Josephs Saves the Savior

Context

Today’s lesson comes from the second chapter of the gospel of Matthew. It is a series of vignette’s from the very earliest years of Christ’s life. The central figure in the stories is Jesus’ father, Joseph.

Let me catch us up to the events.

Joseph was engaged to by married to Mary, when she was discovered to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Joseph, reluctant to intrude upon the divine event, resolved to put end their relationship quietly but an angel of God assured him and called him to become her husband and the foster-father of the Son of God, whom he must name Jesus, for he would save his people from their sins. This Joseph did.

Then, there was a census, and Joseph had to take the pregnant Mary to Bethlehem. There she gave birth to her firstborn and Joseph named him Jesus.

Not long after, wise men came from the East, looking for the child, for they had seen his sign in the stars. When the pseudo-king, Herod, learned from the wise men that the long-expected “King of the Jews” had been born, he tried to trick the visitors into leading him to the Christ-child, so that he could murder him. But he failed in the rouse, for after the wise men visited the Child, they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod and they departed the country another way.

Now we pick up the story.

Text

Matthew 2:13–23 “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.”

Introduction

We don’t often hear Scripture lessons that focus on Joseph. As a result, we can have a deficient appreciation of him.

Matthew focuses on the role essential role Joseph played in the birth and developmental years of Jesus.

In this short collection of events we see that Joseph protected, provided for, and prepared the Christ, during the his most vulnerable years.

I want us to see that the Joseph serves as a role-model for us. At Christmas we welcome the Christ into our lives. Like Joseph, we are to protect, provide for, and develop that relationship.

Exegesis 1: Joseph protects Jesus from Herod

Matthew 2:13 “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.””

An angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream and reveals to Joseph the immediate future: Herod is about to come searching for the child with murderous intent.

Waking from the dream, Joseph did not delay. He took immediate action. Just as he was obedient to the angel in taking Mary to be his wife, no questions asked, no delay, no hesitation, so now Joseph did not doubt or question. He took the child and his mother (Mary) and departed by night.

There is not recorded words from Mary, but compliance. She recognized that while her gift was to bear the Christ child, Joseph’s vocation was to protect him. He said, Arise let us go hence at the word of the angel for the boy is in danger, and she moved with him as one.

We can imagine that they hastily gathered up their belongings and set out southward toward Egypt.

It was a long and dangerous journey. God could have whisked them away, but instead they made the journey. God transported the prophet. Transported Philip. But did not transport the Child.

Joseph at time bore him to his own breast. Angels and all would have loved to intervene, but to Joseph it was honored to bear the Christ child. To protect what Mary had born. That given to Man, man should protect him. Just as honorable to protect something as to build it.

Joseph saved Jesus, just as later Jesus was save him. Joseph saved Christ from a sinner — Herod — Jesus would save Joseph from sin.

O the Honor of Saving the Christ child! O the humility of the Savior to be saved by the one he would save.

For he who saves and those who are saved have one nature. For it was fitting that he be made like those whom he saves. Hebrews 2:11 “For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,”

O in heaven they could each say to the other: thank you for saving me!

Application 1: We should protect our relationship with Jesus

At Christmas time we remember that God sent his Son to us.

He comes to each of us by faith. He takes up residence in our hearts.

He saves us from our sins.

He gives us the honor of saving him too.

There are forces all around us that want to harm or even kill the Jesus in our hearts.

We should not expose him to danger, but protect him.

Example: watching a movie that I should not. I have a right to not watch that movie. Damaging to my emotions or morals.

Things that are damaging to my relationship with Christ. The angel of the Lord, through conscience says, flee this. Don’t do this. We must listen. Clutch Jesus to our hearts and journey with him.

Give me Jesus, You can have all the rest of this world. Forsaking all I choose him.

In the middle of the night. Conscience. The angel. What do you need to protect Christ in you from? So that he can in turn also save you?

Exegesis 2: Joseph provides for Jesus in Egypt

Joseph takes Jesus and Mary to Egypt. There he carves out a life for them.

