In his sermon "Because of Christmas: I Surrender My Status" (Matthew 1:18–25), Ross highlights Joseph's example of surrendering his worldly status to obey God. Joseph faced a choice: follow the world's opinions or trust God's command to take Mary as his wife despite the societal disgrace. Through Joseph's journey, we learn three key steps: recognizing the reality of our new identity in Christ, responding in faithful obedience to God's commands, and rejoicing in God's provision of Jesus as Savior. Ross emphasizes that surrendering our status in this world is essential to receiving Christ, as Jesus changes everything—transforming our status with God and giving us new life in Him.