The Fear of Hopelessness

Was put our hands together and praise the Lord for one of the missions of our church is not just to build and grow our churches also to bless the city to be a part of. And because of your incredible absolute generosity of the last couple of years we were able to give 1/2 million dollars to get that ministry re-city off the ground, get that started out help get them into a facility hides a ministry has grown up right here out of our church and is now operating. I am one of the most strategic places of need medical entirely because of the way that you responded so generously over the last couple years in the mission of God, another one of our missions.

This is the gospel spread throughout the world. So each Christmas we try to give a gift of three or $400,000 to the international mission board, which is the agency through which we send most of our church planters overseas. Just this week I got a note from one of our team leaders and in India getting Jesse who said this in his report was submitted as this year.

Our team has trained hundreds of national partners in a year-long biblical studies program.

We meet monthly with these men for teaching on the Bible, their families, to be fathers and husbands and and also church planning in order to graduate from this program.

The men are required to not only pass the exams, but three of their disciples must also pass the same exams and have to also start new churches to do churches give me some of over 11 graduate at the start of these two churches that's taken up a level that was a requirement. I graduated seminary, but is pretty awesome in one district in the eastern part of our state. 18 of these program graduates have started 62 new churches in the last three years.

You say how we get 2000 churches in our generation, which is our our goals of terse point about churches this way right here, he says we are seeing the book of acts happen again right here in central India. Here is my question when I read that. Isn't that the kind of thing that you want to be a part of it not become a thing that you want to know, to serve as the ministry and the legacy of the will. December is a time of year when people are always really generous your church and so because of that we end up giving a lot of money away to places like international mission board were hoping that by the end of December we can get sued $33 million in one color all in giving over the last couple of years.

But if we can go beyond that amounts were going to give the first hundred thousand dollars. Beyond that amount to the international mission board to as an additional gift.

In addition to the order through 4000 give to them to the we can see more things like this happen so I again some a church I want to challenge you. By the way your guesstimate talking to you at all. If you're not Christian enough and I'm talking to you, but if you're a part of the summa church only challenge you to think about being involved generously in the mission of God. This December, John just set a benchmark for yourself or your family.

My family does this every year we say that the largest gift we want to give anybody at Christmastime ought to be to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Because while we love give gifts to each other and we do that we know that that really the ultimate gift that was given to us.

The reason we have Christmas as it is what Jesus gave to us and so we want to respond to him by giving the largest if we give to him at at at this time of year so I want you to ask God to help you set a goal to help grow the generosity of your spirit, your love for the mission during the season, another thing that you generosity is made possible. We have coming up at about nine or 10 days and that is Christmas at the Deepak hope that you are ready for this.

Three people ready for it over here on the side of the ring that I meant to smooth the deep either to God's people summa church there. There is an you have been to this in the past, and you've already invited 10 to 15 people to come with you for this year, then others of you that have never been, which is the only reason you're not in that first category I do not have to persuade people that have been the common bring people there. The ones were back there taken stacks of tickets like 40 and 50 hi and more like a calm down little bit. Let some other people invite people to but if you have never been to this am telling you I can brag on it because I have very little part of it cannot preach the gospel, and it will have a part, but the actual programming.

I don't have a lot of part of it is phenomenal.

You do not want to miss it. So grab that December 23, 24th, i.e. tickets are free, but you need to get those okay got your Bible and all of our campus locations. I want you to take them out now and I want you to open them to the gospel of Luke. The very first chapter, Luke, chapter 1, we are in a short series called do not be afraid in which we are looking at the three fear not. Statements in the Gospel of Luke that surround the birth of Jesus. Luke is the author gospel writer is showing us in these statements listen to this is showing us how the birth of Jesus addresses some of our most primal fears Christmas, which is a time of joy for many years. It should be for others is a time when the fears and hurts of their life tend to come to the surface. So last weekend. Pastor Chris talked about how the birth of Jesus dealt with the fear of disappointment.

He talked about how Zachariah dealt with the fear of disappointment sets was her focus on through the fear of disappointing. We also talked about the fear of snakes.

If you recall that I don't know if you saw this last Sunday night, but the Discovery Channel had on a special about a guy who zipped himself up in a special Teflon suit so that he could be the first human being swallowed alive by an anaconda to stay out of curiosity anybody else see that besides me about how awesome to go home from church.

