Part 2/5
Read: Matthew 1:18-25, Isaiah 40:3-5
Are you ready for Christmas? I think it is safe to say that nobody is ever really ready. There is a lot to prepare. Sometimes it feels like too much to do. During this second week of Advent, we are focusing on preparation, so I encourage you that as you’re getting ready, to remember to prepare your heart, soul, and mind to be ready for Christmas as well.
As we continue our series looking at the names of Jesus, I want us to look at what it means that He was the son of Joseph. We don’t know a lot about Jesus’ adoptive father, but we do have some insight into what he must have been like in this short narrative story.
This is the story of how Jesus was born. It is a miracle in and of itself. In fact, J.I. Packer describes this as the greatest miracle of all time. What makes this so unique? It’s not simply that a virgin gave birth to a child, but that the second person of the Godhead was born into His own creation. Jesus being 100% God and 100% human is almost impossible for our minds to comprehend. So we can have a little bit of sympathy for Joseph who was blindsided by this revelation.
Joseph and Mary were betrothed. This means that they were already legally married, but they had not yet lived together. This was done to safeguard the marriage. By taking a year of living apart, that would prove that they had remained faithful and pure. There were no shotgun marriages. When it became apparent that Mary was with child, Joseph was contemplating his options. This is where we learn the significance of Joseph’s story and discover what he can teach us about being prepared to be used by God.
JOSEPH WAS A FAITHFUL BELIEVER
The Bible doesn’t tell us much about Joseph. In Fact, we never even hear him speak. He was an ordinary guy, a carpenter. Not the kind of guy that you would expect to be a significant figure in the Christmas story. Yet, this ordinary individual has a unique role to play in raising the most important person to ever be born.
We do know that Joseph was a righteous man and sought to live in accordance with God’s Word. This is not an insignificant detail. He may not have been a scholar, a prophet, or a warrior, and we shouldn’t attempt to deify him, but he was faithful in obedience to the law. This doesn’t mean that God couldn’t use a broken and sinful individual, there are plenty of them listed in the previous genealogy, but Joseph is significant because his faithfulness positioned him to be used mightily in God’s plan.
We don’t usually give a great deal of importance to faithfulness in the little things. We like the stories of underdogs who triumph over insurmountable odds. We want to hear testimonies about lives that have been completely transformed by the mercies of God. We often overlook the reality that the Kingdom of God is predominantly populated by ordinary believers. We may never make it into the Christian history books, but we are significant in God’s plans.
JOSEPH WAS GRACIOUS
We cannot imagine what it was like for Joseph to find out that Mary was pregnant. He had been faithful and pure, but he was presented with an unfair scenario. He didn’t know who the father of the child was, but he could be certain that it was not his. His decision to put Mary away was his right as her husband.
Although Joseph was righteous and justified in seeking a divorce, he chose to do so in a way that was gracious. By putting her away quietly, he would not be able to protect his reputation from all of the rumors that would abound. He wouldn’t be able to defend himself and make a public proclamation of his innocence.
I remember when I was a kid and my sisters would do something to hurt me. I would run to my mom for justice. But what I got in return was a teary eyed response, “I wish you cared more about forgiveness than judgment.” That picture of my mom has always stood out for me. I know that I can have a high sense of justice and forget how gracious God has been towards me. Joseph was just, but he also captured the heart of the gospel by showing grace toward Mary.
JOSEPH WAS OBEDIENT
We will get into the significance of Jesus’ name and the prophecy that was fulfilled in the weeks ahead, but now I want to drop down to the end of the narrative at the bottom of this chapter. When Joseph woke up from the dream, he did exactly what he was supposed to do. He didn’t question it or go seek a second opinion. He did what was right and followed God’s plan.
This was a lot to ask of Joseph. He had to take Mary as his wife, with all of the implications that would entail. He had to wait to consummate the marriage until after Jesus was born. He had to raise a child that was not His own. Yet, he did everything that was asked of him. He may not have understood what he was doing or why it was he that had to do it, but he did it all the same.
Joseph is a remarkable testimony for us, particularly for today. Joseph was plucked out of obscurity. He was insignificant in the greater scheme of things going on at that time, but he was invited into the greater plan of God and played an integral role in raising God’s Son, the savior of the world.
We may not be aware of what God is doing in our lives, but we can be assured that His plans are bigger than our own. We must focus on being faithful in the little things, remain sensitive to His leading, and obedient to do what He calls us to do, even if we cannot see the end result.
To God be the glory.
Adam Miller is the president and host of Songtime Radio and serves as the pastor of South Chatham Community Church. This article is a condensed version of one of his sermons.