WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:06.040 Setbacks are the stepping stones to my future. Setbacks are 2 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:09.519 not the barriers in the path to your future. They 3 00:00:09.640 --> 00:00:13.320 are the path to your future. If you'll get this, 4 00:00:13.359 --> 00:00:15.279 it'll change the way you look at all your problems. 5 00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:18.640 And we looked at a dramatic example illustration of this 6 00:00:19.320 --> 00:00:21.399 last time together, when we focused on the life of 7 00:00:21.480 --> 00:00:25.000 Joseph in the Book of Genesis for thirteen years. Remember, 8 00:00:25.079 --> 00:00:30.079 Joseph had one bad setback after another, seven different setbacks. 9 00:00:30.359 --> 00:00:32.359 None of them were his fault, every one of them 10 00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:35.960 call us by somebody else. They were painful, but at 11 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:38.719 the end of his life, Joseph could look back and say, 12 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:41.880 they meant it for bad, but God meant it all 13 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:42.320 for good. 14 00:00:43.079 --> 00:00:44.119 Same is true for you. 15 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:48.600 There is a purpose behind the setbacks for your life. 16 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:51.719 And God will use literally everything in your life, even 17 00:00:51.719 --> 00:00:53.640 the bad stuff that other people mean for bad in 18 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:55.840 your life. He'll use it for good if you'll trust 19 00:00:55.920 --> 00:00:59.880 him completely. So why don't we have such a hard 20 00:00:59.880 --> 00:01:03.079 time with setbacks? Well, the reason why we have a 21 00:01:03.079 --> 00:01:07.599 hard time is because we panic when things don't happen 22 00:01:07.640 --> 00:01:09.879 as fast as we wanted. It don't happen as simply 23 00:01:09.879 --> 00:01:12.920 as we wanted. We worry and we get anxious, and 24 00:01:12.959 --> 00:01:16.200 we doubt, and we think God doesn't know what he's doing, 25 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:20.200 and we don't trust God, and and and in a word, 26 00:01:20.239 --> 00:01:27.519 we become afraid. Now, listen, fear is your greatest enemy 27 00:01:27.959 --> 00:01:36.319 in life. Fear, worry, anxiety, this nervousness. And if you're 28 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:39.719 going to learn how to turn setbacks into comebacks and 29 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:42.159 let God use them in that way, you're gonna have 30 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:43.319 to learn to deal with fear. 31 00:01:43.400 --> 00:01:44.480 So today I. 32 00:01:44.359 --> 00:01:46.040 Want us to look at what do you do when 33 00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:50.400 a setback fills you with fear. And if you're filled 34 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:54.760 with faith, then you're going to benefit from your setbacks. 35 00:01:54.920 --> 00:01:57.760 But if you're filled with fear, you're going to be 36 00:01:57.799 --> 00:02:02.599 broken by the setbacks happen in your life. 37 00:02:03.400 --> 00:02:06.599 Now, think about this. Everybody has secret fears. 38 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:09.000 You may have the fear that nobody's ever going to 39 00:02:09.080 --> 00:02:11.919 love you. You may have the fear that your life 40 00:02:11.960 --> 00:02:15.080 doesn't matter, nobody's gonna notice you. Maybe you may have 41 00:02:15.080 --> 00:02:17.919 the fear of dying alone. You may have the fear 42 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:21.439 of never finding true love. You may have the fear 43 00:02:21.479 --> 00:02:26.280 that people would reject you if they really knew what 44 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:30.039 you were like. You know, as I thought about where 45 00:02:30.039 --> 00:02:32.719 to take you in the Bible this week to show 46 00:02:32.719 --> 00:02:34.639 you how to deal with the fears that arise when 47 00:02:34.680 --> 00:02:38.080 your plans get messed up, when you have setbacks in 48 00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:40.840 your life. The choice was obvious to me. We got 49 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:44.319 to look at the Christmas story because Jesus' birth messed 50 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:48.159 up everybody's plans, and it actually caused a lot of 51 00:02:48.199 --> 00:02:51.599 fear for those involved at the personal level. You know, 52 00:02:51.639 --> 00:02:54.360 it is significant that when you read the Christmas Story 53 00:02:54.719 --> 00:02:57.960 that the phrase don't be afraid is repeated four times, 54 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:01.759 not once, but four times. In the Christmas story, the 55 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:04.280 angels have to say don't be afraid. They say it 56 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:06.960 to Mary, they say it to Joseph, they say it 57 00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:09.400 to the shepherds, they say it to Zachariah. 