry Yoda the mother of my Lord has come here. Just happened where you I've never I've never go load do that. But I've heard people say to others. I've never said that either but I've heard other women say you've got a glow about you glow whatever. This is probably what Mary's thinking is like I'm going to walk in I'm going to say the Elizabeth is going to say to me notice anything different than 6 months pregnant.

The mother of the Lord is here. I know this because my baby jumped in the holy spirit indwells being your you're pregnant you're tearing the Son of God and who am I to stand in front of mother of the Son of God? I don't like it. You know why we we talked a lot and Leadership about affirmation of gifts. Like this is an important part of leadership, right? If you if you say, you know, I've been reading the word and I'm called to preach their I'm called to teacher classroom called to work with you through whatever else and you go to do that if he's running like In like a different country, like what do you want some information from the people you're working with your brothers and sisters in Christ to help you understand it like you're doing well in this order some room to grow or you know, perhaps there's a different Endeavor for you. It's from an affirmation perspective. It really doesn't get any better than this right. I'm sure Mary had to be thinking to herself while I'm going to say hi and then immediately Holy Spirit tells her exact what's going on you everything you think you know is true great a friend. You are a for your faithfulness your favorite. You're carrying the Son of God. I'm so happy for you.

She says read it again and blessed is the fruit of your womb and why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me for the Holman the sound of your greeting came to my ears the baby in my womb leaped for joy and blessed. Is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment if I was spoken to her from the Lord.

Imagine having heard from an angel that you'll be pregnant. It'll be divine gear Oculus. Your gig you know, she's the one carrying this and you're also your aunt Elizabeth or whatever. She's pregnant. Now. She has been for six months, to go talk to Elizabeth and you walk in the door and you hear from Elizabeth another person who you know, this is an angel. I'm telling you exactly what the angel told you. Wow, your favorite tearing the Son of God, who am I to stand in front of the mother, son of God blessed among women be able to do this right what an affirmation that would have been I would be so not won a gift of Grace or Mary. Once again, we got to remember your memories just the it's just a regular try to whatever she's not some extraordinary Define creature. She's a woman she is a woman who has been given an incredible gift from God prior to this and now this GIF follows in and she is but don't think for a moment that there were moments in her life where she thought I can't do this. I'm going to screw it up. What if I fall down the stairs and an injured the Son of God. You know, I mean I'm pregnant but I remember having these conversations with my wife while pregnant of you worry about things. Can I should I eat fish how much fish can I have a cup of coffee? But every decapus even be Capitol Cafe in it, you don't like what was this video? You made a bass Foster books. Did you turn off all the alcohol?

Turn about things and you can bet that Mary walking into this room is thinking I don't even know if I'm going to tell her when I get to say I know you're pregnant and Angel told me she's going to think I'm crazy. Maybe I'm just not going to go in all the way here. We had this conversation before but I didn't put the car and go all the way out here to go back. We're going in sogod when I mentioned before the guy wasn't done taking care of her here. He is again God showing up right in her face.

Take Heart Take heart. I'm here. You marry cannot do this alone. Mary knows we can't she can't do this alone next life.

