What do you afraid of?
What do you scare of?
We all have something that is holding us back.
We all have something that we feared.
But what if you cross to that one life-changing moment.
A moment of courage.
A moment where you can take your leap of faith.
A moment of strength.
A moment shared between you and God.
For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Nothing is impossible with God (Message Bible Translation).
Mary, like other human beings, also experienced fear in her life. And I believe every one of us who come to this place also has “fear” and have something that we are afraid of. For some, it could be a fear of talking to someone new or maybe another kind of fear. It could be of animals, plants, places, or even something that you couldn’t see it, yet, like our future.
Let us go to the definition of the word “courage”. In one simple sentence, courage is persistence, perseverance even though there is a reason to fear. So, you know exactly what you fear something, but you choose not to give up on your fear. Courage itself could be an act of physical courage, moral courage, or psychological courage.
If you read our theme verse, in the Gospel according to Luke. We can learn a courageous act from Mary’s life story.It was started when she had the visitation from an angel, more details in Luke 1:26-38 (we can find parallel story also in Gospel according to Matthew). When I compared verses in Matthew and Luke, one important biblical value that popped out was about marriage.
Being committed to someone means you must be courageous. It’s easy to grab (or even pay) someone who you find attractive. But it’s hard, it needs the courage to keep yourself from doing that and committed to one person. Moreover, if there is a fear of rejection or a “mark” that you are “weird” and “not cool”. Matthew 16:26. Spiritually we are committed to our life-partner, Jesus.
Mankind is a unique species. They are doing a lot of horrendous things for the sake of love or fame. This is the world where the devil and his crafty evil plans try to rip you apart! The devil will try that with your family, with your close friends, with your significant others. However, remember this, an act of love (forgiving, admonishing, correcting, staying) needs a courageous heart.
Talking about a courageous heart, I can’t stop imagine Joseph, Mary’s fiancé. He is a good and noble guy but he heard the news about his fiancée who got pregnant before they are getting married. WWJD? What Would Joseph Do? Posting a status: UNFAITHFUL! Or an insta-picture with the caption: “all women are cheater”? No, he tried to compose himself and still showing his love and respect to Mary by divorced her in a quiet. Even though he has the right to do it publicly. You know sometimes courage is shown in a closed-door, love is not only about affection, but also a courageous act. When you release forgiveness to someone and wishing them all the best, you show them that you are a courageous person.
In such a condition you feel that you are losing meaning, you feel insignificant. But listen to this, your value, your meaning in this life is lay within the love that you have, not in love others don’t have. 1Corinthians 13:2. If you still remember the story of Joseph, do you remember who encouraged Joseph to take Mary as his wife? An angel. Now let’s forward our time capsule 33 years after that Angel came to meet Joseph, an angel also appeared to Jesus in His final hour at Gethsemane. Luke 22:43. What I can say, that was the appearance of the person Holy Spirit, the helping Spirit of God, like what Jesus had said in John 14:16-17.
At the end of this sermon, I want you to know that there are 3 pairs of significant threats in psychology that could cause you to lose courage. They are:
- Fate & Death
- Meaningless & Despair
- Guilt & Sin
The first two have been covered in the story of the first Christmas that I just told you in the last few minutes. But now maybe you have this guilty feeling over your life because you know that you have sinned before God. BUT, listen to this, your sin was the very reason Jesus came to this earth nearly 2000 years ago.
Is it possible for Him to forgive my huge mistakes? His coming is for the “sick” not for the “righteous healthy one.” Matthew 9:12.
Everything is possible because He is the Maker, the Source…
…and now He is standing right in front of your heart.
He says, “Be strong, take courage, for I love you so, and you are not alone.” Invite Jesus into your heart, invite the Holy Spirit to guide you and to give you the courage that you need.
Jeff Minandar 