A Radical Christmas: Radical Obedience

Intro:

Matthew 1:21–23 NKJV

21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

We will continue our Christmas series entitled, [A Radical Christmas]. The subject of my message is [Radical Obedience].

Every Christmas I begin to think back to my childhood. When we get our decorations, it is like a walk down memory lane. Some are too ugly to put out, and others we proudly display!

However, I am reminded of how fortunate I am to have my parents and I am thoroughly appreciative of the way they raised me. Though my childhood doesn’t seem that long ago, by many standards, my raising may seem radical.

Some might have considered my family a Radical Christian family.

We went to church multiple times a week

We attended prayer meetings and revival

My parents helped clean the church

We spoke in tongues

We prayed before school every morning

We were threatened with hell if we lied or disobeyed

We were taught to tithe from the first time we received an allowance

Some of my friends parents didn’t understand my parents and the ways they raised us. However, what many didn’t realize was the radical conversions of my mom and dad.

When my parents came to Christ and were filled with the Holy Spirit, they realized the importance of radical obedience. They trusted in God’s word and obeyed His instructions.

Not long after Dad got saved, he was walking in the neighborhood and a dog tried to attack him. As the dog came running, Dad shouted, in the name of Jesus stop. Suddenly the dogs put its tail between its legs and ran away.

Once he had a disagreement with his brother. While reading his bible, he stumbled upon:

Matthew 5:23–24 NKJV

23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Before he went to church to pay his tithe, Dad called his brother and reconciled with him.He longed to be obedient to Christ.

He shared a story with us that made God real to me as a child. Not long after his conversion, he laid in bed one night and had a vision:

The ceiling split open and he saw heaven. It was bright and Jesus was in the middle. In the bottom corner was a black dot and slowly grew larger until the room became dark and Jesus left and was replaced by Satan.

He explained to us kids how quick sin can overtake our lives if we do not live for Jesus and obey His word.

Some may think, that is pretty radical. But as a child and into adulthood it made the reality of sin real and causes me to want to obey God’s instructions, even if it seems radical!

I do not want to paint the picture that we are a prefect family, far from that. But I see the value of the prophet’s words:

1 Samuel 15:22 NKJV

22 So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.

God wants our obedience. This morning, we will look at another key figure of the Christmas story: Joseph. As we look at his life, we will see the importance of obeying God, even when it seems radical!

God desires that we personally obey Him and that we model radical obedience to our family and friends.

Let’s look at Joseph’s story in three parts, [Joseph’s Decision], [Joseph’s Dream], and [Joseph’s Devotion].

Let’s begin

1. Joseph’s Decision

Matthew 1:18-19

Matthew appears to make an abrupt addition to the story, NOW concerning the brith of Jesus Christ. However, God wanted us to understand the details surrounding the birth of Christ.

When Mary and Joseph were betrothed, something happened: Mary became pregnant. Before we look at how this affected Joseph, let’s discuss ancient marriages.

Jewish marriages happened in three stages:

The meeting

a couple would meet, normally through family connections, the families would enter a contract that included a dowry or payment

The betrothal

the couple did not rush into marriage, but waited at least a few months to a year. The purpose was to make sure that both bride and groom were pure and not marrying because they were expecting.

The wedding ceremony

the couple married in a ceremony that lasted nearly a week.

Mary and Joseph likely knew each other for some time. Furthermore, he loved her. But think of the news, she comes to Joseph to explain, I am with child and it is a result of the Holy Spirit.

Joseph had a difficult decision to make:

He could accept her, assuming she was lying and immoral

He could condemn her and make her a public spectacle and she would be stoned to death because of adultery

He could quietly break their betrothal and send her away hoping the story would die down

Joseph was in a difficult position and he had some hard decisions to make. It is obvious he loved her, for he took time to think about what he needed to do.

He wanted to do what was right by God and by the woman he loved. Therefore, he had a decision.

There are many times we have decisions to make that seem unbearable. If we will call on God, He will speak to us and give us direction.

If we will look in scripture, we will find clear instructions as to what we are to do. However, knowing what to do and doing it are two separate matters.

God wants radical obedience. Jospeh had to make a decision, but God intervened.

2. Joseph’s Dream

Matthew 1:20

Notice how God intervened. While Joseph debated on what to do, the Lord came to him. The fact that God spoke to him shows the great lengths God will go to help us.

However, it also reveals the depths of Jospeh’s despair. We do not know the specifics of Joseph’s thoughts, but we have all been there.

His situation seemed hopeless. Who has been there? We’ve probably all faced situations that kept us awake at night. The burdens that consume our thought behind a smiling facade and the answer, I’m good.

Joseph finally drifted into sleep and He had a dream. An angel came to him with a simple instruction, you can believe Mary. She is with Child and she conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The angel brought further confirmation and provided deeper explanation:

Matthew 1:21-23

Not only would Mary have this child, but you will name Him Jesus because He will give His life to save people from their sins.

Matthew provides clarification to the validity of what Joseph claimed the angel said. Hundreds of years before Mary and Joseph came on the scene, God prophesied about Jesus.

Isaiah 7:14 NKJV

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.

As a faithful Jewish man, Joseph knew the prophecies concerning the Messiah. What Joseph did not understand was in order for the baby, Jesus, to save people for their sins, He had to come LIKE them, but could not be contaminated with sin as them.

