Waiting for Messiah - Joseph and Mary- a Picture of Courageous Faith

Young Jewish ladies, knowing Daniel’s prophecy of 69 weeks, know that any time after 53 B.C. the Messiah could arrive, they know Isaiah 9:6 as well - a literal human baby to arrive

All of history hinges on this little shop, this carpenter’s shop in Nazareth

Joseph - prime of life, engaged to a teen girl, Mary; a faithful Jewish man

Mary - found favor with God (Luke 1:28); though she is a sinner (Luke 1:47-48)

Luke 1:47–48 NASB95

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. “For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.

They lived a life showing they accepted God’s forgiveness, still under Jewish Law

They lived with a sharp sense of God’s presence

FOLLOWING GOD’s PLAN

1 - Accept God’s Plan

Fear of Consequences

Mary - public ridicule, people know and talk

Small town, gossip is way of life, even though it is sin

Holy Spirit? Yeah, right...

She is to raise Messiah, not really sure about the future

What does she tell her parents? The Law says she’d be worthy of being stoned for pregnancy out of wedlock

Joseph - public ridicule, people know and talk

Small town, gossip is way of life, even though it is sin

GUYS - put yourself in Joseph’s shoes - you hear your fiance is pregnant and you know the baby is not yours…Thoughts? Feelings?

“None of their business”- yeah, they know and they don’t care

Has to live up to God’s expectation to raise this child

The “easy” way out is attractive - divorce her quietly (shows that he actually cares for her, does not want her executed, he tries to help her out in the most common way he thinks of) - angel visits him

They needed to be on the same page on this one. The world around them was not their friend.

They decide to follow God and His plan - hard, confusing, not how they would plan the arrival of Messiah

2 - Obedient Trust

The census

Joseph takes Mary to Bethlehem (could have left her behind)

8 days - circumcision

40 days - dedication

Settle in Bethlehem

We see this from the 40 days/Simeon account

The magi visit when Jesus is a toddler (different word for baby/boy)

Flight to Egypt

Joseph trusts

Mary follows (submits)

Return to Israel - Nazareth

Joseph fears Archelaus, and is warned by God in a dream that it is OK, go to Galilee, settle in Nazareth

3 - Remember what God has done

Mary ponders all this in her heart

Joseph leads confidently, knowing God is faithful

SO WHAT? What about US?

Tell me, what about the Joseph and Mary accounts was EASY?

If God gave them the choice of how to give birth to Messiah, how would their plans have looked?

“Settle down first, make sure life is in perfect order, we’d like no hardships, and skip all the travel...”

Mary would NOT have chosen a stable

Both would have chosen to be legally married first

(Jesus, as an adult, is ridiculed publicly as illegitimate)

But they got there, they did it, God just asked them to trust and follow!

QUESTIONS - THINK ABOUT GOD’S PLAN

What are we, the church, to be doing for Him, and what do we allow to keep that from happening?

1 - What has God asked YOU to do for Him?

I guarantee you, whatever it is, or will be, it will NOT be as hard as what Mary and Joseph were asked to do!

Their hardships were not of their own doing (that is, they didn’t make bad choices and had to work through them)

Sometimes we face hardships, and many of those are avoidable, because we make poor choices

BUT - what about things that just don’t go right?

2 - What “inconveniences” or hardships cause your faithfulness to waiver?

Job situations, health, family, weather, etc.

See, what we are asked to do is EASY, compared to these accounts we read

Romans 12:2 NASB95

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

BE TRANSFORMED

Let God change you, because you desire to submit to Him

SIDE POINT for HUSBANDS and WIVES

H - Be confident of God’s calling for you - lead the family, lead the home spiritually, knowing that God needs you to do that

W - See that God is leading your husband, and then submit to that leadership, knowing that you are faithfully following God by doing so

Your kids will see the change, and grow to love the Lord

(come join us on Wednesdays for more)

BIG POINT FOR ALL OF US

What God asks of us, when we follow obediently, WILL result in some similar circumstances and “feelings”

1 - Accept His plan - even with fear of consequences

Public ridicule will occur when you do the right thing

Regardless, let Christ shine through, it is so amazing when you do

2 - Obediently trust

Maybe God wants you baptized, what’s keeping you?

Maybe God is changing something major in your life, are you OK with that?

Rom. 12:2 tells us we can know His will, which is to live EVERY aspect of life for Him

Maybe it’s even more basic, you need to trust Jesus for forgiveness?

Maybe your marriage needs some work, start by getting closer to God

J & M strength? “God first” - Each would say God is more important than their spouse or kids

Point is, the H.S. is already telling you where you need to be more transformed to be like Christ - trust in obedience

3 - Remember what God has done

We just came through being “thankful” - this is a daily thought

In everything, give thanks, as in 1 Thess 5:18

He saved you - if you are a believer

He’s brought you to THIS day, all you’ve been through

He’s given you another day - TODAY, to live for Him

Tomorrow might be hard - yep

And God will be there, too, right with you, just like every day

First three years of marriage were hard for Joseph and Mary - and they knew God was right there.