# When God calls you to the impossible

December 22, 2025

Turn in your mind, as if you would, to Luke, chapter number one. Luke, chapter number one. By the way, we’re honored to have Allie De Villa back with us. She just graduated from boot camp a couple of months ago, serving in the Navy, serving our country. And Allie, would you please stand, and let’s let her know we appreciate her. Just a couple days here; she has to head back. Good to have her with us today. Also appreciate her service.

Luke, chapter number one, in the Bible. It’s interesting: the Gospels all center—of course, the Bible does, but they all center on Jesus’ life here on earth. They all touch differently. They don’t contradict; they complement each other.

They have a different angle. Matthew describes Him as a king; Mark, as a servant; Luke, as a man; and John, as God. He was deity in flesh. And it fits as we get to the Christmas story, talking about Jesus, God coming down and being a human being.

Matthew really goes through the ancestry of Joseph. Now, Joseph wasn’t his biological father; he was a stepfather. But kings, they go through the male lineage. So Matthew goes through Joseph’s lineage and describes the man, Emmanuel—God with us. And it tells us about Joseph. We’ll go there later on, if time will permit, over to Matthew.

As we look at Mary and Joseph’s lives, mostly Mary, though, that’s over in Luke. And Dr. Luke—God used the doctor to pen that—and it talks more about the humanity of Christ, as natural birth, and when He was born, and all those details. It talks a little bit more about His earthly family. We’re going to look just at the beginning here at Luke, and really about His mother. Actually, Luke 3 gives the lineage of Mary. And it makes sense; we’re talking to a doctor that deals with the birth of the biological parent, and on and on.

So we’re over here in Luke. That’s the typical—we read Luke 2. How many read Luke 2 either Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? How do you read Luke 2? That would be a good, good thing to do. That’s a great thing to do. How many make a birthday cake for Jesus at your house? How many do that? We’ve got some folks that do that. Good, good, good. Just all these ways of keeping Christ in Christmas is a great, great thing.

But we’re in Luke 1 this morning, and we’re going to start in verse number 28. This is when Gabriel came and is talking to Mary. Would you please stand together as we read God’s word together? Luke 1 and verse number…

By the way, just imagine yourself, you’re somewhere, and all of a sudden this big, tall, huge man shows up, and you’re like, “Whoa, dude, is that Shaq or what?” out there, you know? And it’s an angel. It’s Gabriel. And that’s where to pick this up at. Look in verse number 28:

“And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”

“And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.”

“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God.”

“And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.”

“He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest. I like that ‘Highest’ by the capital H. Highest. Show that to a Jehovah’s Witness. He’s got a lot of names for it. Amen. Son of the Highest.”

“And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”

“Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?”

“And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

“And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her. They didn’t have Facebook back then, or else she didn’t know about it, you know. Who was called barren.”

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.”

Would you pray with me that God would speak to hearts about this subject: When God calls you to do the impossible? Would you ask that God would speak to your heart about that right there?

Father, Lord, I just ask, would You take the story of Mary and Joseph and how You gave Your Son to this world to be an encouragement, Father. Make it real, make it applicable to the lives of every single person here, Lord. Thank You, Lord, when You come and You call us to do the impossible, and then You enable us to do it. Help us to handle those times right. And use this morning to that end, Father. And Jesus, then we pray. Amen.

Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated. Brother Mark, can we just get some fans blowing? We don’t have to turn the air conditioner or anything on; just get some air flowing a little bit.

But isn’t it amazing? Sometimes God comes and He calls us to do what to us seems impossible. And just, you’re like, “How in the world?” And just, and it can look like so many different things.

I just saw Steve Goldforth raise his hand. He was donating $50,000 to the building fund when he raised his hand. Now, when he—I don’t know what he would have in his mind, but in my mind, I thought maybe this is what he’s thinking. For years, he was a businessman, serving the Lord faithfully, but God called him to preach. And he wasn’t a 20-year-old or an 18-year-old or 60. He wasn’t old now, you know, because he’s going to get $50,000, so, you know, I mean—but he was older. And I don’t know, but maybe that’s what was in his mind when I said, “God sometimes asks you to do the impossible.”

I wasn’t planning on this, but my eye went to Miss Wanda. And it seemed like she thought about it, and I don’t know, maybe it was Miss Wanda when the Lord decided this year that He was going to take Brother Frank, her precious husband, home. And the Lord called Miss Wanda, “Miss Wanda, this is—it may seem impossible—but I’m going to call you. I have a plan for you from here on now.” And maybe that seemed impossible for Miss Wanda.

