1.3.3 12.15.2024 One Good Man Matthew 1.18-25

Start:

Entice: We have made Jesus the focus of Advent, Christmas, the entire “holiday season”. Oddly enough, Jesus really does very little.

In the rest of Matthew—in all the Gospels Jesus will be the primary protagonist. He will be revealed as the ultimate teacher. He will be presented as Messiah. In the stories of His birth He, for the most part, does nothing. There is no attempt to describe Jesus as any less God, nor his birth anymore miraculous. But the stories, at least for now, are not about Him.

Engage: Many of us have been in circumstances where someone else is being celebrated, elevated, or promoted. That is the circumstance beginning in Matthew

Yes, the topic is the birth of Jesus.

The protagonist of this story is Joseph and how he deals with the explosive news that serves as the beginning of his family.

Matthew 1:18–25 ESV

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Expand: In Luke we are presented with the behavior of Mary, Elizabeth, Zechariah, and the shepherds. Next week we will consider the Magi and Herod “the Great.” Today we take a first look, a good, hard look at Joseph. Matthew wanted us to know that men like Joseph will take a central place in the story of Jesus. Jesus will surround Himself with good but imperfect men who will form the nucleus of His movement, His Church. Good men are essential, yet we all know from abundant experience that even good men are not perfect. Even good men have doubts. Even good men need to be given clear, Biblical, Godly directions and be presented with choices.

Excite: We seek to follow Jesus.

It may be chic and more widespread during Advent

but the goal is

to follow Him,

to be like Him,

to grow into His likeness.

In that process,

most of us need a little Joseph in us.

To keep us focused.

To keep us humble.

To keep us involved.

Explore:

Joseph is a hero because he did not insist on being the center of attention.

God uses people who grow through difficulty.

Expand: Joseph is in a unique position to teach us lessons about the process of transformation.

Body of Sermon: Matthew begins by describing Joseph’s

1 Unqualified goodness.

Even when needing to do a hard thing Jospeh was a man of broad righteousness intent, that meant he had…

1.1 Individual Integrity.

As a man who followed the law he did not wish to be involved in sin.

He did not want to prevent a legal resolution to Mary’s circumstances.

Joseph’s goodness was not just individual; it extends in kindness to Mary whom he showed

1.2 Personal Sensitivity.

In an honor & shame culture it takes a good man to protect a woman who had presumably shamed him. Joseph had that kind of tough sensitivity.

So, Jospeh sees personal honor in how he treats Mary, in a hard situation

Yet Joseph the Jewish, law-keeper also operates with

1.3 Community Responsibility.

Even a man of unique goodness is this hard spot needed to see things from God’s side.

Next, our text continues with an

2 Unbelievable story.

As a man of faith Jospeh was able to process the story he was told as

2.1 God’s Act.

2.2 God’s Word.

2.3 God’s Presence.

The final act of transformation is

3 Unquestioning obedience.

3.1 He Did as he was commanded.

3.2 He Took Mary into his home.

When she gave birth

3.3 HeNamed the boy Jesus.

Shut Down:

Years of Advent adventures and Christmas stories have softened this story. The nativity “asked a lot of Joseph.” It raises the same kinds of questions for us.

Obedience.

Goodness.

Belief.

It can be hard for us if we make it hard. If we fail to learn from scripture and pursue the kinds of responses modeled for us there.

I’m willing to bet that the challenges you face will not be exactly like Joseph’s. He was uniquely qualified for his unique set of tasks. Maybe you are too?

Christmas is a story and Advent a time that requires special attention. If we are not diligent, we may miss the nudges, hints, prophecies, and declarations which bring the story to its fulness. I’m sure that when he got word of Mary’s condition that Joseph did not sense God’s presence that day. As he works through his emotions, he found strength in his faith and was given guidance by the angel. And he came to know, maybe for the first time of any of us what it meant to both wait for, and then ultimately hold in his arms

“God with us.”

That is who we wait for at Christmas.

God with us.

Are you woman enough, are you man enough to fully follow God with us. God is still looking for a few good men.