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When I was in High School, several of the people in my home church thought I would end up being a pastor. They knew my Dad was a pastor and the chaplain at a local hospital, and they knew I loved the church and was very active in it. Many people were convinced I would end up serving in the local church, but I consistently said no.
When I was in college, many of my friends said I would end up in the local church as a pastor. Again, I said no. I actually said, never, which made them laugh because they said we should never say never to God. I finally ended up going to seminary and for the first year and a half I continued to say no to the local church. I then spent some time in a wonderful church as an associate pastor and realized that God had actually made me for this.
It took years for me to finally say yes to God’s will and God’s plan and through all of those years, God was there. God didn’t give up on me or turn his back and walk away when I said no, God continued to be with me and led me to a place where I could fully say yes. When I finally did say yes, it was an uncertain time as I didn’t know where I would end up or if I could really do the job, all I knew was that God was with me.
Today we are going to look at the story of a young girl who didn’t need years to say yes to God. In fact, even though she had doubts and fears and questions about what God was asking of her, she said yes to God’s plan quickly. Her name was Mary. Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
The Elizabeth that is mentioned here is the wife of Zechariah that we talked about last week. Elizabeth and Mary were cousins and it was in the 6th month of Elizabeth’s unexpected and miraculous pregnancy that the angel came to tell Mary that she was highly favored by God. While Elizabeth and Zechariah had felt forgotten for most of their life because they had never had a child, Mary was young and at the beginning of her life. Mary was also faithful, the angel said that she was favored by God. God saw her faithfulness and was with her. So God is with the forgotten and God is with the faithful. God sees Mary’s faithfulness and God is not only with her but God has a BIG plan for her life.
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
God has chosen Mary to be the mother of the Messiah. This is a huge blessing and honor. Young girls at this time dreamed of being the mother of the Messiah. Many of them prayed for this honor and blessing, but Mary is confused because as faithful as she is, she doesn’t understand how this can happen as she is a virgin and not married.
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
I can hear Mary saying to the angel, “While God’s plan is wonderful, it does seem that the timing is all wrong. Maybe if God comes back next year when I’m married and things are settled down it would make more sense. Right now just isn't the right time. What will Joseph say? What will the people say? How would it even be possible?” As faithful as she was, Mary had some doubts and questions. She has some fear about what God is asking of her. God’s response to all this isn’t to abandon Mary, but to encourage her and offer some more information and assurance.
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”
The angel tells Mary that this is going to happen by the power of God and before Mary has a chance to say it can’t happen, he reminds Mary that her cousin Elizabeth who everyone thought could never have a child was already in the 6th month of her own miraculous pregnancy. What everyone said was impossible had taken place and if God could do that, then God could do this.
Not only does pointing out Elizabeth’s situation assure Mary that this pregnancy can happen, it also lets Mary know that she will not be alone in what she will go through. If she says yes to God’s plan, there will be someone she knows and loves who will understand her situation and can help her through it. I love the reassuring nature of God’s call in our lives. God never calls us to step out and say yes without giving us both the assurance that it can happen and the support we need if and when we say yes.
And this is the point Mary is at, will she say yes? Will she lean into her faith or give in to her fear? Mary remains faithful and says, yes.
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
Mary is the picture of faithfulness. She has doubts and fears about her future and what will happen and how God will accomplish these things in her life, but she doesn’t give in to that fear. Mary steps out in faith. She doesn’t know how Joseph will respond and if he will still take her as his wife, but she trusts God to be with her through the uncertainty. She doesn’t see the path clearly in front of her, she doesn’t know how this story will unfold, but she says yes because she trusts that God will be with her.
That’s really what being faithful is all about; saying yes to God in the face of fear and doubt and uncertainty because we know that God is with us. Faithfulness is walking into the purpose and plan God has for us even when the road ahead is not clear and our questions go unanswered. Saying yes to God really is a journey of faith. It’s trusting God each step of the way as life unfolds.
After I said yes, I had an uncertain road ahead as I started the process of being licensed as a pastor. I had to figure out what Annual Conference I would serve in and I wasn’t sure where to go. Step by step God led me to PA and finally to Altoona. Even after I arrived and started serving, I was unsure, uncertain, and questioned God’s will for my life. In fact, in 30 years of ministry I have continued to have doubts and fears and uncertainty but have trusted that God would lead me step by step as I continued to say, I am your servant God. Let your word and your plan for me be fulfilled. And in 30 years, God has never let me down.
