The Gift of Love

During the this Advent Season we have been considering the Amazing Gifts of Christmas.

The Gift of Hope

The Gift of Peace

The Gift of Joy

Today the Gift of Love

For our reading I would like to go to the Gospel of Matthew - Chair Bible pg. 647

Matthew 1:18-25

Are you ready for the message God has for us?

Cool, let’s dig in...

We don’t know a great deal about Joseph

He was the son of Jacob of the Royal Line through David and Solomon.

There are no memorable quotes of Joseph in Scripture

He just hangs out at the Nativity taking it all in

Jospeh is really an unsung hero of the Bible, So let’s give Jospeh some praise this week.

What is the text telling us?

We learn in this passage that Mary is betrothed to Jospeh

That is a big deal in Jewish culture

The word “betrothed” - is to be legally promised in marriage to someone else.

To be engaged in Jewish custom a man and a woman commit to become married

The date is set some time in the future

This means the parents of bride and groom arrange and plan for them to wed

Betrothal was a binding contract between two families

During this time the couple did not live together

Sexual relations at this stage was prohibited.

If caught it would be regarded as adultery

What does this mean in the text, Joseph has bought and paid for Mary, he signed on the line for her.

He gave his future father-in-law the bride price

This was certainly not a Hallmark movie!

During this time Mary would continue to live with her parents for months or even a couple of years until the marriage ceremony seals the deal.

This was Jospeh’s dream for his future it was an exciting time in his house and this was how would all work out

Joseph is given another dream

In our passage though the angel appears to Joseph with a dream of how it would work out

He is told that Mary is already pregnant.

Now go back to betrothal, under the law Jospeh had every right to break it off and turn her in for a refund, after all she committed adultery she was found with child, what other reason could there be.

He has been embarrassed, his name is on the line, his dream is shattered!

The gift of love in the Nativity is seen in Joseph choosing to protect Mary.

The Angel is extending to Jospeh and Mary a grace not found in the Law of Moses

God’s story unfolds in an unexpected way.

Mary avoids disgrace and embarassment in her community

Joseph opens himself to a strange new possibility and a revered place in the Gospel narrative.

Joseph’s place in the Messianic Lineage

Jospeh is given unique responsibilities and thereby places him Squarely in Messiah’s lineage.

The Messianic line in Matthew 1 is the line of Jospeh, through lineage of David and Solomon, all they way back to Abraham.

What does this mean?

Jesus is adopted by Joseph and placed in this line

Showing Joseph will nurture, love, and adopt Jesus fully as his son!

Matthew by including Jesus in Jospeh’s line shows Jospeh’s adoption of Jesus

Matthew is also revealing something else about this line

It lists 5 women

Tamar verse 3 - played the prostitute

Rahab verse 5 the harlot of Jericho

Ruth verse 5 - a woman from Moab who met Rahab’s son Boaz.

They fathered oded David’s grandfather

Bathsheba - slept with David while married to Uriah the Hittite and fathered Solomon

Mary - pregnant by the Holy Spirit, Jesus would have no earthly father, in community fathered by sexual immorality

What do these women have in common?

They are outsiders threatened with disgrace

Unlikely participants in God’s story

Look at what God is doing....he grafts is the marginalized and outcast

By God’s grace and love He is giving them a place in the lineage of Messiah

People would reject them

They would be considered outcasts, unworthy ancestors

Pharisees would try to use it against Jesus - John 8:41

John 8:41 NASB 2020

41 You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born as a result of sexual immorality; we have one Father: God.”

The possibilities for us

What possibilities are opened to us when we experience, Emmanuel, God with us!

Is it possible that Joseph’s adoption of Mary and Jesus bear witness to God fully adopting us?

For us looking at the Nativity the gift of love is God sending His Son, the Baby Jesus, to enact His plan of salvation.

A plan in place before the creation of the World.

God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake. Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. ( 1 Peter 1:20-21 NLT)

Can we even imagine the extent of that kind of love? That kind of Grace?

I was reminded of Victor Hugo’s story Les Miserable

It is where Bishop Welcome invites Jean Valjean to come stay with him, Valjean being recently released from prison.

Bishop Welcome invites Jean Valjean to spend the night at his Episcopal residence.

During the night Valjean steals the Bishop’s only valuable possessions, some silver dishes.

The next morning the townspeople bring the police to arrest Valjean.

Before Valjean can say anything and in front of the crowd Bishop Welcome warmly greets Valjean and tells him he forgot the silver candlesticks the Bishop had given him.

The Bishop goes into the house and brings the candlesticks to Valjean.

Bishop Welcome then blesses Jean Valjean and tells him to use the silver to become a better man.

This scene profoundly demonstrates love and grace

Brethren, God does not give us what we deserve under law!

God pardons and blesses us through Christ

Romans 7:24–25 NASB 2020

24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Romans 8:1–2 NASB 2020

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Conclusion

This is the amazing gift of love!

The gift of Love shown by Joseph accepting Jesus and Mary into his line, his family. Loving and raising Jesus as his own son in every way!

The gift of Love shown by God toward us in adopting us into his family, giving us the place as sons!

Romans 8:14–17 NASB 2020

14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

What a wonderful gift! The Amazing Gift of Love!

Are you adopted by God? Tell how?

This is offered to everyone, you just need to accept it!

Maybe you received the gift then rejected it?

As children we mess up yet it is still a gift to you, turn back!