Living Stones Church Sparks

# Confrontation of Christmas - Matthew 1:18-25 ### Advent confronts us with a personal God. ### People were just as shocked by the supernatural birth of Jesus then as we would be now. ### If God must think and act as you would, then instead of you worshipping God, God worships you. - Joseph loved Mary. - Joseph loved God. His fear kept him from genuine love. ### Joseph is more afraid of the dilemma of his circumstance than the dilemma of his existence. ### Jesus *(Yeshua)* means *God Saves*. ### Advent confronts us with our fears > 1. We fear people because they can expose and humiliate us. > 2. We fear people because they can reject, ridicule, or despise us. > 3. We fear people because they can attack, oppress, or threaten us. > > “…self-esteem and self-worth exists because it is trying to help us with a real problem. The problem is that we really are not okay. There is no reason why we should feel great about ourselves. We truly are deficient. The meager pr