The Greatest Story Ever Told [Joseph]
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I want us to take a journey back in time, some 2000 years ago, during the month of December. I want us to consider the “Greatest Story Ever Told”. This story actually began in eternity past but we will start 9 months before the birth of Jesus. This story is the greatest story ever told for many reasons;
The story of this Child’s birth is celebrated worldwide in all but 14 countries out of 195
The story of this child’s birth is also the most controversial celebration in America. There has been constant legal battles over the ‘Nativity’ and the use of the word ‘Christmas’ in schools and governments but yet on our money that we spend on extravagant gifts says “In God We Trust”.
This story tells of a Child being born of a virgin [Mary] which was prophesied about 700 yrs before He was born
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.
The story of the birth of this child changed the history of the world on the Gregorian calendar from BC [before Christ] to AD [Anno Domini ‘the year of our Lord’]
But the main reason this is “The Greatest Story Ever Told” is that God gifts His Son to mankind is said, “for He will save His people from their sins.”
As we start this journey I want us to look at many of the people and places in this story and bring to light their purpose in God’s Magnificent plan of salvation!
Text; Mt. 1:18-25
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
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.”
24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife,
25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
This morning I want us to look at Joseph, the adoptive father of Jesus.
1. Joseph;
1. Joseph;
The scriptures don’t reveal a whole lot about Joseph but they give us some insight to who he is.
He is in the royal line of King David and the husband of Jesus’ mother
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.
He is also a carpenter. Craftsman working with wood, stone and metals
55 Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?
Aside from these things we know little about this man named Joseph except what we will read in a few verses in the Gospel of Matthew.
2. Betrothed to Mary; 18-19
2. Betrothed to Mary; 18-19
Joseph was betrothed to Mary. Betrothal was like our engagement period before being married. The main difference is that in that culture they were considered married from the point of betrothal. They were actually called husband and wife at this point but they did not live together. Instead, the woman continued to live with her parents and the man with his for one year. The waiting period was to demonstrate the faithfulness of the pledge of purity given concerning the bride and the preparing of the home by the groom for their marriage celebration. During that period the bride and groom usually had little, if any, social contact with each other.
Joseph and Mary were preparing for a wonderful life together, growing a business and having a family like everybody else in the area of Galilee. Then came the shocker, Mary was found to be with child! [Holy Spirit]
Scandal had come to the house of Joseph. And to make matters worse, Joseph may not have known about it until after Mary had returned from visiting her cousin Elizabeth. Turn to the Gospel of Luke 1:26-38 [give summary]
39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,
40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.
Mary had a ‘baby bump’ and Joseph knew it wasn’t his! Mary had broken the betrothal vows it seems and Joseph thought she was unfaithful while she was away visiting her cousin. Joseph was no doubt heartbroken and disappointed. He had the right according to Jewish law to have Mary stoned.
23 “If a young woman who is a virgin is betrothed to a husband, and a man finds her in the city and lies with her,
24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry out in the city, and the man because he humbled his neighbor’s wife; so you shall put away the evil from among you.
But Joseph didn’t desire to have Mary stoned, he loved her, and this is one reason I believe God chose Joseph to be the husband of Mary and the adoptive father of Jesus.
3. Jospeh’s Character; 19-25
3. Jospeh’s Character; 19-25
[19] Just man- Joseph was an upright man with care for people, even those whom he thought had wronged him [Mary]. Joseph chose to forgive Mary and put her away secretly so she would not be stoned or banished in their society. Joseph demonstrates the forgiveness we find in Christ!
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
[20] Thinking Man- Joseph didn’t react to this supposed scandal with a knee jerk reaction, but took some time to consider it, I believe before the Lord.
Joseph took some time to process the information he knew about Mary and then the circumstance of her being pregnant before he made a decision of how to handle it in a just manner. In doing so he opened himself up for the Lord to guide him in truth.
It is so important for us to stop and think before we jump to conclusions on a matter without having all the facts and learning to wait on the Lord.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Because Joseph spent some time pondering the situation, God sent an angel to clear up the matter and give Joseph an understanding of The Virgin Birth! Mary had not been unfaithful, but God has been faithful to His Word![v. 20b-23]
Mary would become the mother of the Jews Messiah and Joseph would be his adoptive father! Joseph at this point, may have thought of the promises of God!
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.
31 “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—
32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord.
33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
[24-25] Obedient/Humble- Joseph followed the angles command and took Mary as his wife. Joseph actually violated all custom by immediately taking Mary into his home rather than waiting till the one-year time period of betrothal had passed. Joseph was thinking of what would be best for Mary in her condition and what the angel had said and was not concerned of what others thought. He brought her home and began to care and provide for her. But there was no sexual relationship between them until after the birth of this Child, Jesus.
Three more times Joseph was told what to do concerning Jesus and he obeyed immediately in humility, forsaking all to protect this Child and honor God.
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt,
15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
19 Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.”
21 Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
Close;
As we look at the life of Joseph, things probably didn’t go as he had planned. But Joseph was willing to adapt his life for the plans God had for him, although others might have not approved of his decision or thought that he was crazy. But Joseph chose to obey God rather than seek the approval of men. Joseph was sensitive to the voice of God.
How sensitive are you this morning to the voice of God?
Is He calling you to faith in Christ, baptism, church membership, ministry?
Or maybe He’s calling for you to nurture, teach and care for a child who is not your own by serving them in this church through SS, Wednesday KIDZ or the Youth.
Joseph was a part of “The Greatest Story Ever Told”, the question is, “will you?”