Matthew 1:18-23
What A Man Should Be
It is the Sunday before Christmas and our minds are probably and
properly thinking about the birth of Jesus. In the story that we call
Christmas, there are three prominent individuals.
The One above all is the Babe in the manager. Jesus is not just a
character in the Christmas story. He is the Christmas story. No mere
mortal, whether real or imaginary, should ever be exalted in such a
manner as to dim glory of that Holy Child for the coming of the
Messiah has sealed the eternity of every human being. Because Jesus
came, now every soul will spend eternity in heaven or in hell.
The second most prominent individual would be Mary, the mother of
Jesus. Indeed, the angel Gabriel called her "blessed among women"
\\#Luke 1:28\\ and while we do NOT worship her, bow to her, pray to
her, or use her name to curry favor with God; she was a righteous
woman who set forth an example of selflessness, sacrifice, and
suffering to be obedient to God.
But the third most prominent individual in the birth of Jesus we
speak very little of. That would be Joseph, Jesus’ step father.
Some discount Joseph’s role in the birth of Jesus. After all, Joseph
did not in any way contribute to the conception of Jesus. God the
Father and God the Holy Spirit gave Seed to Mary to produce the Body
that Jesus lived within. Yet, while many other men both in the
Christmas story and since have failed to accept their leadership role
and responsibilities, Joseph did not. Joseph, like Mary, was an
example of selflessness, sacrifice, and suffering to be obedient to
God.
Let’s consider Joseph this morning.
I. Who He Was
A. He was a poor man.
1. I do not know that anyone has ever desired to be poor; but
as someone said, "God must really love the poor because He
made so many of them."
2. How do I know that Joseph was a poor man? Because of the
offering he brought.
a. \\#Lev 12:2-8\\ required two offerings when a son or
daughter was born.
(1) A lamb for a Burnt Offering
(2) A pigeon or a turtle dove for a Sin Offering.
b. However, if a man could not afford the lamb, he could
bring substitute another pigeon or turtledove for the
lamb, meaning he would bring a pair of turtledoves or
pigeons.
c. Notice what Mary and Joseph brought in \\#Luke 2:24\\.
Luke 2:24 And to offer a sacrifice according to
that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair
of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
d. That means this was a man of humble means.
e. But we need to add to that thought another.
B. He was a working man.
1. One day, Jesus was teaching and the people, listening
to the words that Jesus spoke, asked:
Matthew 13:55 Is not this the carpenter’s son?
is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren,
James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
2. Joseph was a carpenter, a worker of wood.
3. These two thoughts together present a picture of the
kind of people that God most often uses, i.e. poor, ,
common, hard-working people.
a. Jesus was not born into a palace or to an
aristocratic family, but into a home where when the
Babe cried, the mother—not a nanny—got up and
walked the floor. Where the father got up early to
do the chores and then headed out to the mill or to
factory to work.
b. God uses ordinary people. I think we sometimes forget
that Peter was a fisherman, Matthew a tax collector,
and Paul supplemented his income by making tents.
c. The worship of Christ is not improved by wealth or
hindered by poverty. Indeed, most often it is the
opposite which is true.
d. Do you think your status, your abilities, or your
looks will either impress or displease God?
(1) No, my friend. It will not.
(2) Whatever you are or have was given to you by God,
and God only takes note of how you live with
those things and what you do for Him, with or
despite them.
C. He was a just man.
Matt 1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just
man, and not willing to make her a publick
example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things….
1. God, not Matthew, called Joseph a just man.
2. That means he was a man who did right.
a. We need to understand that when the Bible calls a man
just it does not mean just according to man’s law or
in his own eyes.
b. It means that person did right in the eyes of God.
c. Of course those two should parallel, but they seldom
seem to do so.
(1) Hard to say that "I am proud to be an American."
(2) I can say that I am thankful and happy to be an
American, but with the divergence of American’s
laws and God’s laws, it becomes more and more
difficult to be proud of America.
3. So does this mean that Joseph was some kind of theologian?
a. No. Joseph was not trained in the Word of God any
more than most of you are.
b. In fact, most grade school children who attend Sunday
school and church at the Green Pond Baptist Church
would have been exposed to far more of the Bible than
Joseph.
(1) Joseph had no Bible to read. The New Testament
had not even been given yet.
(2) Joseph had no Sunday school to attend.
(3) Joseph had no Christian literature or books to
read.
(4) Joseph had no Christian radio or DVDs to aid him.
c. Joseph’s knowledge of things of God came from two
sources:
(1) Joseph probably went to synagogue for a single
service on Saturday. That would be kind of
like morning worship here today.
(2) Joseph probably had a mother and father who
taught him about God. Moms and dads, don’t
underestimate the influence you have on your
children—for good and for bad.
