Revolutionary Leaders

Celebrate Christmas Through Challenge & Change

What are some challenges that students might face during the holidays?

1. Accepting the Improbable
Luke 1:26-38; 43-56

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”
“I am the Lord's servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Ask yourself these questions. Was this going to be a challenge for Mary? What about for Joseph? What changes would they be facing?

Lets read on...

But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.” Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

*Mary was rejoicing! She was looking at the challenge and the change as a blessing - something to embrace. She knew that it would be difficult, but she chose to see her challenge as an opportunity for blessing.

2. Accepting Authority
Luke 2:1-7

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

How's that for a challenge?
1. Traveling about 65 miles via donkey while nine months pregnant.
2. Being pregnant out of wedlock - humiliation.
3. Having to follow new laws that were being imposed on them by a foreign government.

*Obeying our authorities is a key to blessing!

If they would have rebelled, prophecy would not have been fulfilled. Instead, they chose to face the chalenge and go the distance. They moved out of their comfort zone and chose to obey reguardless of personal cost, reguardless of what man would think - their reputation, and reguardless of their oppinion of their government.

3. Accepting Your Challenge can bring About Radical Change!
- 12 yr old preacher - the challenge of parents who don't always understand
(Luke 2:41-52)
- A simple carpenter healing the sick - the challenge of unbelief
- A king eating w/ the outcast - the challenge of our reputation
- Giving his life for people who despised him- the challenge of selflessness

Final Thought
Yeah, we're going to face challenges and changes and we're not going to like them all. The choice is our, however, as to how we will react. Attitude is everything. We can celebrate through challenges and changes in our lives if we choose to.

- We have to accept the improbable and rejoice.

- We need to respect & obey our authorities if we want to fulfill God's call and have His blessing.

- We need to accept the challenge of living our lives in such a way as to bring about a radical change in our world.

After all, we are REVOLUTIONARIES!