“Joseph and the Birth of Christ”

Matt. 1:18-25

When I was a teenager, I had the opportunity to go to Colorado with my uncle and his family.  While driving through Kansas, we stopped at a roadside park to rest and to have a picnic lunch.  Have you ever picnicked in Kansas?  It's the only place I know of that it is proper to put your elbows on the table!  You lay your plate down and then you put your elbow on it to keep the wind from blowing it away!  It seems that there is a wind all the time in Kansas.  It's flat and there are not many trees.  So, the wind really gets to going!

And you can see for miles and miles!  Behind this rest stop, about a hundred feet away, was a railroad.  Now, I had always heard that if you could look down a straight railroad for far enough, that the rails would seem to come together into one rail.  I had taken drafting in school so I knew this was called perspective.  So, I walked out to that track.  Sure enough, the rails did seem to go into one!  It was really true!  Now I knew that they didn't really go into one, but they sure looked like it from my perspective.  If I walked to where they seemed to come together, they would look just like the place where I stood.  And, if I looked back, the place where I had been would seem to have the rails joined together.  You see, my perspective had changed.

Let’s define perspective:

The art of drawing solid objects on a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right impression of their height, width, depth, and position in relation to each other when viewed from a particular point. "A perspective drawing"

A particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.

I am sure from Joseph's perspective, Mary's condition seemed quite different from what it really was!  She was pregnant and was technically his wife!  He knew that he wasn't the father, so there was only one conclusion to make – from his perspective.  God chose to work in his life to change that perspective, to move him to the same place as Mary so that he could see the situation from her perspective!

You know, he must have been a remarkable man.  First of all, to be chosen by God to be the earthly father of Jesus, but second of all, to have the faith to accept Mary in spite of the circumstances!   In that culture and at that time, to do what he did is nothing short of remarkable!

Mary was found to be pregnant (Matt. 1:18)

Remember that right after Mary had been told by the angel Gabriel that she would bear the Messiah, she went to be with her cousin Elizabeth.  Probably within the next day or so.  And she didn't tell Joseph what had happened!  Now it was at least three months later.  When she returned from the hill country of Judea, she was probably showing.

This verse says that Mary was “found” to be pregnant.   The Greek word translated “found” has a sense of the unexpected.  Joseph came upon Mary and unexpectedly found or discovered accidentally that she was with child!  

Let's use our sanctified imagination for a moment.  Suppose that Mary was in the market place and Joseph just happened to see her.  It's been a while since he had seen her.  Perhaps he sees her from behind and sneaks up to her to surprise her.  He calls her name and she turns, and he is the one with the surprise!  Imagination the hurt!  Imagination the feelings of anger and betrayal!  His betrothed!  His wife! 

In my mind's eye I can see the two of them staring at each other.  She, hoping for his understanding, he, with disbelief.  I can see them standing together for awhile, and then Joseph turning and walking away.  I can imagine them not saying a word.  I can see Mary staring after him as he leaves, perhaps with tears in her eyes, hoping he will come back, hoping that he will speak to her!

I can see Joseph, blinded by tears, stumbling to his home.  Trying to get away from the public eye because everyone would know! Everybody would know that Mary was pregnant! He would be humiliated!

Joseph the just man (1:19)

Joseph was a just man.  Just means upright or righteous.  It meant the Joseph conformed to the laws of God and man.  The word was applied to model citizens of the Roman Empire.  Joseph was a model citizen.  He always obeyed the law.

The word also carried with it the idea of mercy.  Though Joseph would conform to the laws, he also was merciful.  How he must have struggled with what he had to do! According to the law, he had only two recourses.  He could bring Mary before the people and have her stoned to death as an adulteress.  Or, he could write her a bill of divorcement before two witnesses.

He chose the latter.  It was the most merciful thing that he could do under the law.  He would write her a bill of divorcement, a certificate saying "This woman is not my wife; I am not her husband." I can imagine him then tossing and turning on his bed, so unhappy!  He probably had been building a house for them to live in.  He was working for that time when he would go to collect his bride and now, it wasn't going to happen!  His beloved had been unfaithful!  I can imagine the tears as he thought of these things.  How upset Joseph must have been!

