StoneBridge Community Church
Senior Pastor Jon Saur
The Unexpected: Christmas Eve
How could anyone expect that God would become human? What should we expect God to do in our lives?
Matthew 1:18-25 NRSV
Sermon Outline
I. Expectations
A. Vivian Maier
B. Vincent Van Gogh
C. Herman Melville
D. Expectations blind us to beautiful things sometimes.
E. Not all expectations are bad.
II. Joseph
A. Safe to say, Joseph didn't expect this.
B. First unexpected event - Mary is pregnant.
C. Joseph plans to send her away.
D. What would Joseph have missed out on?
E. Joseph's role in all this.
F. Even the best of us can be misled by expectations (Dan and Amy)
III. Second Unexpected Event
A. Joseph's dream.
B. Angel appears.
IV. Most Unexpected Event ever
A. "God with us"
B. Messianic Expectations
C. So unexpected we are still trying to wrestle with it.
D. There in Jesus, God is present.
E. Still with us.
F. God hasn't stopped doing unexpected things.
V. Joseph's response
A. He defies expectations.
B. He takes Mary as his wife, despite shame.
C. He raises Jesus.
D. What was once unexpected, becomes the most normal of things.
E. This is what God does and this is what we celebrate tonight.
GROWTH GROUP / PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. When have your expectations gotten the best of you?
2. How have you seen God defy expectations in scripture?
3. How have you seen God defy expectations in your life?
NEXT STEPS
1. Identify an area in your life in which you want God to defy your expectations.
2. Lift that area up to God in prayer, specifically.
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