Joseph: A Model for every Christian's Faith & Compassion

Saw last week Mary ought to be highly revered and oft considered, not as dispenser of grace, but as model of faith and obedience her obedience was especially service. Well although Joseph even more neglected by Protestants than Mary, while many only have a cartoonish view of Joseph, as side kick to Mary, and only remember he ins’t Jesus biological Father, this morning as we consider what it means to be prepared to receive the Coming of Christ - both past, in your own life now, and for the future, look at the model we have in Joseph.

KEY TRUTH: When Christ is received, everything gets rearranged around a new center of loving-compassion in our lives.

We began with what must have been big the circumstances of Mary’s life teenage betrothed, texting her fiance across town -the carpenter or stone Mason Joseph. Would have been somewhat older in Jewish marriage arrangements. Upstanding character and as we walked around vicinity of Nazareth, interesting at this time. 6.5km town of Sepphora, rebuilding of the city by Galilee’s ruler, Herod Antipas, may have attracted the building tradesman Joseph and his wife Mary to settle in Nazareth when they returned with Jesus from Egypt. guaranteed work for stone ason or carpenter, forced enlistment in building … But there is one more impoortant details for you to get the drama and co flict in Jsoeph receiving Christ. Matthew 1:19

Matthew 1:19 ESV

And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

A just or literally righteous man was not simply a good guy. It was a category for some who was Torah observant, kept God’s law- not just legalistic sense, but trusted the covenant way - forgiveness, walked with God. His character here , not mean - doesn't take her to court, doesn’t get even by exposing her publically - but wants to hnour God’s will for marriage. Can feel snese of betrayl and hurt - … but minimize shame to her… But betrothal, already call husband and wife, commitment, but not for another year that ceremony,wedding banquet - beign a home share the wedding bed. SO as finds her preganant and Mary has left it to the LORD … being righteouess seeking to nhoour marriage, but find a way to be merciful to her…

But this story and all the stories of the Bible and the story of your life and mine are not about our maoal or preligious practice, but the big stroy is about- God meeting Joseph in these circumstances and as Joseph follows in faith - most remarakbale work of Son of God in transforming this world and using Joseph in that work!

A. THE RISKY SELF-GIVING LOVE of Joseph

giving up privelege of siring Jewishi first born son - Interesting unsual for Jewish times Jesus son of Mary not biolgoical Joseph …, accepting the scorn - there goes poor Joesph - hear what Mary didn behind his back, monser… child … Think of the talk of the town asMary comes back from Elizabeth starting to show - publically known to be betrothed. Think of what it will mean

WHy would he open himself up to public scorn, why risk his good business and bright future. Jospeh, as Sinclair Ferguson says, life had come to halt, and is staring into a black hole. God has momentarily shattered Joseph’s life - as God someitmes does, only because he knows eaxactly what he plans to accomplish.

Certainly he could have left Mary, and found another pious upstanding Jewish woman, others’ would council him. Certainly a love for Mary, but atht is not the point this story and God’s inviting Joseph into the drama of the gospel of the world. He’s not just a swell guy.

No, what is the substance of the angel’s message to Joseph which holds the key to his calling , a calling which he models for all believers that God calls to Christ.

B. Faith’s Decision to Rearrange Your Life Around the Adoptive Compassionate Love of God

This child was coing into the world with no biological father, Those words “to be with child from/ek the HOly Spirit. “ and “conceived in her is from th Holy SPiriit> = not that the Holy Spirit is the father and contributed half of the material of Son and the virgin Mary the other half. The HOly SPirit didn’t spirate Jeuss. Nor was Jesus as it were miplanted into Mary’s womb. No, beautiful uion had - eternal Son of God, by power of the Spirit was formed of Mary’s flesh by the Spirit. No this was the miracle of the pwoer of the Holy Spirit overwshadowing Mary and in particualr that ovum, talking full nyuman nature, and the preexisiting Son of God - becomiong Jesus Christ, God Man.

As Karl Barth understood this was human nature being adopted into unity with the Son of God - and Holy the Holy Spirit could bring that about. GOd HImself by the holy Spirit dwelilng personally with us!!!

But listen carefully this God-man had a destiny to fulfill, he had an office a job that had to be done on earth, he had to become a human king, would take up a reign and bring a restoration - bthat being fullly God he could continue even after Cross, Tomb, Ascension. Doing now from heaven.

Growing up with a single mother who would be outcast , growing outside a family that was legally connected to the line of Judah - would mean Jesus would not be able to take up His role as Messiah.

