Kayla Jenkins Expository Sermon

Joseph as a Role Model (Matthew 1:18-20)

Introduction: Think of someone in your life you look up to. Someone who has been a good example to you, someone who has inspired you to become a better servant to the people around you, and to God. This person could be someone in your life currently, someone you used to know, or even someone you have read about. There are many Biblical role models, and one of them is Joseph. The Bible does not tell us much about Jesus’ earthly father, but from Matthew 1:18-20 we are able to discern several things about the heart of Joseph. We see Joseph valued purity (18), Joseph valued mercy (19), and Joseph valued wisdom (20). His heart was constantly set on God, and it was reflected in the desires and values of his heart. Do we have a heart like Joseph?

Thesis: We should view Joseph as a good example of handling a difficult situation with a godly heart.

Paragraph One: Joseph valued purity (18)

A. “Before they came together” —> Joseph and Mary were in a close relationship, yet they had not gone against God’s law.

B. Joseph had a strong reaction when he believed the woman he loved had been impure.

C. It is important that we keep ourselves pure, but we must also value purity in those around us and keep our expectations high for those that we love.

Paragraph Two: Joseph valued mercy (19)

A. “was minded to put her away secretly” —> Even though he couldn’t marry her in the condition she was in, Joseph did not want Mary to be shamed for what he perceived to be a mistake.

B. Joseph showed mercy to Mary by protecting her even though he felt he had been wronged by her.

C. We must also be willing to show mercy and forgiveness to the people in our lives, even for the things they do that hurt us.

Paragraph Three: Joseph valued wisdom (20)

A. “he thought about these things” —> Joseph was a man who did not make rash decisions about important matters.

B. Joseph was not willing to flippantly throw away his relationship with Mary. This care caused him to think carefully about the decision in front of him.

C. We must value wisdom and think about important decisions in our lives through a godly lens.

Conclusion: Many of our life decisions are based off the people we choose to look up to. Our role models affect the way we think and how we react to certain situations. Because of this, it is important for us to pick a godly role model to learn from. Joseph is one such character we can and should model our actions after. The way he values purity, mercy, and wisdom are what made him a strong godly man, and these things will also build our faith today as we work to be better servants for God.