After that sermon in the deceit special on this very thing, I'm a pretty adventurous guy.

But even I look at that and say who does that who thinks this is the market I want to leave on the human race as I want to be the first manslaughter swallowed my pride. Anaconda and anaconda. Of course, is the largest snake in the world. They can grow to be up to 35 feet long and can swallow a 350 pound animal all watching this last Sunday night reminded me of something that I share with you a few years ago that supposedly appeared in the Peace Corps manual to train volunteers to serve in the Peace Corps in the Amazon region.

Now I cannot verify the veracity of this it may be more of an urban legend, but supposedly the instructions that were given to Peace Corps volunteers in the Amazon given the protocol for what to do if you were attacked by an anaconda practice is good to know you hear supposedly what is that number one, don't run, don't run Bay City anaconda is fast enough to catch you. I say let the anaconda. And by the way, if I was somebody else I don't even have to outrun anaconda got out around that. I no greater love never love number two lie supine and keep arms close to your side and your legs together. Number three. Tuck your chin in before the snake will come and begin to nudge you and climb over your body. Number five do not pick if there were ever a time that God had designed the emotion of panic, for it would be the situation. Number six, the snake will probably begin to swell you from the feed in first probably do not try to resist at this stage it is especially important not to panic.

Number seven the snake will begin to suck your legs into its body. This will take a long time. You must live perfectly still. During this whole process. Number eight, when the snake is reached. Her knees slowly and with as little movement as possible reached down take your knife and very gently inserted into the snake's mouth between its mouth and your leg suddenly ripped upward and separate said number nine.

Be sure you have your knife so there are there are good fears and there are bad fears good fears like this one. Save your life. Bad fears paralyze and destroy last weekend.

Pastor Chris showed us how Zachariah's fear of disappointment immobilized him, causing him to disbelieve the promises of God and almost miss entirely what God had for him for his family and ultimately through him the blessing he was wanting to bring suit to Israel in the world this weekend were to look at a very similar fear. One felt by the Virgin Mary herself, but one that she, unlike Zachariah would overcome. It is the fear of hopelessness versus get a definition of hope, so that were all working from the same page here. Hope in the Christian sense is the expectation of future blessings and the confidence of the best is yet to come. Hope in the Christian sense is the expectation of future blessings and the confidence that the best is not behind you, but the best is in front of you. Based on that definition I would say that we have many people in our community this weekend were living without hope.

We people who are asking them I ever going to be happy again.

Maybe you suffered some setbacks in your job.

Maybe it's been in your health or your career and it just feels so final.

You want to visit anything left to look forward to you gone through a divorce or this is the first year that you're going into a Christmas season with your family looking to move a different and it has in times past, and you're just saying of the best parts of my life behind me is all this anticipation. I had when I was a child or teenager, a college student.

All that life was going to bring to me. Now it seems like a quick and very dull dream is all behind me are the best days behind me. Recent events in our nation have made many people doubt whether there's any hope for justice or real harmony in our society. These are all really legitimate questions in this message are to see how Mary faced and overcame the fear of hopelessness, which we all have and how you and her example can overcome hopelessness to Luke chapter 1 verse 26 is were to be so I was treated here together and by the way, when I say that I mean I read you sit there and listen clarify that because this before him like for people to read with me and it was awkward but just listen first 26 in the six month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.

The virgin's name was Mary. He came to her and he said greetings all, favored one, the Lord is with you. She was greatly troubled at the saying and try to discern what sort of greeting this might be an angel sent her to not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. The first question you to ask of this text. Why is Mary troubled. Why is she afraid will. The obvious answer would seem to be that you just saw an angel angels in the Bible don't appear as the chubby harmless looking adolescents floating around in togas with toy bows and arrows that we like to depict them as an pop-culture angels in the Bible are towering majestic warriors who, whenever they show up.

The first words are always well-liked… That's how impressive bait seem to be so maybe it's that that scared Mary is that she seen the angel and that's what he says do not fear that a good explanation. I'm sure she was overwhelmed at the side of Gabriel, but did you notice that's not specifically what the text said she was alarmed at this is very specifically she was alarmed at his saying its appearance at his saying what was it that he had said to her, what was the greeting.

