Glynlea Grace United Methodist Chruch

Scripture

Matthew 1:18-25 & 2:13-23

Summary and Function
 

Summary: Joseph became the adoptive father of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. As such, he was a quiet servant who unassumingly obeyed God despite the consequences. This was his act of worship.

We often think of worship as participating in corporate prayer, praising God, singing Christian songs and listening to a sermon. All these expressions of worship are wonderful and absolutely vital. They do not, however, give us a complete worship experience.

Worship is not complete until people demonstrate a change of heart. As we worship, we open our hearts up to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. We become more like Christ and develop a closer relationship with God. We demonstrate this change of heart by living a holy life in obedience to God’s will.   

Joseph demonstrated complete worship when he obeyed God. He did this when he agreed to marry his virgin yet pregnant fiancé and become Jesus’ adoptive father.

During the Advent season, we should seek to worship more completely by seeking to surrender all aspects of our lives to God’s will.    

Purpose: To encourage the congregation to participate in full worship by responding to God’s call in their lives Monday through Saturday (not just Sundays).

The Sermon

I. Introduction: My name is Joseph, the earthly father of our Savior and Lord Jesus.

     3. For over 400 years, we’ve been waiting for the Messiah

• Prophecies: Isaiah 7:14 & 9:6-7
• This messiah would come from the line of David. So it was possible He would come from my family line…as I already said, I didn’t expect that.
• We expected Him to come wielding a sword, overthrowing the Roman Empire and re-establishing the Kingdom of Israel…That didn’t happen. Something much more extraordinary occurred… It turns out the Messiah did come from my family… Let me tell the story!!!

II. Joseph’s story

     1. One day, after a long hard day at work, my fiancé, Mary, gave me some news

• She came over to my family’s carpentry shop. She brought over the best dinner I ever had. Before we ate, she washed my feet. After we ate she gave me a massage. I knew something was up. She wanted to tell me something but was afraid to do so. I finally say, “Honey, what is it you wanted to tell me?”
• She says; “I’m pregnant, but don’t worry the Holy Spirit made me this way”
• I stared at her for several minutes and finally said, “What? Say that again.”

     2. What to do?

• At first, I didn’t believe her. Remember, I never really expected the Messiah to come through my family. That would be too much.
• I had the option of disgracing her by publicly calling off the marriage. By Jewish Law, I could have had her and the other adulterer stoned.
• I, however, loved Mary and didn’t want to see her disgraced. I resolved to call off the marriage quietly. I thought, “Mary hasn’t been pregnant long. Perhaps she could marry the other guy and not be disgraced.”
• That night, however, an angel of the Lord visited me in a dream.

      3. The angel’s visit                                                                               

• The angel said to marry Mary because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. This reminded me of Isaiah 9:6-7. The Messiah would be called, “mighty God”.
• The angel also said to name the baby Jesus because He will save His people from sin
• This fulfilled Isaiah 7:14. “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Wow! What a fulfillment of prophecy. Not only was a young woman pregnant, she was a virgin!!!
• I said yes. I’ll marry Mary and raise Jesus as my own. I’ll be his earthly father.

     4. The shepherds and wise men

• Approximately 9 months later, Mary and I had to return to Bethlehem for a census. The Roman government ordered everyone to return to their home towns to be counted. I’m from the family of David and Bethlehem is the town of David, so off we went.
• Mary was about to give birth when we arrived.  There was no room in the Inn so we settled in a stable. Mary gave birth to Jesus and laid Him in a manger.
• A group of shepherds came to see baby Jesus. They claimed a host of angels proclaimed His birth. One of the angels said, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord”
• About two years later, wise men from the East came bearing gifts (Frankincense, gold and myrrh) for Jesus.

     5. The flight to Egypt

• After the wise men left, an angel told me in a dream to leave for Egypt because King
Herod wanted to kill Jesus. This fulfilled the prophecy from Hosea 11:1, “Out of Egypt I called my Son”
• We left just in time to avoid the massacre of every child 2 years and younger in Bethlehem.  This fulfilled another prophecy: Jeremiah 31:15, "A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are not."
• When Herod died, an angel told me in yet another dream to return to Israel. It was safe. However, when we returned we discovered Archelaus, Herod’s son, took over in Judea. So, we moved to Galilee in a small town call Nazreth. That’s where Jesus grew up.

III. This whole story demonstrates my act of worship

     1.  Complete worship

• We often think of worship as participating in corporate prayer, praising God,          singing Christian songs and listening to a sermon.
• All these wonderful expressions of worship do not, however, give us a complete worship experience.
• Worship is not complete until people demonstrate a change of heart. As we worship, we open our hearts up to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. We become more like Christ and develop a closer relationship with God. We demonstrate this change of heart by living a holy life in obedience to God’s will.
• God grows tired of incomplete worship that doesn’t result in a changed life. Hosea 6:6 says, “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings.” And Micah 6:6-8 says, “With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? ⁷ Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" ⁸ He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”