POOR JOSEPH December 9, 2012

December 9, 2012

Sermon #975

Poor Joseph!

Matthew 1:18-25(NKJV) –  ¹⁸Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. ²⁰But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. ²¹And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

 ²²So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ²³“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,”  which is translated, “God with us.” ²⁴Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, ²⁵and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

1.  God Did Not ask Joseph's Permission

1.  Joseph was a descendent of King David

Luke 2:4-5(NKJV) –  ⁴Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

1.  Joseph was under the covenant of Abraham

Micah 6:8(NKJV) –  ⁸ He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

1.  What does God have the right to do with His servant? 

• Anything He wants to do!

1.  Have you Made Jesus Lord?

Acts 2:36(NKJV) –  ³⁶“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Romans 10:5-13(NKJV) –  ⁵For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” ⁶But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”  (that is, to bring Christ down from above) ⁷or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’”  (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”  (that is, the word of faith which we preach): ⁹that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

¹¹For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. ¹³For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 

Once you make Jesus Lord you lose your rights - your right to say No!

Acts 9:1-6(NKJV) –   ¹Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ²and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. ⁴Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” ⁵And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” ⁶So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

ILL: "Who are You Lord?"  Big mistake! If He is your Lord you have no choice but to obey Him!

Acts 9:10-16(NKJV) –   ¹⁰Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. ¹²And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” ¹³Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” 

¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. ¹⁶For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

ILL: But what if Paul did not want to go?   Jesus is Lord and He does what He wants to do. I thought I had an open door to India. The door closed. I got mad at God. Jamie Buckingham told me, "Paul when God says 'No', you respond by saying 'Yes Sir!’ " When we affirm that we belong to Him we can be a drafter as Joseph was.  

1.  Joseph's First Concern Was for Mary

Matthew 1:19 (NKJV) –  ¹⁹Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 

1.  Joseph had rather take the public humiliation on himself than to put it on Mary.
2.  Joseph was her protection.  She could have been stoned to death. 

ILL: Joseph was Mary's legal husband. He was a "Just man" and therefore wanted to protect his wife.  The rule is God first, mate second! I've known Mary, my wife, for 65 years. I stand between her and any danger. Even in the high school years I saw myself as her protector. It's the husbands duty to protect - physically, financially, against all that life would throw at her!

1.  Joseph Refused to Act Rashly Without Thinking it Through

ILL: In an emergency, yes you have to respond quickly, but I have learned that if it cannot wait it is usually wrong. 

Matthew 1:19-20(NKJV) –  ¹⁹Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. ²⁰But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 

Psalm 27:14(NKJV) –  ¹⁴ Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

ILL: Don't rush!

Luke 2:22-38(NKJV) –   ²²Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ²³(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), ²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”  ²⁵And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 

²⁶And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: ²⁹“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; ³⁰For my eyes have seen Your salvation ³¹Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, ³²A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” ³³And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 

³⁴Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against ³⁵(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” ³⁶Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; ³⁷and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. ³⁸And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

1.  God Gave Joseph a Dream

Matthew 1:19-25(NKJV) –   ¹⁹Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. ²⁰But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. ²¹And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 

²²So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ²³“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,”  which is translated, “God with us.” ²⁴Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, ²⁵and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

1. As far as we know Joseph never had another dream
2. The dream led Joseph to Bethlehem, to Egypt, and back to Nazareth 
3. Joseph was not there in Cana when Jesus preformed the first miracle

• He never saw Jesus heal
• He never saw Jesus raise the dead
• He never saw the resurrection of Christ

Conclusion: Poor Joseph – he only had one vision, one dream. I know of people who are poorer than Joseph – the people with no dream at all!