2026-07-19 Building Life

Preacher: Alan

Luke 1:26–56; John 19:17–27

This Sunday our Renew Together’s theme is Building Life. When we think about building, we often think of something big, impressive, or immediate. But God's work is usually different. He builds slowly, faithfully, and often quietly…

Every building begins with a foundation. A skyscraper, a church, a family, or even a person's life is not built in a day. It is built one brick at a time. God often works the same way. He doesn't usually do His work through famous people or dramatic moments. He works through ordinary people who simply say, "Yes." Mary's life reminds us that God builds life through people who trust Him.

1. Building Life Begins With God's Initiative

(Luke 1:26-33)

Before Mary said "Yes", God had already said "Yes" to her. The angel came because God had chosen to show grace. Mary was young, poor, unknown, and from Nazareth. Yet God came to her. The story does not begin with Mary's faithfulness, but with God's grace.

God always takes the first step.

·        God called Abraham.

·        God called Moses.

·        God called the disciples.

·        God came to us before we came to Him.

Our "Yes" is always a response to God's "Yes." Many people think they need to become good enough before God can use them. But God doesn't call the qualified. He qualifies the called.

Greek Word

"Grace" (χάρις, charis)

·        God's undeserved favour.

·        A gift, not a reward.

·        God chooses and empowers us.

Mary did not earn God's grace. Neither do we.

Many people say "No" because they feel:

·        "I'm not good enough."

·        "God cannot use me."

·        "I've failed too many times."

God delights in using ordinary people. Moses felt inadequate. Jeremiah felt too young. Peter had failed. Yet God used them all. Pride can block us from saying yes to God, when we focus on what we have, But God gives grace to us when we say yes to Him,

Reflecting on my journey, I can now see that God first said "Yes" to me long before I ever said "Yes" to Him. In His grace and faithfulness, He blessed me, provided for me, and opened doors I could never have opened myself. Then, in time, He began calling me to respond to Him with my own "Yes."

One of those moments was when He invited me to serve as a volunteer teacher in the Free English Class. The truth is, I knew very little about teaching English, and my own grammar is far from perfect. Yet God was not asking me to be qualified; He was asking me to be willing. By His grace, I simply said, "Yes."

Since then, I have had the privilege of witnessing God's amazing work and participating in what He is doing. Many lives have been touched through the Free English Class, and some of you here today have personally experienced God's love, provision, and care through that ministry. None of this is because of my ability or anyone else's capability. It is because God is faithful and powerful, and He works through ordinary people who are willing to say "Yes" to His call. To Him belongs all the glory.

2. Building Life Requires Daily Trust

(Luke 1:34-38)

Mary did not know where her "Yes" would lead. She only knew who was asking. She didn't receive a five-year plan. She received a promise. She didn't understand everything. But she trusted God.

"I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me according to your word." (Luke 1vs38)

Mary's "Yes" led her to:

·        Bethlehem.

·        Egypt.

·        Thirty years of hidden life.

·        Misunderstanding.

·        Watching her Son rejected.

·        Standing at the foot of the cross.

Faith is not understanding everything. Faith is trusting God when we don't understand everything. Proverbs 3:5 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Over the years, I have often shared that there are two dimensions of faith revealed in Israel's journey.

The first is the faith that receives God's salvation. This is the faith of crossing the Red Sea. It is a faith that trusts God's promise and receives what He has already done. The Israelites did not defeat Pharaoh's army. They did not part the sea. God did everything, and they simply believed and walked through. In the same way, we do not earn our salvation. Christ has done everything for us on the cross, and we receive this gift by faith.

But there is a second type of faith. It is not merely the faith to be delivered from Egypt; it is the faith to enter God's purpose. It is the faith of crossing the Jordan River. This faith requires maturity, obedience, and surrender. It is the faith that says, "Lord, not my will, but Yours be done." It is the faith that steps forward before seeing the miracle.

Many Christians experience the first faith but never grow into the second. They know God's forgiveness but do not fully enter His promises. They are redeemed from Egypt, but they continue to live like wilderness people—complaining, fearing, protecting themselves, and resisting God's leading. God did not save Israel merely to bring them out of Egypt; He saved them to bring them into the Promised Land. Likewise, God did not save us merely so that we could go to heaven one day; He saved us so that we could live in the fullness of Christ today.

The difference between the two crossings is significant. At the Red Sea, God opened the waters first and then the people walked through. At the Jordan River, the priests had to step into the overflowing river before God stopped the waters. At the Red Sea, God was teaching Israel to trust His salvation. At the Jordan River, God was teaching Israel to trust His leadership.

This is the faith of spiritual maturity. We often want God to show us the whole plan before we obey, but God frequently asks us to obey first. The miracle does not occur before the step of faith; the miracle is often revealed through the step of faith.

When God called me to serve in the Free English Class, I realised I was facing my own Jordan River. I knew very little about teaching English, and my grammar was far from perfect. Yet God was not asking me whether I was qualified; He was asking whether I would trust Him. By His grace, I said "Yes." Looking back, I can see that the miracle was not my ability to teach. The miracle was God's faithfulness working through an ordinary person who was willing to obey. That is the faith of the Jordan River—stepping forward when God says go, and discovering His power on the other side.

