Sermon Tone Analysis

Joseph

WCIT

What​ ​child​ ​is​ ​this,​ ​who​ ​laid​ ​to​ ​rest,  On​ ​Mary's​ ​lap​ ​is​ ​sleeping?

Whom​ ​angels​ ​greet​ ​with​ ​anthems​ ​sweet,  While​ ​shepherds​ ​watch​ ​are​ ​keeping?

This,​ ​this​ ​is​ ​Christ​ ​the​ ​King,  Whom​ ​shepherds​ ​guard​ ​and​ ​angels​ ​sing:  Haste,​ ​haste​ ​to​ ​bring​ ​Him​ ​laud,  The​ ​babe,​ ​the​ ​son​ ​of​ ​Mary.

Why​ ​lies​ ​He​ ​in​ ​such​ ​mean​ ​estate,  Where​ ​ox​ ​and​ ​ass​ ​are​ ​feeding?

Good​ ​Christians,​ ​fear,​ ​for​ ​sinners​ ​here  The​ ​silent​ ​Word​ ​is​ ​pleading.

Nails,​ ​spears​ ​shall​ ​pierce​ ​him​ ​through,  the​ ​cross​ ​he​ ​bore​ ​for​ ​me,​ ​for​ ​you.

Hail,​ ​hail​ ​the​ ​Word​ ​made​ ​flesh,  the​ ​Babe,​ ​the​ ​Son​ ​of​ ​Mary.

So​ ​bring​ ​him​ ​incense,​ ​gold,​ ​and​ ​myrrh,  Come,​ ​peasant,​ ​king,​ ​to​ ​own​ ​him.

The​ ​King​ ​of​ ​kings​ ​salvation​ ​brings,  Let​ ​loving​ ​hearts​ ​enthrone​ ​him.

Raise,​ ​raise​ ​a​ ​song​ ​on​ ​high,  The​ ​virgin​ ​sings​ ​her​ ​lullaby  Joy,​ ​joy​ ​for​ ​Christ​ ​is​ ​born,  The​ ​babe,​ ​the​ ​Son​ ​of​ ​Mary.

This,​ ​this​ ​is​ ​Christ​ ​the​ ​King,  Whom​ ​shepherds​ ​guard​ ​and​ ​angels​ ​sing:  Haste,​ ​haste​ ​to​ ​bring​ ​Him​ ​laud,  The​ ​babe,​ ​the​ ​son​ ​of​ ​Mary.

These​ ​lyrics​ ​of​ ​the​ ​famous​ ​Christmas​ ​carol,​ ​"What​ ​Child​ ​Is​ ​This?",​ ​were​ ​written​ ​in​ ​1865​ ​by​ ​an  Englishman​ ​named​ ​William​ ​Chatterton​ ​Dix.​

​​ ​The​ ​song​ ​poses​ ​such​ ​an​ ​important​ ​question​ ​worth  pondering:​ ​who​ ​this​ ​baby​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Bethlehem​ ​manger​ ​is​ ​while​ ​working​ ​one's​ ​way​ ​through​ ​the​ ​various  stanzas​ ​of​ ​the​ ​hymn.​

​​ ​It​ ​is​ ​interesting​ ​to​ ​note​ ​the​ ​characters​ ​mentioned​ ​overtly​ ​such​ ​as​ ​the​ ​Christ  child,​ ​His​ ​mother​ ​named​ ​Mary,​ ​shepherds,​ ​angels​ ​and​ ​even​ ​two​ ​forms​ ​of​ ​feeding​ ​livestock.​

​​ ​While​ ​not  specifically​ ​named,​ ​the​ ​recognizable​ ​actions​ ​of​ ​the​ ​wise​ ​men​ ​are​ ​referenced​ ​as​ ​the​ ​ones​ ​who​ ​brought  their​ ​well-known​ ​gifts​ ​of​ ​incense,​ ​gold,​ ​and​ ​myrrh.​

​​ ​All​ ​the​ ​characters​ ​normally​ ​present​ ​in​ ​a​ ​Nativity  display​ ​are​ ​accounted​ ​for​ ​and​ ​in​ ​place​ ​except​ ​one.​

​​ ​Do​ ​you​ ​realize​ ​who​ ​is​ ​missing​ ​from​ ​the​ ​stable  scene​ ​roll​ ​call​ ​by​ ​name​ ​or​ ​by​ ​referenced​ ​action?