58 00:03:09.960 --> 00:03:11.639 And today you know, we know. 59 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:14.639 The good news of Jesus' birth, but to those who 60 00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:17.240 heard it for the very first time, it scared them 61 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:21.000 to death. And the Bible tells us that the news 62 00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:23.599 not only frightened those who heard it first, but it's 63 00:03:23.639 --> 00:03:25.680 scared the entire city of Jerusalem. 64 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:27.240 That's what the Bible tells us. 65 00:03:27.800 --> 00:03:30.039 In fact, every one of the main characters in the 66 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:33.159 Christmas story had to deal with their own set of 67 00:03:33.159 --> 00:03:34.520 fears because of their. 68 00:03:34.439 --> 00:03:36.759 Own plans had a setback. 69 00:03:38.039 --> 00:03:40.439 Now, you know, as I reread that story this week, 70 00:03:40.919 --> 00:03:43.439 what was interesting to me is that two thousand years later, 71 00:03:43.479 --> 00:03:46.680 you know what, we're all still dealing with the exact 72 00:03:47.000 --> 00:03:50.400 same fears that they had two thousand years ago. 73 00:03:51.879 --> 00:03:52.039 Now. 74 00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:54.879 I don't know what fears you may be personally dealing 75 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:58.159 with right now because of some setbacks in your life. 76 00:03:58.360 --> 00:04:00.840 I don't know what's causing you to panic, cause you worry, 77 00:04:00.919 --> 00:04:05.159 to keep you awake at night, to have anxiety or 78 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:08.680 even panic attacks. But I do know this, God doesn't 79 00:04:08.680 --> 00:04:11.240 want you to be fearful. And so what I want 80 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:15.319 to do in this message is show you five common 81 00:04:15.400 --> 00:04:18.680 fears that people faced at the very first Christmas. And 82 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:20.279 I want you to show I want you to see 83 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:24.920 God's antidote to those fears that you feel when you 84 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:27.279 have setbacks in your life. I think you're going to 85 00:04:27.279 --> 00:04:30.319 identify with these. Okay, all right, So what were the 86 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:33.879 fears that people had to face at the very first Christmas. 87 00:04:33.959 --> 00:04:36.240 Let's get right into this Number one. Let's talk about Mary. 88 00:04:37.079 --> 00:04:37.959 First. 89 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:43.680 Mary faced the fear of inadequacy. Mary faced the fear 90 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:45.959 of inadequacy, and that happens when you have a step 91 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:46.800 back in your life. 92 00:04:47.000 --> 00:04:49.399 Now, think about this. Mary is a young peasant girl. 93 00:04:49.480 --> 00:04:52.759 She's probably maybe, I don't know, fifteen, sixteen years of age. 94 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:56.680 She's engaged to be married. This is a happy time, Perer. 95 00:04:57.120 --> 00:05:01.240 She's happily planning her wedding day. This is a fun time. 96 00:05:01.480 --> 00:05:04.800 She's got all the plans of assume to be bride 97 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:07.720 in her head, and she's got it all planned out. 98 00:05:07.759 --> 00:05:10.160 She's got her whole life planned out. And then one 99 00:05:10.240 --> 00:05:14.399 day an angel interrupts her plans. It's a setback and 100 00:05:14.519 --> 00:05:16.720 he shows up. That would be enough to scare anybody. 101 00:05:16.759 --> 00:05:19.319 If an angel showed up in my bedroom, it was 102 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:23.120 scare me. But the angel's message is even more shocking. 103 00:05:23.879 --> 00:05:27.600 And the angel says, Mary, by the way, you're pregnant. 