What he was calling her old favored one who in mind, she asked for you to show up at all your heavenly glory with all of your attention on me, telling me that I'm somebody special was trying to imagine what this would be like a imaginative in the middle of the service. Whatever campus your rat suddenly into the doors and the exits came several dozen Secret Service agents and start looking around and scanned the crowd eventually won most of the maintenance of them. So I pattered in Iraq, but were looking for Blanca may insert your name in that blank. And they say we have a matter that the President of the United States wants to speak with so-and-so. It is a matter of urgent national security.

Your response that is who am I and why am I so essential to national security that is something like Mary is feeling at this moment.

My God would send his top Secret Service agent to tell me that I'm somebody special.

Listen for you to understand that you were under the days and under the direct attention of the Almighty God frightening and that's what Mary felt at that moment. Verse 31 behold, you will conceive in your womb, you will bear a son, and you will 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 of his kingdom there will be no in Mary said to the angel, how can this be, since I am a virgin. Here's your second question, is Mary's questionnaire a question of doubt kind of.

She says I'm a virgin. Virgins generally don't have babies. God is the same kind of question I got Zachariah in trouble last week Gabriel had told Zachariah that he and his wife would have a son. The problem of course is that is that Zachariah's wife about octogenarians and Zachariah sponsors like God the spring chicken to my wife. I mean she's old and for that question.

Gabriel put Zachariah in the timeout for nine months we could talk never look what happens to Mary.

Verse 35 the angel answered her. The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power the most high will overshadow you. Therefore the child that was born will be called holy son of God, and behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son in this is the month with her six month with her who was called barren for nothing will be impossible. God Zachariah putting the timeout. Mary got an explanation why the Zachariah skin, the grumpy angel zealot was note same angel Gabriel Libby had met his morning coffee at ease and serve a bad mood you got a hairtrigger advantages. No course not, is because they're two different kinds of doubts both asked questions but is bad doubt there's good doubt there's a kind of doubt, you see the growth of disbelief. It is proud and defiant.

It looks inward at itself in bitterness and it says to the promises of God. There's no way this could be true that was Zachariah. Then there is the kind of doubt that grows out of a humble wonder it stairs upward with all and it says how can these things be true. I don't understand God, but I want to understand and I'm willing to learn. That was Mary Tim Keller calls this the difference between dishonest doubt and honest doubt dishonest doubt he says is crowded and lazy.

It response to God's revelation by simply saying that's impossible or rolling his eyes.

Its eyes and saying the more contemporary phraseology. That's just silly and it just turns away their statements of course are not arguments. They are just assertions dishonest doubt. He says his close minded. It refuses to consider the possibility of a being whose purposes and power are far beyond its own comprehension. By contrast, she says honest doubts or humble because they lead you to ask genuine questions, not just put up with the firewall you see when you ask a real question. They put you in a position of one humility into vulnerability humility.

You are admitting that there are some things you may not understand you are admitting that there are some things that might be beyond your comprehension understands why you're asking the question vulnerability when you ask a question you just might get an answer. And what if that answer contradicts you what if it shatters your categories.

What if that answer demands things from you.

You feel like you're not ready to give yet honest doubts are open to belief. You see, if you're really asking God from humble doubt for insight into who he is and what he does, he just might give it to you.

Today was awesome to me. In answer to Mary's honest tumbled out, the angel gives to her. One of the greatest most faith producing statements to me in all the Bible Luke 137.

Nothing is impossible with God. I cannot tell you how many times that phrase has bolstered my faith in the miss of situations that verse has come to my and I have said nothing is impossible with God. Here's what's awesome wasn't you know the only reason we have that statement in the Bible is because Mary asked that honest doubt in question. What that means is that when you ask God with humble doubts. Not only will God enlarge your faith if you ask it from a position of humility. Not only will he enlarge your understanding. He will probably give you understanding that will bless all the people around you because he can to give you insight into the wisdom of the promises of God that you're gonna used to share with others. If I have often told you. Doubt is like a foot that's poised right foot that's poised, you can either go backwards or you need to go forwards. It is true that doubt can drive you backwards into unbelief, but it's also true that doubt is what drives you forward into deeper understanding of love for God and faith in him. You can't walk forward until you pick up your foot so that your problem is not your doubts. The problem is listen. The problem is the heart behind us.

