Sermon Tone Analysis

Joseph, Mary, Jesus

Theme: Joseph, the Man Whom God Chose

Q: what can we learn about God, ourselves, and faith from the life of Joseph?

(Let’s pray)

The las several Sundays we have acknowledged that faith is a journey—of thought, belief, experiences—and often faith is a dynamic journey—twists, turns, dips, climbs, high points, low points, middle-of-the-road stretches, rolls, dark nights, bright days....

It might be this dynamic aspect of faith that brings with the faith journey a range (and multiple degrees) of emotion.

Emotion is interesting.

In my experience and from reading scripture, I’ve learned that emotion can be elusive (hard to nail down), predictable, telling, fleeting, engrained, palatable, unmanageable at times, authentic.

As I read through scripture and look at my own life—past, present, and future—I wonder

what did these ancient biblical communities feel as they walked with God or tried not to walk with God?

What were their emotions?

What are my emotions as I walk with God?

What emotion are you, in this room experiencing?

What are the peoples around us experiencing in their emotion?

For today’s time together we consider Joseph—engaged with Mary, the mother of Jesus.

We’ve focused the last two weeks on Mary.

But here, in this text, enters Joseph.

Responding to the Roman census is the first time the author Luke brings Joseph more actively into the narrative.

The author of another Gospel, Matthew, gives us an earlier glimpse of Joseph.

If you’ve ever wondered what type of man Joseph was, we know a few things from scripture.

Joseph had a plan with Mary—they were betrothed.

BETROTH—to promise “by one’s truth.”

Men and women were betrothed when they were engaged to be married.

This usually took place a year or more before marriage.

From the time of betrothal the woman was regarded as the lawful wife of the man to whom she was betrothed (Deut.

28:30; Judg.

14:2, 8; Matt.

1:18–21).

The term is figuratively employed of the spiritual connection between God and his people (Hos.

2:19, 20).

Joseph planned to marry Mary.

Joseph learned that Mary was with child and it wasn’t his child (Mary was pregnant before Joseph and Mary had sex).

This reality—Mary’s pregnancy and the child not being Joseph’s child—posed a problem for Joseph.

Q: why would Joseph make moves to end the relationship?

Joseph, not only had a plan, but Joseph was a man with vision…vision for his life and family.

Joseph was an upright man (v 19)—he had standards as well as compassion.

(That is a hard balance to strike.

Perhaps, Joseph really loved Mary, respected Mary?)

(Joseph could have easily exposed Mary and kept the upper hand.

They lived in a male-preferred society.

If you recall, later in the life of Jesus, some people brought to Jesus a woman caught in the act of adultery—notably they didn’t bring the man who by necessity the people must have also caught in the act.)

This is what I appreciate: while Joseph was not in favor of the change-in-plans, he was still FOR Mary—not willing to expose nor humiliate her— “...not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.”

(Mt 1:19)

Compassion as well as standards.

Betrothal was, in Jewish law, valid marriage.

In giving Mary up, therefore, Joseph had to take legal steps to effect the separation.

Joseph, it seems to me, had all-around good intensions in his planning and his vision for himself and his family; yet God had other plans.

Q: what plans might God have for your life?

In the Gospel of Luke we see Joseph, after his recommitment to Mary.

(Joseph will forever go down in history as the man who kept Mary.)

“Decree” - Caesar Augustus, the first of several Roman emperors, commanded the vast Roman empire to register themselves (its thought, for subsequent taxing.)

2:3, 4 The registration, following Jewish custom, took place at a person’s ancestral home (see 2 Sam.

24).

The Roman method would usually have a person registered where they currently lived.

Joseph and Mary lived in Nazareth and staying put would have been much more convenient.

But Joseph in Jewish custom is called to go to Bethlehem the birthplace of his ancestor King David

The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem was about 90 miles, at least a three-day trip.

Q: has your family custom ever called on you to do something that was a stretch for you...inconvenient, to say the least?

The timing was not good for Mary and Joseph to travel.

Joseph had to choose—do I follow the crowd or do my own thing, going against the grain?

Q: what would you choose?

What do you choose…when custom and secular law interface?

Why might Joseph choose to make this journey?

What did it mean?

For Caesar?

For Joseph’s extended family?

For Joseph?

If Joseph doesn’t go to Bethlehem, what does it mean?

What does it convey?

I don’t know from scripture whether Joseph wrestled with his decision.

However, I and we do know from scripture Joseph’s actions:

Joseph takes this 90 mile journey…and takes it with his wife.

Q: can you imagine the great responsibility Joseph might have been feeling?

Joseph makes this trip and is responsible for Mary and his unborn child.

Joseph had a sense of God—scripture says Joseph was “just” or “upright”…Joseph did not say to the angel, God’s messenger, “Hey, angels don’t exist.

Who is God, anyway?”

No, Joseph had a sense of God, perhaps, even a relationship with God.

But did Joseph know how much of a sense God had of Joseph, and to what extend God had a purpose and plan for Joseph’s life and family?

Q: how shocked would you be to know that God thinks about you, your future, and even has “God plans” for you, sees divine purpose in you?

(Not just you living a “godly life” like some one lives a “pleasant life”…but with specificity there is a purpose with you that God has ordained and that God initiates…)

It’s one thing to go to God and say, “Here I am God, choose me.”

It’s a whole different thing for God to come to you and say, “You, I’ve chosen you.”

Joseph has agreed to make this 90-mile, one-way trip to Bethlehem and to bring his wife Mary who is with child of the Holy Spirit.

What’s interesting to me are all of the ways Joseph is possibly reminded that what is his (his marriage, his family, his life, his ancestry) is not fully his—it is God’s too, even foremost.

Q: when was the moment you realize that what you thought was yours is not yours alone…or even perhaps yours at all?

Song: my life is not my own, to you I belong…I give myself, I give myself to you…

Joseph makes this trip with Mary who is with child.

v5

“…with child”

With promise, purpose, God’s plan (not Mary nor Joseph’s plan), divine and human potential

Joseph and Mary reach Bethlehem.

Traveled across 90 miles of terrain, 3 days, by God’s grace and the commitment and fortitude of Mary and Joseph, they make it.

They arrive.

While they were there in Bethlehem something happened.

Perhaps it was expected that Mary would deliver.

But did Joseph and Mary expect to not find/receive proper accommodations for a pregnant woman, let alone childbirth?

That’s what happened.

Q: Thinking again of Joseph, what happens when a decision you make, a circumstance you enter, progresses in a different direction than the direction you desired?

With Joseph, the unfortunate happens—no proper room for lodging.

Story: truck breaks down and I’m with my pregnant wife.

(Now the reason we have that car is because of me.) (Find a gracious woman.)

Know this: when timing and circumstance collide, God steps out.

“…days were completed for her to be delivered.”