Dream #3 - Finding Peace

Introduction

A few weeks ago we introduced a new trilogy of sermons based on the dreams of Joseph in Matthew 1; 2.

Today, as we bring this series to a close, we are going to not only utilize the two dreams mentioned in verse 19 and 22, but also because this is the culmination of Joseph's story. This will be the culmination of where the Lord has brought him to in finality.

The title of this message is "Finding Peace."

If you were to follow along the story of Joseph, this is the last interaction that we have with him in the book of Matthew. There's only one further interaction with Joseph and Jesus mentioned in the scriptures. That's when they had journeyed to Jerusalem. And when they were on their return home, Jesus tarried behind and they essentially lost track of him. (That story takes place in the latter part of Luke 2.)

So for the majority of the story of Joseph concluding here, we see that through everything he has encountered, he is finally at peace.

Today, church, I hope that we can look through this last message in this series and see how we can find peace as Christians, not only in the hereafter, but in the present.

[Recap the prior messages and circumstances of Joseph’s Dreams]

The first message was titled "Contentment in You." It was based on the first dream that Joseph was given in Matthew 1:20-25.

I. Joseph was Torn (v19)

What He Faced; How He Felt; It Affected His Future

II. Joseph was Told (v20-21)

Something Confounding; About Something Celestial; From Someone in Command

III. Joseph Trusted the LORD (v24)

Without Hesitation; Without Reservation; Regardless of Perception

IV. Joseph Gained Tranquility

He was Content with an Imperfect Situation; He Was Conditioned For Further Use

And that was the meat of the message, was finding contentment even when you're in a bad or not ideal situation.

The Second message last week was titled “Rescue the Perishing.” It was based on the second dream that Joseph was given in Mat. 2:13-18.

I. Joseph was Given a Charge (1:18-25)

He Had an Encounter with God; He Had Elected To Accept; He had Embraced The Responsibility

II. Joseph was Made Capable

God Had Provided The Means (2:1-12); God Presented the Method (v13a)

III. Joseph Cared

For the Child (v13b); For the Christ; For his Companion (v13a)

IV. Joseph Complied to His Calling

Without Hesitation (v14); Regardless of Hurt or Hazard (v15a)

We're conflating the two dreams that Joseph had - one in v19, the other in v22 as one.

Finding Peace Because of the…

I. The Sureness of the Word

It’s Relevant

As stated before, we are on the third and technically the fourth dream of Joseph. But look at the first few.

The Bible doesn't say where Joseph was exactly during his first dream, but given that Mary was in Nazareth, as shown in Luke 1:26, he most likely was in Nazareth.

During his second dream, when he is warned to take the child and flee to Egypt, he was in Bethlehem.

During this third dream, Joseph is now in Egypt.

In each of these places, the word of God came unto Joseph. It impacted him, helped him, and made a difference in his life.

What I'm getting at, church, is that no matter where you are in life, the Word of God can help you. It can make an impact in your life.

You might be as close to God as you've ever been, or you might be as far from God as is humanly possible. But the Bible can still impact you in great and marvelous ways.

You may be a very learned man with a great education. The Bible still has plenty to teach you.

Then again, you may be a man with nary a high school education. But the Bible still has plenty to say to you as well.

My point is, church, the Bible is relevant to you.

So many people look at the Bible as if because it is thousands of years old, somehow it has become dated and irrelevant. But nothing could be further from the truth. There is no book you could ever pick up now or in the future until Christ comes that would be more relevant to your life in the situation that you are in right now than the Bible.

We can find peace because of the sureness of the word and its relevance unto us.

It’s Reasonable

Let's now look back and see what it was that the Word of God instructed Joseph to do.

In the first instance, it didn't command him to do anything. It just gave him the truth and then the option for him to do with it what he would.

In the second instance, it told him to, in essence, do his job and protect those that were under his care from perishing.

In this instance, it is leading him unto safety.

In all three of these instances, what do we see? We see that everything that the Word of God has spoken unto Joseph was reasonable. (Not Extraordinary)

Church, I want you to understand something. God most certainly gives us instruction for life in His Word. And I love 1 John 5:3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”

The things that God asks us to do, the commands that God gives unto us, are not only attained by super-Christians - They are obtained by obedient Christians.

(Ill.) I consider the time in which I have spent raising my children. As I look back, there's been many things that I have commanded them to do over the years. And I cannot think of one thing that I asked that was unreasonable.