But sometime God calls us. It may be these young people. We’ve had young people before that in the public school, they would carry their Bible every day. And it felt like the Lord had called them in the public school to carry their Bible. I think it would be a little bit more popular today than it was. That was maybe 15 years ago, I don’t know. But God had called, and that seemed impossible for a young man. By the way, he did it.

But God often calls. Maybe it’s witnessing to your neighbor. And you say, “I can’t witness to someone. I’m quiet. I’m not gifted with the gift of gab.” You know what I’m talking about, you know? And by the way, good to see Brother Eddie back with us this morning. That’s a blessing. Pray for that. Amen. Amen for that. Hip replacement, back in church. It’s only been two days—no, I’m teasing. It’s been a while, but pray a little. Good to have them back.

But God calls, as He spoke to Mary. He was calling her to literally do something humanly that’s impossible. Maybe it’s to overcome a sin that you’ve been battling for 20, 30, 40, 50 years. And God comes. You say, “There’s no way. That’s been my way of dealing with things.” Maybe it’s God calling you to not be so negative or not talk about people. You said, “Preacher, man, you went from preaching to meddling now. Come on now. It’s just Christmas. Take it easy now, you know.”

But I don’t know. But God comes and He calls us to do things that many times seem impossible. “How can I? I didn’t grow up with a good dad. How can I be a good dad? I didn’t grow up with a good mom. How can I be a godly mom? How in the world could I be a Sunday school teacher? I didn’t grow up knowing the Bible.” God often comes and He calls, as He did Mary, people to do the impossible.

How? I look out and see some of our dear people, their mom and mother-in-law in a nursing home from a stroke, and now she’s got COVID, and they’re not going to be able to spend Christmas with her. How can I do the impossible? But I want you to see how Mary handles when the Lord comes and asks her to do the impossible. It’s just amazing. She does a wonderful job to think about it.

And Gabriel came and said, “Hey, Mary, you’re going to have a Son. And He’s going to be a king over Israel forever. And He’s going to be the Son of the Highest.” And what was her first thing? Look in verse number 34, verse number 34 of Luke, chapter number one. All right. If you’re there in verse number 34, would you say, “Amen”?

This is the first response. “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?”

Can I just point out that Gabriel did not rebuke her? Gabriel didn’t say, “Well, you ought to know from Isaiah what’s going on. It says in Isaiah 7:14 that a virgin shall conceive. You ought to know better, Mary.” He didn’t do that. He didn’t rebuke her. He’s very kind.

You know, when God asks us to do things that are seemingly impossible, God’s not a rude God. He’s guiding Gabriel what to say. And Gabriel’s very kind. And Gabriel explains some details. You know, when you’re just, you’re like, “Lord, I want to do whatever, but how in the world is it going to happen?” God’s not there to beat you over the head with a “Well, I disappointed Him. He’s never going to—He’s not going to give me the time of day anymore.” God’s not like that.

And the first response of Mary: “How in the world?” And Gabriel just says, “Well, let me give you some details.” Aren’t you glad sometimes when God gives you just confirmation? It comes in different forms and fashion. Sometimes it’s in your heart, just that peace from the Spirit of God: “Yes, this is what you need to do.” Sometimes God gives you just the right person at just the right time.

I think a little bit of this is when he says, “Hey now, Mary, your cousin Elizabeth over there out in the country there, she’s six months along.” But right after this, Mary takes off and goes to visit her cousin out there, and I think Elizabeth—Zacharias, Elizabeth—was very instrumental in giving Mary what she needed.

God’s amazing at giving you the right person at the right time. Sometimes you’re like, “I don’t know how God does it,” but just, it may be at the bank, but wherever God can cross your path with just the right person at just the right time. And He gives you confirmation and peace, and He did not rebuke Mary. He didn’t get on to her. He said, “Hey, this is how it is going to happen.” Gives her some details about it.

Now let’s look at Mary’s next response, all right? First thing, she says, “How in the world?” You know, and Gabriel said, “Let me tell you a little bit more about it.” And Gabriel gives her some details, and then he leaves, and she goes to visit her cousin. Oh, I’m sorry, no, I’m jumping ahead of the story. This—this—Gabriel hadn’t left yet. This is her last remark to Gabriel before he leaves. All right. The last remark—it’s a wonderful, wonderful response here.

