Mary's Yes: Trusting God at Christmas

Devotional

Day 1: Mary trusted God amid a shocking announcement

Mary received a message she did not understand—an angel declared that by the power of the Holy Spirit she would bear the Son of God—and instead of waiting for circumstances to make sense, she stood on the character of God and offered her whole self, saying, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." [10:36]

Luke 1:26-38 (ESV)

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" 29 But she was greatly frightened at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34 And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" 35 And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God." 38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Reflection: What is one unexpected situation in your life right now that makes you ask “How?” Can you speak a one-sentence surrender to God today—“Let it be to me according to your word”—and share that choice to trust with one trusted Christian as a concrete step?

Day 2: Jesus is the Prince of Peace for us

The promise given centuries earlier in Isaiah points forward to a King whose very name includes peace; when life’s unexpected twists leave the heart racing, the only source of peace that truly steadies is the Prince of Peace who reigns and offers a peace that passes human understanding. [27:08]

Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Reflection: When anxiety or uncertainty threatens your rest today, will you list three truths about Jesus as Prince of Peace and then spend five uninterrupted minutes praying, asking Him to give you His peace right now?

Day 3: Don't place security in wealth or possessions

Possessions can feel like protection—bank accounts, homes, cars—but when those things become the foundation of trust they will fail; Scripture plainly warns that whoever trusts in riches will fall, calling believers to shift their confidence from stuff to the faithful God who provides. [24:29]

Proverbs 11:28 (ESV)

Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.

Reflection: Look at the three things you feel most secure in (bank balance, house, status). Which one are you most tempted to trust above God, and what single act of generosity or stewardship can you do this week to declare you trust God more than that resource?

Day 4: Earthly leaders and plans will ultimately fail

Placing ultimate confidence in princes, politicians, or one human plan misunderstands our fragile condition—human leaders pass away and their schemes perish—so the call is to redirect ultimate trust away from fallible people and plans and toward the One who endures. [25:12]

Psalm 146:3-4 (ESV)

3 Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. 4 When his breath departs he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.

Reflection: Name one leader, institution, or personal plan you are leaning on for security; what is one concrete step you will take this week (a prayer, a conversation, a reorientation of a plan) to transfer that trust back to God?

Day 5: Trust God rather than plans, powers, possessions

Trusting God is the best and only ultimate option—Mary’s wholehearted “yes” shows that surrendering control, possessions, and carefully-laid plans to God opens the way for His purposes, so believers are called to trust the Lord with all their hearts, not relying on their own understanding. [21:15]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Reflection: What is one decision or area you are currently leaning on your own understanding for? Will you write down that decision, pray Proverbs 3:5-6 aloud over it today, and choose one specific thing to relinquish to God this week as an act of trust?

Sermon Summary

Christmas isn’t just lights, traditions, and family dinners; it’s often the season of the unexpected. Some surprises are lighthearted, but others press hard on the soul and force a decision: will I trust God here? As I walked us into the story of Mary in Luke 1, we saw a young woman ambushed by grace—an angelic announcement, a holy overshadowing, a mission she did not ask for. Mary asked a very human question, not “why,” but “how.” And then, with a heart anchored to God’s character, she surrendered: “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be to me according to your word.” That’s what I want for us in this season: a trust that doesn’t wait for life to make sense before we obey.

We named the places where trust gets tested: when you feel unknown, when your faith makes you unpopular, when life turns uncomfortable, when success still leaves you unfulfilled. In every one of those spaces, God is not indifferent. The same Spirit who overshadowed Mary is faithful to draw near, to sustain, and to form Christ in us. And like Mary, trust is not merely a thought; it is embodied. She offered her whole self—her plans, reputation, and future—into God’s hands.

I urged us to loosen our grip on three false securities: possessions, earthly powers, and our own plans. They are good servants but terrible saviors. Wealth can evaporate, rulers are limited, and the best strategies stop at the grave. Only Jesus—promised as the Prince of Peace—can hold us in the unexpected and give a peace that outlasts circumstances. So we practice trust in concrete ways: generosity when money feels tight, prayer when anxiety steals sleep, obedience when the cost is real. Like Mary, may we trust God without limits—heart, mind, body, and future—because the One who calls is faithful.