Doubts, they probably don't let anybody ever tell you the problem is the doubt. The problem is when you asked the doubt would've prowled and very bitter or very proud and defiant heart that is not open to the possibility that there is a God that is far beyond your comprehension, you need to understand when you come to God that you were dealing with a God who is all wise, all powerful and you want to present your question with the humility that be in the presence of that kind of being requires verse 38, Mary said, behold, I am the servant of the Lord, let it be to me according to your word and then the angel departed from her. Mary then composes a song in which he rejoices in the promises of God is made to her.

So using Mary as our example let's talk about how we overcome the fear of hopelessness. Three things I think you should've seen in that story. The first one drives the rest of them spent a little bit more time on it number one understand and embrace the favor of God understand the favor of God, the angel starts his command to Mary to not fear by announcing our but she has the favor of God that is important because it's going to be the key to everything else. So what is the favor of God. What is that phrase means you are to TV preacher very recently. Talk about the favor of God in his life is in getting a good parking space at the mall during Christmastime and he was telling a story.

I go in the mall you notice like that you work 6 miles away from the building is a nice uphold in. He said somebody right next to the handicap spot pulled out my car and I just said is the favor God. That's what it means to have the holy God smiling upon you and Jesus loves me is that with the favor God is maybe the house that you've always wanted goes into foreclosure and you're able to buy it for a steel your kids are getting straight A's.

Every time you smile your teeth gleam is that the favor of God that how you think about will think for a minute about the situation that Mary is in, she's just been told that she's going to be pregnant with no husband in a culture where this is not only frowned upon its punishable by death. The man that she loves Joseph it's probably not going to understand the situation and will probably leave her. She's already poor Joseph leaves her and doesn't have her killed.

To be destitute, she might have to beg me she really had the favor of God. Why would me Angel just a stripper check mess when I would that conversation I would have after this one. Hey while you're here, the next lottery numbers.

You're just going to slip those to me and then will you know that I really have a fit married and have any other things. Mary is financially insolvent. She had a ruined reputation. Most important relationship with her fiancé is just fall apart if he rejoices in the favor of God. How is a son will be born to her. The son, and angel says, whose name you will call Jesus because he will save his people from their sins. What if her main problem she was on her finances.

What if it was not a bad reputation. One of her primary problem was a severed relationship with God, with the reason that she didn't have joy. What the reason she didn't have purpose had nothing to do with the size of a bank account for the status of her marriage, but if it had to do with where she still would God and what if that someone would come to set her right with God.

You see, the fact that her pregnancy essentially puts are under a curse of death is given as a symbol to you and me of what Jesus was coming for you and I like Mary is now. We were under the curse of death because of our sin, the son that was born to Mary basically says you're under the curse of death phenomena grow a lot and I want to die in your place to us. He says you're under the curse of death.

I am born to a woman I'm born to a race that is under the curse of death because of their sin, but do not fear, because I will 1 Day Take Your Pl.

That's why we say here, the summit church that the gospel and for words as Jesus in ninth place.

To understand the gospel. You don't get religious you to understand the idea of substitution that Jesus would live the life that you were supposed to live. And then he would die the curse of death that you were supposed to die in your place on the cross and what the author of the gospel of Luke is screaming to you from the very beginning is that from the pregnancy itself. Jesus's life and ministry would be about taking your place in about substitution.

I live my favorite painting on the birth of Christ think it's by Rembrandt is a is a you got that the manger scene get the eight the out that the shepherd to come to worship in the light source and Rembrandt's painting is coming from behind and on what he ate. One of the shepherds is on his knees and he's got his arms outstretched and adoration of the baby Jesus in the light makes his heart's outstretched arms, make this, it's very faint but you see the shadow of the cross pole across the manger and what he was showing was that even in the very birth itself. The idea of the cross of Jesus taking our place has been built into the story because that is how God is giving her favor by saying I will restore. I will restore to you the cut on that that the relationship God want you to have the Sunday Angel sales will not only will he save his people from their sins away from the throne of David to the GS first 32 to the Jews. David's throne symbolize the restoration of worldwide peace and blessing. I condition the Jews called shalom shalom means universal peace. We long to see the cursor move from the world, the birth of this baby says you have pain, I will reverse that pain by sitting on the throne of David, which is the throne that gives shalom in my Bible right reading this week. If you're reading along with us through the Bible and read the Bible or do you and you read this to Joel chapter 2 I'm God makes a promise to Israel and I love it in a chapter 2, he said I will restore the years that the locust had eaten the locus for the judgment of God and what God was saying is not only am I going to forgive your sin.I'm good a multiply to you everything that this fallen world has taken from you, Job, Job in the Bible after he suffered for so long, very couple verses of the end of the book has his last days were filled with God restored to him sevenfold. What he had lost.

