Havasu Christian Church
December 10, 2023
“Faces around the Manger.”
“Joseph, the foster father of Jesus”
In our look at “The faces around the Manger,” today is the day we take a good look at Joseph.
When you look at Nativity sets, your eye is automatically drawn to the manger. After all, it IS the centerpiece of the collection. Of course, Jesus is there, glowing, just as all babies do, and looking like he could strike up a conversation at any moment.
Of course, Mary is kneeling, fully clothed and looking like she was never pregnant, behind the manger, because we all know that’s exactly what a woman who just gave birth would be doing.... Right?
What about Joseph? We often see him depicted as this stern looking man, looming over the manger. He’s holding a staff, and sometimes he’s holding a lantern. He looks like he’s got it all together, even if he does look a bit like Lurch from the Adams family.
But what was it really like? I’m guessing that Jesus is laying in the manger because Mary is too exhausted to hold him, and Joseph isn’t holding him because he’s afraid that he might break the baby. Joseph is exhausted. He may not have given birth, but he just hiked 90 miles carrying their gear and helping his pregnant wife along the way. He’s also probably super stressed. He wasn’t planning to have Mary give birth in a barn. He wasn’t planning to be the one who delivered the baby. None of this was a part of his plan when he and Mary got engaged.
Joseph probably looks and feels like he got run over by a donkey cart. But he’s got to keep up his “happy face.” He’s gotta be upbeat and positive for Mary!
Much of what I just said is an educated guess... As we look at Joseph today, what do we actually know about him from Scripture?
- Joseph was a righteous and compassionate man.
Matthew 1:18–2:15 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.
- He is a righteous man.
- This is a description that puts him in very good company!
- Noah, Lot, Abel, Abraham, Melchizedek, Daniel, Job, Moses, David, Zachariah & Elizabeth, John the Baptist, Simeon, Joseph of Arimathea, Corneilus,
- Righteousness is spoken of much in Scripture… Righteous people, not as much!
- Joseph doesn’t want to marry a woman that’s been unfaithful to him.
- He may not even know her that well yet.
- He knows that he wants to marry a woman that he can trust.
- Joseph did what the Lord instructed.
Matthew 1:20-25 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.
Joseph did what the Lord instructed.
- In spite of the shame he and Mary would share.
- In spite of being given the job of raising someone else’s Son.
- Think of the responsibility… Raising the Son of God!
- Joseph sacrificed to care for Jesus.
Matthew 2:8-15 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”
9 After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.
13 Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.”
14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt.
15 He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.”
- He is a workman in a world without billboards, newspapers, tv or the internet. How does he grow his business?
- By “word of mouth.”
- You build a business by doing a good job and having your clients tell others about the good job you did.
- Joseph had to start over from scratch two times!
- They go to Egypt to live until Herod dies.
- This is to keep Jesus safely out of Herod’s reach.
- They return to Nazareth and Joseph tries to pick up where he left off.
Matthew 2:19–23 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said,
20 “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.”
21 So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee,
23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”
- “You remember that guy Joseph? The carpenter? He’s back in town. He’s a pretty good carpenter…. At least he was. Maybe I’ll have him do some work for me?”
- Joseph cared about his families’ upbringing.
Luke 2:41–52 Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.
42 And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast;
43 and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it,
44 but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day’s journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances.
45 When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him.
46 Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
47 And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.
48 When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You.”
49 And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”
50 But they did not understand the statement which He had made to them.
51 And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
- Joseph saw to it that his family went to Jerusalem for Passover, every year.
- This says something about Joseph’s care for his family’s faith.
- It’s about a 90 mile or so journey, much like the trip to Bethlehem. Several days on foot with a large group of people.
- Think how much work he could have caught up on?
- Think of the little league games they missed. Not to mention softball tournaments!
- Joseph was more concerned with following God than any of those other things.
- He modeled that behavior to his family, and they were better for it.
- He modeled that behavior to his extended family, and they were better for it.
- Perhaps, Joseph was the one who organized the caravan every year?
- When Jesus tells them “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” they don’t understand…. They just don’t get it.
- How can this be?
- They have gotten so used to the “normal routine” of living that the wonder of Jesus’ early years has worn off?
- Jesus’ miraculous conception.
- The Shepherds showing up.
- The Magi coming to Worship Jesus, just in time to fund the trip to Egypt.
- The repeated messages in his dreams by the angel.
- The last 12 years have “wore the polish off” of their miracle.
- This is the last we hear about Joseph.
- It’s most likely that he died between this event and the beginning of Jesus’ earthly Ministry.
- Just as Mary is the only person to have been a Mother to the Son of God, Joseph was the only man to be the Foster Father of the Son of God!
So, how do we apply what we know about Joseph to our own lives today?
- Be Righteous!
- Be someone that would be considered Righteous in the Bible!
- But don’t rely on your own righteousness to be saved… You will be greatly disappointed!
- The Righteousness of Jesus is what you need to be saved!
- Be compassionate.
- Don’t let your need to be righteous turn into hatred for those who are not.
- Compassion will win more people than anger and finger pointing ever will.
- When God gives you something to do, DO IT!
- You may not have an angel speak to you in a dream, but God will make it apparent!
- Don’t ask IF! Ask HOW!
- Be ready to make sacrifices to do God’s will!
- The blessings of doing what God wants you to do will always outweigh whatever you have to give up.
- When we serve God, He will give us the desire of our hearts.
Psalm 37:1–9 Do not fret because of evildoers,
Be not envious toward wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass, and fade like the green herb. Trust in the LORD and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing. For evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.
- Sometimes this means my desires change.
- Often, God works in our lives to give us the things that bring us joy!
- Often, those desires are fulfilled in a way that we don’t expect.
- See to it that you are the example you should be to those around you!
- Family:
- God is more important even than you are!
- Friends:
- We love you, but we won’t participate in the wrong you are doing.
- Instead, include them when you do what is right.
- Never allow the “wonder of Jesus” grow dim!
- He has done SO much for us!
- He has given up so much for us!
- NEVER FORGET!