God commands us to live holy. That’s reasonable. We should live holy as Christians.

God commands us to be separate. That's reasonable. We have a second birth that separates us from the world.

God commands us to go to church. That's reasonable. It doesn't take much effort in America to get to the House of God.

God commands us to study His Word. That's reasonable. The only reason you wouldn't is if you're putting other things before it.

God commands us to win the lost. That's reasonable. It's the least we could do for the one who died for us.

Romans 12:1–2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

We can find peace in the sureness of the Word, knowing that God is not going to require of us anything that is beyond our capability to do.

It’s Right on Time

In each and every instance, the Word of God came right on time as well.

Joseph didn't make a hasty decision when he found out Mary was pregnant. He pondered on it and consulted with the Word of God before he did.

Before Herod sent murderers to Bethlehem, Joseph consulted with the Word of God and found an escape for his family.

Once the coast was clear and Herod was dead, the word of God came right on time and brought him back to the place in which he was destined to be.

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 21:5 “The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; But of every one that is hasty only to want.”

What does this tell us? It tells us that if we will diligently seek the Word of God, God will give us plenty. However, if we make rash decisions without consulting the Word of God, it will lead us to destruction.

Do you have a problem you need solved? Look to the Word of God and find that guidance. God will give you exactly what you need when you need it. If you will diligently seek His face. Proverbs 18:13 “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, It is folly and shame unto him.”

We can have peace because the sureness of the word always comes right on time.

We Find Peace Because of the Sureness of the Word, and…

II. The Superiority of our God

Here I want to speak for a few moments about how my God is bigger and better than the enemy.

Church, make no mistake, we have an enemy, and it's sad that we all too often follow the advice of the enemy who hates us thatn the Word of the God who loves us.

And I want to stop for just a few moments and talk about how my God is bigger than our enemy.

He Outlasts the Enemy (v19)

We are reminded of one In this passage of scripture. who served the enemy well, and that was Herod.

But we see in verse number 19 that Herod died. Guess what? God is still alive.

Church, there's going to come a day when ultimately Satan himself is going to be cast into a lake of fire, never to be heard from again. And guess what? God will still remain!

Church, we can have peace for we know who comes out the victor in the end. ~ Satan may win battles here on earth, but he will not win the war. ~ My God is the Victor now and evermore!

We have peace because our God is superior to the enemy and will outlast him.

He Outwits the Enemy (He is Omniscient) (v22)

We actually will look back to two instances concerning our Lord being omniscient, which means all-knowing, and how He outwits the enemy.

The first was in the second dream. God knew exactly what Satan would prompt Herod to do. Because of that, his words spoke unto Joseph to get Jesus and flee unto Egypt.

Satan could not touch him because God was already three steps ahead.

Then when Archelaus took his father's place, God directed him into the region of Galilee back to Nazareth.

Make no mistake, our enemy is not stupid. Satan, as I have said time and again, is a formidable foe. However, he is no match for our God. He isn't omniscient. He didn't know God's ultimate plan of redemption, but God did!

The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 2:6–8 “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

Satan thought he had it won upon Calvary, but he was playing right into the hand of our God!

We can have peace in knowing that our God is omniscient. He knows what we need not only today but tomorrow. And will supply our needs. Why? Because He outmatches the enemy. He is omnipotent.

He Outmatches the Enemy (He’s Omnipotent)

That word "omnipotent" simply means all-powerful.

Church, know this: Satan has power. The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

Satan is compared to a lion.

In Genesis 3, Satan came in the form of a serpent.

These are deadly animals. And if you try to face Satan on your own, you will fall every time. For you alone are not strong enough to withstand or stand against Satan. (Ill.) That would be like me fighting Mike Tyson. He wouldn't stand a chance!

However, Satan is no match for my God!

And the wonderful thing about it is, if you're a Christian, you have God within you. His power and his might reside within you. The Bible tells us, 1 John 4:4 “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

Let's just recap this for just a moment. We can have peace because of the superiority of our God.

He will endure longer than our enemy.

He is smarter than our enemy.

And he is stronger than our enemy.

Church, I don't know about you, but I can find peace in a God such as that!

We can have peace because of the superiority of our God. He is Greater!

We Find Peace Because of the Sureness of the Word, , The Superiority of our God and…

III. The Salvation in the Christ

Lastly, we want to conclude this message in this series with what the Christmas story is all about. As great as God used Joseph in these passages of Scripture, the story is not about Joseph—it's about Jesus.

