Sermon Central
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Joseph Is Invited To Accept Series
Contributed by T.j. Conwell on Dec 14, 2015 (message contributor)
Summary: What Joseph received from God was no different than what we receive as well. He was invited to accept what God was doing and not to push against it. What God invites us to do is the same thing: To accept what He has to offer!
Joseph is invited to accept
Introduction
- Today’s message is titled, “Joseph is invited to Accept”
- Advent is a wonderful time of year for all Christians to celebrate
-- However, there is something that gets lost in the hustle/bustle of the holiday
-- APP: It is what I want to focus these next few weeks on and learn from
- “advent” means: an appearance or an occurrence of something; a revealing
- “invitation” means: the action of inviting someone to go or to do something
- What’s critical for us to see in this study is simple:
-- Before someone can do something … an invitation is always required
- Read Matthew 1:18-25 / Pray
∆ Point 1 – God’s planning is awesome
- The lineage of Jesus gives us great insight into God’s planning capabilities
-- Last week: Luke 1:32, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.”
- IMP: In order for this to happen, there had to be an ordination of planning
- First things first, not a whole lot is known about Joseph
- The first appearance of Joseph is in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke
-- Matthew 1:16, “… and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary …”
-- But in Luke 3:23 says, “Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli”
- What is interesting in both of these accounts is they each trace a different lineage
-- Matthew traces the major royal line from Solomon
-- Luke traces a (minor line) back to Nathan (a son of David and Bathsheba)
-- APP: For you and me it’s critical to see the ordination of God’s plan
- We know that the bible prophesizes of a coming Messiah
-- It starts as early as Genesis when he is promised as a victor over Satan
-- Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
- Even the great prophet Isaiah’s describes how the Messiah will come
-- Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
-- IMP: The bible actually predicts a Messiah over 300 times
- APP: God’s planning is perfect, complete, and it provides everything we need
-- Even in the smallest details, each obstacle is provided a solution too
- Consider: God’s unity of purpose in His word shows us one clear thing:
-- If He can ordain the birth of one child throughout time, can’t He take care of us?
- TRANS: If we agree that He can, let’s examine God’s invitation …
∆ Point 2 – Don’t miss the invitation
- In biblical times, marriages were arranged by families for several reasons
-- Primarily, to ensure the continuation of family lines (names) with children
-- Mary and Joseph were two such persons, betrothed to one another
-- They were already considered “a couple” if you will – and everyone knew it
- Some may suggest they were already “married” yet one thing was lacking (v18)
-- They had NOT consummated their marriage (had sex) when Mary was pregnant
- Obviously this would cause gossip and reputation shaming in the community
-- This is why Joseph (v19) considered divorcing her (which means to separate)
-- As a faithful man of the Law (Jew), this would’ve been devastating to him
- The shame, the ridicule, and the public humiliation would’ve been extreme
-- As a man, in these times (and today), Joseph would’ve been at a breaking point
-- His reasons for doing away with her would’ve been justified in everyone’s eyes
- But … something unique happens to this man we hardly know anything about
-- (v20) An angel appears to him in a dream and gives him … his invitation!
- INVITATION: Do not be afraid; take Mary as your wife; God is at work here
- Ever had a dream that seemed so real it was hard to tell the dream from reality?
- I’m sure he got the comfort (and shock) of His life as God’s messenger spoke
-- APP: I wonder if we received instruction like this how we’d respond
-- Would we be obedient – or would we simply shrug it off as “just a dream”
- He is told about this child in great detail, and even who He would become
- He is even told the name of the child … allow me to do a little teaching here:
