Pastor Rick's Daily Hope Enjoying a Fear-Not Christmas - Part 1
Dec 24, 2025
Fear is a common theme this Christmas, with hidden anxieties echoed in the original nativity story. Pastor Rick explores how Mary and Joseph faced their fears with divine reassurance. He dives into the shepherds' shock at angelic appearances and Herod's paranoid reactions. Listeners are encouraged to identify their personal fears and learn strategies for overcoming them, using the timeless wisdom of the Christmas narrative to embrace a more hopeful, fear-free life.
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Fear Was Central To The First Christmas
- The original Christmas story repeats 'Do not be afraid' four times to different people, showing fear was universal at Jesus' birth.
- Pastor Rick Warren connects those first-century fears to five common modern fears we still face today.
Mary’s Overwhelming Sense Of Inadequacy
- Mary faced overwhelming inadequacy when an angel told a teenage virgin she would bear the son of God.
- Pastor Rick lists practical reasons Mary would feel unprepared, from youth to delivering alone in a barn.
Joseph’s Fear Of Disapproval
- Joseph faced the fear of social disapproval when his fiancée claimed a miraculous pregnancy.
- He planned to quietly break the engagement until an angel told him not to be afraid and to take Mary as his wife.