Joseph.

There​ ​is​ ​no​ ​mention​ ​of​ ​the​ ​man​ ​who​ ​would​ ​help​ ​raise​ ​the​ ​"Son​ ​of​ ​Mary."​

​​ ​Everybody​ ​else​ ​in​ ​the  Christmas​ ​story​ ​gets​ ​air​ ​time​ ​or​ ​makes​ ​a​ ​cameo,​ ​but​ ​not​ ​the​ ​primary​ ​man​ ​who​ ​would​ ​love​ ​and​ ​invest  himself​ ​in​ ​the​ ​life​ ​of​ ​this​ ​special​ ​child.​

​​ ​We​ ​cannot​ ​know​ ​for​ ​sure,​ ​but​ ​it​ ​seems​ ​like​ ​Joseph​ ​would​ ​be  ok​ ​without​ ​much​ ​(or​ ​any!)​ ​fanfare​ ​in​ ​this​ ​song.​

​​ ​In​ ​fact,​ ​Mark's​ ​gospel​ ​gave​ ​Joseph​ ​the​ ​same​ ​amount  of​ ​exposure:​ ​zero.​

​​ ​Joseph​ ​never​ ​once​ ​is​ ​cited​ ​or​ ​alluded​ ​to​ ​in​ ​all​ ​of​ ​the​ ​gospel​ ​of​ ​Mark.​

​​ ​Although​ ​the  other​ ​gospel​ ​writers​ ​of​ ​Matthew,​ ​Luke​ ​and​ ​John​ ​all​ ​mention​ ​Joseph​ ​by​ ​name,​ ​none​ ​of​ ​them​ ​record  him​ ​as​ ​ever​ ​having​ ​a​ ​speaking​ ​part.​

​​ ​While​ ​a​ ​few​ ​of​ ​Joseph's​ ​actions​ ​are​ ​recorded​ ​during​ ​the​ ​early  years​ ​of​ ​his​ ​relationship​ ​with​ ​Mary​ ​and​ ​into​ ​Jesus​ ​'early​ ​life,​ ​none​ ​of​ ​Joseph's​ ​words​ ​remain​ ​in​ ​print  within​ ​the​ ​pages​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Bible.​

​​ ​Only​ ​Joseph's​ ​actions​ ​of​ ​obedience,​ ​care,​ ​and​ ​presence​ ​are​ ​mentioned.

No,​ ​Joseph​ ​was​ ​not​ ​present​ ​in​ ​the​ ​song.​

​​ ​Joseph's​ ​words​ ​are​ ​not​ ​present​ ​in​ ​the​ ​gospel​ ​texts.​

​​ ​But  Joseph​ ​quietly​ ​was​ ​present​ ​at​ ​the​ ​manger.​

​​ ​He​ ​was​ ​present​ ​before​ ​the​ ​manger.​

​​ ​He​ ​was​ ​present​ ​after  the​ ​manger.​

​He​ ​was​ ​present​ ​at​ ​least​ ​up​ ​through​ ​Jesus'​ ​twelfth​ ​birthday​ ​as​ ​recorded​ ​in​ ​Luke​ ​2:41-52.

