A MYSTERY, A MIRACLE AND A TOTAL LIFE MAKE-OVER.
Matthew 1:18-25
Video clip suggestion: “Joseph’s Quill” available at www.sermonspice.com
Opening Ilustration: My wife Cambria and I have been blessed with three wonderful kids. We love them equally. They are hilarious to watch. Looking for some laughs? Come to my house. My kids will not only entertain you, they’ll gross you out. There is something about the number three and having kids that go hand and hand. Three is just enough for group fun. But the truth is, only two of our three children were planned. The third one just kinda slipped in there as a surprise. I remember how I felt when Cambria told me that she was pregnant. It was so unexpected, that it took me by total surprise. I swallowed hard, nodded my head and began to think of what life would now be like with three kids instead of two. The words, “I’m pregnant” changed everything.
Those very same words changed Joseph’s life in ways that perhaps none of us could imagine. He was engaged to be married to a beautiful young woman by the name of Mary. And from out of nowhere drops a bombshell, “I’m pregnant.” Joseph, is thinking to himself, “What have I gotten myself into?” He initially plans to quietly divorce Mary and send her on her way. But then once again the unexpected occurs. One night while Joseph is alseep an angel of the Lord appears to him in a dream and says “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the HOLY SPIRIT.” Matthew 1:
This is what I love about the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph plays a significant role. He’s not a mere bystander as many Christmas plays would lead you to believe. Too often Mary gets all the attention and Joseph is along for the ride. Nothing could be further from the truth. Joseph’s role was a quiet, but significant. An angel of the Lord appeared to him 3 times. And each time Joseph responded with obedience. God moved in Joseph’s life in a supernatural way. He accepted the Mystery of Mary’s pregnancy.
1. JOSEPH ACCEPTED THE MYSTERY OF MARY’S PREGNANCY.
Joseph’s life was interrupted with the strange and mysterious pregnancy of a virgin. Even today it sounds a bit far fetched. A virgin birth. That’s impossible! This is one of the great mysteries of our faith. God chose to send his only Son into the world in way that none of us would have imagined.
Through the prophet Isaiah, God said, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Humanly speaking, I would have never thought of Christ coming into the world the way he did. God chose to do it a way that none of us would expect. He chose a virgin by the name of Mary. I think I would have done it differently. I would have selected a well to do family for the Christ child. At the very least, I would have chosen a couple fully married. In addition to that, I would have made sure the Christ child had accessibility to the best medicine and care. However, God chose to do it differently. He chose lowly Mary and a perplexed man by the name of Joseph. It’s a mystery. Joseph accepted the mystery. Not only did Joseph accept the mystery, he embraced the miracle.
2. JOSEPH EMBRACED THE MIRACLE OF CHRIST’ BIRTH.
Joseph obeyed the angel’s call to take Mary as his wife and from that moment on Joseph assumed the role of a proud father. Imagine the Son of God calling you Daddy. Joseph had that awesome privilege. Jesus would walk in his footsteps and call Joseph what Jewish sons would call their fathers. Based on what we know about Joseph from the Gospel of Matthew, he enthusiastically accepted his role as the earthly father of Jesus. Even though this child was not his own, he embraced the miracle of his coming and in obedience to the angel’s command.
Believing in miracles is not as crazy as you might think. Most people believe in miracles. In fact, we were born to believe. God created us to step out into the unknown. We have a longing deep inside of us to believe in the impossible. Joseph was a man who embraced miracles in his life.
Have you made room in your life for miracles? Does God have permission to interrupt your life and surprise you with the miracles. Is there any supernatural way that God can find his way into your otherwise orderly life?
I’m amazed at how little Joseph has to go on. God never really explained the mystery. Joseph was humanly afraid to take Mary as his wife. This appears to be the only concern addressed by the angel. “Joseph do not be afraid...” Joseph left his fear behind and took a leap of faith. He believed in God’s miracle. He embraced it. What about you today? Are you like a Joseph? Willing to embrace miracles?
Joseph accepted the mystery, the miracle and a total life make-over.
3. JOSEPH EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LIFE MAKE-OVER.
For him life was going along according to plan when Mary unexpectedly turned up pregnant. Joseph was an average Joe kind of guy. What made Joseph different from any other man was his willingness to allow God to be God. Joseph was open the Lord’s interruptions and rearrangements.
Many of don’t fare well when our plans are changed. In fact, there is something about having a change of plans that irritates us. I’ve been known to kick and fuss a little bit when my plans are changed or interrupted. Most of us, especially men are not as inclined to go with the flow when the unexpected occurs. We whine and moan about it instead of accepting it.
Joseph had a different response. He buckled down and went with God. No holds bar. Joseph let it happen. And there were times, he was holding onto for dear life.
Once again the angel spoke to him in the middle of the night. “Get up...take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt.” Oops another change of plans. O.K. God I’ll do it. The Bible says that Joseph got up took the child during the middle of the night.
Can you imagine the scene? Joseph, having the typical male approach to things, hustles Mary out of bed in the middle of the night, packs up their belongings, and heads for Egypt. I see Joseph wasting no time. He has the Camel revved up, the water skins filled, the map ready to go. Joseph was the only man in history to get a speeding ticket on a camel!!
The point is this: Joseph was quick to obey. Joseph’s obedience to God rearranged his life. He experienced a total life make-over. Nothing went according to plan. Joseph lived from God moment to God moment. He accepted the change of plans enthusiastically. He never seemed to kick and fuss, he was quick to obey.
In each instance, when the angel spoke to Joseph, we find Joseph in an attitude of obedience. And because of his obedience to God, He went places he never dreamed of going. Joseph made room for God in his life. He was open to the supernatural. Are you?
When was the last time you allowed God to totally rearranged your schedule and change your plans. And sometimes a change of plans is not enough. We need to allow God to do a total life make-over. Joseph was a righteous man, and his life was still completely rearranged by God. He let it happen.
Joseph’s idea of parenting changed, his location changed, his relationship to Mary changed. His whole life was turned upside down.
So I ask you today, are you willing to be a Joseph? When was the last time you allowed God to do something thoroughly supernatural in your life? Are you open to that?
Men, we especially need to take this message to heart. We are so good at having things figured out and planned accordingly. And to make matters worse, we’re creatures of habit, and we tend to settle into rut of complacency leaving little or no room for supernatural. I want to challenge you today to look for God in the unexpected. What is the Lord trying to say? Are you willing to let God to come into your life and do some rearranging? He did it for Joseph and he can do it for you. Joseph experienced a mystery, a miracle and a total life make-over.
PRAYER: God we give you permission today to move in mysterious and miraculous ways in our lives. We’re open. We’re ready to move from the natural to the supernatural. We’re ready to take that leap of faith and jump into the great unknown. Help us to make room in our lives for the supernatural. Help us to create some space for the unexpected. We’re anxious for what you’re going to do. Amen.
