Timothy Keller Sermons Podcast by Gospel in Life

The Courage of Christmas

Dec 25, 2024

Explore the heart of the Christmas story through Joseph's struggles and courageous choices. Discover the vital link between faith and societal judgment, and the bravery required to embrace Jesus' lordship. Delve into themes of vulnerability and sacrifice, and how admitting our sin can transform our lives. This journey invites you to redefine your identity and confront the fears holding you back from true salvation.

20:58

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Quick takeaways

Receiving Jesus requires the courage to face societal disdain, as exemplified by Joseph's dilemma regarding Mary's pregnancy.

True acceptance of Christ involves surrendering personal control, fostering a richer life through the adventure of His lordship.

Deep dives

The Courage to Face Disdain

Receiving Jesus into one’s life requires the courage to accept social disdain. Joseph faced a difficult decision when he learned of Mary's pregnancy, as marrying her would subject him to public disgrace. People in their community would inevitably speculate about the timeline of their marriage and Mary's fidelity, leaving him marginalized. Similarly, modern Christians often experience societal scorn for their beliefs, but true faith involves embracing this reality just as Joseph and Mary did.

Intro

3min

Joseph's Dilemma: Faith vs. Societal Judgment

7min

The Courage and Adventure of Embracing Christmas

4min

Courage to Embrace Faith and Admit Sin

2min

The Courage of Vulnerability and Sacrifice

6min

Jesus was about to come into Joseph’s life, and Joseph thought he was doing the right thing to arrange things so it wouldn’t happen. Joseph was going to dismiss Mary quietly. But the angel comes to Joseph and says, “Your problem is you’re a coward. Do not be afraid.”

This passage shows us that you can’t be a Christian unless you have courage. Or put another way, to let Jesus into your life, to receive Jesus into your life, takes courage above all.

Another way to put it is you will not receive Jesus into your life unless you have the courage to accept three other things. They’re all here: three things Joseph had to accept. You can’t receive Christ unless you have 1) the courage to accept the world’s disdain, 2) the courage to accept the adventure of his lordship, and 3) the courage to admit you’re a sinner.

This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on December 21, 1997. Scripture: Matthew 1:18-24.

Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

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