He had probably brought with him his go-bag of tools. Started work as a carpenter, his trade. Built new clientele. Put food on the table, roof over the head, of Jesus and Mary.

Heard the woes of lament from Bethlehem and the surrounding region.

Grieved in his heart for the children and their fathers and mothers. This tempered his own hardships with gratitude, for Jesus was alive. Jesus would yet have a ministry ahead of him. His mission to bring forgiveness to the world was still viable. His mission to right the kind of wrongs being perpetrated against the innocents, was still intact.

Draw a connection now between Joseph the father of David and the Joseph that lived in Egypt as a stranger so many centuries earlier. Also a dreamer.

We are told about Joseph in the book of Genesis. He was sold into slavery by his brothers. He was taken dow to Egypt where he rose from servitude to the right hand of Pharoah because God revealed things to him in his dreams. Joseph dreamed that there would be a famine in Egypt and all over the region. So for seven years Joseph collected and stored grain. Then when the famine struck, he opened the granaries and gave the people grain to make bread. His brothers came to buy grain and discovered that their brother Joseph was now the vizier of Egypt. Joseph said to them, “What you intended for evil, God meant for good, and for the salvation of many.”

Jospeh the father of Jesus fulfills the sign of that ancient Joseph. Evil propelled the father of Jesus into Egypt. But there in Egypt, Joseph gathered Jesus into safety. Jesus is the True Bread from Heaven that will give life to the world. Joseph stores Jesus up during their time in Egypt to give him to a spiritually hungry world when the time would be right. Herod meant the flight for evil, but God meant it for good and for the salvation of many.

Application 2: We should provide for our relationship with Jesus.

Having received Christ, we are made into a sojourner people. In the world, but not of the world. We have been made the Holy Family.

We want to nurture Jesus in our lives. Provide for him to live.

Bible Study — share the Word, the bread, if you don’t know it.

Worship — can’t share the praise of God, if you are despondent.

Fellowship — can’t share love, if you are not in relationships.

Our lives, our church, we are storing up the Bread of Heaven, to give to the world.

Today we have communion. the bread of life. We give to all who will come.

Exegesis 3: Joseph prepares Jesus in Nazareth

After some time in Egypt an angel again appears in a dream to Joseph again.

Matthew 2:19–20 “But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.””

Again, Joseph is promptly obedient. He takes Jesus and Mary to to Israel. Probably thought to resume life in the area of Bethlehem or near to Elizabeth and Zechariah.

En route discovers that Archelaus, a son of Herod is in power. Just as dangerous as his father.

Joseph again is warned in a dream and diverts to Nazareth, in the north in the region of Galilee.

All the steps thus far have confirmed prophecy — out of Egypt I called my son. Rachel crying for her children. This move too a fulfillment of prophecy.

Actually an mix of prophecies.

Isaiah 9:1–2 “….in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.”

Nazareth sounds like Nazar (fem: Nazareth) branch, Isaiah 11:1 “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.”

Fulfillment that the Messiah would fulfills the kingdom of David, from obscure origins.

There Jesus would remain with Joseph and Mary for his growing up years.

Taught that he was special.

Taught to pray and act on prayer. I always do what pleases my heavenly father.

Taught to value children

Taught to value foreigners.

Taught that this world was hostiel, his day would come on God’s terms, that his kingdom was not of this world.

Matthew ends on a shift of focus from Joseph, to Jesus’ ministry that would emerge because Joseph named him, protected him, provided for him, and raised him.

Application 3: we should prepare to share in Jesus’ ministry.

Like Joseph, we are not the focus. Jesus is. The product of our labors is Jesus’ ministry going on beyond us.

We may be obscure in this large world, but that is okay. Joseph just wanted Jesus’ ministry to succeed.

That is what we are to want.

Share in his ongoing mission to the world. Spending time with Jesus, years to understand what is his mission. Not making him part of our mission, but focusing on his mission.

Conclusion

I want us to see that the Joseph serves as a role-model for us. At Christmas we welcome the Christ into our lives. Like Joseph, we are to protect, provide for, and develop that relationship.