it's always interesting when you talk about the characters of
Christmas the people that were a part of that first scene of
Christmas his mother Mary at the center of that and and then
the shepherds and how God came to those men who were somewhat
outcast somewhat different worked on the road a lot stayed away
from people yet that's who God chose to come to and the wise men
probably before that day a pagan pagan astrologers that followed
stars and God did work in them and they didn't show up at the
manger if you put that in your nativity scene you messed it up
they showed up later when they were in a house up to two years
later and that's often what we think about when we think about
Christmas but there's one guy in the back of that nativity
setting looking down at the baby Jesus we'll talk about a whole lot
because we don't know as much about and that's Joseph we know God
chose Mary but have you ever thought that he also chose the man who
would be the father figure for Jesus there's so much about that time that
we don't know and so much about that man that we don't know if you look
too hard for why God used him you'll miss the reason why God used him and so
first I want you to notice how he was used it's in Matthew chapter 1 beginning
in verse 18 and it says now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way when
his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph before they came together she was
found to be with child from the Holy Spirit and her husband Joseph being a
just man and unwilling to put her to shame resolved to divorce her quickly
quietly excuse me but as he considered three these things behold an angel of the
Lord appeared to him in a dream saying Joseph son of David do not fear to take
Mary as your wife for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit she
she will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from
their sins all this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet behold
the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and they shall call his name Emmanuel which means God with us
when Joseph woke from sleep he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him he took his wife
but knew her not until she had given birth to a son and he called his name Jesus
Joseph was born into a strong family the gospel of Luke tells us that he was born of the house and
the lineage of King David he had royal blood in his family tree however it does not appear that he was
much of a player for all that he was from Bethlehem and he had moved to Nazareth
and he dearly loved the lady in his life Mary and God was to use Mary in a way a mighty way but
apparently he nor she had a clue about that until those angels came and told him and when she was told
she was going to bear the Lord's son Luke 2 tells us that she said how can this be
since I am a virgin in other words she didn't know it was coming it was not in her expectation
and he didn't either and when he found out she was pregnant
he was shocked he was disappointed
probably heart broke and he had a few options
his options were affected by his betrothed and
you see they were engaged and the engagement in that day was different than the engagement in today's day
it was not the way people are engaged today if you break off an engagement today
it's all about the ring what you gonna do about that ring and I've watched enough judge Judy know how all that works out
in that day it was much more than that
with a betrothed there came a public announcement and a public union that at least by two or three witnesses
you attended you intended to marry another it was a legal binding agreement and to set
to step out of an engagement required a divorce
if it was for sexual sin it was serious in Deuteronomy chapter 22 and 23 and 24 it says the guilty parties were to be stoned to death
now that had changed somewhat by this point
quite honestly
but socially
it had not changed
he had a couple options
one he could have charged files against her
and had her face the ramifications
and we don't know exactly what those ramifications were
I think it was kind of iffy in that day based on my research and and
yet it surely meant there'd be great
public shame
it'd be a drawn out
sorted affair
or he could give her divorce papers and do it quietly without a lot of fanfare
but even that's not clean and neat because there's no such thing as a clean and neat divorce
it was it was a mess
and he didn't want to do it either
he wanted his lady back and everything to be like it was before
so so what was he to do
why had she turned and done whatever she had done
you see to this point Joseph and Mary had not come together
there was a there was an engagement part of that betrothed
but they had committed to each other
but they did not live together
and they did not come together until marriage
and that is not only a first century concept
that's a biblical concept
that's just as real today as it's ever been
that's still God's plan
I'm amazed at how Christians believe that you can
that you don't have to honor God sexually
because the urge is high and the desire is great
