Alba 12-8-2024
GOOD NEWS FOR JOSEPH
Matthews 1:18-25
A young child had a wonderful Christmas morning. She got all the presents she wanted, her cousins were there to share the holiday, and there was special food throughout the day. As her parents tucked her into bed that evening, she smiled and said, “I sure hope Mary and Joseph have another baby next year.” She missed the point of Jesus birth. Even adults can miss it as well.
In fact, even at the time that it happened there was a man who didn't understand it either. At least not at first. His name is Joseph. He like Mary is an integral part of the Christmas story. He does not get much attention in scripture. As a matter of fact he is only mentioned one time after the birth narratives of Matthew and Luke. And that is when Jesus as a young boy was still at the Temple amazing the leaders for three days, and Mary and Joseph had to come look for Him.
Joseph is a very quiet Biblical character. In fact, no where do we hear Joseph’s voice. As we search the Gospels, we discover that they do not contain even a single word uttered from the mouth of Jesus’ earthly father, (step-father really). But, as people often say, actions speak louder than words! In that way, Joseph is a very significant Bible character. You see, he was given the job of raising Jesus. His actions can teach us a lot about how to do what is right and good.
But what he heard at first about the coming birth of our Lord did not sound good to him. Before this could become good news for Joseph, he would experience dilemma, then a dream and finally he would have to make a decision based on all the facts. The first thing it caused for him was a great...
1. Dilemma
Matthew 1:18 tells us: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.” Shocking news! We are not told how Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant.
We do know that soon after being told by the angel that she would have this special child, she went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist. Mary stayed there at least three months and then returned home. Perhaps she may have told Joseph then about her pregnancy. Or possibly it was simply obvious to everyone just by looking at her. Again, this had to be a shock!
How would you expect Joseph to react? He knew this child was not his. How could Mary, for whom he waited so long do this to him. The bond between them was broken. He was beyond disappointed. To get the full impact of this situation we need to understand the traditions involved in ancient Jewish marriages.
First, the two families would agree to the union and negotiate the betrothal. Next, a public announcement would be made and the couple was "pledged." Though the couple was not officially married, their relationship could be broken only through death or divorce. Sexual relations were not yet permitted.
This second step lasted for up to a year. During that time, the couple would live separately, with their parents. This waiting period gave time to demonstrate the bride’s purity. If she would be found to be pregnant during that time, the marriage could be annulled.
According to Jewish civil law, Joseph had the right to divorce her. The law also explained that the penalty for unchastity was death by stoning (Deuteronomy 22:23-24)
So, Mary is pregnant. Joseph had trouble accepting this news as good. Mary’s story seems unbelievable! His world is turned upside down. Everything is messed up! Their plans are ruined. Life is more than disappointing. It is a time of defeat and failure. It is an unwelcome nightmare into his life.
So what should he do? He has a dilemma. Joseph knew that the child was not his own. Mary’s apparent unfaithfulness carried a severe social stigma. He could accuse her of being unfaithful and do what the law allows, or he could just quietly divorce her without a public procedure, and try to put it behind him.
But, going ahead with the marriage seems out of the question. The scent of scandal would always leave people wondering about what really happened. Joseph must have been filled with consternation and dismay. It was a dilemma.
He had to make a choice. Verse 19 says, “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.” He would divorce Mary before they even had an opportunity to be together. There is no doubt that Joseph could have handled this differently. Heartbroken and betrayed, he could have embarrassed her. He could have disgraced her socially. He could have even had her executed. Instead he chose to go the quiet route.
Joseph's plan for his life was the simple life of a carpenter. Get married, have a family, and be a good and righteous man. But God had another plan. Someone said, “God has good in mind when He messes up our lives.” So believe in the good God has in mind for you. He always has your best in mind, even when things really seem messed up. So don't fear. Move forward in faith. Embrace the grace of His truth and watch Him go to work!
Look what God does for Joseph who is caught in this dilemma. Verse 20 tells us, “But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream.” Joseph needed a word from God, and he got it in a...
2. Dream
Just as Mary has heard from God, so now does Joseph. And what a dream! Have you had some interesting dreams? There is the story of a woman, after she woke up, who told her husband, “I just dreamed that you gave me a pearl necklace for our anniversary. What do you think it means?” “You’ll know tonight.” he said. That evening, the man came home with a small package and gave it to his wife. Delighted, she opened it to find a book entitled “The Meaning of Dreams.”
Well Joseph didn't need a book to understand his dream. It was quite clear. The angel (it may have been Gabriel again) told Joseph some very specific things. In verse 20 the angel says, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” Now some would say that this is an astronomically inconceivable vision. Mary is pregnant by the Holy Spirit? What she is saying is really true?
