Hearts Prepared for the Unusual

Introduction

You’d be hard pressed to find a more backwater town in the whole land of Israel. Up to our point in the story, it had never produced a great leader; never produced a prominent person. Not mentioned in the Old Testament. Not in the right region; not even respected in the wrong region

John 1:46 CSB

“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him. “Come and see,” Philip answered.

Nathanel was from another insignificant town in Galilee - only made famous when Jesus would do his first miracle there. Yet, he felt confident enough to look down on Nazareth as a nothing place.

Despite all of this, probably a good place to live. Nazareth is situated in a high valley among the most S limestone hills of the Lebanon range. To the S there is a sharp drop down to the plain of Esdraelon. The base of the valley is 1200 feet above sea level, about the same as Nashville, TN. Steep hills rise up on the N and E sides, while on the W side they reach up to 1600 feet and command an impressive view. Little bowl – great climate. Producing fruit

The main road for traffic between Egypt and the interior of Asia passed by Nazareth near the foot of Mt Tabor, and on northward to Damascus.

This is an unlikely spot for greatness – yet at an important time in history – 2 great hearts – 2 hearts ready for the unusual.

If you’re going to understand the story, one other fact to remember. No word from God for 400 years. No prophets; few synagogues with scrolls; no personal Bible.

So listen to what happens…

1. A girl confronted with the impossible

Luke 1:26–29

Luke 1:26–29 CSB

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be.

OK- Who is this?

Age (Youth listen up) In the Jewish world girls would be betrothed around their twelfth or thirteenth year, and they married soon afterwards. The marrying age for men was between sixteen and eighteen years. We tend to find this unusual and to some extent shocking. Need to understand life…life as it was. Life expectancy between 25-45. (In 1900 44 was life expectancy for a man in the US).

Spiritual background – active in synagogue. Heard about angels; but no one has seen one for 400 years – greatly troubled.

Message? Luke 1:30–33

Luke 1:30–33 CSB

Then the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”

Luke 1:34–37

Luke 1:34–37 CSB

Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Explanation and contemplation Young, but able to size up the situation. She can see the problems that this will bring her life. Possible stoning; life of disrepute.

Luke 1:38

Luke 1:38 CSB

“See, I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

2. A boy confronted with the unbelievable

Matthew 1:18–19

Matthew 1:18–19 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.

See! God allowed the problem that Mary feared. Probably revealed to mother who passed it to Joseph’s mother. Would have had the major roles in these arranged marriages that by this time included the desires of the couple.

Betrothal - The central ritual of the marriage ceremony itself was the symbolic bringing of the bride into the groom’s house, followed by great rejoicing. Wife, but not together. Works to prepare the family home.

OK…Who is this? Righteous man. Faith, synagogue – solid – worker

Merciful -Contemplates and makes a decision – cannot marry a woman who has been immoral, but I do not want harm to come to this one that I’ve loved.

Matthew 1:20–23

Matthew 1:20–23 CSB

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.”

What a dream!

-Joseph must believe that God would speak to him on the basis of a dream though no one he knows has ever heard from God this way – except Mary – and you can be sure she’s not talking about what she heard.

- Joseph must believe, on the basis of a dream, this unbelievable story.

But he did know the prophecies - did remember the Word that he had heard – could not foreknow the complications this would bring to his life, but

Look at his response Matthew 1:24

Matthew 1:24 CSB

When Joseph woke up, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him. He married her

Let’s ta;k about what that meant and how that happened:

History of that time tells us that the bride was escorted to meet the groom, and the groom came out with his friends accompanied by musicians and the sound of tambourines (1 Macc. 9:37-39). The bride wore her finest clothes, many jewels (Isa. 61:10), and a veil (Gen. 29:23-25; Song of Sol. 4:1). There followed a lengthy celebration with merrymaking, singing (Jer. 16:9), and feasting often lasting a week or two (Judg. 14:12).

3. A marriage dedicated to God

Into the tent of consummation. Mary just as confused as she has been about this whole thing. Joseph looks at her and says, “I know”. He has become her protector. Protector of reputation because he is willing to believe the impossible. There in that tent there is no consummation – instead there is one of the most intense of conversations. About angels. About being chosen. About what faith means and the holy thing that they are involved in. Would create an instant intimacy and it is the perfect moment for sexual expression.

Why not? Go, look again at Matthew 1:20

Matthew 1:20 CSB

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.

The virgin has already conceieved. Joseph is instructed to take Mary as his wife. The process includes the tent of consummation. Nowhere in the instructions from God is a requirement of abstainance.

But Joseph knew the prophecy. This is a holy thing. We will wait and he will be not only conceived in a virgin, but he will be born of a virgin.

Two extraordinary people from an ordinary place. An unusual marriage in the midst of ordinary life.

Three areas we need to explore.

1. Sexuality: young people. Passionate young man at the height of his sexual maturity; every right to the sexual experience…waits. Why? the glory of God. World that we live in: every device of Satan designed to persuade you to do the normal thing. God asks you to wait for your good and for His glory. Question? Will you do it? When the passions ignite and everything says this is right, will you choose God’s plan over yours?

2. Marriage – the love thing. Less about love than it is about commitment. Most important person at the wedding is Jesus Christ. Promises of the wedding vows are not simply made to the person…but to the Lord.

3. Is your heart prepared for the unusual? Missions call.

4. Have you heard from God? No silent years. All around you are people who have heard. Have you?