Christmas Through Joseph's Eyes

Introduction

Can you believe it is December already? Christmas is just around the corner, and we are celebrating our Hanging of the Green Service tonight at 6:00 pm!

Christmas and Easter are my favorite times of the year! I really love to celebrate both holidays.

Sometimes though, in the busy-ness of those seasons, I confess that it is hard to slow down and truly meditate on the wonder of it all.

It is hard to let the message of Christmas and the message of Easter penetrate down deep into my soul, to the place where transformation takes place.

In an effort to help us to be renewed and transformed by the message of Christmas, this season I am going to attempt to remind us of the wonder of it all.

Our sermon series for the next few weeks is titled: The Wonder of Christmas. In this series, we are going to look at the birth that changed everything.

First, we are going to look at the birth of Jesus from the perspective of Joseph, then we are going to see it from Mary’s perspective, next, we are going to view it from place of a manger in Bethlehem, and finally, from the low perspective of Shepherds and the high perspective of Angels on one starry night in Israel.

Philip Brooks, a minister in the late 1800’s, once wrote these words,

He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty. Then for three years he was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house. He never went to college. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where he was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but himself. He was only thirty-three when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. When he was dead, he was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

From the secular perspective, the life of Jesus Christ was not an easy life, it was not a comfortable life, and from all worldly considerations it was not an abundant life.

So how can Mr. Brooks go on to say?

Nineteen centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race….I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man on earth as has that One Solitary Life.

Jesus Christ has had a profound impact upon mankind. In fact, I would suggest that He has had an eternal impact upon mankind.

Left to our own devices, we would be groping around in the darkness, lost and without hope. The great news of the gospel is that we can have hope as we follow Christ.

The Christmas story of Joseph reminds us that to actually follow Jesus is quite difficult.

There is a great irony in the Christian life: following Jesus propels you into a life that is simultaneously the most joyful and the most difficult life on earth.

Jesus promised us life more abundant in John 10:10

John 10:10 ESV

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

But He also called us to pick up our cross and follow after Him in Matthew 16:24

Matthew 16:24 ESV

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Despite this struggle between joy and struggle, the Gospel points us toward a life of persevering Hope.

This morning I would like to share with you the story of that persevering hope from perspective of Joseph.

Please turn in your Bibles to Matthew, Chapter one. We will be starting in verse 18. Please stand in honor of God’s Word!

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.

Here in this passage we find the beginning of a new era in redemptive history as a miraculous conception occurs in the little town of Nazareth in Galilee.

I would like to share with you four reasons why we can have hope even in the midst of difficult situations this Christmas. Why we can follow Jesus even when it is not easy.

If we are going to really follow Jesus in all things, we have to have a strong grip on why He’s worth it.

REASON 1: NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD.

Matthew has just finished giving us a detailed genealogy of Jesus Christ in the first seventeen verses of this gospel.

In verse one of this genealogy, Matthew affirms that Jesus was the son of David which connects His birth with the Davidic Covenant, as well as pointing out that He was the son of Abraham connecting His birth with the Abrahamic Covenant.

Matthew’s most amazing assertion is in labeling Jesus as “the Messiah.” Now in verse 18 we read of the birth of this messiah.

The same word for birth also occurs in verse one for genealogy. The word in the original language is genesis, which as you already know can mean beginning.

This is not only the story of the birth of Jesus, but also the beginning of a new era. Matthew is telling us that Jesus is literally the genesis of new things.

Verse 18 teaches us that Nothing is impossible for God. God is in the business of the supernatural.

Look at verse 18.

Matthew 1:18 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.

Mary and Joseph are in the midst of their betrothal period. This was the first stage of marriage in the Jewish culture.

A young man and his fiancée would get legally married, but would have to wait a year before they were allowed consummate their marriage and live together.

This was practiced in order to make sure the young lady was pure.

You see, in those days, marriages were arranged by parents. When the parents chose a wife for their son they would pay this huge marriage fee, if you will, to the bride’s family.

Naturally, the parents paying the price wanted to make sure that the girl they were marrying their son to was pure, so they required a year of waiting before you could finalize the marriage to make sure she wasn’t impure.

After a year that was clear, so then they could live together and consummate their marriage.

