The Servant Example of Joseph

VIEWING CHRISTMAS WITH A SERVANT’S HEART

JOSEPH’S EXAMPLE OF SERVICE

INTRODUCTION:

BIG IDEA: JOSEPH IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF SERVICE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY. HE OBEYED THE ANGEL OF THE LORD (WHO WAS GIVING THE LORD’S INSTRUCTION) ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS.

ETS: JOSEPH’S DECISIONS (PLURAL) TO OBEY THE VOICE OF GOD THROUGH THE ANGEL OF THE LORD, RESULTED IN HIM BEING A CONDUIT OF BLESSING (BECAUSE HE DID NOT REJECT MARY AS HIS WIFE), A CONDUIT OF PROTECTION FOR JESUS AS A YOUNG CHILD (WHEN HE TOOK JESUS TO EGYPT TO AVOID HEROD’S SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS), AND A CONDUIT FOR PLACEMENT (WHEN HE RELOCATED HIS FAMILY TO NAZARETH, ALLOWING JESUS TO DEVELOP IN HIS EARLY YEARS IN THAT COMMUNITY).

ESS: WHEN A PERSON CHOOSES TO SERVE THE LORD, THEY BECOME A CONDUIT FOR BLESSING, THEY SECURE THE PROTECTION OF THE LORD, AND THEY GET IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

HOW WILL YOU LEVERAGE CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY LEVERAGE CHRISTMAS?

THE WORD LEVERAGE MEANS TO USE SOMETHING TO ITS MAXIMUM ADVANTAGE.

SO HOW WILL YOU USE THE INCARNATION ACCOUNT TO MAXIMUM ADVANTAGE FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD?

ONE WAY YOU CAN DO THIS IS FIND WAYS TO BE THE LORD’S SERVANT DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR.

OUR CHRISTMAS SERIES IS ENTITLED “VIEWING CHRISTMAS WITH A SERVANTS HEART,” AND WHAT I WANT TO DO IS TRY TO HIGHLIGHT THE WAYS THAT DIFFERENT CHARACTERS IN THE CHRISTMAS ACCOUNT SERVED THE LORD.

HOPEFULLY, IT WILL HELP US THINK ABOUT SOME WAYS WE CAN SERVE THE LORD IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO CHRISTMAS.

SET-UP:

TO UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SOME STATEMENTS IN THIS PASSAGE, IT IS NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND THE JEWISH MARRIAGE CUSTOMS OF THE DAY.

THE BRIDE AND GROOM WENT THROUGH A PERIOD OF BETROTHAL OR ENGAGEMENT.

IN THAT CULTURE AND TIME, BETROTHAL WAS VIRTUALLY AS BINDING AS MARRIAGE.

IN THIS WAITING PERIOD, MARY WAS FOUND TO BE PREGNANT.

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT THAT THE CHRIST, THE PROMISED KING, BE BORN TO A VIRGIN?

THE VIRGIN BIRTH IS MORE THAN A MIRACLE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE UNIQUE NATURE OF THIS CHILD.

BECAUSE MARY WAS A VIRGIN, ONLY GOD COULD HAVE BEEN THE FATHER OF JESUS, MAKING JESUS THE ONE AND ONLY GOD-MAN IN ALL THE UNIVERSE.

SO GOD CHOSE MARY TO BE THE ONE TO GIVE BIRTH TO THE MESSIAH…

AND HE CHOSE JOSEPH TO BE THE EARTHLY FATHER OF THE MESSIAH.

HERE IS SOMETHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT JOSEPH:

- HE WAS A JUST MAN. (VERSE 19)

o HE WAS OBVIOUSLY DISPLEASED WITH THE DISCOVERY OF MARY’S PREGNANCY, BUT STILL HE DID NOT WANT TO EXPOSE HER PUBLICLY.

§ POSSIBLY DUE IN PART TO THE FACT THAT SHE COULD BE STONED TO DEATH FOR VIOLATING THE MOSAIC LAW HAVING TO DO WITH SEXUAL MISCONDUCT.

