When God Speaks to the Overlooked

For the past month, we’ve been paying close attention to the way God moves. Not loudly. Not randomly. And rarely the way we expect. In this season of Advent, we’ve watched God send angels—heavenly messengers—into ordinary moments with extraordinary words. Every visitation carried a message. And every message revealed something about the kind of God we serve.

It began in silence. Luke tells us that Zechariah and Elizabeth were “righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord” (Luke 1:6). And yet they were still waiting. Still praying. Still wondering if God had forgotten them. Four hundred years had passed since God last spoke to His people, and it must have felt like heaven had gone quiet.

Then God broke the silence. In the quiet of the temple, an angel appeared and declared that Elizabeth would conceive and bear a son. His name would be John. Not the Messiah—but the one who would prepare the way. When Zechariah struggled to believe it, the angel reminded him that God had been moving all along—even when it didn’t feel like it.

Then God moved again. This time not to a priest—but to a teenage girl in a forgotten town called Nazareth. Mary wasn’t powerful. She wasn’t prominent. But she was chosen. The angel told her she would conceive and give birth—not by man, but by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Mary asked a reasonable question. And then she offered an unreasonable surrender:

“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

Next came Joseph. Matthew tells us he was “a just man” (Matthew 1:19). Quiet. Righteous. Steady. He was asked to obey God when obedience would cost him his reputation, his plans, and his future. And without recorded protest, Joseph obeyed.

And then—on the final Sunday before Christmas—God sent one more visitation. This time, He didn’t send an angel to someone faithful, favored, or respected. He sent an angel to shepherds. Luke records it simply:

“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke 2:8).

That single sentence tells us more than we realize. God didn’t show up in a palace. He didn’t show up in a temple. He didn’t show up in a city. He showed up in a field. The same field as the night before. The same work. The same routine. Nothing impressive. Nothing strategic. Just sheep and dirt and darkness. God loves to interrupt the ordinary.

And He didn’t come during the day. He came at night—when things were quiet, hidden, and overlooked. God has always been comfortable working in the shadows.

Then there were the men themselves. Shepherds were poor. Marginalized. Religiously unclean. They lived outdoors, smelled of animals, and were barred from worship in the temple. Signs outside the gates warned that shepherds were not allowed inside. They were considered unreliable and untrustworthy. Shepherds couldn’t testify in court. Their word didn’t matter. They were known as wild men—rough, morally suspect, often alone. No one aspired to be a shepherd. You became one because life left you with no better option.

And these are the men God chose. Not Caesar. Not Herod. Not a priest or a rabbi. God came to the people the world overlooked. Why? Because the God of the gospel notices the unnoticed. Because He pursues the least of these. Because He doesn’t wait for sinners to clean themselves up—He goes looking for them.

When the angel appeared, the shepherds were terrified. Luke says, “The glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear” (Luke 2:9). And they should have been. God is holy. They were not.

But then the angel spoke words that changed everything:

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10).

Not advice. Not instruction. Good news. The word gospel literally means an announcement of victory. In the ancient world, it was the word used when a messenger ran into a village declaring the battle was over and the enemy had been defeated. That’s what Christmas is.

Christianity isn’t about trying harder. It isn’t about moral improvement or spiritual effort. It’s about surrendering to the One who has already won.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ, the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

A Savior—you need rescuing. A Christ—God keeps His promises. A Lord—He doesn’t just save you; He reigns. And because of Him, joy enters places circumstances never could.

The shepherds didn’t get new jobs. They didn’t get promotions or easier lives. They went back to the same field. But they went back changed. Happiness depends on circumstances. Joy depends on a Person.

And with joy came peace. Not the peace of calm feelings or better situations—but peace with God. Paul later writes, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Because Jesus lived the life we could not live and died the death we deserved to die, we are no longer enemies. We are reconciled. Adopted. Secure.

When the angels finished speaking, the shepherds didn’t debate. They didn’t delay. “They went with haste” (Luke 2:16). They went. They saw. They spoke. “When they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child” (Luke 2:17). They told everyone.

And after they witnessed, they worshiped: “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen” (Luke 2:20). Because worship always flows out of witness.

