Joseph's Revelation

Emmanuel – The Greatest Gift Part 3

Joseph’s Revelation

Matthew 1:18-25

Welcome back to our Christmas Series Emmanuel the Greatest Gift.

Illustration: Have you ever had a revelation, an “aha” moment where the light goes on, or maybe an epiphany. Did you know that when you have these moments that about one-third of a second before the revelation, the Aha moment there is a sudden burst of high-frequency brain waves. It is when that moment clicks, you get it. (movie)

Today we are looking at such an event.

God has been moving for His plan and purpose to be accomplished throughout the world. As the world celebrates Christmas, the church must be reminded of the of the unseen, untouchable God, became God with us.

As the world loses focus of what the holiday was originated for, the Church must continually be reminded that God uses people just like us to accomplish His will in this world, and we see this through the Birth of Christ. Now I want you to know that God can do all things no matter how great or small, but many times He chooses to use His people.

That’s what this sermon series is all about as we look at the events and the people who were vital to humanity receiving the greatest gift that there will ever be. And that gift is Emmanuel, God with us, but God is not just with us, He is for us.

Now we began last week looking at the immaculate conception of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Just like us today, she wrestled with the plan that God had for her life.

Isn’t easy to get all caught up in our lives?

But when God wants us to follow His plan, we can struggle with stepping out on faith to God’s plan. Thankfully through Mary, we see that there are steps that we have to go through to get from where we are to are God wants us to be.

First, to become dedicated to God’s plan, we must overcome our own fear of letting go of our plans, of the fear of what others may think of us, and the fear of stepping out of our comfort zone.

Second, we see through Mary that we must also overcome doubt. Often, when we are going to do something big or have a significant change in our lives, we find ourselves doubting the calling and our abilities to accomplish it.

Then third, we must accept God’s plan. When we accept God’s plan, we must be reminded that it is not just for ourselves and our fulfillment, but for all those other people who will be affected. Mary’s decision has affected millions upon millions of people, and your decision to accept God’s plan for your life will affect many people as well.

Join me in prayer.

The title of today’s message is Joseph’s Revelation.

The revelation we are talking about today is defined as an act of revealing or communicating divine truth.

Something that God reveals to humans. And that is what we see happening in the life of Joseph. Let’s see this for ourselves.

If you have your Bibles with you today, Open your Bible with me to the book of Matthew chapter 1, Matthew chapter 1.

I have a book of the Chronological events of the four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. It begins at the birth. One of the things it does is it shows me where the Gospels speak about the same subject, and what you must know is that none of the Gospels begins like Matthew. Matthew wanted us to know about the birth of Christ Jesus, but also to understand that God partnered with humanity to bring about Christ the New Born King.

If you are there in the book of Matthew, begin reading with me from verse 18.

This is the Word of God, and it begins in this way:

“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.”

In our scripture we see God’s messenger, the Angel Gabriel coming to Joseph while he was sleeping, in the stillness of the night.

Have you ever woken up from one of those dreams that you thought for sure it was real?

Can you imagine how Joseph must have felt hearing the message from the Angel of the Lord then waking up? It was truly a revelation from God.

This brings us to the Take-Home Truth.

The Take-Home Truth is:

GOD INTERVENES IN PEOPLES LIVES TO REVEAL HIS PLAN AND PURPOSE OF HIS SON.

You know in the beginning God created man to work the garden and take care of the world that He created? The Bible teaches us that God has always wanted man to be involved in what He does, from naming every animal to multiplying the world. Even to the extent of being part of the plan in the incarnation of Christ (which means that God has become a man). Notice verses 21, the Angle told Joseph that Mary “will bring forth a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus because He will save His people from their sins.”

The problem was the religious leaders became selfish and took God’s law and twisted it so they could be glorified. Therefore, sin continued to run rampant in the world, and God knew that He would send His Son to become man so that He would later become the ultimate sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin, and this is the significance of the birth of Christ.

The name Jesus is derived from the Hebrew name Yeshua, which means to deliver or to rescue. Hence the purpose for the name Jesus is because He is our deliver and rescuer.

God intervened into Josephs life to reveal His plan and purpose to him.

Today I want to share with you three facts of Jesus, our Deliver and Rescuer that Joseph’s story teaches us.

It’s really what God revealed to him.

God wanted to let Joseph know in his revelation exactly who Jesus would become.

The first principle revealed that we see is this THERE IS NO OTHER WAY, BUT JESUS.

As we look at Joseph’s story, Verse 18 begins with: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows.”

Can I say that although this verse seems insignificant; it speaks volumes to the birth of Christ and Him being the only way?

There is no other birth ever that began like this. The virgin, the holy spirit, Joseph, the immaculate conception and birth.

