A. WHAT DID JOSEPH KNOW? MATTHEW 1:18-19
“These are the circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus. His mother Mary was legally engaged to Joseph before they came together. But Joseph found out she was pregnant. Being a good man, he decided to break the engagement privately, not publicly” (Matt. 1:18-19, Amplified).
1. Joseph knew his name meant “the Lord added,” (Gen. 30:24).
2. Joseph knew he was in the Messianic line of Abraham, Judah, and David (v. 2, 6, 16).
3. Joseph proposed to Mary by the legal way (1:18).
4. Joseph was living in Nazareth (Luke 2:4), but belonged to the tribe of Judah which lived around Bethlehem. Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Luke 2), but grew up in Nazareth to fulfill scripture. “He shall be called a Nazarene” (Matt. 3:23).
5. Joseph was faithful and obedient (2:13, 19, 22).
6. When faced with embarrassment and a problem, he didn’t panic (1:18).
How Did Joseph Find Out?
1. She left abruptly, (Luke 1:39).
2. Pregnancy shows.
3. Women gossip.
4. News drifted back from Elizabeth.
5. The Holy Spirit, “She was found with child . . . Holy Spirit” (1:18).
7. Joseph knew the Old Testament; he could have exposed her publicly, or even called for her death (Deut. 29:25-28).
8. Joseph was older than Mary, and handled things in a mature way.
B. WHAT GOD WANTED JOSEPH TO KNOW: MATTHEW 1:22-23
“As he was deciding what to do, an angel of the Lord told him in a dream, ‘Do not be afraid to marry Mary, her child was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Call His name Jesus, which means Savior, because He will save His people from sin.’ This fulfills the prediction of Isaiah, ‘Behold a virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son. He is Emmanuel, which means God with us’” (Matt. 1:22-23, Amplified).
1. God knows the problems you think about (v. 22).
2. Dreams are usually recessive memory, but God revealed the future to Joseph by a dream.
3. God reminded Joseph he was a “son of David” and heir to the coming Messiah (v. 20).
4. God knew why Mary was pregnant (v. 20).
5. God knows the gender of your unborn child (v. 21).
6. Joseph the earthly father wouldn’t name God’s son. The heavenly Father said, “Call His name Jesus” (v. 21).
7. The pregnancy was not Joseph’s problem. The issue was “He shall save” (v. 21).
8. God explained the problem with scripture.
9. God verified the virgin birth of Jesus Christ by scripture (v. 23).
10. God is concerned that people call His Son by the right name, for the right reason.
C. WHAT JOSEPH DID: MATTHEW 1:24-25
“Joseph got up and did what the angel of the Lord told him. He took Mary as his wife. He did not know her sexually until Mary had her first-born son, and Joseph called Him Jesus” (Matt. 1:24-25, Amplified).
1. God uses obedient men like Joseph. “He did . . . as he was told” (v. 29).
2. Joseph obeyed the Lord, no matter the cost.
3. Suspicion by the elders of the synagogue.
4. Gossip by the ladies.
5. Financial cost.
6. Gave up the pleasure of a honeymoon.
7. Knew his Son fulfilled divine destiny.
3. The Bible calls Jesus “her first born” implying she had more children (Luke 8:19), as many as 7 (Matt. 13:55-56).
D. WHAT WE CAN LEARN
1. It pays to know scripture, you never know when you will need it to solve a problem.
2. God is looking to use men of integrity and obedience.
3. Don’t blow up when you first hear about a problem.
4. God knows about your problem before you learn about it.
5. God preplans everything; nothing catches Him by surprise!
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
All PBC lessons are available online at trbc.org/pbc.
Go to www.Hopenow.tv for the current program schedule.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
Dr. Towns’ web address is www.elmertowns.com.
