Our life and expectations does't always go as we plan. Sometimes God has something far greater than we could ever imagine. God had great plans for Mary. Free Christmas PowerPoint at www.Bibleguy.org

1. Bigger Than Our Hopes
Matthew 1:18-25

3. Matthew 1:18-25
• Matthew 1:18-25 (NIV)
18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His
mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but
before they came together, she was found to be with
child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her
husband was a righteous man and did not want to
expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to
divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this,
an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and
said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take
Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in
her is from the Holy Spirit.

4. Matthew 1:18-25
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give
him the name Jesus, because he will save his
people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to
fulfill what the Lord had said through the
prophet: 23 “The virgin will be with child and will
give birth to a son, and they will call him
Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.” 24
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of
the Lord had commanded him and took Mary
home as his wife. 25 But he had no union with her
until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the
name Jesus.

5. Life doesn’t always go as we
hope

6. We hope for a normal home
A. We hope for the normal, perfect marriage:
A home like mom and dad’s
A home like Ozzie and Harriet, Father Knows Best,
Leave it To Beaver, Huckstables, Snow White,
Cinderella.
A home where the kids get along, the husband and
wife are always in love, the finances are good, the
house is in order, the neighbors and family are
supportive.

7. We hope for a normal home
B. Mary and Joseph had hopes for the perfect
Jewish home.
Matthew 1:18 (NIV) This is how the birth of Jesus
Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged
to be married to Joseph,
They came from good, honest Jewish families with
good linage.
They were engaged – married but living apart with
parents

8. The unexpected can shatter
hopes

9. We often have our hopes shattered
A. Our hopes, dreams, anticipations don’t
always go as expected.
We don’t get to go to the college we wanted to.
We don’t get the job we expected.
We don’t get the girl or guy of our dreams.
When we get married, it isn’t exactly what we hope
for: finances aren’t perfect, kids aren’t perfect,
our partner isn’t perfect, …

10. We often have our hopes shattered
B. Mary and Joseph’s hopes, dreams,
anticipations didn’t go as expected.
Matthew 1:18b (NIV)….but before they came
together, she was found to be with child through
the Holy Spirit.
Joseph didn’t know it was from the Holy Spirit.
Mary came back from visiting Elizabeth (her
cousin) and Joseph discovered she was pregnant.
What would you do?

11. We often have our hopes shattered
C. Joseph tries to do what is right.
Matthew 1:19 Because Joseph her husband was a
righteous man and did not want to expose her to
public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her
quietly.
Joseph could have shamed her and her family, even
have her put to death.
He decided not to take her before the magistrates
but to divorce her quietly.
Deuteronomy 22:23-24 23 If a man
happens to meet in a town a virgin
pledged to be married and he sleeps with
her, 24 you shall take both of them to the
gate of that town and stone them to
death—the girl because she was in a town
and did not scream for help, and the man
because he violated another man’s wife.
You must purge the evil from among you.
Deuteronomy 24:1 (NET) If a man
marries a woman and she does not
please him because he has found
something offensive in her, then he
may draw up a divorce document,
give it to her, and evict her from
his house.

12. When hopes are shattered God’s
plans are greater than our hopes

13. God’s plan is bigger than our hope
A. God’s plans are bigger than our hopes.
God has bigger plans than the college you couldn’t
get into.
God has bigger plans than the promotion you didn’t
get.
God has bigger plans than that girl/guy of your
dreams.
Whatever it might be, God has a bigger plan than
your hopes.

14. God’s plan is bigger than our hopes
B. God’s plans were greater than Joseph’s hopes
Matthew 1:20 20 But after he had considered this, an
angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and
said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take
Mary home as your wife, because what is
conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
It is all within the God’s divine plan:
His trust in Mary is restored – she wasn’t unfaithful.
His trust that God is in control is restored.
It’s not the same. It’s not normal. It’s not his son.

15. God’s plan is bigger than our hopes
Joseph learns that is no accident. It is God’s
prophetic plan.
God chose him for this role “…son of David” because
his linage gives Jesus access to the throne of David
Matthew 1:20 20 But after he had considered this, an
angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and
said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take
Mary home as your wife, because what is
conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
.

16. God’s plan is bigger than our hope
Matthew 1:21 (NIV) She will give birth to a son, and
you are to give him the name Jesus, because he
will save his people from their sins.”
By naming the child, Joseph takes on the role of the
father and shares in the meaning and mission of
Jesus’ name.

17. God’s plan is bigger than our hope
Joseph is God’s prophetic choice to fulfill God’s
prophetic plan.
Matthew 1:22-23 22 All this took place to fulfill what
the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The
virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel”—which means,
“God with us.”
He was chosen to raise God’s son.

18. Obey God’s plan. It is far greater
than your hopes.

19. Joseph was obedient to God’s plan.
Joseph accepted and obeyed God’s plan.
Matthew 1:24-25 (NIV) 24 When Joseph woke up, he
did what the angel of the Lord had commanded
him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he had
no union with her until she gave birth to a son.
And he gave him the name Jesus.
He took her home before the year of engagement
was complete.

20. Joseph was obedient to God’s plan.
Obedience for Joseph may not have been the
easiest route.
Joseph took Mary into his home before the year of
engagement was complete.
Rumors of either Mary’s infidelity or the two of
them getting together before the end of the
engagement period

21. We should be obedient to God’s plan
Whatever God has planned for you is bigger
than you hopes for yourself.
It may not be the easier route.
You may be ridiculed, laughed at or scorned.
You may have to give up some of this world comforts.
But, if you obey God’s plan you will fulfill a
bigger purpose than your hopes could ever
imagine.

22. Obey God’s plan for you and live
life bigger than you could ever
hoped or imagined.