Christmas: From Joseph’s Eyes
I’ve watched the Jerry Springer Show a few times. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a Jerry Springer junkie, but the few times I have seen the show has given me a pretty good idea of how that program operates. You bring people onto the show with really messed up lives. They’ve made a lot of mistakes. And often there is a person, a family member, who is innocent, and they have no idea what their spouse has been doing behind their back. And they get onto Jerry Springer’s show, and this innocent person gets this bomb dropped on them. We are left glued to our television sets asking ourselves, “what are they going to do about this shocking revelation?”
We have the same thing happen right here in our Bible this morning. A man is about to be married. And as most grooms-to-be are, we imagine he must have been pretty excited about his upcoming wedding. But then he gets the bomb dropped onto him: his fiancée is pregnant. And we are left staring at Joseph as if we are in the audience of the Jerry Springer show asking ourselves, “what is Joseph going to do about this?” If you were going to make a list of the great loving couples of history, who would be on your list? Romeo & Juliet? Anthony & Cleopatra? Napoleon & Josephine? Probably Mary & Joseph would not be on your list, for when we think of them we don’t normally think of them in that way because they’re usually on the sidelines, & the spotlight is on Jesus, where it should be.
But I think that if we examine the love of Mary & Joseph, we would realize it was a love that would stand the test of time. The love they had for each other, coupled with the love they had for God, culminates in one of the greatest love stories ever told - the story of Christmas.So this morning,we will hear Joseph’s Christmas story. You’ll find it in the first chapter of the gospel of Matthew, beginning in vs. 18. Matt1:18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us." 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. We learn much about Joseph and about God’s grace and faithfulness. So, today we look at Joseph & the love he had for Mary, & the greatest love story of all, the story of Christmas. Matthew begins very simply. He states: “This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.” Now we need to understand that the Jewish marriage consisted of 3 stages. The first stage is the engagement. Usually that was set up by their parents. The 2 sets of parents would get together & talk things over. One would say to the other, "We would like to have your daughter marry our son." Her parents would reply, " That sounds like a good idea. Let’s discuss it." And these two sets of parents would arrange the engagement without the young people ever being involved.
ILL. One example of that in the O.T. was when Abraham sent his servant to his home country to find a wife for his son, Isaac. The servant found Rebekah & brought her back. Isaac had never seen her before. Then she became his wife.
The second stage of a Jewish marriage was called "Betrothal." During this time the young couple agreed to the marriage, signed a legal document, & were considered "husband & wife." But they didn’t live together yet. It was a time of building a relationship, of coming to know one another. It was a time of planning & dreaming & happy expectations. And this betrothal usually lasted about a year. And at this stage in Joseph’s story they were considered husband & wife, but they weren’t married yet, they were betrothed. Now notice that Matthew says, "Before they came together." There were no sexual relations during this time. According to the custom of the day, the actual wedding celebration would take place several months later, then they would begin their lives together as one flesh. Joseph planned to be a good husband. Most likely, he worked hard, saving what he could, preparing for his new life with Mary. All of a sudden, Mary drops a bomb on Joseph. Again, notice how matter-of-factly Matthew describes this uncomfortable situation: but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Talk about shock and disappointment! One could just imagine the conversation between Mary and Joseph. Maybe Mary said, “Joseph, dear, I have something I need to tell you. It’s really wonderful news … really. Uh, I’m, uh, going to have a baby. Now, I know what you’re thinking, but that’s not the case. This isn’t any ordinary baby. This is the Messiah whom we’ve been waiting for! Honest! An angel told me! Isn’t that wonderful? Aren’t you happy?”
But Joseph … He must have felt betrayed. How could he believe such a bogus story! There could only be one conclusion: Mary must have been unfaithful. Joseph felt betrayed. He was a jilted lover. He felt that the love of his life had been completely unfaithful to him. When you think about it, this is nothing new. People are unfaithful to one another all of the time. In fact, that’s the very subject of a lot pop songs” You’ve done me wrong, and you’re no good.”
Joseph’s life-story wouldn’t make a very good “jilted lover” song, though. Yes, Joseph was hurt. Yes, he was confused. But he still loved Mary. He didn’t want to hurt her. He didn’t want to get even. In fact, we’re told that he was a “righteous man.” Joseph was righteous in God’s sight because he had humble faith in the Lord. He believed in God’s promise of a Savior to come, and so he was concerned about the kind of life he lived. He wanted his faith and actions to be in line with one another. As a believer in the Messiah, Joseph struggled. The ceremonial law said that Joseph could take Mary to the city gate and have her stoned to death. Then his reputation would be restored. But Joseph didn’t want to do that. He didn’t want to disgrace or hurt Mary any further. And so, he decided to quietly divorce her so that the two of them could start their lives over. As we know, the story doesn’t end with the divorce of Joseph & Mary
The Lord intervened. Matthew tells us, “But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’” What a thrill that must have been to Joseph! An angel of God, a heavenly messenger, suddenly appears & tells him, "Mary is not lying to you. She has been absolutely truthful to you. She has not been unfaithful. In fact, that which has happened in her is the fulfillment of God’s promise to save His people from their sins."
