Waiting and Receiving

Here we are in week three of Advent. 2021 has been a frenetic year where everything we do feels a bit harder so I hope that so far this season, you have been able to slow down and savour this holiday.

Show of hands, who has already finished their Christmas shopping?

Ok, be honest: who hasn’t started yet? Well, let me remind you that Christmas Eve is only 12 days away, so it’s time to get on it. When you are a kid, the best part of Christmas is receiving Christmas presents. I remember, when I was bout 12 or 13, we spent one Christmas at my uncle’s place. He had 3 kids living with him, all younger than I was. Their tradition was to open all their gifts from the others side of the family on Christmas Eve, but ours was to open all gifts on Christmas Day. So, Christmas eve comes around, supper is over and my cousins get all excited to open their gifts. And they start tearing into their gifts like crows over roadkill, going from gift to gift without a second to pause. What struck me as I watched them was that they didn’t acknowledge any of people who gave them gifts, not even their parents. For them, at that age, the only thing that mattered was the next gift. my oldest cousin being so excited because he got a Power Rangers action figure.

Well, earlier I had been looking at the presents under the tree, and I saw a big present for me from my parents. I say parents, but, like most parents, I mean my mom, but it also had my dad’s name attached to it. Well, to make sure I didn’t feel left out, Mom said I could open one present that night but that she got to pick the present. As soon as she said it, I ran over and grabbed the big present with my name on it, took it to her and pleaded that I could open this one, because we all know, the bigger the box, the better the gift. She smiles and says, “that’s the one I was going to pick for you.” And that’s when I first knew that God loves me and had a plan for my life.

So I sat down with this huge box on my lap, no idea what’s inside. I tear open the paper, open the box and find....a pillow. And I look up to my parents, and say the only appropriate thing: “Thank you.” Even though my voice and my face betrayed a deep sense of disappointment, which was hilarious to my parents who were laughing like hyenas at that time, I was taught that manners and being grateful are important values to have.

How we receive a gift is as important as to how we give a gift. Some people give gifts out of obligation. Some give gifts in order to curry favour. Some give gifts to buy love. But the motivation for gifts should always be love and appreciation. It should always be about the other person and never about you, the giver. In the same way, how we receive a gift matters. Whether you receive it begrudgingly, or with disappointment because it wasn’t what you wanted or with joy and with gratefulness; however you react shows you your heart - your reaction isn’t about them, it’s about you.

We have been doing a teaching series this advent on the idea of waiting. We started with the idea of waiting and anticipating and last week we moved into the idea of waiting and repenting. Today, as we look at the story of Joseph, I want us to examine the idea of waiting and receiving. So let’s read today’s passage in Matthew 1:18-25.

Matthew 1:18–25 NLT

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ” When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Pray.

In the account of Joseph and the angel there are three gifts that God gives to Joseph that we are going to look at today. The only caveat to these gifts were they weren’t gifts that you unwrapped. They are gifts that you have to receive by faith. It’s like what Paul says in Romans 4:16:

Romans 4:16 NLT

So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.

The promise is received by faith. Joseph had to receive by faith these gifts from God; these promises. And like him, we too have to receive what God wants to give us by faith. So let’s look at the three gifts that God gives Joseph in our passage.

The first thing Joseph had to receive was a surprise from God.

1. Receive the surprises from God

Abraham and Sarah - surprise

Joseph - what his brothers meant for evil, God used for good

Often, we get surprised in life. Something comes our way that we didn’t plan for, something that we couldn’t have predicted but it turns our world upside down. Maybe it’s a birth, maybe it’s a death. Maybe it’s a job opportunity, or maybe your position gets cut. Sometimes the surprises are good. Sometimes, they hurt. And sometimes they do both.

For Joseph, it looked like this was a bad surprise.

Betrothed - married but not living together and not sexual.

Mary tells her she’s pregnant. Joseph can’t see the miracle, only the shame.

But then God intervenes. Validates Mary’s story, and tells him to take Mary as his wife and to name the child Jesus. By naming him, Joseph is formally acknowledging that Jesus is his son.

Joseph had to receive the surprise from God. And so do we. We need to see the unforeseen as gifts from God that can help us, even if they lead to uncomfortable and painful places.

2 Timothy 1:11–12 NLT

And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News. That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.

Paul was in prison for following and preaching Jesus, but he still trusted in Jesus. He received the surprise, even though it was hard, because he knew that God was good and that God works through the good and the bad in order to shape us.

Romans 8:28–29 NLT

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Joseph had to receive the surprise from God that Mary was pregnant with God’s son. We don’t always know what God is doing, but because he is good - because he loves us - we can trust that in the surprises, there is a plan.

2. Receive salvation from God

The second thing that Joseph had to receive by faith salvation. The angels told Joseph what to name Jesus. It’s an interesting act of specificity. Why did God, through the angel instruct Joseph to name the child, Jesus, of all names? Because names are more than just the sounds we make when we want someone’s attention, they have meaning in Jewish culture. Often names were used as word-play to indicate a character trait of a person. The name Jesus is a the greek form of his Hebrew name, Joshua, and I for one am grateful that in our English translations, they didn’t keep the Hebrew form because if I encourage you to follow and worship our Lord and Saviour, Josh, I feel like I’m leading a cult. Like, that feels weird to me to pray, “Oh, Josh, come and save us from our sins.”