and therefore it feels right
the difference in us and animals is that we have a conscience
we're made in the image of God
and as Christians we have the very presence of God living in us
we have an omnipotent God that indwells within us
that leads us away from tempting circumstances in which we face
and we have conditioned ourselves
not by the word of God
but too often by the world
to act like a bunch of animals
we're plagued by a horrible case of the can't help it
and the Greek word for that is baloney
I'm telling you this world is changing so fast
and I hope you see what happens
when you get on the slippery slope
of leaving God's word behind
the world goes nuts without the order of God
that's what chaos is
and that's what we see
and I don't want to harp this morning
but I do want to remind you what God's word says
1 Corinthians 10 13 says
listen to this Christian
you got to hang your hat on this
no temptation has overtaken you
that's not common to man
what you're facing
is not different
you're not the only one that's been in that spot
your circumstances are not unique
well if they were in my shoes
they'd do different
no they wouldn't
one of the strategies of the evil one
is to convince us
that somehow the temptation that we face
is justified and okay
because our circumstances are different
and Paul speaks directly against that
through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
in that first sentence when he says
no temptation has overtaken you
that's not common to man
and yes it may be individualized
yes it may be customized in some way
a little bit different
or whatever
I'm telling you
we all deal with the same stuff
and thank God it don't stop there
because God is faithful
and he will not let you be tempted
beyond your ability
but with the temptation
he'll always provide
he will also provide
and I will add always provide
the way of escape
that you may be able to endure it
a Christian
that is saved by the grace of God
and empowered by the Holy Spirit of God
does not have a case of the can't help it
we just choose not to follow
what the Lord would have us to do
and choose not to tap in
to the power that he's placed within us
he also says in 1 Corinthians 6
verse 18 and 20
flee from sexual immorality
and when I read that
you know what I think of
I think of
I think of Joseph and Potiphar's wife
when Potiphar's wife went after him
he left his coat
in her hand
and got out of there
when you're facing
temptation
of sexual immorality
you can just consider it a
a skunk within three feet of you
you better get out of there
because if you don't
you're going to stink afterwards
flee
every other sin a person commits
is outside the body
but the sexual immoral person
sins against his own body
do you not know that your body
is a temple of the Holy Spirit
within you
whom you've
from God
you are not your own
you're bought with a high price
so glorify God in your body
now I'm pausing here this morning
and taking time this morning
because our world is confusing
it is confusing
it is changing so fast
America is
and
the tables have turned
in such a way
that it wasn't that long ago
when sexual sin
was known to be wrong
does not mean
it was not participated in
but it was known
to be wrong
people knew what was right
and what was wrong
but today
the tables have somewhat
turned in our culture
to where what's right
and godly
and biblical
seems wrong
and bigoted
and narrow
and old fashioned
I'm going to tell you something
through the power of the Holy Spirit of God
the Word of God
breathes through
every generation
that has the opportunity
to have it before them
and until the Lord comes back
it will be timely
and it will be real
God's not shocked
by America
in the 21st century
matter of fact
when he put the inspiration
in Paul
to write these words
he had us in mind
as well
so we can rest in God's Word
now
when those things
come close to home
and when they hit us
those temptations
or those
compromise
of ideologies
all this
sexual confusion
that's going on now
it's easy for us
to point at somebody else's
problems and sins
and talk about all that
but when it comes to the house
when those you love
struggle in these areas
and they're looking for affirmation
in the midst of their circumstances
it's not easy
I encourage you
to love those
God puts in your path
and love them with
biblical accuracy
and don't back off
what the Word of God says
trust Him
we don't need to be spewing hate
we need to be spewing love
in the Lord Jesus
but
at the same time
we need not compromise
what God's Word says
man
I went there
didn't I
God takes it seriously
He does
and so shall we
so
Joseph is in a precarious situation
so
what does he do
you have the betrothed yourself
to
you have betrothed yourself
to a lady
that you dearly love
but things have got
cloudy
and so
what do you do on that
well you sleep on it
and that's what he did
and when he did
an angel of the Lord
came to him
in a dream
and told him
do not fear
don't worry about this
she was
she has
she
she will
she was conceived
by the Holy Spirit
and he will be
the Savior
and when Joseph
got up
the matter was settled
he would be
the guardian