Beyond​ ​that​ ​account,​ ​historians​ ​believe​ ​Joseph​ ​died​ ​somewhere​ ​between​ ​Jesus'​ ​teenage​ ​years​ ​and​ ​the  beginning​ ​of​ ​his​ ​public​ ​ministry​ ​at​ ​age​ ​30.​ ​​ ​And​ ​during​ ​the​ ​early​ ​childhood​ ​years​ ​of​ ​Jesus'​ ​life​ ​on  earth,​ ​not​ ​only​ ​was​ ​this​ ​child​ ​known​ ​as​ ​the​ ​"Son​ ​of​ ​Mary"​ ​as​ ​the​ ​song​ ​states​ ​but​ ​also​ ​Jesus​ ​was​ ​known  as​ ​the​ ​Son​ ​of​ ​Joseph.

What​ ​child​ ​is​ ​this?​ ​​ ​He​ ​is​ ​a​ ​child​ ​adopted​ ​by​ ​a​ ​father​ ​who​ ​loved​ ​Him.​

​​ ​How​ ​do​ ​we​ ​know​ ​Jesus​ ​was  adopted​ ​by​ ​Joseph?​ ​​ ​There​ ​are​ ​clues​ ​all​ ​throughout​ ​the​ ​places​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Bible​ ​that​ ​do​ ​mention​ ​Joseph.

Notice​ ​what​ ​the​ ​text​ ​says​ ​in​ ​Matthew​ ​1:18-25​ ​concerning​ ​Jesus'​ ​birth.

There​ ​are​ ​two​ ​places​ ​in​ ​that​ ​text​ ​that​ ​give​ ​the​ ​reader​ ​clues​ ​that​ ​Joseph,​ ​although​ ​not​ ​the​ ​birth​ ​father  of​ ​Jesus,​ ​became​ ​his​ ​adoptive​ ​father.​

​​ ​The​ ​angel​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Lord​ ​told​ ​Joseph​ ​in​ ​the​ ​dream:     "She​ ​will​ ​bear​ ​a​ ​son,​ ​and​ ​you​ ​shall​ ​call​ ​his​ ​name​ ​Jesus….​

​And​ ​he​ ​called​ ​his​ ​name​ ​Jesus."

Matthew​ ​1:21,​ ​25    The​ ​naming​ ​of​ ​a​ ​child​ ​was​ ​the​ ​responsibility​ ​of​ ​the​ ​father.​

​​ ​The​ ​intention​ ​of​ ​God​ ​was​ ​for​ ​Joseph​ ​to  adopt​ ​Jesus​ ​as​ ​his​ ​son​ ​and​ ​become​ ​his​ ​earthly​ ​father.​

​​ ​When​ ​Jesus​ ​was​ ​born​ ​in​ ​Bethlehem​ ​on​ ​that  Christmas​ ​night,​ ​Joseph​ ​named​ ​the​ ​child,​ ​his​ ​adopted​ ​child,​ ​Jesus.​

​​ ​It​ ​was​ ​his​ ​responsibility​ ​as​ ​his  adoptive​ ​father.​

​​ ​On​ ​the​ ​night​ ​Jesus​ ​was​ ​born,​ ​Joseph​ ​not​ ​only​ ​gave​ ​Jesus​ ​His​ ​name​ ​but​ ​also​ ​Joseph  likely​ ​took​ ​this​ ​newborn​ ​baby​ ​and​ ​symbolically​ ​placed​ ​Jesus​ ​across​ ​his​ ​knees.​

​​ ​Such​ ​a​ ​symbolic​ ​act  was​ ​the​ ​way​ ​a​ ​first-century​ ​husband​ ​in​ ​biblical​ ​days​ ​acknowledged​ ​the​ ​legitimacy​ ​of​ ​his​ ​newborn  descendant.​

​​ ​Subsequently,​ ​for​ ​a​ ​man​ ​to​ ​place​ ​someone​ ​else's​ ​child​ ​across​ ​his​ ​knees​ ​was​ ​a​ ​sacred​ ​and  symbolic​ ​act​ ​signifying​ ​adoption.​

​​ ​Although​ ​the​ ​Bible​ ​does​ ​not​ ​state​ ​explicitly​ ​that​ ​Joseph​ ​did​ ​this,​ ​it  is​ ​highly​ ​probable​ ​Joseph​ ​not​ ​only​ ​gave​ ​Jesus​ ​his​ ​name,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​laid​ ​Jesus​ ​across​ ​his​ ​knees​ ​claiming  his​ ​legacy​ ​and​ ​adopting​ ​the​ ​Son​ ​of​ ​Mary​ ​as​ ​his​ ​own.