Therefore, the virgin Mary, which symbolizes purity, would give birth to the ONLY person ever born into perfection. Jesus never knew sin because He was not born into sin.

Through Joseph’s dream, God shows us something about obedience, we can do what God calls us to do because Jesus is GOD WITH US.

Think of the nearness Joseph felt knowing God was going to be WITH them. No longer would He feel like a distant God way up in heaven. The days would soon end where God would limit Himself to prophets and priests.

No, God began to lay out His plan. Through His son, He would begin the process whereby He would walk with us, live with us, empower us, and never leave us or forsake us.

God imparted divine direction to Joseph’s decision through a supernatural dream. Now, Joseph had to decide, would he obey or disregard God’s revelation?

3. Joseph’s Devotion

Matthew 1:24-25

Joseph woke up from his supernatural dream and knew what needed to happen. He needed to stand by Mary, remain devoted to her and the baby in her womb.

2000 years later, this story is nice and neat. We package it into pictures and nativity scenes. We think of it once a year and box it up, placing it into storage until next Christmas. But the story was far from nice and neat for Joseph.

For some reason I read this story different than I have in the past. Bekah is pregnant with our baby. I was excited when we found out, but it was difficult for me to full understand.

I would tell Bekah, I am so thrilled but I have no way of comprehending what you are going through or feeling, and I never will. I cannot give birth.

It wasn’t until I saw the heartbeat on the ultra sound that it became real. But there are still things I do not get. I have not got nauseous, I still have my appetite and I am showing no swelling or discomfort.

Joseph believed God’s word spoken through the angel, Mary’s conception was supernatural. Therefore, he had all the feelings a first time father has.

But he also had to deal with the knowing looks from nosy neighbors who just didn’t buy their story.

He had to deal with backbiting gossipers who mocked them

He had to deal with condemnation from friends and family.

He had to protect Mary and the baby, all in obedience to God.

And to make matters worse, just as they neared Mary’s due date, a decree went through the land that everyone had to register for the census.

Luke 2:4-7

Joseph took a very pregnant Mary to travel 90 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem. When they arrived, Bethlehem was filled with others who came to the census.

She then gave birth to Jesus. I imagine when Joseph held the Baby, he felt God smile down on him. Why?

He did the hard thing, he submitted to God with RADICAL obedience.

Surely his family and friend assumed he became an extremist. But what other considered radical, Joseph considered obedience.

Close:

Joseph had a difficult decision, but God spoke to him in a dream. The effects of the dream spurred Joseph to total devotion to God.

When I read Joseph’s story, I can’t help but see how vital it is for us. His life deserves more than honorable mention in a Christmas play.

He models what it means to obey God. And when we obey God, we please God.

I find it interesting that Joseph’s story comes after Matthew outlined the genealogy of Christ. Joseph followed a long line of people who learned the value of obeying God.

Abraham— radically obeyed God when he was willing to kill his son at the word of the Lord. God honored his obedience by sparing Isaac and providing a sacrifice.

Isaac—radically obeyed God when he went where God instructed him to go. God honored Isaac by allowing him to sow and reap a hundred fold harvest, receiving God’s blessings.

Jacob— radically obeyed God by committing his future to God, trusting the Lord to forgive his past. God honored Jacob by giving him twelve sons and changing his name to Israel.

Rahab— radically obeyed God by hiding the spies in Jericho. God honored by allowing her to be in the genealogy of Christ, even though she was a prostitute.

Ruth— radically obeyed God by following her mother-in-law Naomi with a promise, where you God, I will go. God honored her by allowing her to marry Boaz and become the great-grandmother of King David.

In each generation God found someone who would obey Him until we arrive to Joseph. He had a decision, will I obey or disobey?

The choice was his. God did not force his obedience. However, He did go to great lengths to get Joseph’s attention, and it worked.

God honored Joseph by allowing him to hold to redeemer of Israel and the Savior of the world in his arms.

Joseph’s story is simply, RADICAL OBEDIENCE is NECESSARY and BENEFICIAL.

Every day we face a life-altering decision, will we live for Jesus or not?

God will not force our love and devotion. He gives us the choice. But He makes the decision clear:

Deuteronomy 30:19 NKJV

19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

God is very clear, He wants obedience. It may seem radical to others, but it is what God wants from us.

Therefore, we must ask ourselves, do I really obey God?

Because our obedience is not just for us, it is for our kids and families.

We can provide the best house, clothes, extracurricular activities, and life, but if we do not teach our families to obey God, we have failed miserably.

Had Joseph disobeyed God, we would know nothing about him. However, he is in the pages of history because he determined to radically obey God.

The way we live, the way we treat God, the way we prioritize God’s house, and our devotion to God will show those we influence whether obedience to God is important or not.

God wants our obedience. And trust me, obeying God may be hard, but it is worth the effort and determination. For when we disobey God it breaks His heart.

We have everything we need to have a strong walk with God at our disposal. Therefore, let’s obey God and:

pray

praise

worship

come to church

read our bibles

tithe

seek Him

and forsake the world

It may seem radical to some, but it is normal in the Kingdom. Obedience is what God wants, will we obey Him?