104 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:32.319 And Mary's going, how can this be? I've never had 105 00:05:32.360 --> 00:05:35.800 sex with anybody. And then the angel drops the second 106 00:05:35.879 --> 00:05:39.519 half of this bomb. He says, oh, by the way, 107 00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:42.040 not only are you pregnant, but you're carrying the Son 108 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:45.040 of God. God is coming to earth and he's coming 109 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:47.600 as a baby, and you're going to be the mother 110 00:05:48.439 --> 00:05:51.959 of the Son of God. Now that is a setback 111 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:56.040 to Mary's sweet and simple plans to just get married 112 00:05:56.199 --> 00:05:57.000 and settle down? 113 00:05:58.720 --> 00:05:59.519 Are you kidding me? 114 00:06:00.240 --> 00:06:02.800 She's gonna what's this all about? Her mind must have 115 00:06:02.839 --> 00:06:06.319 been filled with panic. She would have been overwhelmed with fears. 116 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:08.879 What does all this mean? How much supposed to react 117 00:06:08.920 --> 00:06:09.079 to this? 118 00:06:09.480 --> 00:06:11.360 Why was I chosen me? Why now? 119 00:06:11.480 --> 00:06:13.639 How am I going to explain this to everybody? Wouldn't 120 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:17.439 you feel a little inadequate? Wouldn't you be a little fearful? 121 00:06:17.959 --> 00:06:21.040 Of course you would. In Luke, chapter one, verse twenty 122 00:06:21.120 --> 00:06:24.759 nine to thirty four, it says this Confused and disturbed, 123 00:06:25.680 --> 00:06:29.040 Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. So 124 00:06:29.079 --> 00:06:32.879 the Angel said, do not be afraid. This is the 125 00:06:32.920 --> 00:06:36.720 first of the four fear nots. Do not be afraid, Mary, 126 00:06:37.399 --> 00:06:40.560 for God has decided to bless and to use you. 127 00:06:41.279 --> 00:06:43.000 And you're going to have a son, and you will 128 00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:45.199 name him Jesus, and he will be the Son of 129 00:06:45.240 --> 00:06:48.439 God and his kingdom will never end. And then Mary asked, 130 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:52.720 but how can this be? Well, you'd ask the same thing, 131 00:06:52.800 --> 00:06:55.680 so would I. Now Mary would have to deal with 132 00:06:55.720 --> 00:07:00.399 the skepticism of a family and friends, and know she's 133 00:07:00.439 --> 00:07:03.959 gonna be an undwed mother. She's got to make a 134 00:07:03.959 --> 00:07:06.800 long trip on a donkey the day before she delivers, 135 00:07:06.879 --> 00:07:09.079 got to move to go to Bethlehem. She's gonna have 136 00:07:09.079 --> 00:07:12.600 to deliver her first child by herself in a barn 137 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:17.160 with no doctor, no mother, or no midwife. That's scary. 138 00:07:17.240 --> 00:07:20.279 And then she's got to raise the son of God. Really, 139 00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:24.160 the fear of inadequacy is one that we can all 140 00:07:24.199 --> 00:07:27.959 relate to. Am I good enough? Am I up for 141 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:32.279 the task? Can I handle this? Mary has a legitimate fear. 142 00:07:33.240 --> 00:07:35.759 Now there's a second fear in the story. Now that's 143 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:39.920 Joseph's fear. Joseph struggled with a different fear. Joseph faced 144 00:07:39.959 --> 00:07:46.399 the fear of disapproval. Now imagine his position. Your fiance 145 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:50.199 comes to you and says, honey, I'm pregnant. Now you 146 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:52.879 know that you've never had relations with her, and she 147 00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:55.639 claims God made me pregnant. 148 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:56.839 It's his child. 149 00:07:57.040 --> 00:07:59.319 How are you gonna explain that to everybody in town. 150 00:08:01.079 --> 00:08:05.680 Imagine the ridicule, the shame, the gossip, the criticism heaped 151 00:08:05.720 --> 00:08:08.959 on him. You know, Joseph, they say he's crazy to 152 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:12.839 believe that story. She's taken him for a ride. And 153 00:08:12.879 --> 00:08:15.160 the Bible tells us that Joseph's first reaction was to 154 00:08:15.160 --> 00:08:18.759 break off the engagement privately. Matthew Chapter one, verse eighteen 155 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:21.439 to twenty. He says, now this is how Jesus Christ 156 00:08:21.480 --> 00:08:23.560 was born. His mother Mary was engaged to be married 157 00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:26.639 to Joseph, but