The Journey To Jesus: A Husband's Hesitation

 The Journey To Jesus: A Husband's Hesitation

Opening Illustration: 

On Christmas afternoon, the Pastor’s wife dropped into an easy chair saying, "Boy! Am I ever tried." Her husband looked over at her & said, "I had to conduct two special services last night, three today, & give a total of five sermons. Why are you so tired?"

"Dearest," she replied, "I had to listen to all of them."

Point:

Well I don’t know about you, but for me Christmas can seem a bit exhausting. Decorations. Finding the perfect gift. Trying to cook all the best food. Battling traffic. Christmas can be a season of business where it should be a season of blessing. Maybe you are feeling tired this morning. Maybe you are ready for 2020 to finally be over and Christmas is just a reminder that you have almost crossed the annual finishing line. 

Friend, I don’t want you to forget the real reason for Christmas. I don’t want you to miss out on the joy of Christmas. I don’t want you to miss out on the wonder of it all. God coming down in human form. Born of a virgin and given to an ordinary man to raise. It really is an amazing story. It may very well be the most amazing story. Imagine what the world would look like today without Christmas. Without Christmas there is no cross, therefore no salvation. Without Christmas light never enters the world thus our world is shrouded in darkness. If you think our world is dark today, imagine if Christmas would have never come. 

Are you thankful for the theological impact that Christmas has had on our world? I hope you are because without Christmas we are all lost. 

Point:

Christmas was no accident. It was planned long long ago. Prophets foretold of it’s coming. God’s people desperately prayed for it to happen. They would think to themselves “maybe this is the years that the Messiah will come”. Isaiah foretold of this coming Messiah. 

Isaiah 9:6-7 NASB

For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore.The zeal of the Lord of armies will accomplish this.

Wonderful Counselor

Mighty God

Eternal Father

Prince of Peace 

What a tremendous description of Jesus. Are you looking for help, direction, a plan for your life? Go to Jesus because He is the Wonderful Counselor. Are you lacking strength and courage? Jesus will be your Mighty God. Needing comfort? Do you feel abandoned? Jesus will be your Eternal Father. Is your life filed with chaos? Do you feel like the walls are closing in and that one wrong move, your life might break in two? Go to Jesus, He is your Prince of Peace. Jesus is anything you need in whatever moment you find yourself in. 

Christmas came by way of supreme revelation. His birth was revealed long long ago and realized in the manger. Christ had come and God’s revelation about Himself was found in the person of Jesus. Jesus’ coming interrupted all of human history. So profound was His coming that time itself was split from BC to AD. His arrival interrupted the politics of the day. Herod was so threatened by the presence of Jesus that he made an attack on defenseless children. Jesus’ birth interrupted the spiritual stronghold that Satan had on the earth. The disciple John records the following: 

John 1:1-5 NLT

In the beginning the Word already existed.

    The Word was with God,

    and the Word was God.

2 He existed in the beginning with God.

3 God created everything through him,

    and nothing was created except through him.

4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,

    and his life brought light to everyone.

5 The light shines in the darkness,

    and the darkness can never extinguish it.

Jesus’ arrival signaled the end of Satan’s reign on earth. Light has come. Darkness is dispelled. Christmas is so much more than trees, gifts, and blinky lights. Christmas is about the destruction of death, the dismantling of sin, and the downfall of Satan.

Christmas came by way of revelation and interruption. 

Background and Context:

Today we will read from Matthew 1. Last week we heard the story of Mary and her encounter of Gabriel. This morning we will read about the eventual step father of Jesus and the fiancé of Mary, Joseph. We know very little about Joseph but we can see his kindness, his patience, and his self control displayed in this passage. There is absolutely no question that Joseph must have had a powerful influence on his son Jesus. Throughout the life of Christ, we see Jesus act kindly, we see displayed patience and self control. God chose Mary to carry the child but God also chose Joseph to raise the child. Joseph would teach Jesus a trade even though it was Jesus who created His earthly father. This morning we see Joseph encounter the angel in a vision, a dream. We are witness to his reaction and we should be inspired by his obedience. Let’s read together from Matthew 1:18-25. I am reading this morning from the New Living Translation. 

Matthew 1:18-25 (NLT)

18 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. 19 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.

20 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. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 “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.’”

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

What Can We Learn From Joseph's Christmas Story?

I. Joseph Embraced Purity vs. 18

Matthew 1:18 (NLT)

18 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. 

Illustration: 3 Stages Of Marriage

In ancient Jewish culture, there were three stages to marriage.  

1. The Contractual Stage: You could also call this the arrangement stage.  Young people had very little insight into who they would marry.  Most marriages were arranged by parents when children were very young.  Most theologians believed that Joseph could have been in his mid twenties when he married 14-16 year old Mary.  Most likely, the arrangement was made by Mary's parents and Joseph's family.  Then there is the second stage.

2. The Espousal Stage: This could be called the engagement period.  This usually lasted for a year.  The couple was allowed to spend time together and get to know each other.  The two were told to "learn to love one another".  Of course we say today that I "fell in love".  This was not the thought of ancient Judaism.  The Jews thought love was a choice not a feeling.  

Ephesians 5:25 (NIV)

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her...