·

§ BUT ALSO BECAUSE HE LOVED MARY, AND HE WAS A MAN OF INTEGRITY.

- AND BECAUSE JOSEPH WAS A MAN OF INTEGRITY, A JUST MAN, WE CAN LOOK TO HIS EXAMPLE OF SERVICE AND HOPEFULLY IDENTIFY WAYS WE TOO CAN SERVE OTHERS, AND IN SO DOING, SERVE THE LORD DURING THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON.

1. A SERVANT’S HEART ENABLES A PERSON TO BE A CONDUIT OF BLESSING. ()

a. JOSEPH’S OBEDIENCE RESULTED IN THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PLAN FOR THE REDEMPTION OF MANKIND.

b. – 14 THEREFORE THE LORD HIMSELF WILL GIVE YOU A SIGN. BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL CONCEIVE AND BEAR A SON, AND SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL.

c. DON’T THINK FOR A MOMENT THAT IF JOSEPH HAD REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE WORD OF THE ANGEL THAT GOD’S REDEMPTIVE PLAN WOULD HAVE BEEN THWARTED, BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY THAT COULD HAPPEN.

d. BUT GOD CHOSE TO USE JOSEPH TO BE A BLESSING TO ALL OF HUMANITY THROUGH THE BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH.

e. JOSEPH’S WILLINGNESS TO MAKE THE BEST OF A BAD SITUATION MEANT THAT HE WOULD BE USED OF THE LORD TO BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS.

f. APPLICATION: YOUR OBEDIENCE AND WILLINGNESS TO SERVE WILL ENABLE YOU TO BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS, AND YOU WILL BE BLESSED YOURSELF.

2. A SERVANT’S HEART ENABLES A PERSON TO BE A CONDUIT OF PROTECTION. ()

a. JOSEPH’S OBEDIENCE RESULTED IN THE FULFILLMENT OF HOSEA’S PROPHECY ABOUT THE MESSIAH.

b. – 1 WHEN ISRAEL WAS A CHILD, I LOVED HIM, AND OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.

c. IT ALSO SERVED TO PROTECT HIS FAMILY, SPECIFICALLY THE TODDLER JESUS, FROM HEROD’S SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS.

d. THERE IS A DIVINE PROTECTION THAT SURROUNDS FAITHFUL SERVANTS OF THE LORD.

i. CERTAINLY, THE LORD CAN ALLOW THAT PROTECTION TO BE PENETRATED, AS HE DID IN THE CASE OF JOB, BUT UNLESS THE REMOVAL OF THAT PROTECTION IS PART OF GOD’S GREATER PLAN, AS IT WAS IN THE CASE OF JOB, GOD PROTECTS THOSE WHO SERVE HIM.

ii. AND HE PROVIDES PROTECTIVE DIRECTION FOR HIS SERVANTS.

iii. IN THE CASE OF JOSEPH, HE SENT AN ANGEL TO WARN JOSEPH OF THE IMPENDING DANGER FROM HEROD.

iv. I NEED TO WARN YOU THOUGH, GOD IS STILL NO FAN OF FOOLISH, DANGEROUS, SINFUL BEHAVIOR.

v. BUT HE DOES PROTECT THOSE WHO SERVE HIM.

e. APPLICATION: YOUR OBEDIENCE AND WILLINGNESS TO SERVE MIGHT PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR SOMEONE IN NEED.