Key Takeaways

1. Trust God amid life’s unexpected turns. Trust matures where control fails. The unknown, unpopular, uncomfortable, and unfulfilled places become altars where we give God what we cannot manage. We don’t need full explanations to offer full obedience. Trust is the decision to stand on who God is, not on what we can predict. [04:22]
2. Anchor to God’s character, not circumstances. Mary moved from “How?” to “Let it be,” not because she decoded the future but because she knew the Sender. Faith doesn’t silence questions; it seats them in God’s reliability. When outcomes wobble, character holds. God’s unchanging nature is a firmer ground than our changing conditions. [19:58]
3. Loosen your grip on lesser trusts. Possessions, political power, and personal plans promise control but cannot deliver rescue. Scripture warns that riches collapse, rulers can’t save, and plans perish; these are tools, not anchors. When we lean on them, they bend and we break. Trust Christ first, and let everything else serve rather than rule. [25:58]
4. Seek the Prince of Peace daily. Peace is not found; it is given by a Person. Jesus rules with a peace that outlasts loss, outvotes fear, and outlives death. We receive it by practicing surrender—prayer, obedience, generosity—turning anxious energy into yielded presence with Him. The more we entrust, the more His peace governs. [27:08]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:40] - The season of the unexpected
[02:37] - What Christmas meant for Mary
[04:22] - Truth 1: Everyone faces the unexpected
[06:44] - Unpopular, unknown, uncomfortable, unfulfilled
[09:20] - Truth 2: Mary’s shocking twist
[10:36] - Turning to Luke 1
[15:33] - Mary asks, “How will this be?”
[17:18] - Overshadowed: Presence and the new Ark
[19:58] - Mary’s surrender: “I am your servant”
[21:15] - Truth 3: Trusting God is best
[22:48] - Trust God: Bears locker room moment
[23:30] - Quit trusting possessions, power, plans
[27:08] - Start trusting the Prince of Peace
[30:35] - Practicing trust in real life

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34 And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" 35 And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy — the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God." 38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Observation questions

What specific words and promises does Gabriel give Mary (vv. 30–33)? How do those promises make the announcement confusing or shocking for her situation? [12:39]
How does Luke describe Mary's emotional and intellectual response to the angel's greeting (v. 29–34)? Where do you see both question and faith in her response? [15:33]
What does the verb "overshadow" (v. 35) point to in the Old Testament imagery, and how does that help explain the preacher’s claim that Mary's womb is like the "Ark of the New Covenant"? [17:18]
Compare Mary’s question ("How will this be...") with her final words ("I am the servant... let it be to me"). What changes between those moments in the text? [19:58]

Interpretation questions (third-person, objective)

How should one interpret Mary’s willingness to surrender despite lacking understanding (vv. 34, 38)? Does this passage suggest that faith requires suspending questions, or re-siting them on God’s character? [15:33]
In what ways does the language about God “overshadowing” Mary shape theology of the incarnation and God’s presence with people in suffering and surprise? [17:18]
How does Mary’s example in Luke 1 function as a corrective to trusting in possessions, political power, or personal plans (the sermon’s three lesser trusts)? In what sense is trusting God shown as the superior option? [23:51]
What is implied about the kind of peace Jesus gives (the title “Prince of Peace” mentioned in the sermon) and how does that differ from worldly peace? What does the text suggest about where that peace is rooted? [27:08]

Application questions (very specific and personal)

Which of these four unexpected places described in the sermon applies most to you right now: feeling unknown, being unpopular, living with ongoing discomfort, or feeling unfulfilled? Describe one concrete situation this week that shows that—then share one small step you will take to bring that situation to God in trust. [05:37]
Identify one possession, position, or plan you are tempted to depend on when life gets uncertain. What is one concrete action you will take this week to "loosen your grip" on it (for example: set a giving goal, give an item away, schedule an accountability conversation about ambitions)? [23:51]
When anxiety or sleeplessness comes because of future unknowns, what specific prayer practice or habit will you use to "cast your cares on Him"? (Give a concrete plan: time of day, length, words you’ll pray, and who you’ll tell to keep you accountable.) [30:35]
The sermon named generosity, prayer, and obedience as ways to practice trust. Choose one of those three. What is one concrete thing you will do in the next 7 days to practice it, and how will you measure whether you followed through? [30:35]
Mary accepted social cost and scandal to obey. Is there a decision or action you are avoiding because of fear of what others will think? Name it. What is one small step you can take this week toward obedience even if it risks reputation? [06:44]
What short reminder could you put in your daily routine this Advent to re-anchor your trust in God's character (an index card with Luke 1:38, a 60-second morning reminder of “Prince of Peace,” a weekly phone alarm to pray)? Decide what it is and commit to it for one month. [19:58]