The particular point of the book of Matthew is that Jesus is the Messiah, who is foretold by the Old Testament prophecy. He quotes more from the Old Testament scriptures than any New Testament author.

As a matter of fact, the first 17 verses of the book of Matthew cover the genealogy of Jesus. In those days, your genealogy meant everything. It told people the linage of your family. Family and respect of the family meant everything, not like today. Today, people disrespect their families, parents, and grandparents in so many ways.

However in biblical days, if a child disrespected their family, they easily disowned them and take away the family name.

So, when you would say your name, I am Joseph, son of Jacob that really meant something, especially when you got down to being a descendent of King David.

Look at verses 1 and 2 of Chapter 1 see how Mathew places it “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers” you want to talk about a powerhouse of descendants in your linage, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, these guys are fathers of the faith.

This is the importance of this genealogy. That is how it begins for Jesus in our world as Emmanuel.

The birth of Christ began this way, but the point I want you to see is the genealogy of Jesus Christ because what Matthew does, he paces names in there that should not be there. In these times, a woman’s name would not ever have been placed in a genealogy. Not only does he place women in the genealogy, but the kind of women whose names would never be associated with a King or the fathers of Faith, like Tamar, a widow who dressed as a prostitute to seduce her father-in-law so she could get pregnant to have a child or Rehab a prostitute who helped God’s people by hiding them in her house.

Here is what Matthew is saying God’s plan began to be fulfilled through Abraham who was the father of Isaac, and Isaac, the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers” Tamar, Rehab, and Ruth are all precursors of Jesus.

Matthew is making the point here by stating, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way,” not by what we read, but what God had done from the beginning. 42 Generations, in three groups of fourteen covering a span of 2000 years, including Mary, who was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit, and Joseph, who is called the Son of David, declaring his bloodline to king David. So, verse 18 teaches us that there is no other way but Jesus. And remember the last part of verse 21, the Angel Gabriel said that “He will save His people from their sin.”

Folks, we have to understand that God is still in control no matter what is happening in the world today. Jesus has still defeated death, defeated the cross, rose again in three days, and is at the right hand of God waiting to return.

The Bible tells us in Romans 5:6-10

“For while we were still helpless, at the appointed moment, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person, perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves His love for us in that while we were still sinners (still messed up, still living the life that we want for own ourselves, still living out our desires and not the eternal God, still sinners), Christ died for us! 9 Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from wrath. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will His life save us!”

Jesus notes this Himself when He said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.”

The Angel of the Lord declared to Joseph in verse 21 that the baby Jesus who Joseph would bring up would be the only way for humanity to become saved from their sin.

I have heard that people think that there are many avenues to heaven, but they are all a lie because if they were true, then why did Jesus have to leave His throne to come to earth as a child to only be sacrificed as an adult?

We must understand that there is no other way but Jesus. He is with us and the only way to get to the Father.

The second principle revealed to us today is this: BEING A GOOD PERSON DOES NOT GET YOU TO HEAVEN.

Joseph was a good person, he had a good heart, but it doesn’t mean that he was saved or that he was doing the work of the Lord. In-fact God wanted more out of Joseph.

Look at verses 18-19 it says, “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.”

We get this picture of Joseph from the Bible that He is a humble, simple man with a good working trade. He was a carpenter, who was educated by being an apprentice, probably from his father. He wasn’t royalty, a rabbi, or a religious leader. It is important to know that Joseph was regular person just like us, living his life.

Notice this: Joseph two qualifications: He was an ordinary man and He was called by God.

Here is Joseph and his soon-to-be wife, who was betrothed to Him, “Betrothed” in the Jewish marriage custom of Jesus’ days meant the bride and groom went through a period of formal engagement. In that culture and time, betrothal was virtually as binding as marriage. A betrothed couple was as good as married, and breaking off the relationship was seen as a divorce, even though the couple had not yet been officially married.

And even in the shocked state that must have taken place for Joseph to find his promised wife to be pregnant, in disbelief, he was unwilling to put her through the shame of a public divorce.

So, we see that Joseph not only has been thinking about himself at this point, but Mary also as an unwed pregnant teenager with someone else’s child. According to the mosaic laws, this could have resulted in death by stoning.

The kind of man he was before meeting the Angel, he was a good person, a good man. Scripture says he was “JUST MAN.” He had good character, and he was impartial to others. His character and conduct were just as they should be. But being a good person, having good character does not get you into heaven.

Jesus says in Matthew 7, “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. 14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.” (v13-14).

There were and today are many good people, but just as the Angel of the Lord said to Joseph that his future Son “will save His people from their sins.”

God’s Word goes on to say that all people need a Savior because in Romans 3:23, “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”

The bottom line is that Joseph needed a Savior just as much as the rest of the world did and still does. The birth of Christ is the ushering in of the final way for humankind to be saved and found right in the eyes of the Father.