Application

Many Christians want God to show them the whole road. God usually shows us the next step. Building life is not one great act. It is thousands of little acts of obedience.

3. Building Life Produces a New Family

Mary's "Yes" was not a one-time event. It became a lifestyle. Her "Yes" led to:

·        Bethlehem.

·        Egypt.

·        Nazareth.

·        Cana.

·        Jerusalem.

·        The Cross.

A life of faith is not one big "Yes." It is thousands of little "Yeses." Years later Mary stood at the cross (John 19:25) She had once held Him in her arms. Now she watched Him die. Her "Yes" had led her here. God never promised Mary an easy life. But He promised His presence. Sometimes people say: "I obeyed God, so why is life hard?" But obedience does not remove suffering. It gives suffering purpose.

Greek Word

"Let it be" (γενηθήτω, genēthētō)

May it happen.

May God's will come to pass.

The same word appears in the Lord's Prayer: "Your will be done." Mary's heart echoes Jesus in Gethsemane: "Not my will, but Yours be done."

We say: "Lord, I'll obey You if…" It is comfortable. It makes sense. I agree. I understand….But surrender means: "Lord, Your will, not mine."

Sometimes we say: "I obeyed God, so why is life hard?" But obedience does not remove suffering. It gives suffering purpose.

(John 19:25-27) At the cross, Jesus said: "Woman, behold your son." "Behold your mother." Something new was happening. Jesus was not only caring for Mary. He was creating a new family.

At the cross, natural relationships become secondary to spiritual relationships. Through Jesus' death, God creates a people who belong to one another. Mary's "Yes" in Luke 1 led to the cross in John 19. And at the cross, a new family was born. The church is not simply a gathering. It is a family. We carry one another's burdens. We pray for one another. We serve one another. We share life together.

Application

Building life is not just about me and Jesus. God is building His people. He is building families. He is building churches. He is building communities.

Conclusion

Mary's "Yes" was not spectacular. It was quiet. Hidden. Ordinary. But her "Yes" brought Jesus into the world. God often builds life through ordinary people who faithfully say "Yes" day after day.

Perhaps God is not asking us to do something extraordinary. Perhaps He is simply asking: Will you trust Me?  Will you obey Me? Will you love My people? Will you keep saying "Yes" even when you don't understand?

Because God is still building life. And He invites us to join Him. Mary's "Yes" was quiet. Ordinary. Hidden. But God used it to change history. Perhaps the greatest obstacle to God's work is not ability. It is unwillingness. God is not looking for perfect people. He is looking for available people.

Is there anything in your heart causing you to say "No" to God? Fear? Doubt? Bitterness? Pride? Disobedience? Comfort? Unforgiveness? Desire for control? Perhaps today He is simply asking for one word: "Yes."

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we thank You that long before we ever said “Yes” to You, You first said “Yes” to us. Our "Yes" is always a response to Your grace. You came to us before we ever came to You. You called us, loved us, and sent Your Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins so that we might receive the free gift of salvation.

Like Mary, Abraham, Moses, and the disciples, we have done nothing to earn Your favour. Yet You choose ordinary people and invite us to join You in what You are doing. Not because we are good enough, but because You are gracious, merciful, and faithful.

You don’t use famous people or those who in human eyes are skilled, instead you use ordinary people like us waiting for us to say “Yes” so You are inviting us to join you as you continue to build life, transforming us in the process one step at a time, so Your name can be glorified through the.

Lord, You are calling us into a deeper faith a faith that steps forward in trust and obedience. A faith that does not require us to understand everything, but simply to trust the One who is leading us. A faith that says, “Yes” a faith that says “Lord, not my will, but Yours be done.”

You call us to trust You day by day. You call us to obey You one step at a time. You call us to love Your people, serve Your family, and participate in the building of Your Church. Help us to keep saying "Yes" even when the road ahead is unclear, even when life is difficult, and even when we do not understand what You are doing.

So let us take a moment before You now.

Is there anything in our hearts causing us to say "No" to God? Fear? Doubt? Bitterness? Pride? Disobedience? Comfort? Unforgiveness? A desire for control? Or the belief that we are not good enough?

Lord, we bring these things before the cross of Jesus and break every agreement with these lies and we lay down our fears, our doubts, our bitterness, our pride, our unforgiveness, and our need to control our own lives and crucify them on the cross with Jesus.

We surrender our plans, our desires, our thoughts, and our self-reliance and crucify these on the cross with Jesus.

We bring our old self to the cross and crucify this on the cross with Jesus, asking that the precious blood of Jesus would cleanse us, renew us, and set us free.

Let us take some time to forgive those who have hurt us, our Spouse, Family -Parents, Children or Bosses, colleagues, to release every burden we carry onto the cross with Jesus.  To break all agreement with the evil one, with the strongholds within our hearts and allow the precious blood of Jesus to cleanse us and set us free. 

Jesus, we recommit our lives to you today.

Heavenly Father, through the power of Your Holy Spirit, continue building Your life within us. Transform us one step at a time. Build Your people, build Your Church, and build Your Kingdom through ordinary people who are willing to say “Yes.”

And if today You are simply asking us for one word, may we be bold enough to respond: "Yes, Lord." In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.