Sermon Clips

For many of us, that unexpected time is a season when you are unknown. A season when you feel unknown. Maybe you feel alone. Maybe you feel isolated. Maybe you feel as though there's not a whole lot of people who know you, or who actually listen to you. I mean, really listen to you. For some of us, we feel unknown, like there's no one around who really cares about us. And whether you've experienced this season sometime in the past, or whether you're feeling unknown in this season right now, each one of us may find ourselves in this unexpected season of being unknown. [00:05:31] (47 seconds) #KnownByGod

Maybe you've gotten a lot of the things that were on your wish list of life. But even though you've gotten a lot of those things, you still are feeling unfulfilled. And you were not expecting that because you thought all your dreams would come through for you. Whatever it is that you're going through, I want to let you know you're in good company. It's not just you. It's all of us who experience these unexpected things. We don't know what the future holds. But we do know who it is that holds the future. [00:08:28] (35 seconds) #FutureInHisHands

``Mary faced a shocking twist, but she trusted God anyway. I love the way that the Christian author, Lisa Turkhurst, writes it. She says, Mary didn't wait until the circumstances made sense. She simply stood on the character of the one who had sent the message. It's a powerful reminder to us that while many of us are trying to wait until our circumstances make sense before we trust God, if we follow the pattern of Mary, we will be trusting Him based not on our circumstances, but based on the character of God. [00:09:47] (41 seconds) #TrustHisCharacter

For Mary, Christmas was a time to trust God. To trust God in a huge way. Mary became the first dwelling place for Jesus Christ's physical presence on earth. She agreed to God's plan for her life. She offered herself in service, her entire self, her entire body. She offered to God and said, whatever it is that you have in store, as scandalous as it's going to sound to my neighbors, God, I am all in for your plan for me. [00:20:16] (37 seconds) #AllInForGod

Mary shows us in this moment something that we all need to know. Whether you've been following Jesus for a couple of weeks, or whether you've been following Jesus for 70 years, we each need to be reminded this third truth about trusting God in unexpected times, which is this. Trusting God is best over every other option. Trusting God is best over every other option. [00:20:52] (35 seconds) #TrustAboveAll

There is only one entity that deserves our trust, and so my friends, I invite all of us to do what God's Word tells us, which is to start trusting in the Prince of Peace. Start trusting in the Prince of Peace. The only one who can truly give you that peace, that passes all understanding. Isaiah 9-6 says it so beautifully. Hundreds of years before Gabriel came with this message to Mary, the prophet Isaiah shared a prophecy that God had given to him that to us a child is born, to us a son is given. [00:26:54] (43 seconds) #TrustThePrinceOfPeace

Maybe for you, the idea is that unpopularity where other people around you don't have a very high view of you because they think all your focus on the things of the Lord are foolish. Well, if you are a person that's unpopular, what you need to remember is that other people's opinions of you don't matter. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. God's opinion of you is the only opinion that matters, and so, pursue the things in life that honor God, not the things that honor the popular people around you. [00:28:52] (43 seconds) #GodOverPopularity

Maybe for you, it's that idea of being uncomfortable that's been unexpected. Being uncomfortable whether it's, like I said, physical, emotional, or financial. Well, for each one of us, I want you to remember, the Bible tells us that the difficulties of this life are not even worth comparing with the riches that are in store for all those whose names are found in the book of life. The eternity that we will experience in God's presence with the endless rewards and blessings far outshadow anything we could experience on this earth. [00:29:35] (46 seconds) #EternalPerspective

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