Joseph's​ ​wife,​ ​Mary,​ ​certainly​ ​viewed​ ​her​ ​husband​ ​as​ ​Jesus's​ ​father.​

​​ ​​ ​When​ ​Jesus​ ​was​ ​a  twelve-year-old​ ​boy,​ ​Joseph​ ​and​ ​Mary​ ​had​ ​been​ ​to​ ​Jerusalem​ ​as​ ​a​ ​family​ ​where​ ​they​ ​celebrated​ ​the  Feast​ ​of​ ​Passover.​

​​ ​Upon​ ​traveling​ ​back​ ​home,​ ​they​ ​realized​ ​Jesus​ ​was​ ​not​ ​with​ ​their​ ​traveling​ ​group.

Upon​ ​rushing​ ​back​ ​to​ ​Jerusalem,​ ​they​ ​found​ ​Jesus​ ​talking​ ​with​ ​the​ ​teachers​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Temple.​

​​ ​Notice  how​ ​Jesus'​ ​mother,​ ​Mary,​ ​responds​ ​to​ ​Jesus​ ​upon​ ​finding​ ​him,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​how​ ​Luke,​ ​the​ ​writer​ ​of​ ​this  gospel​ ​account,​ ​identifies​ ​the​ ​couple.

Luke​ ​identified​ ​both​ ​Mary​ ​and​ ​Joseph​ ​as​ ​Jesus'​ ​parents.​

​​ ​Mary,​ ​Jesus'​ ​birth​ ​mother,​ ​calls​ ​her​ ​husband,  Joseph,​ ​Jesus'​ ​"father."​

​​ ​It​ ​was​ ​clear​ ​that​ ​Joseph​ ​adopted​ ​Jesus​ ​as​ ​his​ ​son.​

​​ ​It​ ​was​ ​how​ ​Jesus​ ​was​ ​known  in​ ​his​ ​childhood​ ​and​ ​even​ ​into​ ​his​ ​adult​ ​life.​

​​ ​Another​ ​clue​ ​is​ ​given​ ​in​ ​John's​ ​gospel​ ​when​ ​Jesus​ ​calls  his​ ​disciples​ ​to​ ​follow​ ​him​ ​and​ ​later​ ​into​ ​his​ ​public​ ​ministry.

john6.41

Everybody​ ​who​ ​knew​ ​Jesus​ ​recognized​ ​him​ ​as​ ​Joseph's​ ​son.​

​​ ​Joseph​ ​had​ ​adopted​ ​Jesus​ ​as​ ​his​ ​son​ ​from  day​ ​one.​

​​ ​What​ ​child​ ​is​ ​this?​ ​​ ​One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​characteristics​ ​that​ ​answers​ ​the​ ​question​ ​is​ ​found​ ​in​ ​the  reflection​ ​of​ ​his​ ​earthly​ ​father,​ ​Joseph.​

​​ ​He​ ​is​ ​the​ ​One​ ​who​ ​adopts​ ​and​ ​names​ ​us​ ​as​ ​part​ ​of​ ​His​ ​own  family.​

​​ ​Paul​ ​writes​ ​about​ ​this​ ​characteristic​ ​of​ ​Jesus​ ​who​ ​would​ ​grow​ ​from​ ​the​ ​baby​ ​in​ ​the​ ​manger​ ​to  the​ ​God​ ​that​ ​was​ ​willing​ ​not​ ​only​ ​to​ ​die​ ​for​ ​rescue​ ​of​ ​His​ ​creation,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​to​ ​lay​ ​all​ ​people​ ​across​ ​His  knees​ ​to​ ​call​ ​them​ ​as​ ​His​ ​own​ ​as​ ​he​ ​purchased​ ​their​ ​freedom​ ​from​ ​the​ ​slavery​ ​of​ ​sin,​ ​death,​ ​Satan,  and​ ​hell.