You see, from Joseph's perspective he had no choice!  He could not fulfill his marriage vows to one who was unfaithful.

Joseph’s Consolation (1:20-23)

I call the next few verses Joseph's consolation, because God sent an angel to Joseph to console him and to encourage him.  He consoled him by explaining to him that Mary had not been unfaithful.  Mary had not been with another man.  Then the angel encouraged him several ways:  First, He called him son of David.  This in itself was not encouraging, but in the context of the next few verses, the prophetic emphasis is not lost.  The Messiah was to come from the seed of David. Joseph was to be the "father" of the Messiah! Second, the name that he was to give to the Babe - Jesus.  The Lord is salvation.  For He shall save His people from their sins!  Third, Mary’s pregnancy was a  fulfillment of prophecy!  (1:22,23)  Fourth is the Child's character - Emmanuel (God with us) (1:23)

Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife Joseph, because she is carrying the Son of God, the Messiah and she has been faithful to you!

Joseph had a decision to make.  He could obey the angel and take Mary as his wife, or he could continue with his original plan.  I don't believe it would have affected the ministry of Jesus.  He would still have been the Messiah, the Son of God and our Savior.  But this demonstrates the mercy of God.  Mary would have had a difficult time as an unwed mother in those days.  God provided Mary with a loving husband and a home, He was merciful and kind.

The disciples had a choice too.  When Jesus called them to come and follow Him, they could have said no.  They could have said I have other business.  They could have, but they didn't.

The rich young ruler had a choice.  He could have sold all his possessions and followed Jesus.  He could have, but he didn't.

We have a choice as well.  We could be that faithful servant that Jesus wants us to be.  We could sing in the choir or teach Sunday School.  We could go calling on the sick.  We could be missionaries in a foreign land.  We could be missionaries in our own neighborhoods!  We could be!  If we would listen to His call and obey, we could be a lot of things!

Joseph could have made the decision to divorce Mary anyway.  But God called him to a greater mission than just obeying the law.  He called him to a sacrificial obedience!  And Joseph responded!

Joseph the husband (1:24,25)  Joseph went and collected his wife.  The vows had already been said, the dowry paid.  What remained was for the groom to come and collect his wife.  This was usually accompanied by much excitement and revelry.  The groom's friend would walk through the city streets with him, laughing and making merry.  There would be much noise and the bride was often caught by surprise.  The groom would come and take her away to the place that he had prepared.  Jesus is coming someday to take away His bride, the church.  What a beautiful picture!

In my mind's eye, I can see Joseph as content.  He believed what the angel told him.  I can see his excitement and his smile as he took Mary's hand and led her to their new home.  Would he have difficult times?  Probably.  Would he withstand people’s gossip and accusation?  I think so.  You see, obedience to God is sometimes uncomfortable!  Even the Lord Jesus said that we will face hardship in this world!  But I believe Joseph was content.

I see compassion as well, for in the Lukan account, he took his bride with him to Bethlehem so that she would not be alone during the birth of her firstborn son.  Joseph was the husband.

His perspective was the same as Mary's now and he looked forward to the birth of the Messiah! 

Conclusion

Sometimes our perspective of things makes all the difference. Sometimes we simply cannot understand because we are looking at things from our own perspective.  Joseph had to come to Mary's perspective in order to accept the fact that she was with child.  Sometimes, when the Lord wants us to do something, we refuse, because from our perspective things do not seem right.  When Moses was told to go and lead God's people from Egypt, he claimed that he could not speak well.  And God's response was that He made man's mouth and all else. 

If God asks you to do something, He will give you the ability to do it!  Has the Lord asked you to do something?  Have you done it?  Have you accepted the Lord Jesus as your personal Savior?  Is there something that you don't understand? 

So what is your perspective on the birth of Christ?

What is your perspective on serving Him?

Look at it from God's perspective.  Perhaps the answer will become clear, as it did for Joseph.

Merry Christmas!

Tim