When the SPIRITUAL WORLD talks about Christmas, we hear a great deal about the Virgin Mary, the angels, the shepherds and the wise men.
You may hear about Joseph, the earthly father of the Lord Jesus, and you may not.
But Joseph and Mary are two bless people.
Just think about that, of all the men and women who have ever lived God chose these two people to raise HIS SON!!!
But when it comes to Christmas we hear very little about Joseph.
When it comes to childbirth, husbands are often overlooked.
Illus: How many times have we heard the women say, “Abortion is something between a woman and her doctor.”
Wait a minute! What about the father of that child? The child could not have been created in the womb without him, why should he be replaced by some doctor that had nothing to do with the pregnancy?
However, in this case, while Joseph is Mary’s husband, he is not the biological father. The Bible makes it clear that Joseph in the birth of His Son Joseph had nothing to do with his birth othen than to chosen by God to raise His Son.
The Bible tells us the Holy Spirit moved upon Mary who was a virgin to have this child.
Joseph is the forgotten hero that we hear very little about.
But I want to say that Joseph had a major role in the life of Christ.
Let’s take a few minutes and look at this man who was honored by God more than any man who has ever lived on this earth for such an assignment.
Let’s look at the very familiar Christmas story as we celebrate Christmas.
The first thing that stands out of course is --
I. A PREGNANCY
Look at Matthew 1:18, we read, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”
This is the most planned pregnancy that has ever occurred.
Illus: Dr. Belger had a couple attend his church who were both pushing their 50’s. They had several children who were young adults in their 20’s in their own home. But they also had a little one around five years of age. As he was visiting with them, he could not help but wonder if perhaps the little one belonged to one of their married children. But this family, knowing that he was probably wondering about the little one, introduced the child as, “Our little mistake!”
In other words, they did not PLAN on having any more children, BUT THEY DID!
Illus: Did you hear about the woman who asked her doctor if she should have a baby after 35? The doctor said, “No, 35 children is enough for any woman!”
Illus: Did you hear about the man who said to another man, “Did you know that a woman is having a baby every minute?” The other man said, “Someone ought to make her stop!”
In the Christmas story, we hear a great deal about Mary’s pregnancy, but you do not hear much about Joseph.
But this was the most planed PREGNANCY that has ever occurred.
Matthew 1:22-23 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Many children that are born are here by accident, but the BIRTH OF CHRIST IS THE MOST PLANNED BIRTH THAT HAS EVER TAKEN PLACE.
We have looked at A PREGNANCY, but we need to look at-
II. A PROBLEM
Look at Matthew 1:19, we read, “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.”
This pregnancy had some PROBLEMS that no other PREGNANCY has ever had.
Baby Jesus was born of a VIRGIN! Mary had never been with a man, but yet she was with child. You talk about a PROBLEM! This young lady had some explaining to do!
• But how can you explain something that is humanly impossible? YOU CAN’T!
• Can you imagine her trying to explain this to Joseph for the first time?
I would have loved to have been there to see her trying to explain this one.
DID YOU KNOW THAT SOME THINGS ARE DIFFICULT TO DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN, SUCH AS:
• Describing color to a blind man who has never seen color before.
• Describing what water taste like.
• Describe what forever is like.
Some things are to difficult to understand and I gurantee you Mary had a difficult time as a virgin explaining why she was pregnant!!!
Men have a difficult enough time trying to understand women in a normal situation. Why? Because men and women are so different.
• A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he wants. A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't want.
• A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband. A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.
• A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
• Any married man should forget his mistakes - there's no use in two people remembering the same thing.
• Men wake up looking like they look when they went to bed. Women somehow seem to deteriorate during the night.
• A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't. A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change & she does.
• A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.
• There are two times when a man doesn't understand a woman - before marriage & after marriage.
I am sure Mary gave it her best shot in trying
to explain as a virgin that she is pregnant!
When Mary was trying to explain to Joseph that she had not been unfaithful to him, I am sure he was thinking, “I THOUGHT I KNEW HER, BUT THIS WOMAN IS WEIRD FOR SURE IF SHE THINKS I BELIEVE THAT STUFF SHE IS TELLING ME!”
But before it ever got out of control, God sent the angel Gabriel to tell Joseph IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN and HOW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN!
But Joseph was still in the dark about her pregnancy. All he knew was:
• She was expecting
• He knew positively he was not the one who caused her to be with child.
The way Joseph conducted himself during this pregnancy has a lot to say about the character of this young man.
For example, you can’t tell much about a person under GOOD CONDITIONS.
Illus: One of the problems today in the dating arena is that when young people are dating, they see each other at their BEST, not their WORST!
They never get to see the real person until after they are married to them, and then it is too late.
This is the way life is. When things are going well, some folks are impressive.
However, if you really want to get to know a person, observe them during the difficult times in life.
Joseph was going through one of the most difficult times in his life, and HIS LIFE IS IMPRESSIVE DURING THESE HARD TIMES.
The way he conducted himself under these trying times in his life reveals -
A. HE WAS A SPIRITUAL MAN
Notice, when Joseph received the news that Mary was with child, he was not in a church building. At least the Bible does not say he was.
WHY DO I MENTION THAT?
Some people are SPIRITUAL IN CHURCH, but they are not very SPIRITUAL OUTSIDE OF CHURCH.
But Joseph’s character is reflected outside church as much as it was inside church.
Look at verse 19, again, we read, “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man…”
In other words, Joseph believed in treating others the way he would like to be treated if he were in that same situation.
He was truly hurt about the news she was with child. He was a grown man. He knew that the only way she could have gotten that way humanly speaking was for her to cheat on him and join herself to another man.
But in spite of the fact that she was with child, this man was such a JUST MAN that he was still thinking of her, not himself.
He wanted to put her away privately as much as he could.
HE WAS A SPIRITUAL MAN.
But he was not only a SPIRITUAL MAN (JUST MAN), the Bible reflects-
B. HE WAS SENSITIVE MAN
We are shown here that Joseph was both just and compassionate.
The Bible reveals that God spoke to Joseph four times in a dream.
• Look at Matthew 1:20-23, we read, “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
• Look at Matthew 2:13, we read, “And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
• Look at Matthew 2:19, we read, “But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.”
• Look at Matthew 2:22, we read, “But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee.”
He was sensitive to God's leading in his life. Once God explained things to him, he was ready to obey God’s every command.
Look at Matthew 1:24-25, we read, “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 till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.”
Joseph was not a free thinker. He simply did as God instructed Him to do. He knew what had happened was not possible from the human level, but if God said that she was with child because the Holy Spirit moved upon her, that was good enough for him.
Conclusion:
The Bible teaches that Christ was born of a virgin.
As difficult for Joseph to understand this once God spoke to Him THAT SETTLE IT!
We have looked at:
I. A PREGNANCY
II. A PROBLEM