while she was still a virgin, she 158 00:08:26.680 --> 00:08:29.920 became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancee, being 159 00:08:29.920 --> 00:08:33.120 a good and righteous man, decided to break off the 160 00:08:33.159 --> 00:08:37.200 engagement quietly so it wouldn't disgrace Mary publicly. I mean, 161 00:08:37.240 --> 00:08:41.759 he's still protecting his fiance But after he can consider 162 00:08:41.879 --> 00:08:44.600 doing this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, 163 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:47.559 so he's getting scared. Appeared to him in a dream 164 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:50.919 and said, Joseph, don't be afraid to take Mary home 165 00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:55.559 as your wife, because the child in her is from 166 00:08:55.600 --> 00:08:59.480 God's Holy Spirit. And just like with Mary, God has 167 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:03.120 to tell you fear not. This is the second of 168 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:05.120 for fear not. He said, don't be afraid. 169 00:09:05.559 --> 00:09:06.519 Now, let me ask you. 170 00:09:07.960 --> 00:09:13.480 Who's disapproval are you afraid of? Let me ask you 171 00:09:13.559 --> 00:09:15.360 another way, whose approval are you living? 172 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:15.600 For? 173 00:09:17.000 --> 00:09:19.000 You know, the Bible tells us that the fear of man, 174 00:09:19.320 --> 00:09:22.679 or the fear of disapproval, is a trap it will 175 00:09:22.679 --> 00:09:26.080 limit you and you will miss God's will. You'll miss 176 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:28.679 God's plan for your life. If you're worried about what 177 00:09:28.679 --> 00:09:31.480 other people think, then you're not gonna hear what God. 178 00:09:31.320 --> 00:09:31.960 Has for you. 179 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:36.279 Joseph could have missed the greatest blessing in his life. 180 00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:39.279 Now next, the third fear we find with the shepherds. 181 00:09:40.039 --> 00:09:44.480 Now the shepherds face the fear of unexpected change. And 182 00:09:44.600 --> 00:09:47.600 we all have this one when we have setbacks in 183 00:09:47.639 --> 00:09:51.519 our life. Unexpected change. Yeah, set back too, and what 184 00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:54.639 was it? Their plans got changed? Now, let me give 185 00:09:54.679 --> 00:09:57.919 you the picture. This is at night time in there. 186 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:01.000 The shepherds are out enjoying a quiet night the field. Okay, 187 00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:04.480 they're out laying on the grass tending their flock of sheep, 188 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:08.360 and they're bedded down for the night. The sheep are 189 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:11.000 betted down, it's quiet. They're looking up at the stars, 190 00:10:11.320 --> 00:10:14.440 probably telling a few jokes, eating, you know, maybe made 191 00:10:14.440 --> 00:10:18.279 some popcorns, some snores or something. But suddenly the skylights 192 00:10:18.360 --> 00:10:21.919 up and like an explosion of brightness in the sky 193 00:10:21.960 --> 00:10:25.240 and they go, oh, UFOs, you know what is this 194 00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:31.360 And a huge choir of extraterrestrial beings starts singing loudly. 195 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:36.039 Would that scare you? Yeah, yeah, you know, certainly that's 196 00:10:36.039 --> 00:10:36.679 a scary site. 197 00:10:36.759 --> 00:10:37.679 What is going on? 198 00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:41.879 And their plans for quiet evening are interrupted, And the 199 00:10:41.960 --> 00:10:45.279 fact is they will never be the same. 200 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:47.240 Again. 201 00:10:48.279 --> 00:10:51.960 Luke chapter two, verses eight to ten, says that night 202 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:55.480 the shepherds were in the field outside the village guarding 203 00:10:55.480 --> 00:10:58.639 their flocks of sheep, and suddenly an angel of the 204 00:10:58.679 --> 00:11:01.919 Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's 205 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:05.559 glory flashed surround them. It's like this flash of brightness, 206 00:11:05.879 --> 00:11:10.799 and they were terribly frightened. Everybody's scared at Christmas. So 207 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:13.440 the angels had to say to them, here's the third time. 208 00:11:13.799 --> 00:11:20.399 Do not be afraid. Let me ask you. Do you 209 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:21.639 like being caught off guard? 