That is not a promise to you that if you just hang on long enough that to retire wealthy. That promise is not about this life at all it saying that eventually if it's not in eternity but not before eternity. God will restore to you everything that this world has taken from me, you have pain he will reverse it. Isaiah 60 verse four of 01 I read recently that just when I think about some of my friends in the situations therein just brings me to tears has a 60 verse four. God promises Israel says your sons and daughters that were carried away can be brought back to you on the shoulders of the strong ones I don't understand all the imagery here, but what I do know is that means you promising them you some of you lost sons and daughters and there is nothing in life more tragic than losing a son or daughter based on the not knowing I can forgive your sins one day maybe the strong ones represent the Angels. One day, you step foot in eternity and God brings them back carrying them and everything that you lost on earth every ounce of pain that you went through. God reverses it, and he restores to you that piece that fullness that you have always craved.

That is what it means for him to sit on the throne of David. It means that bodies destroyed by disease will leap and run in perfect health reputations that have been ruined our restored wrongs are made right in the words of the great author J.R.R. Tolkien or Lord of the rings when he said it is in that day all the sad things will become untrue. That's a weird phraseology he chose that word phraseology on purpose because what he means is that is that is not that we forget that these things happened. It's not that God will rewrite history is that the feeling of loss and permanent damage will be removed and restored.

And what's more talking says is will see that God was actually using that name for our good. It is because Mary went through these things is because she went through this unjust Senate because she went through hardship missing the possible because of that she got to understand Jesus and what he would go through. She got to understand more who he was and how he would say to God, took her hardship. God refers to used it for good. All the sad things in her life became untrue, and if you walk with Jesus is doing the same thing we have pain he will reverse it. You have disappointment he will erase it in verse 36 the angel brought back up Elizabeth's barrenness.

Why bring it back up.

Now it's got nothing to do with Mary situation.

Why one of Pastor Chris last we talked about comfort in Israel for a woman to be married and to die. Baron represented the ultimate disappointment in life to bring back up this story in that context is saying that the birth of Jesus is God's answer to erase our deepest disappointments. By the way, do not miss of the birth of Jesus is surrounded by two miracles of pregnancy that would mean something very important to Jesus's life and ministry that Jesus was born to a virgin means that the power to say would not come from animal come from God, so God did not have a human father for his Savior, God himself was the father because salvation cannot be accomplished by any human being. The matter how hard they try. It's a gift from God.

That's why big angels that this bid will be called holy because he's not from the human race is not your blood in them. Everybody's going to be of the hon of the most high, because only God can save that God also surrounded the birth of Jesus. Listen with a pregnancy with an overbearing woman is God's way of saying your deepest disappointment. I am going to erase that disappointment. A lot of people have a we now call bucket list that is right… Things going for you.I've got one standard stuff on and when I think a trail streak in the Super Bowl.

I want I want to meet Nicholas Cage a star on the left behind series. Just think that on everybody list right. The idea behind a bucket list is that I need to do these things before I die because hello write your live once one of you die without experiencing these things. You lost your one-shot for some what they would put on that list is not glib at all.

It's not a trip to the Grand Canyon. Not Gemini of an airplane what's on that list is getting married, having children be financially stable. Being pain free. I have a bucket list things and wrong with little harmless bucket list but I just don't take my bucket list that seriously. Why, because in the resurrection under the reign of the son of David every disappointment that I faced in life will be fulfilled.

There is no disappointment that I went through.

There is no ruined reputation. There's nothing I missed out on that God will not restore and multiply in abundance. I will restore.

He says what the swarming locusts have eaten the sons and daughters you lost in this life will be brought again from afar and once again Joel says my people will eat and be satisfied and they will never again fill disappointment and they will never again be put to shame, we have pain he will reverse it. We have disappointment he will erase it.

We yearn for justice, he will restore it, we get your seasons like the one we just gone through with Ferguson Missouri amounts going on in New York City and a lot of people ask is there ever to be justice. Some people say where is the justice for the families of the victims. Other people say where is the justice for the police officers and their families that perfect justice that we crave will be restored when Jesus rule from the throne of David that is not to excuse our not working for justice now. We should and we we must just means it down here. Justice will always be imperfect, sometimes even terribly skewed. Maybe you say maybe the ground say why it always seem to go unpunished. Why did those who are hypocrites. Why do they prosper. Maybe it's personal to you. Maybe you been wrong. Maybe it's a spouse or someone your family are a business partner. That is wrong you say where is the justice for several words it ever to come. The angel says to Mary Mary have hope.

The sun has been born who will sit on David's throne. Like I told you I know that for many the Christmas season represents a timely feel pain and loss and injustice and disappointment more acutely hope is the expectation of future blessings and the confidence that the best is yet to come.

That hope is found in embracing the favor of God given you in Christ and what is the favor of God is the assurance that Jesus Christ pay for all your sins is restored you as a son and daughter to the Almighty God, for God cannot love you anymore than he does right now because Jesus suffered in your place.

God's promise that one day you will race every disappointment he will reverse every pain that he will restore justice and that he is right now working in your life for good. Taking the bad things in your life and using it for his glorious plan. That's the favor of God. God's favor is not always easy. It was not easy for Mary is sometimes it includes a lot of difficulties, but is favor is always good because it brings to you all the promises and all the presence of Jesus, which is eternal life itself which leads me to number two you doubt with faith.

You doubt with faith once you're the favor of God. You know that you can doubt with faith. You should ask questions, but you should be open to answers you should stare upward and wonder at the size of God, and in all of the promise that is given you in Christ you want to meditate on that phrase in the midst of any doubt nothing is impossible with God the way that you as thinking about the size of the God that you talk into. Sometimes I just get overwhelmed reading the first chapter of Genesis the third verse of bank God says, let there be light as an arms to stop and not even I'm a scientist I'm not hyper educated all the scientific stuff that I think about just the complexity that would be in those four words, let there be light. In those four words, the embedded quantum physics and those four words he came over the whole wave particle banal none of us really understand, and that in that word, let there be light. He invented the complexity of the atom is stretched out the universe as far as all of its millions and billions of light years to look up into the sky. Nothing about the size of the universe I make. He created us with the word think how great is this God how harmless is understanding be how great is his power sure is his word and in my heart say nothing is impossible with this God, which promise of God you have trouble believing which promise. Do you feel like to use Pastor Chris's analogy for my frequent 20s like junk mail you a kind visa junk mail you get this mailed failure to be a millionaire you may think you know what you thought away which promise of God feels like junk mail you as a Psalm 23, six surely goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life you will dwell in the house floor forever is Isaiah 43 do that when you pass the waters. They will overwhelm you when you walk to the fire.

You will not be burned is it Romans 828 all things working together for good to you love God and are called according to his purpose. It Romans 832 that God did not spare his own son.

He will not also now freely give you all things. Which of these promises things like junk mail to you even look into the face. Your situation and then turn in doubt into the face of the Almighty God and say nothing is impossible with God. If God did not spare his own son. He will not also not freely give me all things listen now it's okay take your foot out but doubt with faith. Now you say that Cincinnati contradicts on you doubt the fate of the opposite bank note faith is the posture of the heart behind the doubt.

The doubt is good. In fact, faith is expressed in doubt if they pick up your foot asked her question, but do so by leaving the room for an Almighty God, whose answer might be bigger than you and then pick up your flight and stare at him and wonder as I got I don't understand what I'm ready to understand and I'm ready to search her work for the answer number three surrender at all surrender at all. The angel even though he brought really good news demanded full and total surrender for Mary to be a good example of this.

He tells Mary what Jesus's name will be there is usually name their own kids right that's really important somewhat. Your child, you will choose a name that represent something you love your for the pastors of new one for the given future NATO says no not this, not to call the shots. With this that's really important symbol is what it means.

Listen to this is that if you can have the blessing of Jesus in your life.

If you have the favor of God in Christ you had a fully surrender to him and let God call the shots even in your most intimate relationships, and even in your deepest dreams. Mary's response behold on the servant of the Lord, let it be to me according to your word servant means I have nothing.

It's all yours, let it be to me according to your will and your word means I don't call the shots anymore. I just want what you have for me. You see, you can only be in one of two positions in relationship to Jesus. In full surrender or urine rebellion. You cannot negotiate your way into the favor of God.

But most people try to do that… I'll be good so that you'll give me this got all of the church so that this will happen.I'll give this money so that you will bless me this way.