Look at this thing, verse number 38. I love it. This is her last words to Gabriel. What does she say? “And Mary said, Behold the…” What’s the next word? We often say “servant,” but a lot of times this word is translated into “slave.” It’s a very humbling term. It’s your little servant. “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” And the angel departed from her.

Can I just put it this way? It was just total surrender. Mary said, “All right, it sounds crazy, but I’m Your little servant. I’m in Your hands. Do whatever You like to do with me.” I love just her surrender.

I never forget years ago, he had a man in his storefront in our second building in him, and he got up without any music. It wasn’t the best quality, I’ll be honest with you. He wasn’t really a singer, per se, you know, but he sang without music, a cappella. But you know, that was years ago, and I still remember it. It spoke to my heart. But he just got up and he sang a special: “I Surrender All.”

And he just got up, not real good, but he’s singing, “All to Jesus I surrender. All to Him I freely give. I will ever love and trust Him in His presence daily live. I surrender all.” All these years later—I said, by the way, he’s a missionary in Cambodia today, by the way.

But friend, I’m saying, Mary said, “Hey, I’ll sell out to the Lord. I’ll give You everything I got.” Whatever happened to Christians that sell out for the Lord? Whatever happened to those folks that say, “Hey, He loved me, He died on the cross, He’s given me heaven. I owe everything I have to Him”?

By the way, this world isn’t going to be changed and reached by a bunch of talent and a bunch of ability and charisma. It’s going to be reached by God, the Holy Spirit, flowing through people that are wholly surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s what Mary’s doing. Mary’s saying, “I’m going to take all my eggs and put them in one basket. And Lord, here’s my basket.” She just surrendered it all. Boy, I like that. “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me.”

As you just said, David Brainerd, a great missionary, going by to the Native Americans, the Indians, at the beginning of our country. David Brainerd, maybe the greatest missionary to the Native Americans ever had—hard to reach. And David Brainerd, on a Sunday night, he was riding his horse back in the day, you know. And it wasn’t that certain brand of vehicles that break down all the time. I’ll let you fill in that. Brother Kevin says, “I’m waiting for it. I’m already ready for it.” I didn’t say it. I didn’t say it now, you know. But Brother John says, “Hey, come on now.”

Anyway, but he was on a horse, and it was a Sunday night, and it was raining. And he was just like an itinerant preacher at the time. And he said it’s muddy roads, riding a horse at nighttime, and it’s raining. And he said, “But the desire kept growing. I just was welling up inside. And I wanted to surrender everything to God.” And he said, “I’m riding along in the dark and it’s muddy.” And he said, “I couldn’t help but just kept coming up inside me.” And he said, “I got off my horse. And I got down on my knees in that mud and the rain. And that night I gave everything I had to God, everything.”

And he said, a little bit of this effect: He said, “I’d be lying if I wouldn’t say I felt like the hand of God came on me that night. And the Spirit of God empowered me that night.” And that’s how you reach the people that many people said they were unreachable. Mary said, “I surrender everything. I’m Your handmaid. I’m Your slave. You do with me what You please. I’m not my own anymore. I’m bought with the price. I’m Yours.” What are you saying? She gave it all to the Lord. What a wonderful thing.

Now, after that, then Gabriel leaves. Then she travels over into the hill country—we’re not exactly sure where that was—where John the Baptist grew up there in the wilderness. And she travels over there, and she comes in to Elizabeth. John the Baptist is inside, and Elizabeth hears, and Mary’s there, and John the Baptist leaps inside the mother’s womb. By the way, it wasn’t a fetus leaping either. It was a baby boy, amen, you know. The child leaped.

And then this is Mary’s third response, the third thing Mary says. Look over, if you will, to the chapter where you are there, verse—verse number 46. All right, verse number 46. Y’all awake this morning? Amen.

This is Mary’s third response, or third saying of Mary in the Bible here. And someone will call it the Magnificat. And notice what she says. I want you to notice a couple of things about it. I want you to notice how many times she refers to the Lord and to what He has done. Watch this saying, verse number 46:

“And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord.”

She says, “My soul magnifies the Lord.” I’m not about me. I’m about magnifying the Lord. I’m not about making me look good, my reputation, all the rest of the rest. I’m about magnifying the Lord. “My soul doth magnify the Lord.”

