FBC E-Blast - July 2, 2018
FBC E-Blast
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July 2, 2018
Responding to Disappointment - Matthew 1
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| To find examples of wise, godly reactions to disappointment, you’re more likely to turn to Psalms than to Matthew. But thevery first chapter in the New Testament tells the story of an upright man’s reaction to painful and disheartening news.
Joseph - Jesus' earthly father - was a righteous person. A godly man wants a wife who shares his desire to honor and obey the Lord, and Scripture indicates that Mary was exactly that sort of woman (Luke 1:45-55). So imagine how stunned Joseph must have been when Mary returned from a long visit with her relative Elizabeth and told him that she was pregnant. Moreover, she was claiming no man had touched her.
Any way Joseph looked at the situation, it appeared grim. And yet Matthew 1:20 says that he "considered" - in other words, he sought a wise, righteous response. God entered Joseph's life in a dramatic way to confirm Mary's story and put a stop to his "quiet annulment" plans.
The Lord turned Joseph's mourning into joy. Mary had told the truth - strange and startling as it was. The couple would bear the intense public censure of an early pregnancy, but Joseph stopped thinking about what others would say. God had blessed work for him: to raise the Messiah alongside a faithful woman.
Followers of Christ should seek a godly response to disappointments they face. Since the Lord always has a plan, the wisest reaction is to anticipate the good He can do and await His timing. God certainly blessed Joseph for his willingness to "seek first His kingdom" (Matthew 6:33).
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Current Sermon Series
Reading the Bible is both a natural and supernatural task. There is a lot to think about when it comes to reading the Bible. In this series, we hope to be able to explain how the two meet. We are going to cover The Ultimate Goal of Reading the Bible, The Supernatural Act of Reading the Bible, and The Natural Act of Reading the Bible.
Last Week:
We covered six implications about the ultimate goal of reading the Bible for yourself. That ultimate goal is the worship of God. We do that in several different ways. Please listen, as we cover these implications.
Sunday's message is available for streaming or for download on our
sermons page, or by visiting us on iTunes.
Next Week:
We continue to our series How To Read The Bible For Yourself by digging into The Supernatural Act Of Reading The Bible.
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Upcoming Events
July 4 - NO Wednesday Night Prayer & Bible Study
July 8 - Deacon's Meeting at 8 AM
July 14 - Trustee Meeting at 8 AM.
July 18 - Quarterly Business Meeting at 7 PM.
July 22 - Special Guest Speaker Dale Bish, Jr. will be speaking in the AM Worship Service
July 29 - Lord Supper & Deacon's Fund Offering
following the AM Worship service
August 5 - Missionary Lance Auterson will be with us
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