SERMON RECAP
Pastor Chrisy Kendrick explored how God meets us in our moments of fear and uncertainty through Joseph's story in Matthew 1. She shared how fear isn't a lack of faith but an invitation to deeper trust in God. While our circumstances, like Joseph’s, might not change, they are reframed when we acknowledge, confront, and then surrender the fear that we carry. Pastor Chrisy then examined three things in Joseph's story that demonstrate for us how he conquered the fear that he was experiencing: changing your environment, returning to His promises, and making space for His presence. She concluded with the reminder that there is nothing that we go through that can change what the love of Jesus has done.
Ice Breaker Option:Ask everyone to answer the following (popcorn-style): What’s one small thing you really like to be in control of?
HEAD: Read Matthew 1:18-25
- Provide context for this account: Who was Joseph and what unexpected situation was he facing?
- What is the significance of how the angel greeted him?
- What did God reveal to Joseph and how did Joseph respond?
- What was fulfilled through Joseph’s obedience to the command conveyed by the angel?
HEART:
- What do you think about how Joseph's part in the Christmas story unfolded?
- Where do see yourself in Jospeh’s story? What in your current circumstances feels out of control, unexpected or overwhelming?
- When you hear God speaking 'do not fear' to your heart, how does this reframe your perspective?
HANDS — Go Deeper Together
(Choose one or two practices below)
“That command to not be afraid is not saying, shut off your brain, shut off your emotions. Don't feel those things. It is an opportunity from the Lord given so that we can decide what to do with our fear, how we respond to our fear. It is an invitation not to be overcome by our fear, but to come to Him.” These practices help us acknowledge fear, confront it honestly, and surrender it to the God who meets us there.
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1. Change It Up: Moving When Fear Feels Stuck
Joseph didn’t stay frozen in fear—he got up and went. Changing our environment helps to aim our hearts at Christ.
Practice:
Invite the group to reflect quietly for a moment.
- Where does fear tend to “fog” your thinking or keep you stuck?
- What environment might be reinforcing that fear—physically, emotionally, or relationally?
- How might changing your environment help reorient your heart toward trust?
Action Step:
This week, how will you intentionally change something when fear rises:
- Take a walk, drive, or moment of physical movement.
- Limit time with voices that pull you away from God’s truth.
- Choose to place yourself in a faith-forming environment (community group, prayer, worship, Scripture).
Response:
Invite group members to share one small environment shift they will try this week and pray briefly for courage to take that step.
Group Option:
Invite group members to pair up and exchange contact information as a way of changing their environment through community. Encourage each pair to intentionally check in with one another this week—through a text, phone call, or brief meet-up—to remind each other of God’s truth and to pray when fear begins to creep in. Emphasize that we don’t have to face fear alone; God often meets us through the encouragement of His people.
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2. Go back to the Promise: Remembering God’s Faithfulness
Joseph went in obedience, journeying to Bethlehem, where it was prophesied that the Messiah would come from, the actual birthplace of hope. Peace grows when we go back to the promise.
Practice:
Have participants write or reflect on the following:
- What fears or anxieties have been speaking loudly in your life lately?
- What promises of God speak directly to those fears?
- Where have you seen God’s faithfulness before - big or small?
Action Step:
Encourage each person to choose one promise from Scripture (or a truth God has previously spoken to them) and return to it daily this week.
- Write it down.
- Read it aloud.
- Pray it when fear resurfaces.
Group Prayer Option:
Pray together, thanking God for His faithfulness in the past and asking for hearts that remember His promises in the present.es.
Journaling Option (Individual or Group):
“We need to listen and reflect on our experiences in the presence of the Holy Spirit to learn from them.” Journaling as a spiritual discipline aids us in that journey
Invite individuals to journal around one or more of the following prompts:
• What has God promised in His Word that I need to remember right now?
• Where have I seen God’s faithfulness in my past that I might be tempted to forget?
• What truth about God brings joy and steadiness when fear tries to take over?
Encourage participants to write honestly, even if it feels incomplete or messy. The goal is remembrance, not perfection.
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3. Make Space for God to Come: Welcoming God into the Fear
Joseph had to embrace the inconvenience and the difficulty to welcome the Promised One. We must make space for God to come into our own lives, into our hearts, into our minds, into our emotions, into our fears, our worries, our doubts, our pain.
Practice:
Lead the group through a time of stillness.
- What feels “too full” or “too busy” in your life right now?
- What fear, worry, or uncertainty are you carrying?
- What might it look like to make room for God there?
Share:
- What was it like for you to intentionally slow down and make space for God during this practice?
- Did anything feel difficult, distracting, or uncomfortable as you tried to be still? What did that reveal to you?
- Was there a thought, Scripture, emotion, or sense of God’s presence that stood out to you in that space?
- How might making room for God in this way help reframe your fear moving forward?
Action Step:
Invite each person to intentionally carve out a short, daily space this week—no matter how inconvenient—to sit with God.
- Bring your fear honestly.
- Surrender control.
- Make room for Him to be greater than your circumstances and to meet you in these circumstances.
Group Prayer Option:
Close by praying together, surrendering fears aloud or silently, and asking God to fill the space we make with His peace, presence, and love.
PRAYER
- Pray for peace in moments of uncertainty and trust in God's plan.
- Ask for strength to surrender control and invite God into fears and anxieties.
- Thank God for His love and presence in every circumstance, big or small.