For over 1,000 years the Jews had been waiting for the Messiah to come. Over 300 times God had directed the prophets to prophesy concerning Him. And the result was that the O.T. prophets had predicted almost every stage of the life of Jesus hundreds of years before it happened. We also need to keep in mind just what kind of Savior the people were looking for. Most of the people wanted a Messiah who would free them from the Roman government and reestablish a kingdom like that of David and Solomon. But the angel promised a Savior just like the one the prophets, one who would come to save his people from their sins. Time and again, God had directed prophets to speak concerning the Messiah. And the result was that these Old Testament prophets foretold virtually every aspect of Jesus’ life in detail.Matthew reminds us of Isaiah who prophesied concerning the virgin birth. This would happen only once in history so that this special child would be recognized and identified as the Savior. He is Immanuel, which means “God with us.” The prophets also predicted that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, that he would have to flee to Egypt, that he would grow up in Nazareth, that he would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, that he would suffer and be crucified, that he would be buried in a borrowed tomb, and that he would rise again from the dead. So many prophesies, and every one is amazingly accurate. This child is the Son of God, our Savior, who was born to redeem us and make us children of our heavenly Father. The angel appeared to Joseph to remind him of this truth. We can rejoice that God led him to believe. His doubt was turned to faith, his disappointment to joy. Joseph believed in his Lord. He knew the Savior had come. And that’s what led him to love and trust his wife all the more. Joseph’s story is a story of his obedience to God. Listen to vs’s 24 & 25, "When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him & took Mary home as his wife. Now they were husband & wife, living together, sharing the home that Joseph had prepared for them. Joseph’s doubts had all been swept away, & he looked forward with anticipation to the birth of Jesus, Mary’s son, & the long-awaited Messiah. But it wasn’t long until he discovered that there are hardships & sacrifices that came about because of their marriage.
The first was their embarrassment. Mary & Joseph were living in the little town of Nazareth, with lots of busybodies standing on the street corners, watching them as they walk by. Mary is 7 months pregnant, & they’ve only been married for 2 or 3 months. Think of the embarrassment. Maybe at first Joseph tried to explain, "The baby is of the Holy Spirit. An angel told me." "Sure, Joseph. We know all about those things. We believe every word of what you’re telling us."
Maybe after a while Joseph even stops trying to explain. And after they went to Bethlehem, & then Egypt, probably Joseph didn’t even want to go back to Nazareth. But God led him back to that town of innuendoes & gossip. "Whose son is this? Who is his father, really?" Gossip & embarrassment - that was a part of the price that they paid for their love for each other & for their God.
A second hardship must have been a sense of frustration on Joseph’s part, for the Bible says that he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. Here is this beautiful woman who is his wife, & there is no sexual relationship between them. He loves her, & he waits for the son to be born.
Think also about the inconveniences. Every woman who has gone through pregnancy knows that pregnancy is not an easy time. It is a time of discomfort, of testing & trial. It must have been that way for Joseph & Mary, too, as they went through all the experiences of pregnancy together. It was also a time of physical stress for them. They had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census - a distance of 80 miles. They didn’t travel in an air-conditioned bus back then. They walked. And when they didn’t walk they rode on a donkey. I don’t know if you have ever tried that or not, but that’s not comfortable even if you’re not pregnant. And Mary was 9 months pregnant, about ready to deliver her child. Finally, they arrive at Bethlehem, to crowded streets, & hucksters on the corners trying to take their money. And when they finally come to the inn, they hear the news, "There is no room in the inn."
ILLUS.( from sermon Central) A grade school class that was putting on a Christmas play which included the story of Mary & Joseph coming to the inn. In that class was one little boy who wanted so very much to be Joseph. But when the parts were handed out, his biggest rival was given that part, & he was assigned to be the inn keeper instead. He was really bitter about this.So during all the rehearsals he kept plotting in his mind what he might do the night of performance to get even with his rival who was Joseph.Finally, the night of the performance, Mary & Joseph came walking across the stage. They knocked on the door of the inn, & the inn-keeper opened the door & asked them gruffly what they wanted. Joseph answered, "We’d like to have a room for the night." Suddenly the inn-keeper threw the door open wide & said, "Great, come on in & I’ll give you the best room in the house."For a few seconds poor little Joseph didn’t know what to do, & a long silence ensued. Finally though, thinking quickly on his feet, Joseph looked in to the left & to the right past the inn-keeper & said, "No wife of mine is going to stay in dump like this. Come on, Mary, let’s go to the barn."And once again the play was back on course.