What This Means for Us

This story isn’t just about what God did then. It’s about how God still works now. God still interrupts ordinary lives. God still works in hidden places. God still pursues people the world overlooks. And God still entrusts the greatest news in history to ordinary men and women.

The gospel is not private information. It is public truth. A silent, private Christianity is not an option for a true follower of Jesus. If you had the cure for cancer, you wouldn’t hide it. And God hasn’t given us a cure for cancer—He has given us a cure for death.

The message is clear. It is personal. And it is urgent. The shepherds didn’t keep it to themselves. Now the question is simple: Will we?

Next Steps

Identify one person. There is someone in your life right now—family member, coworker, neighbor, friend—who needs to hear the good news of Jesus. No one is in your life by accident.
Pray for courage. Ask God to give you boldness, not cleverness. Faithfulness, not perfection.
Speak the gospel clearly. Not church attendance. Not morality. Not religion. A Savior has come. His name is Jesus.
Live sent. Like the shepherds, go back to your field—but go back changed. Because when you’ve seen Jesus, the only faithful response is to tell the world.

When Following Jesus Costs You Something

Matthew 1:18–25 | Advent Series: Visitations

Sometimes the most familiar Christmas passages are the ones that lose their weight. We’ve heard the story so many times that we stop feeling the shock of it. So here’s the challenge: read this like it’s the first time you’ve ever heard it.

Matthew tells us that Mary—betrothed to Joseph—was found to be with child before they came together. And Joseph, being a just man, decided to divorce her quietly… until an angel appeared to him in a dream and said, “Do not fear to take Mary as your wife… she will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus.”

It’s easy to romanticize that moment. It’s not romantic. It’s devastating.

The Visitation That Hits Different

In our Advent series Visitations, we’ve been walking through the moments when God sends a messenger into the Christmas story—and asking what that message means for us right now.

The angel came to Zechariah: “Your prayers have been heard.”
The angel came to Mary: “You will conceive… and the child will be the Son of God.”
Now the angel comes to Joseph—and it’s different.

Joseph’s visitation is unique for at least three reasons:

Joseph is asleep. God doesn’t interrupt his day—He interrupts his unrest.
God speaks after the chaos begins. Zechariah and Mary get the message before the miracle. Joseph gets the message after everything has already started falling apart.
Joseph never says a word. No questions. No debate. No bargaining. He just obeys.

And there’s something else: when angels usually say “Do not be afraid,” it’s often “Don’t be afraid of me.” But here it’s, “Don’t be afraid of Mary.” Don’t be afraid to take her in. Don’t be afraid of what it will cost you.

The Part We Forget: This Could Have Ruined Them

To understand the weight of what’s happening, you have to understand betrothal in that culture. It wasn’t a casual engagement—it was a binding legal covenant.

There was a bride price. There were witnesses. After the first ceremony, they were considered married in the eyes of the law—but they did not live together or consummate the marriage until later. The betrothal period was essentially a year-long public test: the groom prepared a home and the bride was expected to remain pure.

So when Mary shows up pregnant, it isn’t “awkward.” It’s explosive.

This could have cost Mary everything—her reputation, her future, and even her life. Joseph could have publicly exposed her. And if Joseph takes her in, the community will assume one thing: he’s admitting guilt. Nobody’s going to believe, “It’s from the Holy Spirit.”

And here’s what we often miss: God never sends another angel to Nazareth to clear their names. No public announcement. No explanation to parents. No divine PR campaign. From a human standpoint, their lives are stained—and everyone around them thinks they know why.

So why would God choose to enter the world in a way that brings scandal, shame, and suffering to two young people?

I believe the answer is simple: because God was showing us what it really means to follow Jesus.

Mary and Joseph aren’t just part of the Christmas story. They are the first followers of Jesus. And their story teaches us what discipleship really requires.

What Following Jesus Requires

1) Following Jesus Requires Trust

Joseph had to believe something no man had ever been asked to believe: that his betrothed, a virgin, was miraculously pregnant—and that the child was the Savior.

Faith isn’t having all the answers.
Faith is trusting the One who does.

Joseph trusted God’s Word above his questions. And the real issue beneath so much of our struggle in obedience is this: trust.

