Messages

The Courage of Christmas

From Matthew 1

Christmas is rooted in

FIRST: The Courage of Mary

📖 Matthew 1:18 (ESV) Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

📖 Luke 1:30-31 (ESV) And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

First Courage of Christmas (Mary’s courage):

1. The Courage to be a .

📖 Matthew 10:37-39 (NLT) “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.”

📖 Romans 5:8 (ESV) God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

SECOND: The Courage of Joseph

📖 Matthew 1:20-21 (ESV) But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Second Courage of Christmas (Joseph’s courage):

2. The Courage to be in .

📖 Luke 6:46 (ESV) “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

📖 Matthew 16:24 (ESV) “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

THIRD: The Courage of Christ Himself

📖 Matthew 2:13 (ESV) Now when the wise men had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”

📖 Matthew 2:19-21 (ESV) But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.

📖 John 10:18 (ESV) “No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

📖 Hebrews 2:14-15 (ESV) Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

Third Courage of Christmas (Jesus’ Courage):

3. The Courage to Free from the Fear of .

📖 Acts 13:36 (ESV) For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers