God Is With Us // Week 2 // The Misconceptions Of Christmas

God Is With Us // Week 2 // The Misconceptions Of Christmas

Isaiah 7:14 NLT

14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

1. Our PLANS - Joseph

Matthew 1:18-19 NIV

18 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. 19 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.

Matthew 1:20-23 NIV

20 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. 21 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.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

Matthew 1:24-25 NIV

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Proverbs 16:9 NASB

9 The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.

Luke 1:26-28 NIV

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

2. Our PAIN - Mary

3. Our PURSUIT - The Magi

Matthew 2:1-2 NASB

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

Matthew 2:10-11 NASB

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

1 - Your Plan

2 - Your Pain

3 - Your Pursuit

Week 2 Questions:

1. What misconceptions or preconceived notions have you had about Your Own Plans and what God would have your life look like?

2. What does being blessed and favored by God look like to you? Is that consistent with Scripture and specifically what Mary endured? How does this change how you view pain?

3. What are you truly pursuing in your life right now? Does the journey look like what you expected? How might God use this to shatter preconceived notions we have about following the Lord?