“And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.”

Now, in order to need a Savior, you’re admitting you’re a sinner. No, Mary wasn’t the sinless—it was Virgin Mary, but not a sinless Mary. No, no. You don’t need a Savior if you’re sinless. Pray, Lord, Mary was humble and admitted, “I need a Savior. I have sins that I must be saved from.” Yes, you can show that to your Catholic friends in love.

Verse number 48, watch as she keeps going: “For He hath regarded the lowest state of His handmaiden: for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”

“For He that is mighty hath showed great things to me; and holy is His name.”

“And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation.”

“He hath showed strength with His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.”

“He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.”

“He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away.”

“He hath holpen His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy;”

“As He spake to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.”

And Mary abode with her about three months and returned to her own house.

That’s 10 verses. And in 16 times in 10 verses, Mary either says “He” or “His.” You notice her focus was on Him. “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” He’s my Savior. He is mighty. His name is holy. His mercy, His strong arm. She starts naming the things He has done. He’s scattered the proud. He’s put down the mighty. He’s exalted them of low degree. Filled the hungry. Rich sent away empty. Helped His servant Israel. And through our forefathers, which is all about the Lord.

Now, here’s the thing: When God comes to you and He asks you to do the impossible—for some, it might not be impossible for you in your background and your situation—you say, “Man, just humanly speaking, it’s impossible.” Now, here’s the thing. I tell you what’s going to happen: When God comes and calls you to do the impossible, the next thing that’s going to happen, you’re going to have feelings of inadequacy. “How in the world could I do that?”

Let me explain some of that is legit. Look over, if you will—keep your finger there—look over in 1 Corinthians, chapter number one. I’ll tell you part of the reason why you have those feelings.

Look over in 1 Corinthians, chapter number one, and we’ll start in verse number 26. 1 Corinthians 1 and verse number 26. Why do I have all these feelings of inadequacy about it? When God’s calling me to teach a Sunday school class, to be a godly dad, to be the man or lady I ought to be, to do something, to be a light at work—whatever may be, God calls you to do what to you seems impossible. Why do I have these feelings of inadequacy?

Well, look at this. First Corinthians 1, look at verse number 26. He says, “For ye see your calling, brethren.” Kind of time out for just a second. Would you look right here for just a second? Every single person here, everyone from the youngest to the wisest—you’re called.

You’re called, and if you’re not even saved, you’re still called; you’re called to salvation first. But every single person here is called. I don’t know the calling you have on your life, but every single person here, you have a calling on your life. Everybody without exception, every person here, you have a calling on your life.

Watch what He says. He says, “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.” That’s why you feel inadequate. Because humanly speaking, you are inadequate.

By the way, if you feel like you’re adequate, if you’ve got all this ability to offer God, you’re probably not the one He’s called to do much. Moses felt like that, and God said, “All right, I’ll let you murder somebody trying to accomplish it.” And you spend 40 years out there with a bunch of stinky, smelly sheep all the time. And then he said, “I can’t even talk right.” God said, “I’m ready to use you now.”

That’s why you feel inadequate. He said, “Not many mighty, not the wise, no, not noble are called.” But God hath chosen the what? Yeah. Oh, my friend, I hope we get that. God can use this more if we get that. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.

Somebody says, “Well, they’re an intelligent person. We need an intelligent soul winner to go over there and witness to him.” That’s not God’s formula. God’s formula right there in God’s word, not in, you know, Pastor Paul’s opinion or somebody else’s—that’s God’s word.

“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. And God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.”

“And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen. Yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought the things that are.” Watch, here’s the reason for it all. Look at verse number 29. Look at it. He said, “The reason for this, God’s formula that He uses, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”

So God comes and He calls you to do something that to you seems impossible to do, and you have feelings—you feel overwhelmed. “There’s no way I can do or be that. Me do that? Come on,” you say. “Lord, I want to volunteer so-and-so. They’ll do a better job than me.” And God said, “No, you’re the one.” And you have feelings of inadequacy because, humanly speaking, you are inadequate. That’s the way God works. That way God gets the glory. That’s very important to God.

And so you’re going to battle those feelings. It’s understandable because you’re the person God uses—those that humanly speaking are inadequate. God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called.

Hey, so what do you do? You do what Mary did. You focus on the Lord. Sixteen times, the Lord, the Lord, the Lord; He, He, He, He, He is—sixteen times. There were some things about her, but she kept going back to the Lord, the Lord, the Lord, the Lord.