D. \\#Matt 1:19\\ He was a merciful man.
1. While the law called for stoning, Joseph wanted to just
divorce Mary privately.
2. He did not seek vengeance or retribution against the
woman he thought had done him wrong nor did he want her
to be humiliated by others.
II. What He Did
Matt 1:24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep
did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and
took unto him his wife:
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth
her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
A. Joseph believed and obeyed God.
1. We should not take for granted that Joseph first believed.
a. You say, "Well, an angel came to confirm the truth."
b. With the message Gabriel brought, it would still take
a lot of faith to believe.
c. Yet, Joseph did believe with a rock-solid faith.
d. How do I know? Because his actions demonstrate his
faith.
2. But Joseph also obeyed.
a. He married Mary, and then kept his hands off of her.
b. There were around 6 more months of pregnancy when the
two were married, but Joseph did not touch his wife
until after Jesus was born.
3. Joseph did not keep his hands off of her AFTER Jesus was
born.
a. A verse already referenced, \\#Matt 13:55\\, tell us
Mary and Joseph had four other sons and we don’t
know how many "sisters."
b. Sorry, but the notion that Mary was a "perpetual"
virgin as believed by the Catholics is just plain
wrong.
4. This deed also tells us something about the man, Joseph.
a. Joseph denied himself.
b. He put God and others before himself.
B. Joseph fulfilled prophecy.
1. This was not so much about what Joseph did but what God
did with Joseph.
2. Like Abraham’s servant:
Ge 24:27 …I being in the way, the LORD led
me….
3. Joseph fulfilled at least three prophecies:
1. He got Mary to Bethlehem to deliver Jesus.
2. He fled to Egypt to protect Jesus.
3. When it was safe, Joseph brought his family back to
Nazareth to live.
4. Did Joseph know that he was fulfilling prophecy while he
was doing so?
1. Probably not.
2. He was just in the way of faith and obedience. so that
God could use him.
C. Joseph believed and protected the Child.
Matt 2:13 And when they were departed, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a
dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child
and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou
there until I bring thee word: for Herod will
seek the young child to destroy him.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and
his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that
it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the
Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have
I called my son.
1. Joseph fled to Egypt at the command of God, leaving
everyone and everything he had behind.
2. This is more of the selfless and sacrificial spirit.
3. His family meant more to him that job, possession, and
location.
4. Yet this deed tells us another truth about the man,
Joseph.
a. Joseph was courageous.
b. Joseph knew full well that he was setting himself at
odds with a king; yet, he valued not his life, but
the lives of those he loved.
(1) Herod banished one wife and son, killed another
wife and family members.
(2) Herod wanted to be certain weep when he died so
he gathered up a group of distinguished men and
had the all killed the moment of his own death.
D. \\#Luke 2:41-52\\ Joseph believed and worshiped God.
1. The last story we have of Joseph was when Jesus was 12.
2. Joseph brought his family, including Jesus, to Jerusalem
for the annual feast.
3. Someone might say, "Well, yeah but God commanded that."
4. God commands it today as well, but most people do not obey
it!
Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of
ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but
exhorting one another: and so much the more, as
ye see the day approaching.
III. Where He Wasn’t
A. I find it interesting—not doctrinally sound but interesting—
not only to look at what the Bible says, but also at what it
does not say.
1. There is no mention of Joseph being around after Jesus was
found in the temple at the age of 12 \\#Luke 2:41-52\\.
2. That leads us to conclude that Joseph died before Jesus
began His public ministry.
B. Why was Jesus not there?
1. The Bible does not say, but I have a suspicion.
2. I believe God took Joseph because Joseph would not have
allowed Jesus to have been treated like He was.
3. Could Joseph have stopped it?
a. No, but he could have raised a ruckus.
b. So God took Joseph.
c. Someone asks, "As punishment?"
d. No. As a reward.
e. What an honor it would be for God to have to remove us
because He knew we would do what was right no matter
what it cost us!
f. Remember, it is not a bad thing for a Christian to go
to heaven. From our perspective, it may be a sad
thing but never a bad thing.
C. And I believe God knew from the beginning that although Joseph
was the right kind of man to raise the Christ Child, he would
not be the kind of man to leave on earth for the crucifixion
of Jesus.
Luke 2:34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto
Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for
the fall and rising again of many in Israel;
and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own
soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts
may be revealed.
Understand, the Christmas story is first and foremost about Jesus;
however, it is not just about Jesus and who He is. Christmas is also
about us and who we are. I do not find it amazing that God had to
remove Joseph from the crucifixion. I find it amazing that He did
have to remove every man in Israel! Where were the other Josephs?
Are we a Joseph?
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