Sermon Tone Analysis

Reading:

Ephesians 5:21-27 “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.

Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”

Introduction:

Last week we peeked into the experience Mary had regarding the Messiah coming into the world.

She had been commissioned to birth the Messiah into the world.

She found favor in the Lord’s eyes, because of His love, not her merit.

She chose to obey the Lord and submit herself to His will.

Facing persecution, embarrassment, and shame for having a child outside the bounds of marriage.

We will see: she wasn’t the only one who would face a choice of giving up her will and fear for the Lord’s will.

Joseph’s faith would be challenged too.

The boy who would be stretched into manhood, by his obedience to God’s will.

Connection:

Joseph sacrificed of himself:

He put aside what his rights were and gave preference to the Lord’s will.

We shouldn’t be surprised by this, since this is the kind of man Joseph was.

We are given a peek into a very stressful and crazy time in his life and are privy to:

The Character of Joseph.

Matthew 1:18-19 “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 quietly.”

Transition:

The story begins with the proclamation of truth:

The Birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way..

That really sets the bar high for what will be written next.

Either way It presents:

The Situation.

Matthew 1:18 “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.”

Have you ever written anything for the people of the future, not for the people of now but for those who would read it later?

The previous passages up to this point, layout the family lineage for both Mary and Joseph.

Both lineages can be traced back to King David and Abraham.

This both reinforces the prophecies and fulfills it.

I Chronicles 17:11-15 “When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.

He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.

I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.

I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.’

” In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.”

Jesus’ birth is the long awaited King that would set up His throne forever.

He is Abraham and David’s promised offspring.

Transition:

The message is presented to Joseph; but the revelation is meant for us; the generations who would be born after Jesus’ life on earth.

To piece together and understand the promised messiah was Jesus and we can trace back all of the history.

Being confident that God walked amongst us and all He taught and did is true!

The scenario here is about:

His Position.

Matthew 1:19 “And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.”

We can see Joseph is given the title as “Husband”.

What does husband mean?

Husband: The male member of a marriage and his role in the relationship.

Nelson’s dictionary states: “a woman’s marriage partner.

In Hebrew society, the husband was the absolute authority in the home.

But the apostle Paul called on husbands to temper their authority with the higher value of love: “Husbands, love your wives” (Eph.

5:25).

Paul compared the relationship between Christ and the church to the husband-wife union (Eph.

5:23).”

Joseph had duties as the man in the relationship:

Lead

Provide

Protect

Companionship, etc..

Joseph may have not had the ceremony before the Lord; but He is considered to be Mary’s Husband.

Transition:

Joseph recognized what responsibilities he had as the husband.

He could be justified to make an example of her in the community and place all of the shame and responsibility to her.

I John 3:18 “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

Illustration:

How do you like a person when someone that talks big and their deeds don’t line up with what they say?

Growing up playing sports with neighbors, I was typically the new guy who just wanted to play.

It didn’t matter what sport it was, I just wanted to play.

No sooner that I began to play there was always one guy that acted as though he was the gift to that sport.

He was usually the bigger one of the group, didn’t help that I was typically the smallest and youngest.

If there was ever a pet peeve in sports it was acting like your so much better than you actually are.

That is the same type of characteristic traits the 1 John passage is speaking about.

Being a man of deed and word.

Transition:

This is the character trait of Joseph and we can see:

His Heart.

Matthew 1:19 “And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.”

I head someone say one day: Every man has moments in their lives when they can make a choice that reveals what kind of man they are and Joseph was placed in this position.

He was given the opportunity to show what kind of man he is.

The scripture portrays what kind of man Joseph is:

He was the man who loved his wife.

He took responsibility for her life, every aspect of it.

Illustration:

Let’s take an opportunity here:

Joseph’s betrothed was found to be with a child, before their marriage and consummation of it.

Joseph could biblically give a bill of divorcement to her.

Mark 10:3-5 “He answered them, “What did Moses command you?”

They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.”

And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.”

Joseph had justification to divorce Mary.

Imagine the turmoil he was dealing with, concerning Mary.

These passages confirm what he was going to do

Divorce her.

Not publicly; but quietly.

Probably to save face for her, her family and any lighten the load of shame.

Point:

How many times are we justified to make choices that would hurt others and give them what they deserve?