Castaways 

Part One: plans December 7, 2025 

Christmas is a time to give and receive gifts, but it is also a time to let go of the things that are holding you back from serving God fully.  I know this because God asked Joseph and Mary to let go of some things so they could parent His Son, Jesus.  This month, I am going to show you five things you must cast away to serve the Lord fully. 

What must you cast away to serve the Lord fully? 

1st - You must cast away your plans. 

There is nothing wrong with making plans.  But…  

• You should be willing to change your plans if God asks you to. 

Why?  Because… 

• You were created by and for God. 

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.  He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.  He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him.  (Colossians 1:15–16, NLT)  

• God saved you so you could do the good things He planned for you long ago. 

God saved you by His grace when you believed.  And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.  For we are God’s masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.  (Ephesians 2:8-10, NLT)  

• The Bible teaches that God blesses those who choose to do His will. 

Joseph and Mary had their own plans.  They were going to get married in front of their family and friends.  They would honeymoon, then build a house and start a family together.  Then, God asked Joseph and Mary to cast away their plans and embrace the plans He had for them.   

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary.  She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.  Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman!  The Lord is with you!”  Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!  You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.  He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.  And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”  (Luke 1:26-33, NLT)  

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant.  May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.  (Luke 1:38, NLT)  

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born.  His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.  As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream.  “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.  For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.  And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”  All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!  She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.”  When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.   (Matthew 1:18–24, NLT)  

Joseph and Mary chose to cast aside their plans.  They stepped out by faith, trusting God’s promises, and the Lord blessed them greatly. 

What must you do to give up your plans? 

1.  You must acknowledge that God is better qualified to be in control of your life. 

You want to be in control of your life, but you are unqualified to do so.  You have limited knowledge and experience, and a history of choosing the wrong people, places, things, and activities.  You are a fallen creature with a depraved mind and heart.  Your pride, lust, and ignorance disqualify you from making perfect plans!  The Apostle Paul was right when he wrote… 

“I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.  I love God’s law with all my heart.  But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind.  This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.”  (Romans 7:21–23, NLT)  

Only God, who has perfect knowledge and wisdom, can perfectly guide your life.  Only the Lord, who has perfect understanding, can show you the right path to take!  That’s why King Solomon wrote… 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”  (Proverbs 3:5-6, NLT)  

2.  You must surrender control of your life to God. 

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you.  Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable.  This is truly the way to worship him.  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”  (Romans 12:1–2, NLT)  

3.  You must commit to following the Lord each day. 

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.”  (Matthew 16:24, NLT)  

Following the Lord is not a one-time decision.  You must choose to give up your own way, pick up your cross, and follow Jesus every morning!