Got all save up here so that I can earn your favor. There was a guy in the Bible who try to negotiate for the favor of God's name was Saul. Saul was told by God to destroy everything in a certain city but Saul did want to that city was rich so it's all bit as he took all the plunder and he took about half of it and he sacrificed it to God because his reasoning, as will God didn't make a lot of sacrifices and that makes God happy and also get mine and Samuel comes from God to Saul and says Saul what you've done is to godlike the sin of witchcraft is like Satanism, God does not want your sacrifice.

God wants obedience so you cannot negotiate your way into the blessing of God is only one posture you can never have and that is complete and total surrender. You're in one of two postures right now in relationship to the Lordship of Jesus. It is very clearly you are not you know I'm doing pretty good. You're either totally surrendered or urine complete rebellion. There's only one deal that Jesus will make. He will give you all of himself for complete control of your life. There is no other negotiation that he will have. Do you want the favor of God in your life do you want to hope. Hope is founded know when you have the favor of God given to you as a gift in Christ. You see, I don't know what situation you're in.

Maybe you're in a very Mary like situation. What I can tell you is that if you have open up your heart to receive Christ. If you are fully surrender yourself to him. Then everything that the angel said to Mary applies to you so you can believe it, and by the way, don't give mental assent to it is not your head so you have the favor of God in Christ, Mary did ponder it little phrase in the next chapter of John there will click to 1911 Mary treasured up all these things treasures would value on them hundred them in her heart race.

Shame were all alive and she burst into song, even in the midst of poverty, even in the midst of destitution, even when our most important relationships are probably worse showing ponder the value of these things is he asking them to be a treasure example this week… Summarize my relationship with God is this, imagine if a relative or imaginable lawyer contacted you that a relative that you would never heard had died.

The lawyer said he wrote he went to his will is let you some money and I went ahead and sold to her that I got deposited right into your savings account. Will you never heard this relatives so you assume is a token amount maybe a couple hundred dollars and most so is going to check the bank account you're a young father and you're trying to make ends meet your barely scraping by trying to take care your family and one day about five years after this you go to the savings account as you have access to the long time and you will the savings account and realize that there are hundreds of millions of dollars in this bank account. The last five years you been barely scraping by you been driving your car, you been trying to barely make ends meet. All the while, you got hundreds of millions of dollars sitting in that bank account's Saul that this is exactly where I with the favor of God is given to me in Christ.

I know what I believe it's but I don't ponder and don't understand it in my prayer is God help me to know what I already know.

Help me to feel what I know to be true. Got I want this to become such a treasure in my heart and reshapes all of my thinking my disappointments and pain. The real Montana brushing aside my disappointments and pain will they seem so small in the waning of the treasure that I have in you worry seems silly because what I treasure. I know that I have the riches of Christ, building injustices that it been committed against me seem rather trivial and meaningless, because obviously that I've been given by God in Christ.

Really, I let go of everything in my life I can say with Mary that in Christ. I give up all that I have because it Christ. I already have all that I mean July ponder the riches of what he has given me so that in my hour of being under a death sentence in my hour and when my relationships fall apart. I can worship with the same glorious moment she did, and I can say, Blessed be my God who is given me salvation will never leave or forsake me, and in whom every promise of God's yes in Christ Jesus you know a prayer that you are praying the Christmas season that prayer there is what I would call Mary's prayer if I can give it to you and give you a few minutes to soak in.

Behold, I am your servant. Let it be to me according to your word.

You pray that God total surrender sermon all my let it be to me what you have said. I embrace your favor in Christ and I know that nothing is impossible with you.

I cannot think of a better season of right.

Also, whether you're a believer or not, whether a believer in Christ are not better play great one and is much by your heads.

If you would just minimum limit on the screen for you, you couple minutes in the first imagine there are some here many, many never never received Christ personally good news. I can and privilege to deliver is that the angel said to Mary he says do you it's startling, all favored one. I knew you before you were in your mother and I point this day my son the diamond cross to suffer the finishing punishment and shame and the penalty for your sin son is born. If you will receive.

You have to surrender to him. Now he is then all favor of God Almighty will be yours in Christ never done that. Might you do that in this moment, but I believe I received Satan your own words, I believe, and I was surrender for these two phrases that come screen here some church all of our campuses want to spend a few moments with a grand an hour Springs, Arkansas, and no the leaves from