Mt 1:18-25;  Lk  1:26-55

People always look for security -- internal (find lasting peace, love, joy), external (ability to sustain their livelihood)

How do we get the certainty and assurance in security? 


Struggling with logical dilemma (Joseph loved Mary, so he didn't want to disgrace her..  Everytime when you are perplexed, no way out, you know god loves you but you don't know why God allows you to go through certain things --- god appears to you and reveal his perfect will to you)

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. (‭Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭18-25‬ NIV)
Once Joseph heard from God, he no longer struggled or troubled.
So, no matter how paradoxical your situation is, as long as we can hear and know the perfect will from Gpd, we too will find courage to move in his grace. Amazing strength to move forward, because you have heard God's voice 

Jesus = saviour 
  1. Save you from sin - root of all problems --> death 
    • Not just earthly problem 
    • Why did bible mention only sin? Don't we need to be saved from all others too? Surely you do. But sin is the major/ root cause of all other problems 
    • Sin makes us separated from God (we cannot enjoy wisdom from God to handle the daily temptations we face; sometimes we have hidden fear of retribution cos you know you are not perfect enough; no answers to the daily worries that plagues us --> causing us stress. One sin leads to many problems)
    • We are enslaved to sin --> bondages 
    • Solving the problem of sin --> many things will fall in place 
    • Sin always stands in between you and god.
      • Sometimes no matter how hard you try, you can't seem to shake off the sinful thoughts. Pride (you can do better) is also sin
      • Because there is no way for you to remove, or shake it off --> that's why we need Jesus 
  2. Jesus brings us eternal life
    • No human can save themselves - the wages of sin is death 
    • Intrinsically, we know we will be punished in life (something is just not right)
    • Gen 3:15 seed of women
    • Key roles of Jesus (you may change, but the effect of jesus's salvational work will not change)
    • King 
      • The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. (‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭8-10‬ NIV) 
      • He has defeated Satan's every work -> if you realize it! you will find strength!
    • Priest (Heb 2:17, 4:14-16) - atone the sin, daily (just when you fall into flesh, Jesus is still cleansing you and redeeming you)
    • Prophet (Lk 13:33) - helps us know what god is like, who are you in Christ 
Jesus = Immanuel 
 The best gift God gives you - the best assurance you can have, in all storm. 
We don't know what is coming, but the best assurance he can give you is He is with you.

  1. But our problem is - we cannot see Immanuel
    • Define God is with me by situations (rosy, feeling good, feeling blessed)
    • When things are not going well, they cannot feel Immanuel even though they know this head knowledge -- constant struggle 
    • We must not know God based on our feelings, situations --> always deceive us! we tend to feel lousy through our vulnerabilities 
    • Sometimes when we are engrossed in our own things, we didn't know and realise God's attention is still fixed on us
  2. Understand Immanuel 
    • God is with people who are born again 
    • Now (not only after you have repented, when problems are away...) -- at your busiest moment, God is with you
    • Ro 8:28 all things( your trials, troubles , weakness, encounters.. Will not do you harm)  will work for the good 
  3. Confirm Immanuel 
    • If we don't confirm, we will be wasting a lot of time.
    • You can do all things well, but if you don't see Immanuel, you won't have an assured heart that your things will be fruitful
    • Set our mind to seek him 24/7 and in all things 
      • Look out for traces of him, based on His promise (not your sights, outcomes..)
      • If you know He is true, you will surely seek Him (god-seeker) --> your heart is aligned to the hS
      • avoid the sin of not seeking Immanuel 
    • Restoring Immanuel is not for you to do great things--> it means you are enjoying this r/s with god (even though there are challenges, rough patches)
      • You may face persecutions, sufferings etc... But when you see Immanuel, you can boldly face all hurdles 
      • You will see how precious you are in God's eyes 
      • Covenantalize our conditions - that condition is necessary for you to remain blessed, in a good r/s with god, to evangelise, to use your struggle as an answer to other sufferer 
      • Problems are scary, what is worse than practical problems is we cannot see God -- you won't feel peace even in the more peaceful setting 
    • If you have been testing and affirming, naturally you want to spread this goodness to others (evangelism is a natural phenomenon, not an enforcement)
      • If God is with you, he is living through you
If God's will is the same, he will convict different people the same way - what are you afraid of?

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. (‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭26-28, 37-38‬ NIV)

Response to this gift
  1. Highly favoured --> I am your servant  (May You do as You please)
    • Mary knows she is highly favoured, she heard the word of God, believed (no matter how illogical) and submitted (God protected her, and God will appear before Joseph to defend her and help her through, think on her behalf)
    • We also learn from Mary.. But how to find strength to trust God?  
        • She meditates on God's word quite regularly 
        • On daily basis, she has been holding on and affirming on the promise of God in every single thing --> thus when shock comes! she can seek refuge in god
      • For us to withstand the major crisis, our day to day relatnship with god is very important 
  2. Mary exalts God in soul (Lk 1:46)
    • Encounter god on the inside, from her heart 
    • Love from encountering God on the inside heart, can change a person
    • My soul glorifies The Lord - high view of god, low view of self (everything is by God's grsce, not her merits --> nothing to boast about)
    • Only you yourself can see your own sinfulness --> holiness and might of God
      • Then only will humility comes
    • A lot of times, pride hinders us from receiving the help of God (pride is worship of self, and there is no way to worship God)
    • Why is it so hard to surrender to god? Because we are often too concerned about ourselves  (our thoughts) than God's
    • Check the inclination of your heart (have you found out god enough, know him enough -> to exalt him) -- is there pride inside our hearts 

How can you have complete peace? 
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