Sometimes I’ll do this. There’s a song some of you may know. If you know it, sing it with me. It’s just an old little chorus: “He is able. He is able. I know He is able. I know my Lord is able to carry me through.”

Boy, God calls you and you say, “No way can I do that. Me being a deacon, me teaching a class, me witnessing, me passing a gospel tract—I mean, whatever it may be. Me, me, me, me.” And, friend, you just start singing that in your heart: “He’s able. He’s able.” Say it to yourself about a thousand times. “He’s able. He’s able. He’s able. He’s able.” Get your mind and your heart off you, that always leads to pity or pride, and say, “He’s able. He’s able. He’s able.” Faithful is He who calleth you, who also will do it. He’s able.

Mary keeps going back to the Lord, the Lord, the Lord, the Lord. Satan will try his best to get you to focus on yourself. And by the way, that’s our day and times all about: “Me, my feelings, my thoughts, my opinion, my hurts, my pains, whatever happened to…”

Galatians 2:20: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Whatever happened to living like that? And you don’t focus on yourself. Focus on the Lord.

You know, it’s interesting. The Christmas story, you don’t find Mary really talking about her rights and exalting herself. They’re traveling from Nazareth down to Bethlehem. It’s about 90 miles, according to how you go, you know. And it wasn’t the interstates back then. They didn’t have Mercedes-Benz back then to travel, you know. Whether it was a donkey or not—you know, that’s not in the Bible. We think of a donkey, and there’s movies about that and all the rest of that. Maybe there was a donkey, but that’s not in the Bible. We don’t know. Maybe she walked the whole way.

But, you know, you never find Mary—and by the way, she was great with child. You ever see someone and they already got the duck walk all that? You think, “Man, they’re 12 months along.” She was great with child. But you don’t find Mary saying, “Well, I don’t know why I gotta do this. Somebody ought to treat me better.” You just don’t find her doing that. It’s not recorded anywhere in Scripture. She’s not exalting herself or questioning. And she’s not doing it. She’s, “Hey, Lord, I’m Your handmaid.”

You know what? Jesus was a newborn. They had to move. I mean, He was born and laid in the manger. Then a little bit later on, the wise men came—maybe a year, year and a half, two years later—and they’re in a house then, and then they got over to Egypt. And then from Egypt, they’re going to go back to there. But God said, “They’ll go over to Nazareth.” I mean, they had to move around, but you don’t find Mary saying, “Well, we’ve been moving all over the place.” Whatever happens, “Hey, Lord, I’m Yours. I’m bought with the price.” You don’t find her exalting herself. Now, God exalts her. God has exalted her for a long time. She’s not exalting herself.

Let’s just for a second, let’s flip over to Joseph, all right? We talked about Mary for a while. Look over in Matthew, chapter number one, real quickly here. We’re going to be done. We’re going to get Joseph in there a little bit because we’ve been talking about Mary, and all you male chauvinist pigs—we’ve got to talk about the man for a little bit here. Don’t take me serious now, okay? All right. I hate when I have to tell you, “I’m joking with you,” you know.

Look over here in Matthew. Let’s just talk about Joseph just for a bit, the stepfather of Jesus. And so Mary’s over there with Elizabeth, and the baby’s coming. So Mary’s about three months along. Mary comes back over there to Nazareth, and the Bible says she was found with child. So I think it kind of makes it look like she hid it, at least some, because she was found with child. And maybe those first trimesters when you really sit—maybe she got done with the morning sickness. Somebody said, “Amen,” getting done with that right there, you know.

I wonder how many times from, you know, from Nazareth out there in the hill country and back, how many times they had to stop on the edge of the road? You understand what I’m talking about? But hopefully, she’s passed the first trimester; the sickness is done. But she’s found with child, and then Joseph, her espoused husband—I like to marry back in the end of time—he’s like, “Whoa, I’m not to marry this girl. I’ve been watching her. She gets sick all the time.” I mean, you know, they’re starting to see the baby bump there, you know.

And let’s look and see what happens with Joseph here, Matthew 1. And look in verse number 19. Matthew 1:19:

“Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privately.”

Notice it’s “minded.” By the way, it’s interesting. They say women have to really—they need to—it’s not a bad thing. I’m not joking here, just reality—but typically women need to articulate to figure out what’s going on. They need to talk. Men, they tend to keep it inside; then they figure it out, then they want to talk. You see it here, Joseph. Watch what he’s “minded to put her away privately.”

