God’s Plan and the Believers’ Role

Sermon: God’s Plan and the Believers’ Role
Bible Passage: Matthew 1:18-25

1. God’s plan for Jesus is that “He [Jesus] will save His people from their sins” (verse 21)
(a) The word “save” presupposes “someone in danger or in helpless situation”
(b) The act of “saving” is not political but spiritual with the phrase “from their sins”
(c) Sin(s) refers to:
(c1) “Rift between God and people”
(c2) “Distance between God and His people”
(c3) “Man’s failure to adhere to the stipulations of God’s instructions”
(d) Jesus’ coming to this world is to “put an end to the rift between God and man”—“Immanuel”
(e) Jesus is the ONLY means by whom God forgives His people from their sins

2. God the Father works His plan with His Son and the Holy Spirit—reflects God’s creation activity of Genesis 1—Matthew 1:18-25 is a Trinitarian passage
(a) The Father wills
(b) The Son fulfills the Father’s will
(c) The Holy Spirit makes the Son be born in Mary’s womb (cf. Genesis 1:2; Psalm 104:30)

3. God works His plans through people, who are willing to be receptive to His ways and-plans
(a) God works in unlikely ways and turn of events—look at Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Beersheba
(b) Joseph was willing to be obedient (attendant circumstance) to God’s plan of bringing Jesus-to this world despite all difficulties
(c) Joseph and Mary sacrificially refrain from their personal needs for the sake of honoring-God’s plan
(d) Joseph and Mary faced all the odds in Judea, Egypt, and Nazareth for the sake of fulfilling-God’s plan (Matthew 2:1-23)

4. Take Away (Jesus continues to “save” His people from their sins)
Be available for God to use you to make His Son Jesus be born in the hearts of many friends-and families
(a) By taking the model of Joseph and Mary, do not always thinking about your convenience
(b) By joining with the Holy Spirit, make Jesus be born in the heart of someone who you love