People give generously not because they “believe in giving,” but because they trust God.
People forgive what feels unforgivable not because it’s natural, but because they trust the character of God.
People step into costly obedience not because they’re fearless, but because they believe God is faithful.

2) Following Jesus Requires Surrender

Joseph was righteous—God-fearing, steady, reputable. And in one moment, God makes it clear: your life is no longer your own.

Your reputation is no longer yours to protect.
Your future is no longer yours to control.
Your plans are no longer yours to prioritize.

Are you willing to give up the life you expected for the life God designed?

Jesus doesn’t come to repaint the house of your life. He comes with a sledgehammer. Not to harm you—but to rebuild you into something fit for His glory.

3) Following Jesus Requires Self-Denial

Matthew tells us Joseph “knew her not” until after Jesus was born. He had legal rights. He had cultural permission. But he chose obedience over desire.

Obedience matters more than desire.
Self-denial isn’t punishment—it’s preparation.

God doesn’t say “no” because He wants to disappoint you. He says “no” because He loves you and knows what leads to life.

4) Following Jesus Requires Inconvenience

From this point on, nothing about Joseph’s life is easy:
Nazareth → Bethlehem → Egypt → back again.

You cannot prioritize ease and Christ at the same time.

Serving is inconvenient. Holiness is inconvenient. Witnessing is inconvenient. Mentoring kids, opening your home, living on mission—none of it is easy.

But obedience disrupts comfort so God can redirect your purpose.

Where the Strength Comes From

If this kind of discipleship feels too heavy, you’re not alone. Joseph wasn’t strong because he was superhuman. He was strong because he trusted an extraordinary God.

A Kept Promise

Matthew reminds us this wasn’t random—it was fulfillment. God had spoken through Isaiah 700 years earlier: “The virgin shall conceive and bear a son…”

God keeps His Word—even when His timing feels unclear. And His past faithfulness gives us strength for present obedience.

A Remarkable Name

The angel gives two names:

Jesus — “God saves.”
Immanuel — “God with us.”

One name tells us what He does.
The other tells us who He is.

When God calls you to surrender, Immanuel goes with you.
When God calls you into self-denial, Immanuel strengthens you.
When God calls you into inconvenience and suffering, Immanuel walks with you.

God doesn’t just ask for everything—He gives you Himself.

The Question We All Have to Answer

When you became a Christian, did anything change besides your routine on Sunday morning?

Not perfection—but change.
Not performance—but surrender.
Not religion—but discipleship.

If you’ve been around church for a long time but you’ve never truly surrendered your life to Jesus, today can be the day you stop pretending. He is faithful to forgive. He is powerful to save. And He is present with you—Immanuel.

When God Moves Through the Ordinary

Luke 1:26–38

Advent is the season when heaven breaks into earth — not through the impressive, but through the ordinary. Last week we watched God meet Zechariah in the temple. This week, He steps into Nazareth — a dusty, forgotten, unimpressive town — and speaks to a teenage girl who never expected her life to matter on a global scale.

If the story of Zechariah taught us that God can do what He says He can do, the story of Mary teaches us how God chooses to do it: through ordinary places, ordinary people, and extraordinary grace.

1. God Moves in Ordinary Places and Ordinary People

“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth…”
— Luke 1:26

Nazareth was not impressive. Not strategic. Not powerful. It wasn’t Jerusalem, Rome, or Antioch. It was the kind of place no one bragged about. Even Nathanael later said, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46).

And yet — that’s where God starts. Because God delights in beginning His greatest works in the places we overlook.

Mary herself was young, poor, unknown, unimpressive — and chosen. God specializes in using ordinary people for extraordinary purposes. If He noticed Nazareth, He can notice Mooresville. If He used Mary, He can use you.

2. God Pours Out His Grace — Not Our Merit

“Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”
— Luke 1:28

“Favored” comes from the Greek charitóō — meaning graced, not flawless. Mary was not chosen because she was spiritually elite or morally superior. She was chosen because God is merciful.

“My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
— Luke 1:47

Sinless people don’t need saviors. Mary needed grace just like we do. And every blessing in her life flows from Jesus — not the other way around.