“But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

“Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken to the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, by the way, the prophet is Isaiah: Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us.”

Notice it’s different than Mary’s. “Then Joseph being raised from sleep, just like a man being sleeping, isn’t it? Bless you during church time. Come on now.”

“Then Joseph being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.”

You know, Scripture never records Joseph saying one thing. You just won’t find it. He just gets up and he does it. You ever want to say, “Hey, buddy, stop talking. If you worked as hard as you talked, we’d have this job done a whole long time ago.” Joseph didn’t gab and blab and blab, and he just got up and got her done. By the way, I like men like that. Not that it’s wrong to talk, but sometimes I’ll just want to say, “Hey, stop talking and back it up, buddy. Get to work.” Amen. That’s what Joseph did.

Talking about that, I don’t want to spend too much time on it, but talking about that, this is an interesting verse: Proverbs 20:6. “Most men will proclaim every man his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” In other words, a faithful man, he ain’t got to talk about it; he can back it up. You can look to see.

He just trusted what God said. He didn’t question it. He just went and did it. By the way, Joseph did walk with God. If you read out the Christmas story, the angel of the Lord—the angel spoke to him four different times. Yeah, he had to walk with God. But he wasn’t, “Look at me! Look at me!” And I know, he just got up, he did it. He just got the job done.

I like this little illustration. We’re going to move on. One boy—you know the boys, you know how dads are the biggest, the greatest things in the world to a little boy. Now, a little boy grows up, things change, you know. And the little boys are standing around, and one boy said, “Hey, my dad knows the mayor.” The other boy said, “Well, my dad knows the president.” And the other little boy said, “Well, my dad knows God. He gets up every morning and talks with Him.” I like a dad like that, amen. Did our little boys talk about us like that?

Joseph, he had to walk with God. Hey, how do you handle it when God calls you to do the impossible? Mary said, “Be it unto me according to Thy word, Your handmaid.” She just kept focusing on how great God is. He can do it. Sixteen times: He, He, He, He, He, His, His. Joseph just trusted and obeyed.

Hey, let’s change gears for just a second here, all right? We’re about—we’re about to close out, ladies, maybe you can put your shoes on. Please put them all on. No. We’re about done.

But talk about doing the impossible. You know, for you to try to go to heaven on your own, it’s impossible. There’s been a million plus, billion plus people try to earn their way to heaven. Now, there’s not been one—not one. Matthew 7 gives this story. It says there’s going to be many people like this. They stand before God, and they’re giving their—“Well, I’ve did it.” And it’s very interesting their answer to God. They said, “I’ve prophesied,” or if you want, “I’ve preached in Your name,” talking to Jesus. You know, a lot of religions like to include Jesus in it. And this guy, he’s standing before God, and he’s giving all the reasons why he ought to go into heaven, and he said, “Hey, I’ve preached in Jesus’ name.”

Then he goes to another level. He says, “I’ve cast out devils in Jesus’ name.” Wow. Then he says, “I’ve done many wonderful works in Jesus’ name”—fed the poor, taught them how to take care of gardens and all the rest—“and I’m against these things. I preach in Jesus’ name.” But he’s telling all these reasons in Matthew 7 to Jesus, and you know what He says to him? Pretty amazing. He says, “Depart from me. I never knew you.” Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

You’re like, “Whoa, he preached in Jesus’ name, cast out devils in Jesus’ name, did wonderful works.” And Jesus says, “I never knew you. Depart from me, you that work iniquity.” Because for you to try to earn heaven by your works, when God gave Jesus from heaven born to die, and He shed His blood on an old rugged cross to pay for your sins and offers you heaven as a gift, and you go around thinking that you’re going to earn it by doing all these good things in the name of Jesus instead of trusting in the name of Jesus to save you—God says that’s iniquity to me.

Oh, friend, doing the impossible—going to heaven—like Mary did, look to the Lord. He gave His Son to shed His blood, and it’s a gift. Don’t look to yourself how good you are. Look to how good Jesus was.

Would you bow your heads and close your eyes? Our heads bowed, eyes closed.