You see folks, there is no other way but Jesus and being a good person does not secure your eternal future in heaven.

And that leads us to the third principle revealed to us today is this:

BECOMING A BELIEVER OPENS YOUR EYES TO GOD’S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE.

Look back with me to verses 20-24

“But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus because He will save His people from their sins.” 22 Now, all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.”

Notice verse 24 “When Joseph got up from sleeping, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him. He married her.”

In the first week, we saw that Mary believes and accepts God’s plan and is filled with the Holy Spirit and Jesus, now we see that Joseph’s after the revelation from God his eyes were also opened to Gods plan and purpose.

The kind of man Joseph becomes after the Angel of the Lord speaks to him is a believer. He was no longer in disbelief. He woke up with a changed mind, and because of that, Mary is vindicated. She is no longer a betrothed young girl who just ended up pregnant.

We are like Joseph in some ways, aren’t we? We see things that we believe that’s the truth when we don't see God’s plan, once it is reveled then our eyes are opened more and more.

Here we see that Joseph his eyes and heart became opened. He is told that the Holy Spirit conceived in Mary the baby Jesus and that this child will save others from their sins was an eye-opening experience. After all, he only knew that the High priest could have sins forgiven by God. Not a child.

The Bible tells us in John chapter 9 that Jesus heals blind man from birth. Jesus said to His disciples standing there, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (V5). Then He made mud with his spit and the dirt in the ground. I find it interesting that man was made from the earth, and Jesus used the dirt to heal the man’s eyes.

The neighbors were astonished that he was healed and could see. They took him to the Pharisees. The Pharisees began to question him; how he received his sight? He explained that Jesus used dirt and spit, making mud and placing it on his eyes so he could see. But they did not believe him, so they brought in his parents and questioned his parents. The parents said he is our son and he was born blind, but now he sees, and they were afraid of the Pharisee, so they said He is of age ask him yourself. They questioned him a second time, asking if Jesus was a sinner, and he responded by saying, “Whether he is a sinner, I do not know. “One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

Jesus was born to bring sight to the blind, to bring sight to the spiritually blind. When you come to know Jesus, your eyes will be opened, and the things you have been blind in the past, you will finally see.

That is what happened to Joseph- he was blind to the Holy Spirits working in the life of Mary; he did not believe it. He stood back, he said it could not be done- there is no way you could be pregnant without a man.

He said to her by his actions that God can’t make you pregnant- his eyes were closed because he did not believe. It wasn’t until he believed that his eyes were opened.

Once his eyes were opened, and he accepted the gift of the Son, he became obedient look at verses 24 “When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife.”

Do you see what I see? Joseph did not say, well, Angel, I will pray about it. He did not procrastinate about it. He did not wait until he heard more confirmation from God. He did not bargain with God. He did not say, well, I will know if the baby comes out with a halo on its head.

Joseph was probably in the most challenging time of his life in his darkest hours, feeling betrayed and hurt; yet in this time he trusted and obeyed God.

This is something we all need right now, no matter what is going on in our life. When you accept the Son, and He opens your eyes, you must trust and obey.

Do you believe that God can do anything? Can he make a miracle out of a senseless tragedy? Are your eyes opened to the truth of the Gospel? Are your eyes opened to the very Word of God? Are your eyes open to the miracle birth of Jesus Christ and the miracles of Yeshua?

The birth is so much more than Mary’s and Elizabeth’s pregnancies or Joseph; it's more that Jesus is becoming a baby; it is about Salvation, returning to God, through the righteousness of His Son. It is about Emmanuel.

I can just hear Mary riding that donkey all the way to Bethlehem saying, “I told you so,” “I told you it was the Holy Spirit that got me pregnant.” Joseph, Joseph, I have a question, yes Mary… Did I tell you that we were having the Baby Jesus, The Messiah, the King of Kings, the Lord of all Lords? Yes, Mary, you did. Good because you were about to divorce me for no reason. You thought I was lying, but I told you so, all the way to Bethlehem… that is not in the Bible, it is my commentary…..I can just imagine it.

The truth is the nightmare of Joseph's wife, ending up pregnant, His future, and everything he had hoped for lost. He did what a good man would do. However, divorcing his soon-to-be wife in private was not what the Lord had in mind for his life, God wanted so much more from him.

The dream that had begun for Joseph and it in verse 20 ends with him waking and choosing to obey everything the Angel had told him to do. This good man had learned to “trust and obey.”

What a revelation!

This story of Joseph teaches three things about Jesus:

First, there is no other way, but Jesus, and being a good person does not secure your eternal future in heaven. But when you become a believer your eyes are open to the greatness of God and His plan.

Listen this Christmas God wants much more from you.

Let’s celebrate God’s will for mankind through the greatest gift- Emmanuel.

Invitation