What​ ​child​ ​is​ ​this?​ ​​ ​He​ ​is​ ​the​ ​one​ ​who​ ​makes​ ​adoption​ ​into​ ​His​ ​family​ ​possible.​

​​ ​And​ ​adoption​ ​leads  to​ ​our​ ​salvation​ ​which​ ​includes​ ​our​ ​freedom​ ​from​ ​sin.​

​​ ​That​ ​is​ ​what​ ​Joseph​ ​was​ ​told​ ​to​ ​name​ ​his  adoptive​ ​Son​ ​when​ ​He​ ​would​ ​be​ ​born.​

​​ ​Remember​ ​what​ ​the​ ​angel​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Lord​ ​said​ ​to​ ​Joseph​ ​in​ ​his  dream.

The​ ​name​ ​of​ ​Jesus​ ​means​ ​"God​ ​saves."​

​​ ​What​ ​God​ ​saves,​ ​God​ ​adopts​ ​as​ ​His​ ​own​ ​and​ ​for​ ​His​ ​own​ ​by  the​ ​power​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Holy​ ​Spirit.

Paul​ ​goes​ ​on​ ​to​ ​write​ ​about​ ​the​ ​adoption​ ​into​ ​God's​ ​family​ ​in​ ​his​ ​letter​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Ephesian​ ​church.

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After​ ​our​ ​adoption​ ​into​ ​the​ ​family​ ​of​ ​God​ ​the​ ​Father​ ​that​ ​is​ ​made​ ​possible​ ​by​ ​Jesus​ ​the​ ​Son,​ ​in​ ​due  time​ ​Jesus​ ​will​ ​give​ ​us​ ​a​ ​new​ ​name.

That​ ​is​ ​adoption​ ​language.​

​It​ ​includes​ ​the​ ​responsibility​ ​of​ ​a​ ​father​ ​to​ ​name​ ​his​ ​child.​

​​ ​What​ ​child​ ​is  this?​ ​​ ​He​ ​is​ ​the​ ​one​ ​who​ ​enables​ ​adoption​ ​into​ ​God's​ ​family​ ​to​ ​take​ ​place​ ​and​ ​will​ ​give​ ​a​ ​new​ ​name​ ​to  those​ ​who​ ​become​ ​part​ ​of​ ​His​ ​family.​

​​ ​These​ ​are​ ​the​ ​characteristics​ ​we​ ​see​ ​in​ ​Jesus'​ ​adoptive,​ ​earthly  father,​ ​Joseph.​

​​ ​These​ ​are​ ​the​ ​truths​ ​and​ ​responsibilities​ ​of​ ​the​ ​One​ ​we​ ​celebrate​ ​who​ ​was​ ​born​ ​in​ ​a  manger​ ​so​ ​he​ ​could​ ​die​ ​on​ ​a​ ​cross​ ​leading​ ​to​ ​resurrection​ ​and​ ​the​ ​defeat​ ​of​ ​sin​ ​and​ ​death.​

​​ ​Such  victory​ ​and​ ​life​ ​enables​ ​adoption​ ​to​ ​be​ ​available​ ​for​ ​all​ ​who​ ​call​ ​on​ ​His​ ​name!​ ​​ ​This​ ​is​ ​the​ ​ultimate  answer​ ​to​ ​the​ ​question:​ ​what​ ​child​ ​is​ ​this?​ ​​ ​He​ ​is​ ​Jesus,​ ​the​ ​adopting​ ​and​ ​naming​ ​God​ ​who​ ​sets​ ​us​ ​on  His​ ​knee​ ​and​ ​calls​ ​us​ ​sons​ ​and​ ​daughters.​

​​ ​He​ ​enables​ ​us​ ​to​ ​be​ ​family​ ​as​ ​He​ ​gives​ ​us​ ​our​ ​name.