210 00:11:22.759 --> 00:11:27.799 No? Do you like unexpected changes in your life? No? 211 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:32.919 It shoots adrenaline straight into your system and you get 212 00:11:32.919 --> 00:11:37.000 that natural fight or flight reaction when all of a sudden, 213 00:11:37.159 --> 00:11:40.240 somebody throws you a curveball and out of left field, 214 00:11:40.279 --> 00:11:44.639 everything's changed and you go, what where'd that come from? 215 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:47.039 And you've got a setback in your life. 216 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:56.279 Now, Listen, sometimes a setback is just God showing up 217 00:11:56.279 --> 00:11:59.240 in your life. You don't realize it. But it's God 218 00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:04.480 showing up in your life, and that could be very unsettling. 219 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:09.159 It can be scary because the status quo is upset, 220 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:12.159 and all of a sudden you're out there just looking 221 00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:14.679 up on a starry night and ready to go to sleep, 222 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:18.919 and God shows up. God doesn't want to scare you. 223 00:12:19.799 --> 00:12:21.919 This is the third time the Angels have to say, 224 00:12:22.279 --> 00:12:27.360 don't be afraid. Now there's a fourth character who panicked 225 00:12:27.879 --> 00:12:30.879 when there was a setback when Jesus was born, and 226 00:12:30.919 --> 00:12:35.279 it was the man appointed by the Roman Emperor to 227 00:12:35.399 --> 00:12:39.240 be the ruler over Israel while they're under the occupation 228 00:12:39.480 --> 00:12:42.919 of the Roman Empire. Now, this guy, his name was Herod. 229 00:12:43.480 --> 00:12:47.200 He was given the title King of the Jews by 230 00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:50.600 the Roman Emperor. But the Jews considered this guy to 231 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:54.120 be an impostor and a tool of the enemy, and 232 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:58.519 they despised Herod. So the phrase Herod King of the Jews. 233 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:02.759 They hated that, and they hate him. Plus, King Herod 234 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:07.200 was incredibly insecure. In fact, this guy was so paranoid 235 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:12.559 of being overthrown. Listen to this King Herod was so paranoid. 236 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:15.120 He may have had a mental illness. He had his 237 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:19.039 brother in law murdered, that he is afraid he might overthrown. 238 00:13:19.159 --> 00:13:22.080 He had his mother, his own mother murdered, he had 239 00:13:22.120 --> 00:13:26.159 his wife murdered, and even had his two sons murdered. 240 00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:29.279 He was scared that somebody was going to take over, 241 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:33.159 kick him out, and take over control. Now, when Herod 242 00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:37.399 hears that the promised Messiah, the true quote King of 243 00:13:37.480 --> 00:13:41.440 the Jews, had been born, what's his reaction. He panics, 244 00:13:42.679 --> 00:13:45.879 He's afraid. He is so petrified that he would re 245 00:13:45.879 --> 00:13:48.519 replace that he goes out and he orders all the 246 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:51.600 children under two years of age in the city of 247 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:55.000 Bethlehem to be killed, just to make sure that Jesus 248 00:13:55.080 --> 00:13:59.720 doesn't live. Now, King Herod faces a fourth kind of 249 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:03.200 fear that we often have once we have a setback 250 00:14:03.240 --> 00:14:06.200 in our life. Financial setback, helped set up set back, 251 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:12.679 marriage setback, parent setback. King Herod faced the fear of 252 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:19.120 losing control. Oh boy, this is a common fear. You've 253 00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:23.559 had this one many times, the fear of losing control. 