What do you do when life doesn’t go as planned?
When we think of the Christmas story, we picture Mary, the shepherds, and baby Jesus in a manger. But there’s one person we rarely talk about — Joseph. He’s often seen as a background character, but his story is anything but small. Joseph’s life shows us what it looks like to obey God even when it’s inconvenient, impossible, or costly. His quiet faithfulness reminds us that ordinary people can play extraordinary roles in God’s plan.
In this message, we’ll take a fresh look at Joseph’s story. We’ll see how God used an ordinary man to accomplish something extraordinary. Along the way, we’ll uncover three keys to obedience from Joseph’s life — keys that still matter for us today. What will you do when God calls you to step into someone else’s story? How will you respond when God’s plan interrupts your plans?
If you missed the live service or want to reflect further, you can watch the full message above anytime after. We’ve also included discussion questions to dig deeper into the message and a handout with fill-ins to guide your reflection. You can find the handout by clicking the “Download” button above. Whether you watch this on your own or share it with your small group, we hope this message encourages you.
Discussion Questions
- What stood out to you most about Joseph’s story and why do you think that is?
- Have you ever had a moment where life didn’t go according to your plan? How did you respond?
- Joseph obeyed God immediately, even when it was inconvenient or costly. What do you think makes it so hard for us to obey God that way?
- When have you felt like you were carrying someone else’s burden or stepping into someone else’s story? How did that experience shape you?
- The angel called Joseph “son of David” to remind him of his heritage. How does knowing who you are in Christ impact your ability to trust and obey God?
- Which of the three keys from Joseph’s life (obey in spite of the impossibility, inconvenience, or cost) do you think is the hardest to live out? Why?
- What do you think it means to live a “righteous life” like Joseph? How can we live that way in our daily lives?
- Have you ever had to walk away from something comfortable to follow God’s plan? What did that cost you, and how did God show up?
- Joseph’s story reminds us that sometimes our obedience isn’t about us — it’s about what God is doing in someone else’s life. Can you think of a time when your obedience impacted someone else?
- Psalm 119:60 says, “I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands.” What would it look like for you to live this out today? What’s one area of your life where you sense God calling you to “get up” and obey?