But the name Joshua - and the language variants of Jeshua, Yeshua and Jesus - have meaning. It means “Yahweh saves”, or “Yahweh is salvation.” So by naming the child Jesus, God is prophesying Jesus’ destiny: that he would be the one to save humanity. Christmas loses its’ significance without easter. The manger doesn’t mean anything without the cross. Jesus’ purpose in coming is revealed in his name - he came to save us.

During his ministry, Jesus would declare this purpose. In Luke 19:10 it says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.””

And Paul affirmed that Jesus accomplished this goal.

Titus 3:4–5 NLT

But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

For Joseph, he had to receive this salvation on faith, just like we do. He had to believe that this child, that he would raise, would be the saviour of the world. And by embracing the role of naming him, Joseph acts on his faith.

What about you? Do you believe that Jesus is the saviour of the world? Do you believe that Jesus came to save you, because you were, or maybe are, spiritually lost without him? Do you believe that through his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus paid the debt that our sins incurred, reconciling us to God?

If you do believe, do you live like it’s true? Let that question sit with you for a second.

If you don’t believe, why not? What’s holding you back from embracing Jesus as your saviour? Let’s talk about it. Shoot me an email and we will go for coffee and talk.

And if today, you are ready to receive Jesus as your saviour - you’ve seen that he’s been doing something in your life, showing you that he loves you, revealing your spiritual needs - then I encourage you to pray with me right now:

“Jesus, I recognized that I have sinned against you. I’ve tried to run my life my way and I realize that it’s not working. I need you to forgive me and to transform me. I believe in you Jesus. I believe that you are God. I believe that you lived a sinless life and that though you were innocent, you died for me, that I might have eternal life with you. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. Thank you for saving me. Amen. “

If today was the day that you prayed that prayer with me for the first time, or maybe the first time in a long time, then let me be the first to welcome you to the family of God. And If you did pray it, I want to encourage you to reach out and email us here at North Park Stratford because this is the beginning of the faith journey, not the end and we want to walk with you as we travel this road together. So email me at [e-mail].

The first gift that Joseph had to receive was the surprise from God that Mary was pregnant with Jesus. The second gift he had to receive was salvation from God through Jesus. The third gift he had to receive is the presence of God.

3. Receive the presence of God

The relationship between God and humanity fundamentally shifted with Jesus. For humanity’s existence up to that point, God was “above” us for lack of a better term. God was positionally distant and while he loved us and provided for us, he didn’t intervene personally - he would send prophets, he would do miracles and he would use circumstances to lead and guide his people.

But in Jesus, that all changed. Now God became one of us. Now God himself would feel hunger, tiredness, frustration, grief and joy in a human way. Now the creator of the universe experiences life the way that we experience it. He has come down to us to be with us.

Matthew, the author of the gospel, connects this event between the angel and Joseph to the prophecy in Isaiah 7 that names him “Immanuel” which means “God with us.” In coming to earth, God shifts the relationship and becomes personally involved with our redemption. Instead of sending another prophet, another miracle, or another plague, God steps into his creation to be the instrument of his reconciliation with us.

Instead of being “above” us, he choses to be with us. And, interestingly, here in the beginning of Matthew’s gospel it says that God is with us in Jesus. And look at what it says at the end of his gospel:

Matthew 28:19–20 NLT

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Matthew bookends his gospel with this beautiful idea that God is with us - that he is present to us.

And make no mistake, the presence of God in our lives is the greatest gift he can give us. It is in God’s presence where we feel a special and unique type of joy. The Psalmist writes, “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” - Psalm 16:11

It is in God’s presence where we can find peace. Psalm 23:4 “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.”

It is in God’s presence where we find our holiness.The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 13:13-14, “Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.”

The presence of God is the greatest present he can give to us. And your presence with God is the greatest gift you can give him. God appreciates it when you give generously to the church or to a charity. God loves it when you serve in our kids church program or as a youth leader or you lead a bible study. But God’s favourite thing that you can give him isn’t your money and it isn’t your service; it’s your presence. It’s when you put aside everything else and be fully present to him. And my hope is that this holiday season, you would put aside some of the things that distract you and spend time in the presence of God in prayer, in contemplation, and in the Bible, knowing that God loves to just be with you.

Conclusion

Joseph had this amazing dream where an angel spoke to him and it changed the course of his life. From this dream, Joseph had to receive, by faith ion his son, Jesus, a surprise from God, salvation from God and the presence of God. We too have to receive these same gifts from God by faith. We have to take the surprises in our lives, both the good ones and the ones that are hard and realize that God is good and that he works all things together for those who love him. We have to receive by faith the salvation that Jesus - God who saves - has bought us through his death and resurrection. And we need to receive the gift of God’s presence. Our Jesus is Immanuel - God with us through the highs and lows of life. Let’s celebrate him in song.

Pray.