The Power of Thinking things Through

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

So Mary is still a virgin and she is now pregant with Jesus. But Joseph was not filled in on all this, Mary diddnt tell him and the angel has not yet visted him.

Church, sometimes God deliberatly keeps you in the dark for a season to test your faith.

So before poor Joseph is filledin, he makes the normal and logical conclusion that Mary must has been unfaithful to him. And since its NE VER a good idea to marry a loose woman or a loose man (He’ll change.. no he wont darling…) Joseph dicies to call off the marriage.

How many of you would agree that, for poor ignornat Joeph this is a very emotional turn of events?

The Woman he loves, the woman he has sked to spend his life with, the woman he is soon to marry - has just insulted him to the highest level by sleeping around.

Cheaters - people get angry.

This is an emotional, volitile, highly charged situation.

And in this pressure pot, as all eyes are on Joseph - he does something that my praywer is we would all do in painful and emotional situations like this:

What does Joseph do?

Matthew 1:20 AV

Joaseph does what more people need to learn to do nowadays - He takes time to think things through.

He does make a quick=, rash, emotional decision, he thinks itb through.

this whoile wonaderful christiuas sort could have taken a horrible turn here.

Imagine if Joseph had made the same decision his great, great, great, great grabndfather had made?

Joseph was of the tribe of Judah, i tribe named afyer Juda himself, one of Partirchs himself.

One day Juda found out that his own daughter in law had commited fornication and look at his response:

Genesis 38:24 AV

24 And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.

Imagine Joseph, filled with wrath and anger and hurt amnd pain and called “Let he burn!!!”

And he could have done so, it was well within his rights!

Deuteronomy 22:23–24 AV

23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; 24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour’s wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.

When we make dicesions when we are angry or upset we alweays ask “whats is the worst thing I can do to get ewven” - for Joseph he could have had Mary stoned.

And think of the fallout. think of how devestating the wonderful story of christmas would have been.

A young woman and her innocent child - killed in anger.

But instead, chritmas is known as a time of love and grace and peace - all because Joseph, stopped to think.

A thinking Man

Joseph was a thinking man, and a just man.

Matthew 1:19 AV

19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

The length of a persons fuse tells you the depth of a persons intellect and spirit.

A wise, just man will take time to think, to weigh, to consider.

But an angry bafoon will always blow up.

Thats not my opinion, that the Gosepl truth.

Proverbs 14:29 AV

29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

Proverbs 29:11 AV

11 A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.

Joseph controlled his nager and as a result made a righteous decision.

James 1:20 AV

20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

We actually live in an emotional epedemic of outrage culture. people are always angry, always boilingh over, always offended.

And in this crazy wold of emotional anger - Joseph stands out like a lone bright star of maturity and patience.

Look what him taking the time to think accomplishes.

Matthew 1:19 AV

19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

Joseph does not let his broken heart make the decision. He also does not let his prideful mind make the decision.

But by giving thought and prayer to the issue, the righteousness of God is produced.

He is still not going to marry her, Christian grace and meekness does not mean that we are to be doormats, but he decides to end the marriage quietly and discreetly - which does 2 things.

1: Even although he was wronged by Mary (at least he still belives this to be the case), this is still the woman he loves and love always protects.

1 Corinthians 13:4–8 AV

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

If you love someone, you will always protect them, even when they wrong you. Husbands and wives who constantly run their spouses down and complain to whoever will hear about their wife or husband - you are acting so evil, and your heart is so bitter.

This appilies to whom we say we love.

To often we live in the eye forn an eye attitude.

But that is not what Jesus tught us as Christians.

Matthew 5:38–48 AV

38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

And the Second thing that happends as a result of Josephs grace is:

He gets a special visitatiuon from God which saturates him in peace.

Matthew 1:20–24 AV

20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

You can have peace or get even but not both.

Are you a joseph or a juda?

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