The Most Important JourneySample

Day 21

by Bryan Hill

Pastor, Cane Bay Campus

Unwavering Obedience

When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. ~ Luke 2:39-40 (NIV)

When I think about Mary and Joseph, one word comes to mind: obedience. From the moment the angel visited Mary and appeared in a dream to Joseph, they both showed unwavering obedience. It had to take a lot of faith for a young virgin and her soon-to-be-husband to accept the calling placed on them by God. It was uncomfortable, hard, and maybe almost unbearable at times.

The Christmas story often stops at Jesus’s birth, but Matthew and Luke continue the story of Jesus’ young life for a reason, telling us how Mary and Joseph left Bethlehem with Jesus.

An angel of the Lord appears to Joseph, again, in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him” (Matthew 2:13). This is about immediate obedience. Why is this important? Because Joseph and Mary had a history with God and trusted him in his Word. Sometimes, God takes us to Egypt because something is there waiting for us, or sometimes, something happens where we are, in our absence. Blessing does not require our presence; it requires our obedience.

Obedience is a choice that can bring us closer to God, while disobedience creates distance. Planting a church was never a desire of mine—until God spoke to me as I was serving coffee late at night to a group of church planters in 2021. His voice was clear: “You are going to be one of them. I will be with you.” To which I said, “No way! Not me!” After much prayer and submission, I stepped out in obedience, and two years later, I am the campus pastor of Seacoast Cane Bay, Seacoast Church’s 14th campus. It is a fulfillment of a promise and a result of obedience.

Because Mary and Joseph chose obedience, blessing followed, and they eventually returned home to Nazareth. Although it probably seemed inconvenient to pick up and go to Egypt first, although it had to be beyond intimidating to think about raising and teaching the Messiah, they provided an example of obedience to God for young Jesus. Obedience was not just something they taught him; it was something they lived. “And the child grew and became strong…” Later in Jesus’ life, he would fulfill God’s law perfectly, forever obedient to his Father in heaven.

Reflect: What is something God has called you to be obedient to that you are wrestling with?