And so how does this angel address Joseph in v.20 “Joseph, son of David.” THis is so key to understanding Hoseph’s rol ein the Messiah’s life. Matthew begins the gospel, begins teh NT - like OT this is the geneiss, the book of beginnings - this is the new begining, genelogy of Jesus Chrsit the Son fo God, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. And the 14 gen Ab - David, Dabvid, to exile, exile to Christ … all center on the Son of David. This Jesus had to become the great prmoised Son of David. And the only other person called Son of David in the NT is this instance here, JOseph is the Son of David. Mary lineag half David, but half Levite, preistly line. But if no father, be no household,. So understand, what the angel is proposing that Joseph do

In effect that angels was saying: Joseph, Son of David, though you are not his biological father, - remarkagle way So becomes Incarnate in mairacle, JOspeh Son of David, still you must become his Father, Legally bring himinto this family line. JOsph you are his real Father and Mary’s husband - protect and proivide, teach this child.

And even more because he was born by miraculous conception of the HOly Spirit with Mary flesh - it was liek God was gifting this house of Judah somehting that it could never make of human effort:

Presbyterian scholar J. Gresham Machen put it, Joseph’s adoption of Jesus means Jesus belongs “to the house of David just as truly as if he were in a physical sense the son of Joseph. He was a gift of God to the Davidic house, not less truly, but on the contrary in a more wonderful way than if he had been descended from David by ordinary generation.”2 It is through Joseph that Jesus finds his identity as the fulfillment of the Old Testament promise. It is through Joseph’s legal fatherhood of Jesus that “the hopes and fears of all the years” find their realization in the final son of Abraham, son of David, and son of Israel.

- Understand God is askihg JOseph, as model of his great compassion, to adopt as it were an orphanned outcast and a single mom. Recall those OT images of GOd - … oprahn and widow… climaxes in this statement - remember you were souorners … love soujourner. Joseph with this same adopting love of God inthe OT, will recue the orphan child from Herod’s murderous plot, He will sacrafice much to bring them to the safety of Egypt, like the Jospeh of the OT. And lead ing them back, God says, out of Egypt I have called my son, - I will bring back my peopel to their desitinty!

Aopplication: live in a world that inclreasingly pushes orpahans out, church too include myself though taken Ontario’s adopton course - we don’t make room for orphan in our lives. Like Marylou Gilchrist, - amke sapce - in that space love and speak of love of God in Christ. Not all called to do what Jospeph , foster partent, adoptive parent, but church as community. So interesting that Mary had other children, Jmes was one of them, not born like Jeuss but with JOesph biologically and - James becomes belivere of his half borther Jesus, full brother - and growing up with same earthly father - haivng smae Heavenly Father - says true religion is what? ...

Sure James is rembmering the Son of God His brother, eating with, hving table fellowship with all kinds of nieghbours, isnners and tax collectors - and then saying: when you have a feast - invite those who can’t repay you!!!

JOB: 31:16-18

Job 31:16–18 ESV

“If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it (for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow),

REst of Gospel story know that Jesus grew up calling his earthly adotive father - abba first - grew in grace and statute - submitted to His mother and father. Taught not only the hammer and drill at the worship, but the Scriptures and prayer at the table and in the fields. The faith and adoptive compassion not just for parents modelled but for a whoel church - love and invest and make room for God’s children.

But the climax of what Joseph does and the reason why comes in the last part of the angel’s message. There are two bits of information that nagels addss last of all, two names tat explain what this adoption by Joseph is about and why he must do it: JESHUA & IMMANUEL

C.

What compelled Joseph, but also Mary to willingly join this increidble plan of God. Human beings capable of such extraorindary acts if properly motivated. As wonderful as marriage, family, parenthood are - not like Mary and Joesph are sying - that’s what’s going to give ultiatme meaning and happiness - Joesph or having a baby, or a nice household. The text deosn’t lead us to belive that Jospeh heard the agnelic message and then said, phew I can blieve Mary now, really is a miracoulous pregnanacy , I’ll marry her. No, Mary trusted it to the LORD, and Jospeh hear that message and yes he can marry now, but ejust like with Mary the best of all is the World’s Messiah had come Good but not thepoint of klife, idoltary if. But the angel gives both of them the point and uliamte reason why give themselves in this way. And recorded in both gospels - if you get who this Chrsit child is - you will get the ultimate purpose and end and happiness for which life is to be lived and live in self-giving love for this Person!