Joseph is invited to accept
Matthew 1:18-25
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:
- Different spellings exist and often complicate this name for any who studies:
-- The early biblical name would’ve been spelled Yehoshua
-- The Hebrew language shortened it to Yeshua (means rescue; deliver)
-- The Greek’s would’ve written Iesous (RE: there is no “J” in the early language)
-- From the Greek, the Latin translation would’ve been IESVS
-- And in English, through translation and letter dev, we get the name Jesus
- In Hebrew it means “Salvation”; In Greek it means “the Lord saves”
- Because the angel proclaims God’s truth, he is able to quote Isaiah (v22-23)
-- You need to give Him this name because of what He will do for all people
-- This truth, this spectacular revelation, is what Joseph (and us) can stand on
∆ The Messiah, promised by God, is coming into this world to save his people!
-- And you Joseph, you are not be afraid and take His mother as your wife
- When Joseph woke up (v24), He did exactly what the angel had told him
-- HUGE: When he encountered God’s promise, his entire outlook changed
-- He had a foundation in which to build on; in his heart he knew God’s truth
- He marries Mary, but notice … he does not consummate their marriage (v25)
-- Mary then, remained a virgin until she gave birth, to the One true Messiah
- TRANS: So, how does this revelation and invitation affect us today?
∆ Big Idea
- 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
- Even though we were given God’s most incredible gift, it still had a price
-- IMP: The forgiveness of sin cannot be purchased without sacrifice
- The OT tells us this repeatedly in graphic detail (Law); but so does the NT …
-- Hebrews 9:22, “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
- In order for Jesus to save, He had to die … which is what we must accept today
-- We must accept the death of Jesus as payment for our sins; as payment for us
-- But the only way to accept, is to submit to Him and let down our defenses
- Joseph’s invitation to accept is now laid at our doorstep
- Pray for salvation … the true gift of Christmas
