A Christmas message Matt.1:18-25.

 The Christmas story narrated here by Matthew, reveals the drama of those days.

Matthew writes to tell us the main purpose of writing - the birth of Jesus Christ.

What is the message, what is the story?

 A young couple are engaged to be marrıed but surprısıngly and agaınst every norm of the day the gırl ıs found to be pregnant. What a dısgrace! The penalty accordıng to the Law of Moses ıs death by stonıng, but Joseph was a just man, a proper person, he loved Mary.

There ıs now a crısıs ın the relatıonshıp! What ıs the answer? At thıs poınt God steps ınto the There ıs now a crısıs ın the relatıonshıp sıtu. He always steps ın when we come to a dead end. Many a tıme we thınk that God has abandoned us and we fınd no solutıons to our dıffıcultıes, but God ıs always on tıme.

Joseph ıs told by an Angel what the problem ıs about. It ıs not what Joseph thought. God explaıns Isaıah 55:8 Here God unfolds Hıs plan of Salvatıon Galatıans 4: 4-5. Who would ever thınk of such a solutıon? The relıgıous men of the day and the theologıans knew all about Hıs comıng but ın the end got everythıng wrong. In the end God had to turn to some shepherds to annuounce the joyous event. Joseph may not have understood the whole message but he obeyed  How about us when God speaks? Are we full of questıons and doubts?

 Who touched Me? Mark 5:25-34.

A strange incident during the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.

A woman with a desperate need and a deperate action. She is called a daughter of Abraham ( a believer). A sick believer. with no healing, yet Christ took our infirmities and our sicknesses on the Cross Col.2:13-14.

She tried every remedy, but no result. According to the Law. she had to live apart from the community. She could not touch a Rabbi.

Many wanted to touch Christ during His ministry, but only this woman suceeded.

When we come to the end of our resources, Faith takes over, the end of our ways. God will respond to the touch of Faith. His followers did not recognize that touch of Faith, it seems, but Jesus felt it.

The woman could have been put off by sircumstances (crowd, noise, etc.). Her little mustard seed of faith moved a mountain. Does it to us? Is our faith a disgrace? Too little? Ask Godto do something about it. 

The disciples asked, 'Lord increase our faith' Luk.17.5-6.

We all want to see miracles and mighty works, but we need Apostolic Faith, Heb. 11:6. Are there mountains of unbelief in our hearts? One day the disciples were amazed to see a fig tree wither, but Jesus focussed them on the source of Faith, 'Have Faith of God'( living Faith) Faith is an extraordinay thing. We cannot analyze it, but by the Word of God we can define it-Heb.11:1. It means, to possess what you do not have and to see the invisible.

Jesus felt that touch of faith from that woman - the result-healing, deliverance from something impossible. When we put our whole weight on God, we can see the mountain removed.

God speaks-2

Does God speak to us? The categorical answer is YES, How?

He speaks to us when we are ready to listen, Rev.3:22. In what way? Primarily God speaks to us through His written Word (the Bible).2 Pet.1:19-21. This is the most sure way for us to receive His communications. His Word is inerrant. Paul, the Apostle, had the same attitude as Peter: 2 Tim.3:16.

Apart from the Scriptures, God has other means to communicate His will to us, but these are secondary to the message of the Bible. There are details in our lives that the Scriptures do not provide, e.g. what country to live in, what kind of work to do, etc. God speaks to us to reveal His will for our lives and shape us for Eternity. He chooses to whom He speaks and how He does it:

1.The inner witness of the Holy Spirit: Rom.8:16.

2. The still small voice: 1 Kings19:13.

3 Dreams and visions.

4.Revelation through another person.

5. Prophetic utterance.

Wheras the Word of God is inerrant, these secondary means can be subject to error and misinterprentation, especially when human factors are involved.

Some examples: Ananias was instructed by God to go and pray for Paul, Acts 9:10-12.

Peter saw the vision from God and was instructed to visit Cornelius, Acts 10:9-16.

Agabus prophesied about Paul's arrest and imprisonment in Jerusalem, Acts 21:10-11.

Joseph was warned by a dream to flee to Egypt, Matt.2:13.

TEST ALL THINGS, 1 Thess.5:21.