The angel’s message keeps Christ at the center:

“You shall call His name Jesus.” (v. 31)
“He will be great.” (v. 32)
“He will be called Son of the Most High.” (v. 32)
“He will sit on the throne of David.” (v. 32)
“He will reign forever.” (v. 33)
“His kingdom will have no end.” (v. 33)

Mary is honored because of the One she carries — not because of anything she brings.

3. God’s Favor Does Not Guarantee Comfort — It Guarantees Purpose

We often assume “favor” means ease, promotion, open doors, smooth roads. But Mary’s favor brought difficulty, misunderstanding, and fear.

Her favor included:

A scandal no one would believe
A fiancé ready to leave her
A community whispering behind her back
Fleeing to Egypt as a refugee
Watching her Son be crucified

God’s blessing is different than our definition of blessings.

Favor isn’t about comfort — it’s about calling. Favor isn’t about ease — it’s about obedience. Favor isn’t about getting everything you want — it’s about God giving the world what it needs through your surrender.

4. Christ Is Always at the Center — Because He Is Not a Teacher to Follow but a Savior to Receive

“You shall call His name Jesus.”
— Luke 1:31

This is where Christianity stands alone. In every other religion, people follow teachings. But the angel does not give Mary teachings — he gives her a Savior.

If Buddha dies, Buddhism stands — the teachings are the point. If Muhammad dies, Islam stands — the teachings are the point. If Jesus dies and stays dead — Christianity collapses.

Because Christianity is not built on the teachings of Jesus. It is built on the person of Jesus.

We are not saved by morality, charity, the Golden Rule, or religious behavior. We are saved because Jesus lived, died, and rose again — in our place.

Jesus is:

The promised King — “The Lord will give Him the throne of David.”
The eternal Son — “He will be called the Son of the Most High.”
The final King with a forever kingdom — “Of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Christianity is not a ladder we climb. Christianity is a Savior who comes down.

5. Faith Doesn’t Require Details — Just Trust

“How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
— Luke 1:34

Mary’s question is not doubt — it is faith seeking understanding. She isn’t asking for proof like Zechariah did. She is asking about the process, not the promise.

“Nothing will be impossible with God.”
— Luke 1:37

That single sentence is all she receives. And it is enough.

“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
— Luke 1:38

Faith begins with yes, not with details.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR US

1. God still uses ordinary people for eternal work

Your usefulness to God is not determined by skill, status, or background. It’s determined by surrender. If God can use Mary, He can use you.

2. God’s favor may not feel like favor

Your calling may cost you. Obedience may be misunderstood. But favor isn’t comfort — it is purpose. Favor is God saying, “Your life is going to matter.”

3. You can have peace without all the answers

Peace is not certainty about the future. Peace is certainty about God’s character — that He is faithful, sovereign, and good.

4. Mission begins with a surrendered “yes”

Surrender precedes understanding. The assignment often comes after the obedience. Put your “yes” on the table — and let God place it on the map.

5. The Holy Spirit empowers what God commands

You can’t raise godly kids, forgive deeply, serve faithfully, or witness boldly in your own strength. But with the Spirit — you can do everything God calls you to do.

Closing Word

Advent isn’t sentimental or soft — it’s the announcement that God moves in the ordinary, chooses the overlooked, pours out grace on the undeserving, and brings a Savior into the world through surrendered people.

If God can use Mary… If God can work in Nazareth… If God can overshadow a virgin with His Spirit… Then God can absolutely use you.

This week, put your “yes” on the table. Trust the God who keeps His promises. And watch what He does with a surrendered life.

VISITATIONS: When God Steps Into Our Doubt

Advent Week 1 — Zechariah’s Encounter (Luke 1:5–25)

Advent begins in an unexpected place—not in Bethlehem, not with shepherds, and not with Mary or Joseph. It begins in the shadows of the temple, with an aging priest quietly serving God while carrying decades of unanswered prayers.

Before the angels filled the sky, before the manger, before the wise men, God broke 400 years of silence by sending a message straight from heaven to a man who had long since given up hope.

And that message didn’t just change Zechariah’s life. It changes how we understand faith, suffering, mission, and the God who keeps His promises.

