God Has a Plan for Your Life

The Christmas Option

God Has a Plan for Your Life

Lk.2:1-7

Have you ever gone on a long trip? With kids, are we there yet? I have been fortunate enough to be able to travel many places. Sometimes the trip is smooth. Other times there are challenges along the way. Mary and Joseph were about to take a journey and it wasn’t one they had planned on. It was unexpected but mandated. Imagine Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem. She is about to give birth. No place to go. Have baby in the stable, place in manger. God had a plan for their life and He has a plan for yours.

God has a government over you: Vs.1-3

A. Govts. Control what you do. It’s part of God’s plan

B. We hear it a lot today. It’s my right

a. My right to keep and bear arms

b. My right to free speech

c. My right to my body

d. My right to healthcare

e. My right to religious freedom

C. Our culture today is infatuated with rights. When a right is taken, we hear about. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

D. Here we see the decree for everyone to return to their place of birth. Imagine if that was issued today. Where would you go? For me, Canton, Ohio. For some here. For others, other parts of the country

E. They were going about their daily lives, Rome now ruled. Their rights had been taken. Rome could tax as much as they wanted.

F. The govt. would tell them what to do. Sometimes, God uses governments for His glory. He used govts. To achieve His purpose and He wants us to respect that govt. Ro.13:6-7

G. God still worked when Israel lost their rights. Often it was because of their decisions

a. God used Joseph to protect family from famine

b. God used Moses to lead out of bondage in Egypt

c. Now, God use Mary and Joseph to deliver the world through Jesus

H. God uses governments for His glory.

God has a journey for you: Vs.4-5

A. Mary and Joseph were in for a journey. They had to go to Bethlehem. Imagine traveling in their day. It was not an easy journey.

B. She was about to have a child and had to make the journey. Women who have had children know what it’s like.

C. Today, travel a whole lot easier than then.

D. Life with God is a journey. Repenting of your sin is just the beginning. It’s a lifelong journey.

a. He may call you to new places

b. He may call you to obedience

c. He may call you to move from one place to another

d. He may call you to new relationships

e. He may call you to mentor someone

E. The journey may not be easy, but God will use the journey to grow you.

F. If everything was easy, where would we be? Comfortable, complacent, content with status quo.

G. The Learning Zone – 3 zones. Comfort Zone, Learning Zone, Panic Zone. No learning in Comfort Zone and Panic Zone. Growth only takes place between the two zones. [1] Often it’s through the difficult times we learn how to depend on God.

H. Anyone God has used has been outside the comfort zone. Noah, Jonah, Jeremiah, Peter, Paul, all experienced God outside their comfort zone and they gained a deeper relationship with God.

I. Always remember that in any journey with God, God has prepared the way.

God has a place for you: Vs.6-7

A. There was a place for Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. While many said there was no room, there was still a place

B. Many missed the birth of Jesus but think of the times. She was an ordinary person. No one thought twice

C. But God had a place for them. No room in the inn but room to give birth in.

D. Have you ever felt that you didn’t fit in? Like you were a square peg in a round hole?

Worked for company, sent to Vegas for training. At hotel. Owner paying for drinks at bar. Everyone calling out drink orders. I was standing in the back of the group and said iced tea…got some weird looks and was the only one ordering a non-alcoholic drink. But when you think about it, we shouldn’t fit in. We are passing through this world. Our home is in heaven and we are passing through.

E. We should never fully fit in.

F. No one sacrificed for the Savior, but the Savior would sacrifice for everyone.

G. For Mary and Joseph, their place for the birth was a humble stable. There was no room.

H. God has a place for you. You may feel like a misfit. A square peg in a round hole but you are exactly where God wants you to be.

I. Eph.2:10 – God has place and a plan for your life. Seek it out. Go for it. Enjoy the journey for you’ll never know where it will lead.

Your journey with God is unique. No one else will experience what you will experience. Mary and Joseph didn’t know everything, all they knew was they had God with them.

[1] The+Christmas+Option+Sermon+Series+Guide.pdf