Sheryl Brady - It's Just Complicated

Matthew Chapter One. I’m going to read to you today from the New Living Translation just a couple of verses of Scripture. The Scripture says in verse 18, «And this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother Mary was engaged to be married to Joseph, but before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man, and he did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.» Look to your neighbor on the right and say, «Neighbor, it’s just complicated.» Turn to your other neighbor and say, «Neighbor, it’s just complicated.» Y’all ever dealt with just stuff that was complicated? I mean, it’s just one of those things; it was very complicated. Today, I trust that this word will help you, bless you, and will also, to some degree, tell you the story of why we celebrate as we do. In the name of Jesus, I thank you for your word; I thank you for the power that rests on your word, the power of the spoken word. As we speak and declare things today from this word, I pray that your glory would fill this temple. I pray that you would cause people to get swept up in your presence. Lord, let your word connect with people’s hearts today. Have your way in this place, O God. Touch somebody who is weary, touch somebody who has been in a fight, touch somebody who feels like life has been so complicated. I pray, God, that you would speak until they recognize that it’s you, that you move until they recognize that it’s you. Somebody is at home; I pray, God, that you would touch them. Lord, cause them to know that your ear, God, is open to their cry. Have your way in this place today, and we’ll give you the glory and honor. In Jesus' name, somebody shout, «Amen!» On your way down, just look at somebody—don’t touch them, just look at them—and say, «Hey, it’s complicated. That’s all I can say.» There is something about the Christmas season that can be very wonderful, but it can also be very stressful. It can also be… I was thinking this morning—I’ve kind of finally… I’m 50. No, I’m not 15. I’m 61. I was only off by 11 years right there, so y’all pray my strength in the Lord. I’m 61 but I finally come to understand as of late that I ask a lot of questions. I bet I was that little toddler that was always saying, «Why?» But why? Because as I kind of listen to myself throughout the day, I’m like, «I ask a lot of questions.» I guess inquiring minds want to know. And so, I don’t like to just sweep things under the rug and act like they’re not there. I’m a very inquisitive person. I guess one of the reasons I love Christmas is because it is a season where people will ask a lot of questions. Now, it’s a wonderful season, but it’s also stressful. I say stressful because if you are out and about, you will notice that there are crowds everywhere. I mean everywhere! The turning lane is crowded, the grocery stores are crowded, the malls are crowded, the airlines are crowded, the airports are crowded, the restaurants are crowded—everywhere you look, there is a crowd. So it seems like, «Well, I have so much to do, » but it takes me forever to get it done because I am always being obstructed by the crowds. And so, it can be a stressful time of the year, but it’s also a wonderful time of the year because the God who made you and me came to earth. He came to redeem us; he came to save us; he came to purchase our salvation. He came to pay the price for our sins so that we would not have to bear our sin alone, and he came for all. Yes, in case you’re wondering, we went right there from the baby that was in Bethlehem to the king who died on the cross. But that is his life; that’s why he came. He left his home in heaven to walk among us. He came—and I say it all the time—he came to feel what we would feel. He came to face everything that you and I would have to face. So he knows what it’s like to be weak, and he also knows what it’s like to be strong. He knows what it’s like to be overwhelmed; he knows what it’s like to face a test. He knows what it’s like to face rejection; he knows exactly what it’s like to bear the burden of people around us, as well as our own burdens. He knows what that’s like; he knows what it’s like to bear the burden of a broken heart, and he knows what it’s like to cry until he can’t cry anymore. He knows what it’s like to cry until your tears become as great drops of blood. He knows what it’s like to be you, and he knows what it is like to be me. And that excites me because he gets us. You know how you are when you find somebody that actually gets you? It’s like that’s a blessing because I can be who I am, and in their presence, they get me. Well, I want to tell you, as quirky as some of us are and as crazy as some of us are, God gets you because he made you. Okay? He gets us…