Unprepared Christmas: A Sunday at St. Paul’s Church in Cedar Falls
This Sunday morning, I had the privilege of preaching the Christmas Sermon at St. Paul’s Church in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and I want to begin by saying how genuinely grateful I am for the warmth, kindness, and openness of this congregation. From the moment I walked in, I was welcomed not as a guest, but as family—and that spirit of hospitality set the tone for a powerful and meaningful morning together.
Sundays like this remind me why I feel so deeply called to share honest, Scripture-centered messages with churches and communities. Whether I’m preaching on a Sunday morning or speaking with small groups, my heart is always the same—to point people back to a God who meets us in our uncertainty and calls us forward anyway. This is the heartbeat behind my work as a Christian speaker, and it was a gift to live that out again with the people of St. Paul’s Church.
As we approach Christmas, it’s easy to fall into familiar rhythms: cherished traditions, well-loved carols, and the comforting glow of a story we think we already know. But this Sunday, I shared a message titled “Unprepared Christmas,” a reminder that the first Christmas was anything but polished, predictable, or comfortable—and that’s exactly where God chose to work.
When God Interrupts Our Plans
The heart of the message centered on the reality that Mary and Joseph were not prepared for what God asked of them. They were young, engaged, and dreaming of a normal life together when God interrupted everything with an impossible calling: to become the earthly parents of the Savior of the world.
Scripture tells us that Mary was “greatly troubled” when the angel Gabriel appeared to her (Luke 1:29), and Joseph initially planned to quietly end their engagement when he discovered Mary was pregnant (Matthew 1:19). These weren’t calm, collected reactions—they were human responses to shock, fear, and uncertainty.
And that’s where many of us find ourselves today.
Life often delivers surprises we didn’t order—diagnoses, job changes, broken relationships, unexpected responsibilities. In those moments, it’s tempting to believe we’ve somehow missed God’s will. But the Christmas story reminds us that shock is often the very place where God begins His greatest work.
Facing the Shock Without Losing Faith
One of the central themes we explored was the importance of facing the shock rather than denying it. Mary and Joseph didn’t pretend everything was fine. They wrestled with fear, confusion, and the cost of obedience. Yet God met them there.
Shock doesn’t mean God has abandoned you. Often, it’s His invitation to step into something new.
As C.S. Lewis famously wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures…but shouts in our pains.” Sometimes disruption is not punishment—it’s direction.
Trusting the Process When You Don’t Have the Map
The second movement of the message focused on trusting the process. Joseph didn’t receive a five-year plan from the angel in his dream. He was given just enough truth to take the next step.
That’s how faith usually works.
God rarely shows us the whole picture at once. He invites us to walk forward with limited visibility, trusting that He will provide what we need when we need it. Obedience often comes before understanding, and faith grows when we learn to move forward without certainty.
These themes—feeling unprepared, wrestling with doubt, and learning to trust God one step at a time—are conversations I continue beyond the pulpit as well. They’re the same ideas I explore each week on my podcast, Unmasked with Wesley Farnsworth, where guests and solo reflections focus on faith, authenticity, and what it looks like to follow God honestly in real life.
Saying Yes When You Feel Unqualified
Ultimately, the miracle of Christmas didn’t happen because Mary and Joseph were ready—it happened because they were willing.
Mary’s response, “I am the Lord’s servant” (Luke 1:38), and Joseph’s quiet obedience (Matthew 1:24) remind us that God is not looking for perfection, credentials, or readiness. He is looking for availability.
That truth resonates far beyond the Christmas story. It applies to parenting, leadership, ministry, forgiveness, and every moment when God asks us to step beyond our comfort zone.
The Heart of Christmas
As we reflected together at St. Paul’s Church, one truth stood out clearly:
God isn’t looking for the prepared—He’s looking for the willing.
The first Christmas was messy, uncertain, and overwhelming. There was no perfect plan, no polished execution, and no guarantee of safety. Yet God chose that moment—and those people—to bring hope into the world.
If you’re entering this Christmas season feeling unprepared, overwhelmed, or unsure of what’s next, take heart. God does some of His best work in those very places. Your willingness to trust Him may open the door for something far greater than you can imagine.
If this message about being willing instead of prepared resonated with you, I’ve created additional tools to help people continue reflecting on these truths throughout the week. You can find devotionals and other encouragement designed to support spiritual growth on my free Christian resources page.
I am deeply thankful to St. Paul’s Church in Cedar Falls for the opportunity to share this message and for the gracious way they received it. It was an honor to be with such a loving and Christ-centered community.
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