Despite all of this, during the betrothal, they were still considered legally married. So, to get out of their marriage they had to get an official divorce.

Well, during this betrothal period Mary shows up pregnant.

Scripture is clear here in our current passage and even more so in Luke 1:26-37 that this occurred before Joseph and Mary consummated their wedding.

Can you imagine for a minute how painful and embarrassing this was for Joseph?

What would it have been like to hear this from the girl you just married but haven’t been allowed to be with yet?

Naturally, Joseph doesn’t believe her. He’s like, “Oh, right, the Holy Spirit got you pregnant. I bet you have some waterfront property near Babylon you want to sell me too?”

So how can this be? How can an unmarried, young, teenage girl become pregnant?

If we think only on man’s playing field, then we would have to conclude that Mary was not pure. She was guilty of infidelity, or adultery. A crime that was punishable by stoning according to Deut. 22:23-24.

Daniel Akin has said,

The Bible does not present the virgin birth of Jesus as myth, fable, or legend. Rather it presents it as historical fact, a supernatural act of God whereby He invades space and time and comes to live in the midst of His people.

To truly understand this passage we must trust what the Scriptures teach. We must understand that Mary was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.

God had done the impossible. God had supernaturally impregnated Mary’s womb. We will discuss this more next week.

How can we have hope and follow Jesus even in difficult situation?

We can realize that nothing is impossible for God!

REASON 2: GOD IS A RELATIONAL GOD.

God cares about mankind. He demonstrated His love by sending His son to earth to atone for the sins of every man. He is a relational God.

I hope you will see that clearly in the next three verses. Look with me at verses 19-21.

Matthew 1:19–21 ESV

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.”

In these three verses we learn something of the character of Joseph that enabled him to be a man that God could use.

First, notice that Joseph was a righteous man, a just man. He lived in a way that pleased the Lord.

As Mary’s betrothed husband who just discovered that she was with child, Joseph was perplexed, he was presented with a dilemma.

Being a righteous and just man, Joseph did not want to disgrace his wife. He cared for Mary and did not want to see any harm come to her, but at the same time, being a righteous man he could not follow through and marry her, because that would condone what he thinks is Mary’s sin of adultery.

He has only two options in his mind. He could publicly divorce her, and leave her to public disgrace and possibly death.

Or, he could privately divorce her in the presence of two or three discreet witnesses and therefore show mercy to Mary.

Joseph’s character and compassion are revealed in his decision to divorce her privately.

In so doing, Joseph demonstrates for us that our plans are not always God’s plans no matter how righteous they may be.

Beginning in verse 20, God intervenes. God gets real personal with Joseph. God sends an angel to Joseph in a dream.

Here we see a second trait of a man that God could use. God speaks to Joseph and he listens intently. Joseph listened in a way that pleased God.

The angel addresses Joseph as “son of David.” This is the only time in Matthew that this expression is used of anyone other than Jesus.

God is reminding Joseph of the royal line that he is a part of. He is informing him of the significant role that he will play in the arrival of the long expected Davidic Messiah.

The angel then encourages Joseph to take Mary as his wife despite the social stigma that will be attached to him for having a pregnant wife before the betrothal period is over.

Then the angel of the Lord informs Joseph of the miraculous conception that the Holy Spirit has borne in his precious young Mary.

Continuing on in verse 21, the angel declares that she will bear a son. Joseph is then told to name that precious child, Jesus, Yeshua.

What is in that name? Power, Majesty, and glory are found in that name. One day every knee will bow and worship at that name.

Yet there is something more special about that name here in this birth account. You see, Joseph would have immediately recognized the name as “Yahweh is Salvation” or “the Lord saves.”

This was a popular name during this period in history. It was given to sons as a symbolic hope for Yahweh’s anticipated Messianic Salvation.

But here the angel cuts to the heart of the matter when he says, “for He will save His people from their sins.”

The angel declares that the people are His people. This unborn baby would be the sovereign over a multitude of people.

This unborn baby would save His people. What is Jesus supposed to save them from? THEIR SINS! Not the sins of their parents and grandparents. Their very own sins!

Not one of us in this place is without sin in our lives. Each of us have our very own sins. Jesus came to provide a way of forgiveness and restoration with the Father. He came to save us from our very own sins.