You hear this morning, you say, “You know, I want to get my eyes off my feelings of inadequacy, my feelings of self, and I want to get my eyes on the Lord. I’m going to learn from Mary. She just did a wonderful job, and she focused on the Lord.” And I’m pretty sure God spoke to my heart. “I get myself just too much about me, and I want to get my eyes, my heart, my mind on the Lord.” God spoke to my heart about that this morning. We just lift your hand if you preach that’s me. God spoke to my heart about that. God bless you. God bless you. Maybe there’s somebody else. God spoke to your heart. “I need to get my eyes off of me and get my eyes on the Lord.” Anybody else? Just lift it up. “God spoke to my heart about that.” God bless you. Many, many, many hands. I’m with you. Many, many hands. Thank you so very much. You can put them down.

Maybe you’re here this morning, and you say, “I want to be like Mary, and I just want to surrender it all. I’m Your handmaid, Lord. Be it unto me according to Thy word.” I just want to say, “I want to be like David Brainerd. I want to get off the horse, and if you will, get on my knees in the mud, and just say, ‘Lord, here am I. I’m here. I’m here.’ I just got that desire in my heart. God’s putting it in there. I want to surrender all. I want to just sell out fresh and anew to the Lord.” God spoke to my heart about that this morning. If that’s you this morning, you slip your hand up. “I want to sell out to the Lord. I want to give Him everything I have.” God bless you. God bless you. “I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice.” Oh, it’s so good. That’s the one God uses—they’re just continually over and just, “Hear me, Lord. Hear me, Lord. Hear me, Lord.” God uses those folks like that. Thank you so very, very much.

Maybe you hear this morning, you say, “Preacher, I thought I did have to do all these works and be good enough. My good works that way, my bad works, preacher, go to church in the name of Jesus. I really did think I had to do all those things to go to heaven.” Boy, I realized from Matthew 7 that won’t get you to heaven. I need to trust in Jesus. I want to be like Mary and call Him my Savior. And God spoke to my heart about, “I need to get saved. I need to trust Jesus and Jesus alone to earn my way to heaven.”

If that’s you right there where you said, right there you said in your heart, would you call on Him right now? Something along this line: “Dear Jesus, I’m not depending on my good works anymore. I’m depending on You, Jesus. Would You pay for all of my sins? I want You to be my personal Savior. Give me a home in heaven. Thank You, Jesus.”

Our heads bowed, eyes closed. You say, “Preacher, I just asked Jesus to be my Savior. I just put my full faith and trust in Jesus to get me to heaven.” If that’s you, just slip your hand up. I’d love to just congratulate you. Won’t embarrass you. Won’t call your name, but anybody like that, I’d like to congratulate. You slip it up. You slip it up.

Hey, Christians, let’s surrender all this Christmas season. Say, “Lord, I want to give myself a fresh and new to You.” Would you please stand right there where you are? Would you please stand? Let’s have a word of prayer, and let’s just come and love on Him this morning. Thank you and surrender to Him this morning, and look to Him instead of ourselves this morning.

Father, thank You for Mary and Joseph. Thank You, Lord, for working through these dear people. Would You work through us, Father? Bless the invitation time. Jesus, in name we pray. Amen.

As our instruments play, would you just be obedient?

It’s a good song, “All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give.” I don’t know about you, but I sometimes get those feelings of inadequacy, especially when I get around someone that’s just talented, they got it all together, as the world says, and you just feel inadequate. Hey, friend, “Not many mighty, not many,” you know, “mighty or noble are called. God has chosen the foolish things of the world to come out, the weak things, the things that are despised, the base things, the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.” Now, God got off His horse in the rain. “Lord, I just—I want to give You everything.”

I’m so glad you’re here this morning. Now, tonight’s going to be awesome. I’m looking forward to—excited about the choir singing and the play. I’m excited about it, the actors, and there’s children involved, and all of it. It’s going to be awesome. Won’t you be here tonight? Bring someone with you, and you’ll be praying God to use it in hearts and lives. And I get to sit out there with you all. And listen, I’m looking forward to tonight. It’s going to be special. Make sure you’re back tonight. Bring someone with you. Good to see everyone, every single person here. Merry Christmas. And I love you. Isn’t it awesome we serve a God that came and dwelt among men? He’s awesome. And we’re privileged to be able to serve Him. I’m glad to serve Him with you. And Merry Christmas. Looking forward to tonight. Good to see everybody out today. And just awesome.

Original File: 2025-12-22 - Pastor Paul Chisgar ＂When God calls you to the impossible＂ - Sunday AM 12⧸21⧸2025