This video was posted on December 23rd of 2019, just a few days before Christmas. Christmas is when, for Christians, we celebrate the birth of Jesus. We look at the beginning of his story. The beginning of hope. Today, I want to talk about beginnings.
Welcome to Soldier for Christ.
October 11th 2015.
Now I understand that this video you are watching now is being released on December 23rd of 2019. It's almost the new year. And I understand that this time of year is typically about wrapping things up and projects or other things coming to a close.
But I want to look at beginnings here. With Christmas being only a few days away I am sure you are wondering what beginning I could be talking about when I mention October 11th 2015. We'll get there.
For now, let's look at the beginning of Jesus' story and ask What if?
"I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. -Luke 1: 38
What if Mary had said no? What if she refused the favor that God had shown to her? She was about to be married and having this happen to her would have had major implications.
Marriages in that day were usually arranged and families gave money or land or whatever they had to join the couple and their families together. If she had said no her family may have then owed the other. If she said no her family may be in jeopardy.
And if she said no? Would God have simply chosen the next in line? Or would that refusal have been the answer he needed to just scrap the whole thing?
And then there is the other side of that. Joseph.
What if Joseph said no? If it got out that his soon to be bride was with child this would be humiliating for him. It could be a black mark on not only him but his family. What if he had decided to do what the law allowed in those times? In that time he could have had the engagement terminated by an official divorce decree. This would have been bad for her family as well as his. Even worse, he could have taken her before the elders for judgment and she could have potentially been stoned to death for simply being pregnant before they were officially wed. What if Joseph had said no?
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.-Matthew 1: 24-25
Thankfully neither of them said no. Joseph and Mary were indeed joined in marriage and then when the census was announced they made the trip and…
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. -Luke 2: 6-7
October 11th, 2015. That is the day that this happened...
What if I had said no to the prompting I had received to create this mission I call being a Soldier for Christ? I do not know if anyone has really gotten much out of watching these. I do not know if anyone has found a deeper faith from any of these.
I do know that I have spent more time with Him then I would have. I do know that my faith has been made stronger.
I do not know what will happen if you do not follow the prompts God is calling you to.
I do not know what will happen if you do.
All I really truly know is that God is for us. Jesus loves us and the Holy Spirit is here to help us. Having all this support makes it easy to…
Press on and fight the good fight, as a Soldier for Christ.
Merry Christmas.