Joseph immediately understood the messianic ramifications of the angel’s message.

Joseph had his own plan to send Mary away quietly, but because God is a relational God, He spoke to Joseph, giving him a glimpse into God’s eternal plan of redemption. Wow!

Brothers are we men who live righteously and justly with others? Do we listen when God speaks to us? Are we men that God can use?

How can we have hope and follow Jesus even in difficult situations?

We can realize that our God is a relational God who cares for His people.

REASON 3: WHAT GOD PROMISES, HE WILL DELIVER.

When God makes a promise, you can take it to the bank. He will deliver good on His promises.

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

Isaiah 55:11 ESV

11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

The Angel reminds Joseph of one of God’s most obscure OT promises.

Matthew 1:22–23 ESV

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).

Isaiah 7:14 is the promise, Matthew 1:23 is God delivering the promised outcome.

Matthew is teaching us here the dual nature of Christ. The truth that He is 100% God and 100% Man. He is the God-Man! In verse 23, we see that there will be a child born of a virgin. He would be a boy. A human boy! A 100% Human Boy!

But also notice the name he would be given “Immanuel” which means “God with us” The Angel reveals Jesus’ full identity. He is the incarnate one! He is God with us!

John 1:14 ESV

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

You may be wondering, why are two names given? It is simply to define Christ for us!

Jesus means “Yahweh Saves,” which describes what Jesus would do and has done.

Immanuel means “God with us,” which describes who Jesus is. Jesus is the God-Man who descended from heaven save us from our sin! God made a promise and He kept it.

How can we have hope and follow Jesus even in difficult situations?

We can trust that what God promises, He will deliver.

REASON 4: GOD HONORS OUR OBEDIENCE.

As any father expects his children to obey him, God expects our obedience, as His children.

Guess what! Not only does God expect our obedience. God is honored when we actually obey him.

The same Joseph that was pondering over how to act upon the news of Mary’s pregnancy, we suddenly find leaping into action.

We see that Joseph set a model for obedience that we would be wise to imitate in our own lives. He is not simply an inspiring hero of the past, but a compelling example for the present.

Matthew 1:24 ESV

24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife,

His obedience was immediate! There was no delay, no pondering the decision to obey or not to obey, no debating the consequences, simply active obedience.

Did Joseph understand everything that was being asked of him? Of course not! But then, he did not have too!

When God gives us something to do, We do it! Whether we understand it completely or not!

Matthew 1:25 ESV

25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

His obedience was complete. What he had been commanded to do, he did!

He didn’t touch is wife in an intimate sense for almost a year. So not only did he wait part of a year in the betrothal period; he waited another year in Mary’s pregnancy. Then, He named his son, Jesus. That, my friends, is complete obedience.

Joseph was a righteous and just man. He was a man that was full of character and compassion. He was a man that was obedient to his God.

God honored that man with the privilege of raising the Son of God!

How can we have hope and follow Jesus even in difficult situations?

We can trust that God will honor our obedience to Him.

Conclusion

Remember, Nothing is impossible with God! You have problems and hurts this morning! Things that seem impossible to handle! Turn them over to Christ!

Remember that God is a relational God! He loves you and wants to see you become all that you can be! He wants you to know Him! Do you know Him this morning? Listen to his word! He promises to be our God and to save us from a destruction that we created.

Remember that He keeps those promises friends!

Remember that He only asks that we would believe Him and be obedient to what He asks of us!

He is a gracious God. He wants you to know that this Christmas Season! How awesome is it that a couple of nobodies as far as society was concerned would be blessed with the privilege to be the mother and father of the King of Kings and Prince of Peace.

Two last questions:

1. What would have happened had Joseph not chosen this route?

If he’d chosen the easy route—not believed the angel; divorced Mary and cast her aside; married a different girl.

You know, He probably would have married another nice girl; had a nice little carpentry business. But he would have missed out on Jesus.

2. What happens if you choose the easy life?

You choose not to forgive.

You choose not to sacrifice.

You too, may miss out on Jesus and His plan for your life!

Joseph’s life reminds us that following Jesus is worth all the pain, all the trials, and even death if it comes. Following Jesus is worth it all!