The Servant Example of Joseph (2)

Viewing Christmas with a Servant's Heart  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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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.
WE STARTED THIS SERIES A COUPLE WEEKS AGO ASKING THE QUESTION, “WHAT WILL YOU DO TO LEVERAGE CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR?”
WHAT WILL YOU DO TO MAKE SURE THAT CHRISTMAS IS NOT JUST ANOTHER HOLIDAY, BUT THAT IT IS A SEASON OF SERVICE?
A SEASON IN WHICH YOUR OBEDIENCE AND SERVICE CAN BE USED BY THE LORD FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT.
OUR CHRISTMAS SERIES IS ENTITLED “VIEWING CHRISTMAS WITH A SERVANTS HEART,” AND WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE CHARACTERS OF THE CHRISTMAS ACCOUNT TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE WAYS THEY SERVED THE LORD.
HOPEFULLY, IT WILL HELP US THINK ABOUT SOME WAYS WE CAN SERVE THE LORD IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO CHRISTMAS.
LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND AS WE GET STARTED.
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. YOU CAN 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 CONDUIT OF 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. YOU CAN BE A CONDUIT OF PROTECTION. ()
a. JOSEPH’S OBEDIENCE SERVED TO PROTECT HIS FAMILY, SPECIFICALLY THE TODDLER JESUS, FROM HEROD’S SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS.
i. BECAUSE JOSEPH WAS A SERVANT OF THE LORD, HE WAS CONDITIONED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE WARNINGS GOD GAVE.
ii. THE FLIGHT TO EGYPT WAS JOSEPH’S OBEDIENT RESPONSE TO THE WARNING ISSUED BY GOD THROUGH THE ANGEL OF THE LORD.
b. HE PROTECTED HIS FAMILY BY LISTENING TO THE LORD.
i. WHEN I THINK ABOUT JOSEPH’S OBEDIENCE AND THE WAY HE PROTECTED HIS FAMILY, I’M REMINDED OF AN ARTICLE I READ THE OTHER DAY BY TIM ELMORE.
ii. THE ARTICLE IS TITLED “ARE YOU PROTECTING YOUR KIDS FROM REALITY OR PREPARING THEM FOR LIFE?”
iii. AND IN THE ARTICLE, ELMORE POINTS OUT SOME OF THE DANGEROUS ATTITUDES THAT PARENTS HAVE TOWARD THE PROTECTION OF THEIR CHILDREN.
iv. IT’S KIND OF A “WHAT PROTECTING YOUR KIDS DOES NOT LOOK LIKE” ARTICLE.
v. HERE ARE SOME THINGS HE POINTS OUT AS ACTIONS PARENTS TAKE, THINKING THAT THEY ARE PROTECTING THEIR CHILDREN, WHICH MAY ACTUALLY BE DOING THEM HARM.
vi. READ POINTS IN ARTICLE:
c. JOSEPH’S OBEDIENCE SERVED TO PROTECT HIS FAMILY FROM A CREDIBLE THREAT.
d. AND IF WE RIGHTLY UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES OF SCRIPTURE, AND OBEY THE LORD, WE CAN PROTECT OUR FAMILIES FROM CREDIBLE THREATS AS WELL.
e. WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE THREATS REALLY ARE.
f. APPLICATION: YOUR OBEDIENCE AND WILLINGNESS TO SERVE MIGHT PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR SOMEONE IN NEED.
g. SO YOU CAN BE, NOT ONLY A CONDUIT OF BLESSING, BUT ALSO A CONDUIT OF PROTECTION…AND THEN FINALLY…
3. YOU CAN BE A CONDUIT OF DEPLOYMENT. ()
a. JOSEPH’S OBEDIENCE REMINDS US THAT SOMETIMES GOD MOVES PEOPLE FOR A PURPOSE.
b. JOSEPH’S OBEDIENCE RESULTED IN JESUS GROWING UP IN NAZARETH.
c. GALILEE WAS AN OUT-OF-THE WAY ROMAN PROVINCE, FAR FROM THE CENTERS OF RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL POWER IN JERUSALEM.
d. AND IN THE PROVINCE OF GALILEE WAS THE VILLAGE OF NAZARETH.
e. NAZARETH WAS A VILLAGE WITH A POOR REPUTATION.
i. – NATHANAEL SAID TO HIM, “CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME OUT OF NAZARETH?”
f. IT WAS A ROMAN MILITARY POST WITH ALL THE TRAPPINGS OF A TYPICAL ROMAN MILITARY POST.
g. BUT IT WAS THE PLACE FROM WHICH GOD WOULD DEPLOY JESUS.
h. 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.
i. IN THIS SURROUNDING, JESUS LEARNED TO UNDERSTAND AND HAVE COMPASSION ON THE SICK AND SINFUL PEOPLE AROUND HIM.
i. – AND THE CHILD GREW AND BECAME STRONG, FILLED WITH WISDOM. AND THE FAVOR OF GOD WAS UPON HIM.
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. JOSEPH’S OBEDIENCE TO THE WARNINGS OF THE LORD RESULTED IN HIS FAMILY RELOCATING TO NAZARETH, WHICH GOD THEN USED TO PREPARE JESUS FOR MINISTRY.
l. APPLICATION: WHEN WE CHOOSE TO SURRENDER OUR LIVES AS SERVANTS, WE ARE OFTEN UNAWARE OF THE RESIDUAL IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF OTHERS.
i. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU ARE DOING TO HELP PREPARE YOUR CHILDREN TO BE DEPLOYED IN THE SERVICE OF THE LORD?
ii. COULD IT BE THAT GOD HAS YOU HERE, IN THIS GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION, BECAUSE HE HAS A GREAT PURPOSE FOR YOU, OR FOR YOUR FAMILY?
iii. MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT GOD IS ONLY PLEASED WITH US IF WE CARRY OUT SOME MONUMENTAL TASK IN HIS NAME, BUT WHAT I’VE FOUND AS I’VE STUDIED SCRIPTURE IS THAT SERVANTHOOD BEGINS AT HOME.
iv. HERE’S SOMETHING THAT MAY SHOCK YOU: IN HIS LIFETIME, JESUS’ TRAVELS WERE WITHIN 100 MILES OF HIS HOMETOWN.
m.SO SERVICE HAS TO BEGIN AT HOME.
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 DEPLOYMENT, 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…
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