254 00:14:24.679 --> 00:14:28.799 Matthew chapter two, verse one to three says this Jesus 255 00:14:28.840 --> 00:14:31.200 was born in Bethlehem during the time that Herod was 256 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:33.679 the King of the Jews, and then some wise men 257 00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:36.039 came from the east to Jerusalem, and they started asking 258 00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:38.399 where's the child born to be King of the Jews? 259 00:14:38.559 --> 00:14:41.799 Now that scares Herod. We saw a star in the east. 260 00:14:41.799 --> 00:14:44.639 We've come to worship him. When King Herod heard this news, 261 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:49.919 he was deeply frightened, and he was disturbed and noticed, 262 00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:55.879 so was everyone else in Jerusalem. You know, it's interesting 263 00:14:56.200 --> 00:15:00.440 that at Christmas time we sing that song silent night, 264 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:03.440 all is calm, all is bright, but when reality not 265 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:08.039 everybody was calm when Jesus was born. Now, let me 266 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:10.080 get real personal and ask you, what are you afraid 267 00:15:10.200 --> 00:15:14.200 of losing control of? Let me put it in another way. 268 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:17.039 What's out of control in your life and it's scaring 269 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:19.840 you to death? What's out of control in your life 270 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:22.440 and you're still trying to pathetically control it? 271 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:25.240 You know? 272 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:27.519 He said, well, how do you know when I'm afraid 273 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:29.120 of something's out of control my life? 274 00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:29.600 Simple? 275 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:33.320 There's a warning light. When you're trying to control the uncontrollable, 276 00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:38.039 there's a warning light. The warning light is called worry. 277 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:41.399 Worry is the warning light that you're trying to control 278 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:44.480 the uncontrollable. Every time you start worrying, you're trying to 279 00:15:44.519 --> 00:15:50.919 control the uncontrollable. We'll come back to this. But finally, 280 00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:54.080 there's one other guy in the Christmas story who has 281 00:15:54.120 --> 00:15:57.639 a setback and his life gets turned around. 282 00:15:57.720 --> 00:15:59.919 His name is Zachariah. He was an old priest. 283 00:16:00.519 --> 00:16:05.120 Now, Zachariah's wife was named Elizabeth, and Elizabeth was actually 284 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:09.919 Mary's cousin during Mary's pregnancy. When she heard that she 285 00:16:10.039 --> 00:16:13.679 was pregnant, Mary went to stay with this couple with 286 00:16:13.879 --> 00:16:17.559 Zachariah and Elizabeth an older, older couple. Now, Elizabeth and 287 00:16:17.639 --> 00:16:21.120 Zachariah had prayed for many, many years to have a baby, 288 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:25.000 but it had not happened, and they had had one 289 00:16:25.159 --> 00:16:29.879 set back after another trying to get pregnant, but they couldn't. 290 00:16:30.840 --> 00:16:34.679 Now they're very old and they're childless, and they've given 291 00:16:34.759 --> 00:16:39.120 up all hope. But one day God shows up and 292 00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:42.200 says to zachariah's finally gonna happen. 293 00:16:42.279 --> 00:16:44.039 Guess what, You're going to be a daddy. 294 00:16:45.159 --> 00:16:48.200 But Zachariah didn't believe it, and he's afraid to get 295 00:16:48.200 --> 00:16:50.919 his hopes up. He's been disappointed so many times, so 296 00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:56.120 he doubts God. And this is another common fear that 297 00:16:56.279 --> 00:16:59.120 happens when you've had one set back after another in 298 00:16:59.159 --> 00:17:03.879 your life, you start becoming afraid in this area, Zachariah 299 00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:09.640 faced the fear of being disappointed. You've had this one too. 300 00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:15.000 You have had the fear of being disappointed. I've been 301 00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:17.759 disappointed so many times. I'm afraid to get my hopes 302 00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:21.599 up Luke Chapter one, verses eleven to thirteen. It says, 303 00:17:22.039 --> 00:17:24.160 while they were serving in