A Faithful Man in a Painful Situation

Luke tells us Zechariah and Elizabeth were “righteous… walking blamelessly in all the commandments of the Lord” (Luke 1:6). This is not casual, cultural, once-a-week faith. This is deep sincerity and daily obedience.

And yet—for decades—they had prayed for a child and received no answer. Infertility is always painful, but in their culture it carried two crushing weights:

Security: No children meant no one to care for you in old age.
Shame: People wrongly assumed God was punishing you.

So here stands Zechariah—faithful, righteous, obedient—and still hurting. Scripture wants you to see this clearly:

Faithfulness does not remove pain.

That destroys the prosperity gospel in one sentence. You can walk with God and still walk with sorrow. You can be righteous and still carry unanswered prayers.

An Angel With a World-Changing Announcement

While Zechariah is offering incense in the holy place, an angel suddenly appears—Gabriel, the same angel who stands in the presence of God. And Gabriel delivers a message Zechariah never expected to hear:

“Your prayer has been heard… your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son.” (Luke 1:13)

God had never forgotten their prayers—not the first one, not the ten-thousandth one. God remembers prayers you forgot you prayed.

But God goes far beyond their request. Zechariah and Elizabeth didn’t simply get a child—they received a prophet. Their son John would prepare the way for the Messiah Himself.

When God answers, He often answers bigger than you prayed.

Zechariah’s Doubt — Not Curiosity, but Unbelief

When Gabriel delivers the message, Zechariah responds:

“How shall I know this? I am an old man…” (Luke 1:18)

This isn’t an honest question like Mary asks later in the chapter. Gabriel calls it what it is: unbelief. Zechariah wants proof. He looks at the circumstance, not the promise.

So God disciplines him—not with rejection, but with silence. Zechariah will be unable to speak until the promise is fulfilled.

The discipline wasn’t punishment. It was preparation.

God was shaping a man who would father the prophet who would prepare the world for Christ.

God Can Do What You Already Know He Can Do

Zechariah’s doubt wasn’t rooted in ignorance. He knew the stories—Abraham and Sarah, Hannah, Rachel. He knew God had opened barren wombs before. He knew God could do it.

But sometimes we treat God as if He has less power today than He had in the Old Testament.

Faith is believing God will do what He already said He can do.

Christians say we believe God saves sinners—yet many go weeks without sharing the gospel. We say we trust God’s promises—yet we live as if He’s forgotten us. We say we believe eternity is real—yet we rarely live with mission urgency.

Zechariah’s story confronts our passive faith. It calls us to take God seriously, to take His mission seriously, and to step out in obedience even when our circumstances feel impossible.

What This Means For Us Today

This story is more than a historical moment; it is a mirror held up to our own hearts.

1. God has not forgotten your prayers.

Some of you have prayed for years—decades even—and seen no movement. Advent reminds you that God’s silence is not God’s absence. He hears every prayer. He remembers every tear. And He answers according to His perfect timing and His perfect plan.

2. Faithfulness does not exempt you from suffering.

You can walk blamelessly and still walk through fire. The question is not whether you will suffer—but whether you will trust Him when you do. Zechariah and Elizabeth prove that righteous people can still experience deep pain. And God meets them there.

3. God’s discipline is not rejection—it's restoration.

God silences Zechariah to strengthen him. To prepare him. To grow him. Sometimes God withholds something not to punish you, but to shape you for something greater.

4. Mission must become urgent again.

If God can save sinners, then why do we hesitate to tell them? If eternity is real, why do we live as if this world is all there is? If Christ truly came for the nations, then why do we stay silent around the people He has placed in our lives?

Zechariah’s story reminds us that Christmas is not primarily about comfort, nostalgia, or tradition—it is about mission. The Son of God came to save sinners. And the people who know Him must declare Him boldly.

Reflection Questions

What prayer have you stopped praying because you've lost hope?
Where have you allowed circumstances to overshadow God's promises?
How is God calling you to take mission seriously this Advent season?
Who will you intentionally share the gospel with this month?
What step of obedience is God calling you to take—starting today?

God can do what you know He can do. Take Him at His Word, trust Him in your waiting, and walk boldly into this Advent season with renewed faith and renewed mission.