What do you expect?

Are you excited for Christmas? I know I am, and consider how much anticipation the people in the narrative were living in....

Expectations - why did Jospeh live a life of obedience? Why did he respond to God’s word through the prophets and Gods word through the angels? How did he persevere through the burdens Gods calling brought him to?

What brought you here today, why do you live the life you do daily? All of life is about expectations...

How do our expectations affect our experiences?

Not everyone who experienced Jesus embraced Jesus, why?

Matthew 1:18–25 CSB

The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit. So her husband Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly. But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.” When Joseph woke up, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him. He married her but did not have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to a son. And he named him Jesus.

22-23 immanuel - God with us. Gods presence is what makes ppl prosper. The most blessed ppl ever were in history was the garden, God with us means we will prosper regardless of our circumstances. Example Jospeh in Genesis

21-23

Jesus specified what he does (God saves) Immanuel specifies who He is (God with us)

Matthew concludes his gospel with this same theme, Jesus promises I will Be with you always 28:20.

Expectations:

Past

1 Based on past

Not just promises experiences

Character - truth and love, patience ()

Balances faithfulness with compassion. Unlike the religious elite Jesus contends with later, “Joseph’s righteousness was guided by the goals and values of the law which include compassion and mercy as an expression of God’s will.” Purity of life and compassion of heart.

Micah 6:8 CSB

Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.

- do justly love mercy Walk humbly.

- do justly love mercy Walk humbly.

Gods word guides his actions not his circumstances. The law, the messages from the angels.

Present

2 Guides Present response

Its cumulative (experience and expectation)

Obedient - lives obedient life previously, out of obedience he was weighing righteousness and love, responded to God’s message through the angel with obedience here and in Bethlehem and Egypt

Postponed

3 Hope of future fulfillment

It involves you but it doesn’t depend on you!

Legacy - step father of Jesus, father of James and Jude, leaders in the church who wrote books in the New Testament.

Slow and steady - decided to divorce quietly.

Advice of James quick to understand slow to speak to anger slow.

Joseph’s character as a single man made him a great husband and father. He was already what they needed, then through experience and continued relationship with God he progressed.

Circumstances didn’t define Him obedience/relationships did.

,, Persevere - It involves you but doesn’t depend on you!