the temple, an angel appeared 304 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:26.559 to Zachariah, and when he saw the angel, he was 305 00:17:26.599 --> 00:17:32.559 confused and overwhelmed. That's frightened, overwhelmed with fear. But the 306 00:17:32.599 --> 00:17:35.039 angel said to him, do not be afraid. There's the 307 00:17:35.160 --> 00:17:39.880 fourth don't be afraid, says Zachari. Don't be afraid. Your 308 00:17:39.880 --> 00:17:42.599 prayer has been heard. While it's about time I'd finally 309 00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:46.440 given up. Now, notice again God has to say fear not. 310 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:51.160 Are you getting the point that God doesn't want people 311 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:53.160 to be afraid? That God doesn't want you to be afraid. 312 00:17:53.319 --> 00:17:55.839 No matter what set back you're going through, God does 313 00:17:55.839 --> 00:17:58.160 not want you to be afraid. God brought you here 314 00:17:58.240 --> 00:17:59.920 so he could say this to you. No matter what 315 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:06.319 you're going through, don't be afraid, God said Zachari, You're 316 00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:09.759 finally gonna get your child By the way, Zachariah's long 317 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:13.440 awaited son, he became somebody famous. He was called John 318 00:18:13.480 --> 00:18:20.119 the Baptist, Jesus' cousin. Of these five fears, which of 319 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:22.640 these have you struggled with because of setbacks in your life? 320 00:18:22.759 --> 00:18:26.319 The fear of feeling inadequate. I can't do it, so 321 00:18:26.359 --> 00:18:30.400 i won't even try. The fear of disapproval or the 322 00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:33.839 fear of rejection, so I'm just gonna be a people pleaser. 323 00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:40.279 The fear of unexpected change like the shepherds, so I want. 324 00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:41.119 Everything to say the same. 325 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:45.839 The fear of losing control like Herod, so I don't 326 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:49.279 want anybody messing with my plans. Or the fear of 327 00:18:49.319 --> 00:18:52.799 being disappointed. I've been let down so many times. I 328 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:56.839 just don't even dare to believe, or trust or have hope. 329 00:18:57.640 --> 00:19:01.839 And listen as your pastor, who love you and who 330 00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:04.559 prays for you, I want you to know that for 331 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:09.519 God to turn your setback into the comeback that he 332 00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:13.559 wants it to be. For God to turn your setback 333 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:16.079 into that comeback, you're going to have to exchange your 334 00:19:16.119 --> 00:19:20.759 fear for faith. You got to turn your fear of 335 00:19:20.839 --> 00:19:24.680 the circumstance to faith in God. How in the world 336 00:19:24.680 --> 00:19:28.000 do you do that? How do you replace fear with faith? 337 00:19:28.279 --> 00:19:31.880 The answer is do the same four things that the 338 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:36.200 people did at First Christmas in this passage that we've 339 00:19:36.279 --> 00:19:36.880 just looked at. 340 00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:40.240 So let's just go through it real quick. Here's what you. 341 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:45.279 Do if you want to reduce the fears, the anxieties, 342 00:19:45.640 --> 00:19:49.440 the panic in your life. Number one, First, surrender my 343 00:19:49.640 --> 00:19:56.519 life completely to God every day. It starts with surrender. 344 00:19:56.799 --> 00:20:00.799 I surrender my life completely to God every day. Surrender 345 00:20:00.920 --> 00:20:04.240 is the first antidote to fear and anxiety and panic. 