So she walks in Elizabeth. Here's your entire story to tell me. Selfishly because I am a narcissist and I struggle with that. I would have been like forget it. Well good seeing you too. I guess, you know everything I've read big news. I thought but whatever not marry and when I talk about Mary being a hero of the faith and a Bible figure worth looking up to him as regards its things like this is why this is this her reply is like in a Catholic church called like the Canticle of Mary. I believe it's a song. It's it's a big deal, but her reply is a song most likely of joy to God. Because she's so pleased to hear another affirmation. We talked a little bit in our small group today about You know times in your life whenever you feel despair or in and you know you need rescued now. I don't read into this too much. We don't see the Mary's in despair or needs rescue didn't say that going in but we know that she's a person if she's human and she's going to struggle with the same things. All humans do in this is big news a lot of responsibility. It's reasonable that she's going to need help right reassurances helpful to her feeling rescued is helpful to her and hear what we see is she walks in and then God says through the Holy Spirit. Wow, this is happening and it's great and good for you. And that's awesome. And there is a response is not that all say what you stole my thunder and I was really looking forward to telling you that the response is a song of joy to God that she didn't have to have any awkward conversations about how did you know, so I don't believe you know, it's all taken care of and as we read through the song it isn't a song about how lucky or faithful Mary is that we could say that she's so lucky what an honor to her. Right? She's held in high esteem. She's aware, but she's been blessed by this that's in the song but it's not about like Yay. Yay for me. I must have been pretty great. My faith was so good. The God bless me with his baby, you know amazing guys. Take a note take a note. Look what I was doing and do what I do. None of that here. Those are things that we tend to ascribe to humans that do things. We hold in high esteem, right? This person that made it to the president of the United States. What did they do? I'll replicate that right? Well, somebody would say that maybe don't care for the president. If they don't do that. That's not a good idea. I think the president and the president spite of those things or whatever. We don't see any of that here Mariah saying this is all about. Everything has happened to me. Everything has happened around me is the work of the Lord. I am a servant I will do what I'm called to do. And that's it. I didn't earn this. I don't want it. I'm not good enough or smart enough for it. Goddamn to me. God Favored Me done and done. She also doesn't complain about this, right? Hey boss, Charlotte about my life. I'll be perfectly honest with you. I like to think I don't like songs every time I hear good news necessarily, right but I like to think about what what did I do to you if you ever had kids when Emma first got sick the very first time she got sick back when she was a baby. There. Was this really visceral reaction in me. Like where did we screw up? He was not sick. And now she is sick what we do that's it Lysol and everything again. We're going to reclaim clearly something infiltrated the house on my watch right now as you get older and you realize kids just like they can take all the time. You still want to wash your hands and take care of things get me wrong. But there's this point here about like well, What did we do to cause this to happen very logical because that's how most things work. Right? If I if I hold my phone up and drop it. I'm expected to hit the ground and it makes good sense to say what would have hit the ground had you not drop this we know what kind of happened nearly everything in our lives in the world around us is prescribed in the order cut with when it comes to God God's plans are God's plans and if we try to figure out what why would he have picked me in let's try to figure out the attributes of Mary and then I can get the same blessings. Mary had that's not how God's economy Works. Mary's not talking about her. She's not saying well, yay for me and I must have done something right today that I ever heard that like something really good have the somebody else. I've heard this a hundred thousand times buy a lottery ticket on your way home. If I ever heard that say to somebody else. I'd like to knock a glass of him and he grabbed it before hits the ground was like wool on your way home because you're lucky if that work. Everybody would hit the lottery doesn't work that way. Cuz I might and she's also not talking about everybody. Whoa is me caring the Son of God I have and I'm a virgin it's going to be so awkward. I'm not even married yet. You know, can you believe it's what God has burden to me with a man pray for me everybody. Like, okay. Merry we all have it rough. She's not thinking about any of that either. It was all blessing. All God. God is good. God is incredible. He's gracious. He is merciful. He is glorious what he is doing and he will glorify him and I'm excited for that all the great things. He has done great things. He's going to continue to do in this song. It's not even about great things. He's done in Mary's life, right? Mary sing. I'm going to read one more time. My soul magnifies the Lord my spirit rejoices in God. My savior free is looked on a humble estate of his servant for behold from now on all generations will call me blessed for he who is mighty has done great things for me. And holy is his name his Mercy is for those who fear of a Generation generation. He shown strength of his arm. He started the problem of thoughts of the heart is brought down the mighty from their Thrones end result of those of humble of steak. Do you spell the hungry of good things and the Ritchie Center weigh empty. He has helped us Irving Israel in remembrance of his Mercy as he spoke to our fathers to Abraham and his offspring forever. His servant is real. DDD extolling of God here is how gracious he is to everybody because of this thing that's happened to her. She believes him. She believes what he is saying is going to come true next like

What to expect the title of the sermon I don't know if he's even up there very physical What to Expect When You're Expecting book by that title. I probably could write a book about it here because in this case Mary is expecting very clear what she's expecting.