I want us to focus for just a moment on the salvation that is in Christ.

He Became Poor that We Might be Rich (v23)

I want us to look at v23 because it's a very interesting verse. Matthew 2:23 “And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.”

If you were to look throughout the Old Testament, you would not find a verse that states that he would come from Nazareth. This point was made a few times in the Bible.

John 7:41 “Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?”

John 7:52 “They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.”

But the thing about it is, this is not describing the place per se but the perception of the person. Nazareth was a place of low degree and of little thought. We also see this described in scripture.

John 1:46 “And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.”

Now when you look back to the prophets, we see the description of the man who would come:

Psalm 22:6 “But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised of the people.”

Isaiah 53:3 “He is despised and rejected of men; A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: And we hid as it were our faces from him; He was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

He certainly was called a ‘Nazarene’ in that he was ‘despised and rejected of men’.

But why do I say all of this? I say all of this so that you may see that the God of glory, whom legions of angels would sing and bow down and worship, would leave a place of honor unto a place of poverty.

He became poor, so that we might be rich.

Notice Some things to notice about that statement: Chief among them is the word "might".

Jesus came not to guarantee you the riches of heaven, but that you might be rich. There is a condition to you becoming rich. And I'm not speaking about the riches of this world. I'm talking about the riches to come in heaven.

If you desire for that when you die, you enter into the gates of eternal peace in heaven, all of that depends on what you do with Jesus.

He became poor, so that we might be rich. He left the glory of heaven to be laid in a manger. 33.5 years later, he would die so that we could live eternally.

He Died so that We could Live Eternally

(Ill.) You've seen those tough bikers with the tattoos that say, "Born to Die." Let me tell you, none of them were actually born to die. They were born to live a wonderful life that God had for them. But few truly realize it.

No, the only person that ever lived that was truly born to die was the Lord Jesus Christ.

We celebrate Christmas because it was the advent in the flesh of our redemption plan.

You and I are sinners, both by nature and by practice. And because of that, we have no right to merit heaven or to enter into the presence of a holy and righteous God.

In fact, the only thing that we merit is judgment and damnation for our sin and rebellion against God.

That's the bad news.

The good news is this: God loves us and he doesn't want us to go to hell. He does not want to judge our sin against us, for he has already in Christ given us a substitute. One to take our punishment. So that we might go free.

Jesus was born of the Virgin, therefore he was not born with the seed of sin.

Jesus lived and was tempted, and yet though he was tempted above measure, he did not yield to sin. So he lived a perfect and righteous life.

Yet, 33 and a half years after the birth of Christ, Jesus died on the cross, a wicked and cruel death, and endured not simply the judgment of man, but the judgment of a holy and righteous God.

The reason why God brought down such fierce judgment upon Jesus was because he was enduring the pain for your sin and mine.

God has made all the preparations for you to live eternally in a place called heaven. There is no more death. There is no more pain, sorrow, or suffering.

He has provided in Christ Jesus a substitute. He took your punishment so that you may take his righteousness.

And the way that that is exchanged is when you simply by faith accept the gift that He is offering you of salvation.

You trust that His sacrifice was enough for your sin, and you put your faith in Him.

And if you will do that, you will most certainly escape the judgment of God, for the penalty has been paid in Jesus, and you will live eternally in heaven by His grace.

You can claim no righteousness of your own. Just humbly accept the gift of a great God through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

He died so that we could live eternally.

Conclusion

Church, let me ask you, do you have peace today?

I want to ask you today, do you have a perfect peace with your salvation? Can you for sure say as I can that if I were to die this very moment, when I close my eyes in death, I will open them and see my Redeemer, and he will take me to heaven?

If the Spirit of God is stirring in your heart and you do not have that peace, now is the time to receive it.

If that's you, I want you to come to me when I say this altar is open. I will show you and I will pray with you, and you can leave here today with assurance that heaven will be your home when you close your eyes on death.

(To the Saint)

Many of you that are here today do have that peace concerning your salvation. But let me ask you this: Do you have peace in your life? Is your faith in the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient One? Or is it that in this hectic holiday season, you're struggling?

The church is a hospital for the sick, not a daycare provider for those that are just playing.

Are you serious about the things of God? Do you want not just the life after death that Christ offers, but the full force of benefits and blessings, such as peace, that you can have right now? If that's you, in just a moment when this invitation music starts, come to the altar. Seek that peace from the Lord. Rededicate your life unto Him. Make it known unto the church.