the earthly father figure
for the Son of God
and the Savior
of the world
why
why him
was it all about
Mary being chosen
and he just
this guy
in the picture
to fulfill the scene
I don't think so
I think sometimes
we think like that
but I don't think so
so
why don't we know
more about him
and why is he not
more celebrated
I believe when we
get there
when we get that
we'll get the true
picture of what's
happening here
we'll understand how
this is not just
about
Joseph
but it's also about
me
and it's also about
you
why did God
use
Joseph
and I'll just
tell you up front
faithfulness
he used him
because he was
faithful
God
chooses
to use
the faithful
he was faithful
to his family
Joseph
was
dearly
dearly loved
his wife
to be
and his family
and
when he didn't
have a clue
as to why
she was pregnant
and if they had
conversations
about that
she was telling
him something
that didn't
sound true
no one
had ever
had a child
from the Holy
Spirit
and it
hadn't
happened
since
and it
ain't gonna
happen again
so I think
he's in a
unique spot
and even
with all
those feelings
he still
didn't want
to shame
her
he still
didn't want
to hurt
her
his faithfulness
to her
during pregnancy
is the same
faithfulness
that he had
through the
childhood
of Jesus
and we
find out
more about
that
when we
look at
the second
truth here
not only
was he
faithful to
his family
he was
faithful to
the Lord
Joseph
faithfully
obeyed the
Lord
and trusted
him
wholly
and I
want you
to see
what stands
out to me
about Joseph
the most
and in all
my studies
of him
and none
of us
know much
about him
let me tell
you what
stands out
what stands
out is in
verse 24
when it
says
immediately
when he
woke up
when he
found out
she was
pregnant
he was
pondering
on that
he was
struggling
with that
he was
hurting
over that
and he
went
and he
rested
in on
that
slept
on it
to find
guidance
God
gave him
guidance
came to
him
and told
him
and his
pondering
on that
was
immediately
over
he got
up
he took
his wife
and Mary
had Jesus
and in Luke
chapter 2
verse 21
it tells us
that on the
eighth day
he was
named Jesus
just like
they had
been told
the wise
men came
to Bethlehem
and gifted
and honored
the child
an angel
told Joseph
to take
the child
to Egypt
and he
escaped
the wrath
of Herod
following
the guidance
of the
angel
in chapter 2
verse 14
he rose
and took
the child
and his
mother
and departed
under the
cover of
the night
when Herod
died
an angel
came to
Joseph
and said
in Matthew
2
verse 20
get up
and go
to Israel
Herod's
dead
and Herod
was dead
and he
got back
up and
went to
Nazareth
he took
that child
and the
mother
to Nazareth
and Luke
chapter 2
verse 39
says
and when
they had
performed
everything
according
to the
law of
the Lord
they returned
to Galilee
to their
own town
of Nazareth
verse 41
tells us
that every
year
they went
to Jerusalem
at the
feast of
Passover
you know
what that
means
that means
he was
faithful
to the
Lord
God
gave him
directions
along the
way
and every
time God
gave him
directions
he got up
and did
exactly what
God told
him to do
my friend
you're not
faithful
when you
ponder
on what
God
shows
you
what you
need
to do
and you
struggle
with it
he struggled
before he knew
what God
wanted
once he knew
what God
wanted
he didn't
struggle
anymore
he did
exactly
what God
told him
to do
and he
trusted
God
with the
results
he was
faithful
to the
Lord
and he
was also
faithful
through the
seasons
not just
for a
season
he was
faithful
Joseph
submissively
committed
his life
to the
Lord
and carried
through
with it
steadfastly
he's not
a weak
noodle
he guides
his family
he sets
the spiritual
track for
his family
he obeys
God
he takes
them
with him
in the
will of
God
he does
not say
Mary
God told
me we
need to
go
no
he led
his
family
how did
he know
so clearly
what God
wanted him
to do
he honored
God
with his
life
that's
why
and he
quickly
responded
in obedience
when God
spoke to
him
God
will
make
himself
clear
to you
he
don't
offer
you
suggestions
for you
to
ponder
he
gives
you
commands
for you
to
follow
and when
you
do
that
in
faithfulness
he'll
show
you
what
he'd
have
for
you
through
God's
word
and
every
time
the
Lord
speaks
he
quickly
obeys
year
at
the
age
of
12
a
significant
excuse
me
they
went
every
year
and
at
the
age
of
12
a
significant
year
in
a
boy's
life
they
went
according
to
custom
meaning
they
were
doing
it
every
year
and
while
they
traveled
in a
pack
and
on
the
way
back
they
were
checking
to
see
where
he
was
and
they
didn't
see
him
and
they
went
back
and
saw
him
teaching
in the
temple
and
was
astonished
now
if you
wonder
how
in the
world
did they
leave
without
that
boy
well
then
you
ain't
raised
your
kids
in a
church
with
a
bunch
of
friends
I
can
tell
you
that
because
either
my
poor
children
have
rode
off
with
somebody
else
that
I
didn't
know
they
were
doing
or
either
we've
left
them
at
the
church
thinking
they
were
you
know
or
both
they
went
back
and he
was
teaching
in the
temple
and they
were
astonished
and they
got to
him and
said
something
like
boy
we've
been
worried
sick
about
you
we
didn't
know
where
you
were
Jesus
said
at the
age
of
twelve
why
were
you
looking
for
me
did
you
not
know
that
I
must
be