Have you ever felt God pulling you towards a Ministry? Or maybe just pulling you towards a person that needs to hear the truth of Christ. Is anybody ever felt God pulling you to talk to somebody maybe to see somebody sitting alone at McDonald's and there's that it's happen to me a number of times like it's a it's a palpable feeling like like my heart breaks in that moment. I see somebody I think I want to I should go talk to them.

I should tell who Jesus is and what he's done for me and how thankful I am for a savior who can save them to.

We should expect it. We should be expecting that. God said it needs doing by history everybody. He wants to see me one day and all the people in the whole world are all saved. We might have to say a word about it. That's not the plan B just came to dine it. We have Saint we have Redemption now churches form. It's our job to tell the world. We should expect that happening are very found out. She was carrying the son of God. She was expecting that sounds good. How's it going to happen? Cuz I'm a virgin of the Holy Spirit.

Why would you send him a Donald's and it's like hey that person of their needs Jesus. Oh how I do that Bible tells us. How will I know I told you how should I do it in the word door. Tell us all we need to do. There's no secret thing inside. Let me give you my secret. You'll never find this in the Bible. Here's a tip to introduce price that people run away from that Badness. There's no secret sauce. There's no twelve steps that always works guaranteed. There's a lot of thought that's been put into the words of God how to present them to people have never heard of before that's fine. But just know that we should be expecting God to be pulling us the Holy Spirit to be drawing us into his ministry. His work sharing is good news with people who've never heard it or heard incorrectly. Do they make me think they're saying because they've done good things were going to tell him now not enough not enough. We should be expecting that next life. I Want To Expect When You're Expecting I like this site a lot because I think this is the part for me. That is the most difficult to Remember When You're Expecting to do God's work expect God's presence. It isn't it's really kind of a good analogy a metaphor a guy. This isn't god holds the door and send you in to do work. I'll be out here when you're done. You know, I'll unlock the door and let you out. This is God going with you the opens the door. He holds it for you cuz he's gracious and then we go together and God. Is there all the real work that's being done. Is there anybody ever helped somebody in your family as a little kid, especially like and you get to come in after you say we change the oil in the car ever done this we made a cake? What did we really do? We stood there and it's a dump it in. Okay, I did grab that rag wife that I'm changing the oil. Yay. We forget that that's how it is with us in the work of the lord we go there God is there with us God's giving us the words to say. It's all here. He's doing most of us were faithful. We're standing there. God says dump I dump this flower in it. Turn the mixer on I'm doing it. I'm really doing it if that kid leaves and says, I mean Cookies in and I say hey I save that guy. I screwed it all up and then we think well next time I did the same thing and they didn't get saved. I must have failed you failed. All right, you didn't know who was doing the work? Not you with God. So when we're expecting do God's work. We expect God's present for not taking care of business on her own. We're working with the you know, where the where the Apprentice by best as we do Kingdom work the work of the Lord as prescribed by him. That's what kingdom are cuz he's at Turner allowed around here. That's all the way over Maine just God's work is prescribed by God expect him to be there. Don't underestimate the power and I said look at God's presence with Mary.

He was there before the angel appeared. He was there Wild Angels talking. He was there after the angel of the left reaffirming reassuring her all the way through right Mary's care from God is all the way to the death of her son on the cross. Jesus Takes Time on the cross tattoo give her a new son. I get chills thinking about that the faithfulness of God from before he was born till he was dying. God is taking care of Mary caring for her out of Grace not because God Favored her he loved her he cares for her. I'm not leaving you alone. Mom. You're somebody else to take care of you. Take heart God still here. He's still working. Imagine what she saw after that the church blowing. I mean incredible what what he has done in his life because of his faithfulness God's faithfulness. Mary's Can God sent an angel course he could he did he still could but what if God himself was with you all the time. Whether that's a Holy Spirit and it's better than an angel. We don't need Angels anymore. We don't require them. I sure would like one. I know how you feel church, I do that there are times in my life. I don't feel maybe like the holy spirit's made it very clear to me. It's interesting though. If I'm honest with myself, and I'm honest with you. It's because I've been sitting down pain during at walking in the woods and meditating or whatever sitting there being thoughtful listening to music. Just not giving any signs bottles Dusty closed. I wish an angel appeared tell me what to do, I'll get to it later. But I just really like you lead the word the Holy Spirit as your reading the word is doing this all the time in your life for real. This isn't nonsense or something is lucky. If you wanted to know if you are elective Christ as your lord and savior when you read the words the Holy Spirit gets the business it starts changing the way you think about things in it it Illuminating areas of your life and others. It's in that what does all the time never goes away. It doesn't appear if they don't fear and then disappear and like I got to go visit somebody and chairs. Holy spirit's always always there. Always there next life.