The Bible tells us to love our wives.  We make a conscience choice to love everyday.  Before Paul wrote these words, Joseph was the embodiment of this scripture.  He made room in his heart for one woman and we see that his heart was shattered with the thought that Mary had been with another.  Following the Espousal Stage is the Engagement stage.  

3. The Engagement Stage is where our story picks us.  We see that a true affection has taken place between Mary and Joseph by their reactions to the news of this unexpected pregnancy. Mary was disturbed at the angel's words because she knew that society would judge her and that Joseph would be broken hearted.  Joseph considered putting her away quietly. During the engagement phase, temptation is the strongest.  They are to spend nearly every waking moment together and are left alone for long periods of time.  Plenty of opportunity to up to know good.  But, Joseph and Mary were pure.  Joseph was a man of purity.  He never put his future wife in a place where God's favor would not rest on her.  I like to think that it was Joseph's righteous acts that allowed HIs wife to garner the merit of carrying the Messiah.  

Joseph was a man of purity.  He was pure when temptation was greatest.  He was pure in keeping his commitment.  He was pure when no one was looking.  What about you? Would purity best describe your life?  Joseph's purity rubbed off on everyone around him and even brought favor to his future wife.  Does your purity change those around you?  

Proverbs 25:26 (ESV)

Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain

    is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.

1 Corinthians 6:18 (ESV)

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

What Can We Learn From Joseph's Christmas Story?

I. Joseph Embraced Purity vs. 18

II. Joseph Exhibited Poise vs. 19

Matthew 1:19 (ESV)

19 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.

What Could Joseph Have Done To Mary?

A. Execution

Leviticus 20:10 (ESV)

“If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

B. Embarrassment

John 8:3 (ESV)

 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst

C. Instead He Excused Her Quietly!

Proverbs 16:32 (ESV)

Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,

    and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

Illustration: What Would You Do In That Situation? 

What would you do in that situation? Most would be angry.  Some might even turn to violence. Perhaps everyone would be resentful.  Yet, we don't see those emotions in Joseph.  No doubt he was severely hurt and disappointed but we can see the depth of his faith in this scripture.  Joseph kept his head in a difficult moment.  Joseph understood that resentment is like taking poison in hopes that the other person will die.  There are so many places we lose our head.  How many of us are guilty of lashing out in anger on Facebook or Twitter? As Christians we are held doubly accountable for what we say on Social Media.  Heres an idea.  Pray before you post and think before you tweet.  Use your social media as a tool for Christ instead of a terror for others.  Look what Joseph did, instead of lashing out in hate, he hit the hay.  He slept on it.  So that means instead of sending that email laced with sharp words, write it and then delete it.  Don't send it. Give it a day.  I promise you after a few hours your anger will subside and you’ll be thankful that you did not send it.  When you look at the life of Christ, can you see the influence of Joseph. No doubt Jesus saw his Step-father's love and patience. God knew what He was doing when He choose Joseph to be Jesus' earthly Dad. Follow Joseph's example.  

Proverbs 25:28 (ESV)

A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.

What Can We Learn From Joseph's Christmas Story?

I. Joseph Embraced Purity vs. 18

II. Joseph Exhibited Poise vs. 19

III. Joseph Entertained A New Perspective vs. 20-23

Matthew 1:20-23 (ESV)

20 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. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 “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.’”

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; [6] in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Illustration: We Are Going To Play A Game

1. How many of each animal did Moses take into the ark?

2. What's the name of the raised print that deaf people use?

3. Spell Silk?

4. What do cows drink?

🔴You see our understanding is flawed and faulty! That's why we need to depend on God's understanding and not our own. Joseph knew His reasoning was flawed and rather trusted God's appeals through the Angel. 

🔴There are plenty of people who think they are on the right path but there is nothing about their lives that match Holy Scriptures. They trust what others say instead of looking to the Bible. That is not the route that Joseph took. His understanding was going to put Mary on the street. God's understanding led Joseph down a different road. 

The Angel Appeals To Joseph's

A. Fortitude

Matthew 1:20 (ESV)

20 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. 

B. Future

Matthew 1:21 (ESV)

21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

C. Faith

Matthew 1:22-23 (ESV)

22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 “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.’”

Psalm 32:8 (NIV)

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

What Can We Learn From Joseph's Christmas Story?

I. Joseph Embraced Purity vs. 18

II. Joseph Exhibited Poise vs. 19

III. Joseph Entertained A New Perspective vs. 20-23

IV. Joseph Executed God's Plan vs. 24-25

Matthew 1:24-25 (ESV)

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

🔴Joseph was a man who walked in obedience!

🔴Obey – The Biblical word for “obey” comes from the Greek “hupakou” which means to listen attentively; by implication to heed or conform to a command or authority. This word conveys the idea of actively following a command. There is no choice in the matter, it is to be done whether one agrees with it or not. Obedience is involuntary.

How Was Joseph Obedient?

A. Listened Up

Matthew 1:24 (ESV)

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. m

B. Partnered Up 

Matthew 1:24-25 (ESV)

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

C. Followed Up

Matthew 1:25 (ESV)

25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

2 John 1:6 (ESV)

6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.

Turn Joseph's Life Into Your Learning!