JOY IN THE FACE OF FEAR

Choose Joy #2

Pastor Dennis Clanton

Woodland Church

Sunday, December 11, 2022

1. I WILL TRUST IN GOD.

(Luke 1:30a, NLT) “Don’t be afraid, Mary,”

2. I WILL REMEMBER I HAVE FOUND FAVOR WITH GOD.

(Luke 1:30b, NLT) “The angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!”

(Luke 4:19, NLT) “The time of the Lord’s favor has come.”

3. I WILL ASK GOD QUESTIONS REVERENTLY.

(Luke 1:34, NLT) “Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

What are you afraid of this Christmas? ____________________________________

4. I WILL ACCEPT GOD’S PLAN.

(Luke 1:38, NLT) “Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.” Illustration – My Savior My God

GROWTHWORK

1. CHOOSE TO LISTEN TO THE GOOD NEWS!

(Luke 2:10, NLT) “The angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.”

(Romans 1:16a, LB) “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven.”

2. CHOOSE TO OBEY GOD.

(Luke 2:15, Message) “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.”

(Psalm 19:8, NLT) “The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart.”

3. CHOOSE TO TELL SOMEONE ABOUT THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS.

(Luke 2:17, The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language) “Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child.”