The noise you hear when you
read the story of Joseph does not come from his vocal chords but rather from
his footsteps. He actually slides through the Christmas story without as much
as a whisper. He simply gives a nod of agreement, packs his bags, and then goes
where the Spirit of God calls him. With a surrendered heart and a change of
plans, he moves from Nazareth to Bethlehem to Egypt and back to Nazareth
without hesitation. Each move is sudden, unexpected, and geographically radical.
His body moves, his family moves, and his business moves, but his heart remains
steadfastly in the same place through it all.
He is asked to move into a
house with a pregnant woman. It’s her Child, not his. Joseph is neither the
first nor the last man to fill the stepfather role, but he is the only one with
the unique weight of the responsibility that was given him at the incarnation.
The mystery of his holding the Baby Who held the world in His hands probably
never settled comfortably Joseph’s mind.
From the house he shared with the mother
of the Child Who wasn’t his, he was asked to pack and head for Bethlehem. There
his mind would be stretched by the singing angels, bowing shepherds, and
visitors from the Far East, not to mention the prophet Simeon and the
prophetess Anna. He was then required to sell his return ticket to Nazareth and
board a night flight to Egypt for the sake of the Child’s safety.
Just about the time he had adapted to the new language and the new
surroundings, the bell from heaven rang again, and it was time “to pack” to
return.
He set his compass on Bethlehem
where Mary’s Son was born, but he was given an alternate destination. He went back to Nazareth so that God’s Son
could be raised in relative obscurity instead of in the shadows of the holy
city. Joseph clearly was a walker more than a talker. This suitcase man was
moved by dreams in the night. His dreams were not cheap. They always carried
with them a lot of real estate. With the frequent visits of the travel angel in
the night, Joseph must have felt like sleeping with their luggage packed.
As different as his walk was from ours, there are two very
obvious similarities: faith and expense. All who belong to Him are required to
walk by faith. It is our faith that brings God pleasure; it is our sacrifices
that express our love. It is the unanticipated bends in the night roads of life
that test our faith. Untested faith is potentially weak faith, but faith that
has endured the fires of doubt and sacrifice is precious in the sight of God.
Matthew
1:19
Contrasts in the text
1. Contrasting
2. Contrasting
3. Contrasting
4. Contrasting
5. Contrasting
What is a Righteous Man?
1. He is like
Simeon - Luke 1:25
2. He is like John
the Baptist - Mark 6:20
3. He is like
Cornelius - Acts 10:22
4. He is like the
man in Romans 5:7
5. He is like the
man in James 5:16
6. He is like the
man in II Peter 2:7
7. He is like Jesus
- Luke 23:47
C. What were Joseph’s options?
1.
2.
D. How do we deal with sin in the lives of others? [this is not optional]
1. Approach
2. Separate
3. Follow