Advent Week 3, 2021...Joseph's Anticipation
By Mark Rater
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. 20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." 22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US." 24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took [Mary] as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
(Mat 1:18-25 NASB)
Imagine being engaged to a woman who becomes pregnant despite ever having done anything that could cause that. Imagine being so righteous as to not want to put her to shame, though you believe that she must have been unfaithful. Imagine the pain you would feel as you were about to send her away, your hopes of marrying this woman you love vanishing.
Now imagine that an angel of the Lord appears to you in a dream and tells you to not fear taking her as a wife, because the child conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit, not another man. If that's not shocking enough, you're told to name the child Jesus, which means "savior," because he will save his people from their sins!
Joseph wakes up from his dream, does what the angel tells him to do, and takes Mary as his wife and names the son Jesus. Names him "Savior."
Ray Pritchard puts it this way about Joseph..."In these days of confusion, Joseph shows us what a godly man looks like:
He was strong when he could have been weak.
He was tender when he could have been harsh.
He was thoughtful when he could have been hasty.
He was trusting when he could have doubted."
God chose an ordinary man to raise Jesus on earth. Yes, Joseph was from the family line of King David, but he was a common, blue collar, poor man. He was a faithful and obedient man. He was a devout man.
He served a God who told him that he would raise a son called "Savior" who would save people from their sins. He served a God who told him that he would raise a son called "Immanuel," which means "God with us".
Imagine trying to process this news! Imagine waiting in anticipation for this child to be born!
Now imagine for a moment serving a God so holy and just that his standard is perfection and he cannot let sin go unpunished. Imagine at the same time serving the very same God who also is so gracious and merciful that he himself would provide a substitute who would absorb his full wrath against sin in place of sinners. Imagine for a moment that the substitute is God himself in human flesh. Jesus Christ, the only son of God, who God
"...made Him who knew no sin [to be] sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2Co 5:21 NASB95)
That is the God whom Joseph served. That is the God whom we serve.
This Christmas season, don’t forget that we serve a God like that. A God who forgives us through Christ despite our sin and open rebellion. Who takes us from darkness and death to light and life through a new birth in Christ. Who makes us sons and daughters. Who gives us eternal life and eternal inheritance. Who became a man and died for us that we might live. God incarnate. Born to save man from sin. Coming back again to judge the world and make all things new. That is Christmas. That is Christ. Amen!
Are you prone to being distracted from the real meaning of Christmas?
Are you resting in your Savior, “God with us?”
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