346 00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:06.640 You let it go, you give it up, You give 347 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:09.400 yourself completely to God. But you do it not just once, 348 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:12.240 You do it every day. This is how Mary overcame 349 00:20:12.440 --> 00:20:15.519 her fear of inadequacy. The Bible tells us that Mary 350 00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:18.039 prayed a prayer of surrender, and she put everything that 351 00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:20.880 she didn't understand into the hands of God and just 352 00:20:21.000 --> 00:20:24.920 trusted him completely. Luke, Chapter one, verse thirty eight. It 353 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:29.960 says this, Mary responded, when she heard all this fantastic story, Well, 354 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:33.640 I'm the Lord's servant and I am willing to accept 355 00:20:34.680 --> 00:20:41.000 whatever God wants for my life. Have you said that 356 00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:42.920 that is a statement of surrender? I am willing to 357 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:45.880 accept whatever God wants for my life. I want to 358 00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:48.319 challenge you to whisper that right now. I am willing 359 00:20:48.359 --> 00:20:51.000 to accept whatever God wants my life. I am willing 360 00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:53.119 to accept whatever God wants for my life. That's the 361 00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:55.519 prayer of surrender. God will never ask you to do 362 00:20:55.599 --> 00:21:00.039 something without giving you the ability to handle it and 363 00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:00.880 call the equipped. 364 00:21:00.920 --> 00:21:01.640 He equips the call. 365 00:21:01.880 --> 00:21:03.920 And he if you say I am willing to do 366 00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:06.200 whatever he asked me to do, He's going to give 367 00:21:06.200 --> 00:21:09.119 you the ability. Your confidence is not going to be 368 00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:11.359 in yourself. Your confidence is going to be in Him. 369 00:21:12.039 --> 00:21:15.799 And I started saddleback church with no money, no members, 370 00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:20.119 no building, no support. I'd never been a senior pastor. 371 00:21:21.319 --> 00:21:24.559 But he did have confidence in God. And I remember 372 00:21:24.599 --> 00:21:26.799 telling it to Cave. So what do you think, she said, Well, 373 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:28.240 I believe in God and I believe in you, so 374 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:29.039 let's go for it. 375 00:21:29.319 --> 00:21:29.599 He said. 376 00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:31.720 It scares me to death, but I believe in God 377 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:33.279 and I believe in you, so let's go for it. 378 00:21:34.599 --> 00:21:39.839 Joe eleven, verses thirteen to eighteen says this surrender. It says, 379 00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:43.240 surrender your heart to God, turn to Him in prayer, 380 00:21:43.480 --> 00:21:46.200 and give up your sins. Then you won't be ashamed, 381 00:21:46.920 --> 00:21:52.640 and you'll be confident and fearless. Here's how you get 382 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:56.680 confidence and fearlessness. Surrender yourself to God and your troubles 383 00:21:56.680 --> 00:21:59.680 will go away like water beneath a bridge, and your 384 00:21:59.720 --> 00:22:02.440 dark night will be brighter than noon. And then you'll 385 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:08.559 rest safe and secure, filled with hope and emptied of worry. 386 00:22:08.759 --> 00:22:10.599 That sound pretty good to you. Sounds good to me, 387 00:22:10.920 --> 00:22:12.920 Fill with hope and emptied of worry. How do you 388 00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:13.240 do that? 389 00:22:13.480 --> 00:22:16.880 Starts with surrender? And so well? How often do I 390 00:22:16.920 --> 00:22:17.599 take this step? 391 00:22:18.200 --> 00:22:22.480 Just every day if you're if you're fighting anxiety, you're 392 00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:25.880 fighting worry, in security, fear because of the setback you've 393 00:22:25.880 --> 00:22:29.039 had in your life. Before you get up in the morning, 394 00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:31.440 you need to say, Father, I surrender this day to you. 395 00:22:31.799 --> 00:22:35.200 I surrender my past, my president, and my future. That's 396 00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:39.119 the starting point. Second thing you do to move past 397 00:22:39.160 --> 00:22:44.920 your setback listen, is to stop listening to the voices 398 00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:51.440 of fear. Stop listening to the voices of fear around you. Now, 399 00:22:51.480 --> 00:22:54.440 all around you are our naysayers and all kinds of 400 00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:58.920 fearful people, and the media in particular is filled with 401 00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:02.720