I’m convinced that Joseph cared for Mary very deeply. Yet, on that night long ago, there was much that he was unable to give her. So they ended up in a stable. If you’ve ever spent time in a barn you know a little bit of the circumstances they faced that night when the baby Jesus was born. Cries of labor pains - & there is no one there to help but Joseph. He’s not sure what to do next. He wipes her brow & tries to speak words of comfort.He hadn’t taken the latest course on how to coach your wife through pregnancy & delivery. But he tries to help her any way he can.Finally, the little baby is born. He cuts the umbilical cord, & wraps the baby in swaddling clothes, & lays Him in a manger. He goes over & speaks words of love to his wife. He’s tired & weary, as is Mary. They have traveled all this long distance. Their muscles are sore. Their minds are tired. At last they can rest, & he leans back on the straw. But there are strange sounds outside. People are coming. Are they enemies? Joseph must have looked for a weapon. He opens the door & they are shepherds, friendly. They have come to worship. The angels told them. The story is true. The Savior is born. I looked in my Bible for a quote from Joseph, and to my surprise I couldn’t find one. I never thought about this before, but Joseph doesn’t say a single word in the Gospels. He listens and obeys. We might assume his words are recorded, because we can imagine the conversations he had with Mary, and the Angel Gabriel. we can “hear” him talking to the innkeeper. In all the Christmas pageants performed, Joseph doesn’t get a starring role, but his part is so important. His task is to watch over Mary and the baby Jesus. Joseph had the important role of caring for the needs of others.
When our lives take a bad turn, we cry out, like Joseph must have cried out, "God, how can this be?" But like Joseph, we hear a still small voice from God saying, "Trust Me." God’s ways are not always our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and we may never understand everything that God is doing this side of heaven, but God says, "Trust Me, and all things will work together for good."
It’s been said the best thing a father can do for his kids is to love their mother. Joseph’s love for Mary reflected Paul’s definition: "Love is patient and kind. Love does not envy or boast; it is not proud or rude. Love is not self-seeking or easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but it rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres" (I Cor 13). Instead of being indignant, Joseph accepted this child as his own. Joseph accepted the revealed will of God. He followed the instructions—journeying from Nazareth to Bethlehem, then to Egypt, then back to Nazareth. We can easily picture Joseph receiving his son as a gift from God.We’re told that after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph had children of their own.
Did Jesus Have Brothers and Sisters?
When we carefully consider the Biblical record, the question itself seems quite ridiculous, because it is so clear even from the context of many of the scriptures that He did. The only major religion that chooses to dispute this is the Roman Catholic religion. Catholics dogmatically maintain that following the Lord’s birth, Mary continued in her virginity the rest of her life and never bore any more children. This in direct contradiction to everything in scripture which shows that though Joseph and Mary did not come together before Jesus was born, they did afterward, and the Lord indeed blessed them with Children.
The best way to find an answer of what is true is to go right to the Scripture and let it speak for itself. Remember, the Word of God is the ultimate Authority. Note carefully that you would have to twist the scriptures to even begin to make them imply Mary didn’t have other children. for example... Matthew 13:55 "Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?" Mark 6:3 "Is not this the carpenter, the Son of Mary, the Brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him." Matthew 1:24-25 "Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him HIS WIFE: And knew her not Until she had brought forth her firstborn Son: and he called His name, Jesus!" He ’Knew her’ not (didn’t have physical sexual union with her) until she had brought forth her Firstborn, Jesus. From this statement, it is clear that He knew her (in the biblical sense) AFTER the birth of Jesus. As a practical example, if someone were to say that they took a wife, but didn’t consummate the marriage until after January, and in reply I stated that this means they never consummated the marriage,you would think that ridiculous. And you’d be right. And so, that anyone can read all these scriptures and still believe that Mary was a perpetual virgin is a testimony to the indoctrination of traditions. To believe this, they must ignore scriptures that say Mary was the Mother of Jesus’ Brethren, ignore scriptures which say Jesus was the brethren of Mary’s children, and ignore scripture which says Joseph knew (in the Biblical sense of union) her not "until" after the birth of the firstborn (Jesus). And that’s just for starters! The deeper question is not was Mary a perpetual virgin (no scripture says that), but why should/would she be? Mary was a Chosen vessel, not a deity! Is there anything wrong with Joseph and Mary having more children? It was a perfectly normal thing for a husband and a wife to do. In fact, it would be abnormal for them not to do (1st Corinthians 7:3-5). We’re told that after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph had children of their own, and they did not become believers in Jesus till after His resurrection. In spite of what their parents tried to tell them of their older brother’s miraculous birth, they refused to accept it. Parents can teach their children, but they cannot give their children faith. They can tell their kids how to live, but they can’t make them moral persons. They can baptize their children, but they can’t make them believe. They can love their children, but they can’t give them eternal life. The influence of parents is important, but we individually choose to accept or reject faith in God.
Conclusion: This morning Matthew recounts Joseph’s story for us, not so that we feel sorry for him. Instead, we have a Scriptural account that bears witness to the love of a man for his wife, and how that love finds it fulfillment and purpose in God’s love. This couple’s story is the greatest love story of all. It’s the story of God’s love for his children. It’s the story of Christmas.