The answer is, “Yes”. Think about it. Since God designed the process of procreation, He has the ability to interrupt the normal action of cause and effect and initiate something different. There is no reason that He who established the laws governing the universe would not able to suspend those laws when He chooses to intervene in a supernatural way.
But the angel reveals even more. Joseph is told why this miraculous thing is happening. He is told in verse 21, “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Sin is the very thing that separates us from God. It was because of sin that mankind lost fellowship with God. But Jesus bridged that gap. Jesus redeemed us by being obedient to death on a cross so that your sins and mine might be forgiven. The significance of the name Jesus is that it means: Jehovah Saves or, The Lord Saves. Isn't that Good News?
As Matthew gives us this account in his Gospel he adds some more information in verses 22 and 23 saying, “So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us.'”
Isn't it amazing that God loves us so much that He would send His Son to die for us. And that His Son would leave the glory above and come humbly to the Earth that He created. He did it so that we could be saved from our sins.
Satan had tried for thousands of years to prevent this one event from taking place; he tried to pervert the Messianic line from the beginning. He tried to kill off the Jews, hoping to wipe the Messiah out in doing so. He worked through Herod to destroy the children, yet he could not outwit God, and God worked to preserve the Messiah.
Without the birth of Jesus there could not be a death on the cross and a resurrection from the grave. The birth of Jesus shows to us the great love of God, which was indeed miraculous.
Here’s the point: God is capable of less spectacular miracles. He can handle our day-to-day concerns. Don't you think it would be easier to believe in the Virgin Birth than to believe... that God can help us get our cars started on a snowy morning, or help us find time for Christmas shopping! Someone quipped, “Do I believe in miracles? I depend on them!” God is active, involved, and interested in the seemingly insignificant details of our lives. And God can do anything.
So now, Joseph has to come to a...
3. Decision
Verse 24 says, “Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife.” Let us remember that this pregnancy was not a mistake, or mishap. It was part of the divine plan of God. And Joseph decided to be obedient to the will of God and the instructions of the angel, and took Mary to be his wife. This is far from the idea that Joseph first had for his life, yet God trusted Joseph with HIS SON. And Joseph did well. He obeyed. And in the years to follow he protected Jesus, nurtured Him, and showed Him how to be a carpenter.
When Joseph made his decision, there was no hesitation. He understood clearly what God expected of him He would obey and take Mary to be his wife, in spite of having to suffer the cutting remarks concerning a child conceived prior to their wedding. He would obey in spite of the fact that this child of divine promise would be born under a cloud of adultery. And he would call his adopted son "Jesus," just as he was told to do. Joseph believed God, and obeyed Him.
The Bible defines faith with obedience and obedience with faith. In other words, they are two sides of the same coin. You cannot have one without the other. Obedience is doing what God has said. Obedience is not doing what others say, or doing what other say God has said, or doing what you wish God has said. It is simply doing what God says. It is vital to believe in God. But unless we are ready to obey Him, then our belief is useless.
Joseph was a man of integrity, a man of faith, a sensible man, a willing servant, and level headed, but most importantly, Joseph was willing to obey. Perhaps that’s why God chose Joseph to raise his Son. Verse 25 says that when he took Mary as his wife, he, “did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.” The New English Translation says he, “did not have marital relations with her until she gave birth.” Other translations are more bold and say he did not have sex with her until the child was born. So it was a virgin conception, and also a virgin birth.
Think about this man, Joseph. Depending on which version of scripture you use, verse 19 describes Joseph as a “good man” (NCV), a “just man” (NKJV), “faithful to the law” (NIV), and “a man of stern principle” (TLB). The EasyEnglish Bible simply says, “Joseph was a good man. He wanted to do what was right.” But still, he was caught in a dilemma until the angel appeared to him in a dream. Then he made the decision to be obedient to the Word of God.
Like Joseph, we sometimes cry “Why?” And all we hear in response is “Trust Me.” God’s ways are not always our ways. God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts. We wish there were answers, but all we can hear is “Trust Me.”
In times like that, can we obey like Joseph? Can we trust God to bring success out of our efforts that seem to be only failure? Can we fully trust God that His way is best?
God longs for and looks for men and women who will obey and be faithful when He calls! Are we able to obey like Joseph? Yes we are! If we are willing.
What seemed to be the worst news that anyone could receive turned out to be good news for Joseph. It is the best news the world could ever hear. That good news is: the Messiah has come! The Savior of the world is here!
CLOSE:
D.L. Moody was conducting a series of meetings in Brocton Massachusetts. Leading the congregation in song was Daniel B. Towner. One night a young man responded to the invitation and said, "I’m not quite sure -- but I’m going to trust and I’m going to obey."
That statement struck Mr. Towner, who jotted the sentence down, and sent it to J.H. Sammis, a Presbyterian minister. Together they gave birth to the hymn, "Trust and Obey".
What God wants from us can be summed up in those three words, trust and obey.