Dakota action, maybe you expected. Maybe you've not expected anything but trouble. You'll find plenty of that in this world believe or not expect trouble. I guarantee I'll find it the term for that. It usually is pessimism glass is half empty, right? Okay, so maybe if not expected anything at all, and they can you put that first and then either one sounds better I would argue. This one is a tough place to thrive believe or not. I use the word Thrive specifically this world to be apathy, but it just doesn't matter. I don't know whatever whatever. Good bad. Nothing. Something doesn't really matter. I'm just a pathetic the whole thing. It's a tough place to thrive either. You're a Believer or not. Because if you have nothing if you if you think God is completely asleep at the wheel and you just careening around there's nothing for you to do and you can't get plugged in and I just I feel like I'm out here on my own and where God I'll just wait till God does something amazing in my life the ball of light and Angel appears then I'll go forward because I have no expectations. You have missed the whole that the Bible is very very clear that we have something to do. And we should be expecting next time.

If you want to talk about Jesus at all in any regard, this is new to you or you don't agree. Maybe thought Mary was the daughter of God or something and not that's you know. Maybe you're confused. Come and talk to me. If you want to start expecting the work of the Lord. Please come up if you or if I pawn, it was Jesus's but I don't really expect I'm not expecting have to do much. I kind of thought I would know or signs are the other people tell me what to do by that works come up. We'll talk about it if you're expected to do God's work, but you're not expecting God to be there. I think it's kind of covers of Base. You don't know who Jesus is. You know who Jesus is, but you not sure what you're supposed to be doing. Do you know who Jesus is and you know what you're supposed to be doing, but you don't know how to do it. I don't know. What I'm what I'm doing is right or wrong. I'm lost and confused. I'm turned around. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. I want to be able to react the way Mary. I want something to appear in front of me on a say that sounds good. If that's God's will let's let's rock and roll. I went to the word. I know the word. What what what's a Happening Here seems like it's perfectly aligned with the word. This is a goddamn doing it. I'll take care of it the details of it that will work itself out. I don't need another sign all the sign of God's right here you find yourself in any one of these three places. Please come up don't leave today with a doubt in your mind about what's going on or what? I thought Chris was just about a baby being born in a manger the comes and saves all the save us from what I don't know figure that out. Big that it's so much more but spray. Family father. Thank you so much today for this time to study your word Lord. I Thank you for these Heroes of the faith that give us such good examples of how we should react in your presence Lord how our attitude should be shaped by your word and your grace and your goodness and even if we can't see it or feel it and maybe we feel alone isolated Lord. That's a that's a condition of us not a condition of you. Lord I pray that is we we take this time together and we we study your word and we think about your word we meditate on it and we reconsider Lord. I pray that just in today Lord. I pray the Holy Spirit with starts to turn our hearts around a little bit here and white things in our brain that we can't seem to shake and ideas that we can't get rid of and not just what a wonderful time of year to give gifts and let people know how much we care for the Lord by the time to share who you are and what you did and it was a lot more than being born in a manger. Yeah, you did that Lord, but that was a means to an end that you've seen since the beginning of time since before time was even time you knew what was going to happen. You know, you were going to save everybody that you came to this earth to say for but thank you for this time together. I thank you for your word. I think you more than anything but Jesus Christ and a work that was done on that cross.