Protecting God

Introduction: Asking Roger who is St. Joseph?

Catholics from Roman pagans and a whole extra biblical system created a structure of certain areas

no one knew

I did some research

The Patron saint of Hospitals is Joseph because he took care

a sign appeared

I’ve been sharing with you how the Christmas story gives us direction for what we can do right now.

Will you bless God by blessing others? Who will you bless?

Whole Christmas story is ultimately God blessing all of us

In turn they are blessed

Review - Zachariah

Maybe you have heard the Story of Jesus’ birth but let’s know it and see it for us

It starts by a virgin girl being told by an angel she’s pregnant.

Luke 1:28–34 CSB

28 And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30 Then the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 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. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.” 34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?”

One friend who would be so happy when she had her period …

God only did it once and because God chose to do it once and well many people lie, I think it is quite awesome that in this story even the one closest to her thinks she is lying.

Joseph had never done what needs to be done for Mary to be pregnant. The anger, shock, the betrayal.

So he got ready to get rid of her yet He still would be kind.

Matthew 1:18–21 NCV

18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. His mother Mary was engaged to marry Joseph, but before they married, she learned she was pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Mary’s husband, Joseph, was a good man, he did not want to disgrace her in public, so he planned to divorce her secretly. 20 While Joseph thought about these things, an angel of the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, descendant of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the baby in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

It took an act of God for Joseph to believe Mary but once He did He took care of his wife and her son, the son of God.

He took Jesus to be circumcised and was amazed as old people told him that His son was the messiah

This beginning of this blessing He would bless God with, it began with shame. He would always hear the rumors from people who could do math that his immoral with his wife.

He knew that would always be the case.

Will you bless God if it makes you look foolish?

Right now I feel foolish

But our Hospitals are full, people are sick,

I know so many of you are hurting but its wise

We all hate feeling foolish. This order is different as it is not from God but again its wise.

Joseph was told by angel.

Joseph was willing to look like a fool to obey God

Some of you might have something laid on your heart right now but those around you would make fun of you, ask what is in it for you, judge you. Those pressures are incredibly real.

But Joseph shows us, we bless God by following God first.

By the way you know Joseph’s name but do you know the name of anyone in his viallage who gossipped about him?

Did any of those who gossiped see the shepherds arrive out of no where?

Did anyone else see the old prophets in the temple say they had seen the Messiah?

Did anyone else live for 2 years outside Jerusalem and then meet Wise Men from the east?

Joseph lived braver and bigger than he ever would because He blessed God through obedience

He didn’t have to marry Mary

Once again after the Wise Men Joseph was told by God to run.

Matthew 2:13–14 CSB

13 After they were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to kill him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt.

This was a lot!

He didn’t have to run to Egypt.

He could have ditched them.

Joseph Blessed God Correctly, He let it cost Him. Will you bless others and let it cost you?

So many are lonely and scared right now but there are very different ways that make sense and bring hope.

My school has become a ghost town, zoom meeting

last thing we want

Right now you can bless others by praying for them. By calling them. You can bless others by gifting to them. You can bless others.

Will you ask God to give you the courage of Joseph and be willing to lay down your life to Bless God by Blessing Others?

My ideas just fall short but God has ideas right now for you.

They are about giving love to others, sharing Christ with them, blessing their lives.

The prayer Douglas led us in earlier I will now finish

From the fear of being hurt, deliver me, Jesus. From the fear of suffering, deliver me, Jesus.

That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours.

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, strengthen me with your Spirit.

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, teach me your ways.

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, help me put my self-importance aside

to learn the kind of cooperation with others that makes possible the presence of your Dad’s household. Amen