Sermon Text: Matt 1: 24
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and
took Mary home as his wife.
The plans of a Jewish wedding:
1.
Arraignment [by father of
groom bride as young as 12]
2.
Proposal
3.
Groom Promises to take care
of the bride
4.
Bridal Dowry set [financial
preparation]
5.
Ritual cleansing immersion
[spiritual preparation]
6.
Bethroyal [sanctification,
set aside & legal commitment, about 2 years]
7.
Public ceremony
8.
Groom returns home to
"prepare a place"
9.
Bride prepares her wedding
garments
i Groom father determines when the bride is ready
ii Priest determines if the place is better than brides current home
iii waiting time
unknown until wedding day
Point 1: Change 1 Matt 2: 12 When they had gone, an angel of
the Lord appeared to Joseph 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."
Point 2: Change 2
Matt 2: 19 After Herod died, an angel of
the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said Get up, take the child
and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take
the child's life are dead."
Point 3: Change 3
Matt 2: 22, 23 But when he heard that
Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to
go there, Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of
Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth, So was fulfilled what
was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene."
1.
In all occasions God change in
plans kept him from certain danger, destruction or even death.
2.
In all occasions God's plan
was better.
3.
In all occasions Joseph
complied without any push back. Why? Because of what he experienced earlier.
4.
Mary is compliant…whoever is
with you must go along to get along
5.
Joseph follows the change
until he gets another change
How do you know when God is changing
your plans to make them better? Journal when you believe God is talking to you.
When you see consistency you know this is one way God chooses to speak to you. Joshua 1: 6 - 9 Helps us in this area as
well. You must stay focused.
Life Application:
1.
When I hear from God changes
to my plans I will not counter, consider, I will comply…it saves time
2.
God's plans are always an
improvement of mine and may even save my life
3.
Always submit your plans to
the Lord for final approval or change orders…they will come back in a cloud…
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