3. A SERVANT’S HEART ENABLES A PERSON TO BE A CONDUIT OF PLACEMENT. ()

a. JOSEPH’S OBEDIENCE RESULTED IN JESUS GROWING UP IN NAZARETH.

b. WHICH ALSO RESULTED IN HIM BEING REFERRED TO AS A “NAZARENE.

c. ONE OF THE MOST WELL-KNOWN STATEMENTS USING THIS TERM IS FOUND IN …

d. – 66 AND AS PETER WAS BELOW IN THE COURTYARD, ONE OF THE SERVANT GIRLS OF THE HIGH PRIEST CAME, 67 AND SEEING PETER WARMING HIMSELF, SHE LOOKED AT HIM AND SAID, “YOU ALSO WERE WITH THE NAZARENE, JESUS.”

e. GALILEE WAS AN OUT-OF-THE WAY ROMAN PROVINCE, FAR FROM THE CENTERS OF RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL POWER IN JERUSALEM.

f. GOD APPARENTLY WANTED THE JESUS’ BEGINNINGS TO BE QUIET AND UNNOTICED, WHERE HE WOULD GROW TO MATURITY AMONG THE COMMON PEOPLE WHOM HE HAD COME TO SAVE.

g. NAZARETH WAS A VILLAGE WITH A POOR REPUTATION.

i. – NATHANAEL SAID TO HIM, “CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME OUT OF NAZARETH?”

h. IT WAS A ROMAN MILITARY POST WITH ALL THE TRAPPINGS OF A TYPICAL ROMAN MILITARY POST.

i. IN THIS SURROUNDING, JESUS LEARNED TO UNDERSTAND AND HAVE COMPASSION ON THE SICK AND SINFUL PEOPLE AROUND HIM (SEE ).

j. ALTHOUGH THE TURN OF EVENTS IN JOSEPH’S RETURN WITH HIS FAMILY TO ISRAEL MAY SEEM HAPHAZARD, GOD HAD A PURPOSE IN EVERY DETAIL.

k. MATTHEW USES THE FORMULA “IN ORDER TO FULFILL” THIRTEEN TIMES IN HIS GOSPEL.

l. AMONG THEM, IS UNIQUE. IT REFERS TO THE PROPHETS.

m. THIS PLURAL USAGE UNDERSTAND THAT MATTHEW IS NOT QUOTING ANY ONE PROPHET IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

n. WHAT MATTHEW IS COMMUNICATING IS NOT A WORD-FOR-WORD QUOTE FOUND IN A SPECIFIC CHAPTER AND VERSE, BUT A THEME SUPPORTED THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT.

o. BY THE TIME MATTHEW WROTE HIS ACCOUNT, THE WORD NAZARENE HAD BECOME A WORD THAT DESCRIBED ANYTHING DESPISED AND SCORNED.

p. SO WHEN HE IS REFERRED TO AS A NAZARENE, AND WHEN HIS FOLLOWERS ARE REFERRED TO AS PART OF THE SECT OF THE NAZARENES, IT IS INTENDED TO BE AN INSULT.

q. APPLICATION: WHEN WE CHOOSE TO SURRENDER OUR LIVES AS SERVANTS, WE ARE OFTEN UNAWARE OF THE RESIDUAL IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF OTHERS.

CONCLUSION:

JOSEPH’S DECISIONS (PLURAL) TO OBEY THE VOICE OF GOD THROUGH THE ANGEL OF THE LORD…

RESULTED IN HIM BEING A CONDUIT OF BLESSING (BECAUSE HE DID NOT REJECT MARY AS HIS WIFE),

IT RESULTED IN HIM BECOMING A CONDUIT OF PROTECTION FOR JESUS AS A YOUNG CHILD (WHEN HE TOOK JESUS TO EGYPT TO AVOID HEROD’S SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS)…

AND IT RESULTED IN HIM BECOMING A CONDUIT FOR PLACEMENT (WHEN HE RELOCATED HIS FAMILY TO NAZARETH, ALLOWING JESUS TO DEVELOP IN HIS EARLY YEARS IN THAT COMMUNITY).

BY CHOOSING TO SERVE THE LORD, YOU CAN BECOME A CONDUIT FOR BLESSING, YOU CAN BECOME A CONDUIT FOR PROTECTION, AND YOU CAN BECOME A CONDUIT FOR PLACEMENT, EITHER FOR YOURSELF, OR FOR SOMEONE ELSE.

BUT IN ORDER TO BECOME A SERVANT OF THE LORD, YOU MUST FIRST BECOME A FOLLOWER OF THE LORD…