2. Don’t be afraid…

3. Don’t be afraid zacharias… For God hears your prayers
Luke 1:13  But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.
For God hears your prayers

4. Don’t be afraid zacharias…
20  "And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
Respond with belief

5. for you have found favor with God.
Don’t be afraid mary…
Luke 1:30  The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.
for you have found favor with God.

6. Respond with surrender
Don’t be afraid mary…
37  "For nothing will be impossible with God."  38  And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
Respond with surrender

7. Joseph’s Options…
Expose her publicly to the full consequences of the Law.

8. Joseph’s Options…
Expose her publicly to the full consequences of the Law.
Quietly divorce her in a private arrangement.

9. Joseph’s Options…
Expose her publicly to the full consequences of the Law.
Quietly divorce her in a private arrangement.
Proceed with the marriage as planned.

10. Drawing from literary theorists, Bruce W
Drawing from literary theorists, Bruce W. Longenecker in “Hearing the Silence”, discusses how “under-narrated” plotlines serve to mobilize our imagination, so that we ask probing questions and try to connect missing links in the narrative.

11. Joseph
Mat 1:18-25  Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.  19  And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.  

12. Don’t be afraid Joseph…
20  But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  21  "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."   

13. Don’t be afraid Joseph…
20  But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  21  "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."   
God is at work

14. The translation could thus read: “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife even though that which is conceived in her is indeed of the Spirit that is Holy. She will bear a son, whom you will give the name Jesus .”

15. 22  Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23  "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US."  

16. Don’t be afraid Joseph…
 24  And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife,  25  but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

17. Don’t be afraid Joseph… Act with grace and truth
 24  And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife,  25  but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
Act with grace and truth

18. Don’t be afraid Joseph… Act with grace and truth
 24  And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife,  25  but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
Act with grace and truth
Joseph was a man whose spirit was informed by the truth of God’s Law, and governed by the grace of God.

19. Joh 1:14  And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

20. Jas 2:10-13  For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.  11  For He who said, "DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY," also said, "DO NOT COMMIT MURDER." Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.  12  So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.  13  For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

21. Don’t be afraid shepherds…
Luke 2:8-20  In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.  9  And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.  10  But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;  

22. Don’t be afraid shepherds… For I bring you good news
Luke 2:8-20  In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.  9  And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.  10  But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;  
For I bring you good news

23.  11  for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  12  "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  13  And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,  14  "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."  

24. Don’t be afraid shepherds…
  15  When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us."  16  So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.  17  When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.  

25. Don’t be afraid shepherds…
  15  When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us."  16  So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.  17  When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.  
Share the good news

26. 18  And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.  19  But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.  20  The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

27. For God hears your prayers for you have found favor with God.
Don’t be afraid…
For God hears your prayers
for you have found favor with God.
For God is at work
For I bring you good news

28. Don’t be afraid…
Titus 2:11  For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,