in
my
father's
house
I
didn't
quite
understand
all
that
but
Jesus
went
home
with
them
and
he
was
submissive
to
them
that's
what
verse
51
of
Luke
2
says
and
that
tells
me
that
Joseph
did
not
leave
the
scene
when
Jesus
was
twelve
now
we
have
silent
years
from
the
age
of
twelve
to
thirty
about
Jesus
we
don't
know
and
we
don't
know
how
long
Joseph
lived
during
that
time
it
is
believed
that
he
was
much
older
than
Mary
the
custom
of
that
day
would
have
made
that
very
possible
and
somewhere
between
the
age
of
twelve
and
thirty
in
Jesus
life
he
must
have
passed
I
believe
the
most
significant
verse
about
Joseph
life
is
in
Luke
chapter
two
verse
fifty
two
when
it
says
and
Jesus
increased
in
wisdom
and
in
stature
and
in
favor
with
God
and
man
do
you
know
what
that
means
that
means
Joseph
did
his
job
he
did
what
God
had
entrusted
him
to
do
he
did
what
God
had
commanded
him
to
do
and
what
else
he
did
and
how
long
he
lived
and
where
he
was
from
and
anything
else
really
doesn't
matter
we
spend
so much
of our
time
and our
energy
focusing
and spending
and pondering
on and
doing
things
that
really
don't
matter
so much
of what
we spend
our time
on
so much
of what
we spend
our money
on
really
does
not
matter
what
really
matters
when
God
has
entrusted
you
with
children
what
really
matters
is that
they
increase
in wisdom
and stature
and in
favor
that they
grow
in the
Lord
and
anything
that we
see
that comes
in the
way
of that
along
the way
we need
to understand
what it
is
it's
an
enemy
of the
evil
one
that
has
come
into
our
lives
to
distract
us
from
the
main
thing
it's
good
to be
a part
of a
lot
of
things
but don't
ever
let
those
things
come
in
the
way
of the
opportunity
for your
child
to be
nurtured
in the
love of
God
to come
to know
him
at an
early
age
and to
live
for him
throughout
life
don't
let
things
hinder
that
when
the arm
is shot
and the
knee
is blown
out
they'll
need
Jesus
they need
him
now
so have
all the
fun
and do
all that
but don't
ever
let it
become
a
hindrance
from
your
child
being
raised
in
the
love
and
the
admonition
of
the
Lord
don't
ever
let
that
stand
in
the
way
because
no matter
how many
millions
they make
over
their
talent
if
they die
without
Jesus
they're
just
building
bigger
barns
just
setting
the deck
chairs
on the
Titanic
it does
no good
and what
greater joy
could the
devil get
than to
distract
God's
people
from the
next
generation
knowing
Jesus
is a
strategy
God
used
Joseph
because he
dearly loved
his wife
and because
he was
faithful to
his family
God
used
Joseph
because he
faithfully
obeyed the
Lord
at every
step of
the way
and trusted
him wholly
God
used
Joseph
because he
submissively
committed his
life to the
Lord and
carried it
out steadfast
God
used
Joseph
because he
had a
wonderful
influence on
the life
of his
child
God
used
Joseph
because he
was just
faithful
and the
Christmas
story is
not just
about Mary
and it's
not just
about Jesus
and it's
not just
about the
wise men
it's about
that dude
in the back
of the
nativity
scene
the one
who committed
himself to
the Lord
completely
and everyone
that God
entrusted to
him
because he
was faithful
and God
will use
one
who's
faithful
to the
king of
kings
and the
lord of
lords
Joseph
was
are we
maybe
this
Christmas
the
greatest
gift
we
can
give
is
our
lives
to
Christ
is
to
surrender
our
own
ways
and
confess
our
own
sins
and ask
God
to forgive
us for
the wrong
that we've
done
to come
into our
life and
to change
us for
all
eternity
and I
am
thankful
today
it is
an open
invitation
to anyone
and
everyone
and if
you've
done
that
that's
not just
a private
matter
that's
a conspiracy
of the
evil one
as well
that is
a decision
that you're
to tell
others
about
to make
that
public
to make
that
known
we'd
love to
guide you
in that
maybe
you're
here
today
and you
know
you're
a
Christian
beyond a
shadow
doubt
you got
that nailed
down
you publicly
confessed
that you've
been baptized
you better
remember this
church
longer
than you
can
think
you got
all that
worked
out
are you
faithful
I mean
I know
you're
faithful to
church
because you
here and
Christmas
breaks
done
started
I mean
it's
serious
cream of
the crop
I get
it
are you
faithful to
the Lord
when he
speaks
when he
says
do you
hesitate
do you
ponder
do you
sleep on
it
or do you
ask Joseph
when God
speaks
you
immediately
move in
response
may we
be found
faithful
by trusting
God
with every
head bowed
and every
eye closed
I don't
know about
you but I'm
challenged
by Joseph
never heard
peep out of
him really
don't know
enough about
him but
what we
know
tells us
what was
important to
him
today
why don't
you just
commit yourself
to be
faithful to
the Lord
I don't
know what
that means
for you
but I
encourage
you to
be obedient
to do
exactly what
he'd have
you to do
Lord Jesus
I love
you and I
thank you
for your
word I
thank you
Lord for
the challenge
of your
word I
thank you
Lord for
how you
show us
in the lives
of others
how we
live our
lives so
we don't
make the
same mistakes
and sometimes
that we
follow the
model in
which you
put before
us through
their lives
help us
oh God
to honor
you with
our lives
this Christmas
season
help us
Lord to be
faithful I
pray
in