Joseph and a Christmas Miracle

Matthew 1:18-25

Can I say how amazing the Word of God is? I was going back through my sermons and I realized something, that I have preached from this passage for the last three years.

And each time I come to it, God just reveals something new to me. That is the power of the living word.

Today, we are going to look at a man, who at Christmas was like many of us. He had some tough things to deal with.

His name is Joseph, and he was engaged to Mary. Now we are never get a lot of details about Joseph, other than he was a carpenter and he had other children with Mary after Jesus is born.

We see him in the manger scenes at churches but beyond that, we don’t really pay much attention to the man.

Now I will be honest, I think Joseph had some real struggles there before the Lord’s birth. Some real emotional struggles and mental anguish. And we find here in the scripture where it alludes to that.

But, it is during this time, that God delivers a message to Joseph, to get him back on track. And reveal the truth of who God is.

(Read Scripture)

When you read the text, you definitely see that Joseph is going through some tough times. Finding his fiancé pregnant, dealing with an upcoming census, and all of the everyday struggles of life. Joseph is just overwhelmed.

And if we are honest, I think many of us here today, can relate to some of the struggles that Joseph is dealing with.

I. Joseph’s Struggles

· Yeah Joseph has a lot on his plate, but the biggest struggle he is dealing with, is here is a woman that he has been preparing a home for. Now showing up pregnant.

· Infidelity in those days was taken very seriously. In fact, a person who had been found in adultery could be stoned.

· Joseph is struggling with Mary, their relationship has not gotten off to a good start.

· And what we find is that Joseph is struggling with SOMEONE.

· Now the Bible tells us to love your neighbor, and in essence it is saying we are to love everyone.

· But let’s be honest, there are some people we struggle to love. I mean, if someone did us wrong, we would want to respond or retaliate.

· And that is how Joseph felt, he felt that it would be better to just put Mary away privately. Not make this a public spectacle. But just call off the marriage.

· Now what Joseph didn’t realize, is that God was doing a great work in Mary. He didn’t know what God had been doing and he was struggling with someone who was being faithful to the Lord.

· Let me ask you, have you ever struggled with someone in church? Struggled with what God is doing in someone else’s life?

· God was doing a great work in Mary’s life, but to the eyes of Joseph, he felt he had been done wrong.

· But maybe it isn’t so much someone as it is a situation you are struggling with.

· Joseph is struggling with the pregnancy, with his pride and honor, he is struggling with how he will be viewed among others.

· There are people and you might be one of them, you struggle with how others look at you. That you have an image that you want to maintain.

· That you don’t want to be looked at and feel like people are talking about you.

· This is what Joseph is struggling with. Obviously, Joseph has tried his hardest to be an honest and just man.

· But now this scandal in the eyes of others has started circulating, and Joseph is struggling with the whole situation.

· How am I going to be perceived. How are others going to look at me.

· Now Joseph situation might be slightly different than yours. But the struggle is the same.

· And if you are here today, and you are struggling, there is an answer to what you are dealing with.

II. Joseph’s Solution

· Now this brings us to the second thing we find in this passage, and it is found in verse 19

· What does Joseph want to do? He wants to pull the plug. Let’s get a divorce. This is what is going through his mind.

· And from the world-view he would have been in the right.

· But here is the problem that we find here, we don’t find Joseph seeking the Lord on the matter.

· His situation took his eyes off of the Lord, and put it on the earthly level.

· And his solution that he is thinking about, is get rid of her, and move on.

· Now I will say this about Joseph, he thought about it before he acted on it.

· Joseph was looking an earthly solution to his situation with Mary, and for many, that is what we look for as well.

· If someone does us wrong, we aren’t going to go to them and tell them, what are we going to do, we are just going to write them off and forget about them.

· Oh, I want make it public, but they better never come and ask me for anything. That is how we respond.

· We thought about it, and we are going to handle it our way. But friend let me tell you, you need to do it God’s way.

· You see, Joseph’s solution no matter how right it was in the eyes of the world, was not right in the eyes of God.

· God had a plan and it involved Joseph.

· Now before Joseph acts upon his thoughts, God delivers a message to him.

· And God reveals to Joseph what really is happening.

· Now you may be here today, and you are struggling with someone, and you know how you are going to deal with it. But have you listened to what the Lord has said.

· You see, if God has not given you peace about the situation on how to deal with it, you don’t need to act upon it.

· One of the biggest problems among people, is that we want to act on a situation right then, instead of being led by God.

· Anytime, you act on your own, and don’t wait to hear from God, you will make the wrong decision.

· Now you may be here, struggling with a person, and you are an honorable just person before the Lord, don’t try to bring your solution to the problem, let God bring the solution.

· If Joseph had divorced that woman, he would have missed out on the greatest blessing of his life.

· Don’t miss God’s blessing because of your pride.

III. Joseph’s Salvation

· This brings us to the third thing that we find in this passage, and that is Joseph’s salvation.

· You know God revealed to this man that the savior of the world was about to be born.

· And the Lord says that his name will be Jesus.

· You know, Joseph, as just and righteous as he might had been, he still needed a savior.

· And you here today, who sit among us, you need a savior as well.

· You cannot save your self, but Jesus Christ can save you from all of the sins you have committed.

· God came and spoke to Joseph, and how did Joseph respond? He rose up from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him.

· What is God bidden you to do? Is it to go and make amends with a brother and sister?

· Is it to let go of you struggles and give them to God?

· Is it to rise up from your seat and come to the altar and give your heart to Christ?

· Whatever it is, listen to the spirit of God and do as he bids you.

· Joseph listened to the angel of the Lord and his life was changed from that point on.

· And there came a day, when the baby was born, and it was Joseph who called him Jesus.

· God’s salvation. And friend, you can have him in your life today, would you just call upon his name – Jesus.