Many of us hear God’s call to do something that might seem big for us and we come to a place where we need to say yes or no. Will we step out in faith or give in to fear? If we know God is with us and that God loves us, then fear has no place in our hearts and lives. The Bible says, perfect love casts out fear and that perfect love isn’t our love for God, it’s God’s love for us. We might never get to a place of perfect love for God but if we know God loves us, that we are highly favored, and that God is calling us, then in confidence we can say yes and take that first step forward.
I am grateful and excited for all the people here who have said yes to God and stepped out in faith to explore starting a fresh expression. A fresh expression is one way we are seeking to be the church in the community and developing worshiping congregations for people who might never enter the church to worship with us. As we have lifted up this vision of being the church, 26 people said they heard God calling them to think about and they have said yes and are now growing and learning together.
Like Mary, they have questions about how this is going to work and they are uncertain about the future and what the road will look like, but I thank God they didn’t give in to fear and instead said yes and are allowing God to work in them and through them. One woman has already invited her neighbors into her home for dessert and some discussion about the Bible and many of them accepted. When we say yes to God, all kinds of things are possible.
I see those who are stepping out to explore and start fresh expressions like Mary. God is working in them to create a time and place where Jesus can be shared and lives changed. But Mary didn’t go through this alone. Not only was God with her but so was Elizabeth. The very first thing we see Mary doing after saying yes to God is going to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Luke 1:39-45
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
This encounter assured Mary that what was taking place in her was from God, and it also gave her someone to encourage her and walk alongside her through the difficult and uncertain days to come. Everyone who says yes to God needs this kind of encouragement. Everyone needs an Elizabeth in their lives to assure them that God is working in their lives and that He will be with them through the difficult and uncertain times.
Each of those exploring Fresh Expressions needs an Elizabeth, someone who will support them, listen to them, and walk alongside them. Fresh Expressions as part of our church life isn’t just for those who hear God calling them to step out and lead one, it also involves those who will step out in faith with them. If you are interested in being an Elizabeth to one of our Mary’s, a supporter of someone who is exploring starting a fresh expression, please reach out and let Pastor David know. Don’t be afraid to say yes. Trust God and step out in faith.
Another ministry that needs people willing to be a support and encouragement to others is Bridge of Hope. Bridge of Hope works with single mothers who struggle with homelessness, but they don’t just give them money for rent. In fact, the money is the lesser of the two gifts, the real gift they give is support, acceptance, and community. Through what are called Neighboring Volunteers, a group of faith-filled people walk with these single mothers and their children to help them get to a better place in life.
In many ways the Neighboring Volunteers are like Elizabeth. They offer assurance that God is doing a good work in their lives and they help these mothers face a challenging and uncertain future. While we are financially supporting Bridge of Hope with our Christmas Offering this year, I also hope that we can support them with 6-10 people who are willing to say yes to being a Neighboring Volunteer. Let me share with you a video of Tirzah Gibboney talking about the importance of this part of Bridge of Hope’s ministry.
Neighboring Volunteers make a difference. They help change people’s lives. Maybe that is the call God has for you. Maybe it’s to support someone with a passion for starting a fresh expression, maybe there is something more or something greater or something different, but if God is calling you, don’t give in to fear. Trust God’s perfect love for you which can cast out all fear, and say yes to God. You are the faithful one, the favored one, and God is calling you. If you take this step of faith, God will be there. God is always there because His name is Emmanuel - God with us.
Next Steps
God With Us - The Faithful
Read the story of Mary. Luke 1:26-45
● Identify the doubt, fear, and uncertainty Mary experienced in this call of God.
● When have you felt some of these same things when God has called you to step out in faith?
● How does God give reassurance and support to Mary?
What call are you hearing from God?
What doubt, fear, and uncertainty do you feel in this call?
How can God’s perfect love cast out fear and help you step out in faith?
Mary found assurance and encouragement from Elizabeth.
Who can you support and encourage as they step out and follow God’s call in their lives?
Fresh Expressions form when mutual interests or current needs meet hearts that are open to sharing Jesus.
26 people from Faith Church are saying yes to God and exploring if leading a fresh expression is part of God’s call in their life. These people need prayer and encouragement. If you would like to support these people who have said yes and stepped out in faith, please contact Pastor David at: david.carter@bellefontefaith.com
Bridge of Hope helps provide resources for single mothers experiencing homelessness. You can support Bridge of Hope through this year’s Christmas Offering, but you can also become a Neighboring Volunteer and support families as they seek to find God’s plan for their lives. To learn more about Neighboring Volunteers, please contact Tirzah Gibboney at: tirzah.boh@gmail.com
