Please turn with me to Matthew 1:18-25. As we’re celebrating the birth of Jesus and coming together to communion - this declaration of God’s saving relationship with us - I’d like to share with you from the life of Joseph - to think together about our own openness to God and His working in our lives.

Matthew 1:18-25: Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.

Pausing there - it’s important to understand the crisis Joseph was in. Sometimes when we read these familiar passages we skim across the deep emotions of the people involved.

Engagement was a commitment as respected as marriage itself. It was a public - binding - exclusive - arrangement between the man and the woman. Yet, while there was the trust and commitment of marriage the consummation of the marriage - sexual relations - was not to take place until after the marriage ceremony.

When Mary returned from visiting her relative Elizabeth - Mary was “found” to be with child. She’s at least 3 months pregnant. That Mary is pregnant is a tragedy - a disgrace.

There are few things in life harder to go through than betrayal by a spouse - someone you’ve trusted with your life. If you’ve never been in this position, go hug your spouse and give thanks to God.

Imagine having your insides torn from you - deep - powerful emotions. Your hopes and dreams and plans are ripped away. Feeling alone - exposed - in shame before everyone you know.

Joseph is confronted with what could only have been the adultery of his fiancée. Joseph - who deeply loves Mary - has to decide how to handle all this. Should he have her stoned? Should he divorce her to save his own reputation in the community? But, that would dishonor her. It would disgrace Mary in the community. If He marries her then people will assume that he’s the father - more disgrace. Finally Joseph decides to send Mary away until after the baby is born. It’s a gut wrenching decision.

Verse 20: But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”

Imagine Joseph sleeping - having decided to send Mary away - perhaps still wrestling with his decision. An angel comes and reveals that God is at work. The child has been conceived by the Holy Spirit - a fulfillment of prophecy. The child is God - the Savior of mankind.

Mary is integral to God’s fulfilled prophecy - the virgin whom Isaiah predicted would conceive. Gabriel tells Mary that every generation after her would consider her blessed. She’s honored - revered. She’s been upheld for 2,000 years as an example of Godly womanhood - an influence on generations of women. Her expression of praise to God - the Magnificat - has been recited and sung. It’s one of the most well known passages in the Bible.

Joseph’s role in all this is completely different. His role has not been predicted by prophets. There’s no statement that his name would ever be called blessed by generations to come. In fact - after Jesus’ 12th birthday there is no mention of Joseph anywhere in Scripture. Looking through Scripture - unlike Mary - there’s absolutely no record of anything Joseph ever said. And yet, Joseph - as was Mary - Joseph is chosen by God.

Soon Joseph would gaze into the face of a baby and never see in that face the reflection of his own. It would be so easy to imagine Joseph - understandable - for Joseph to dismiss the angel’s instructions as just a dream. To send Mary away. To walk away from the whole thing and go on with his life. Joseph has choice to make. How will he respond to this revelation?

Verse 24: And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

Joseph - with all the emotions he was feeling - with all the choices He had - Joseph chose to obey God. No rationalizing. No argument. No discussion. No hesitation. Joseph woke up and did what God asked. He submits his own desires to the will of God.

In thinking through our own openness to God and His working in our lives - in thinking through how all this can apply to us today - it’s important for us to see that the relationship of Joseph and his adopted Son Jesus doesn’t end here in verse 24. We need to see the results of Joseph’s choice to obey God.

Some 30 years later - as Jesus is beginning His ministry - He enters the synagogue of His home town of Nazareth. He’s handed the book of the prophet Isaiah and Jesus reads from Isaiah 61 - and then begins to speak to the congregation about the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophetic words. The congregation is impressed with how Jesus is speaking to them - this child who grew up in Nazareth.

Among those listening the question is asked, “Is this not Joseph’s Son?” (Luke 4:16-22) The question is significant because Joseph may have been dead for almost 20 years. But, Joseph - his character - his reputation - is remembered. In a very real sense they’re listening to Jesus because of Joseph.

Joseph is a tremendous example of a Godly husband and father. Day after day - year after year - in the carpenter shop - Jesus at his side - Joseph worked on wood and shaped the character of Jesus. Joseph’s fathering influence - his character - is demonstrated in how Jesus conducts Himself.

Joseph was a man with a tender loving heart. He demonstrated this quality in his decision of how to treat Mary. He put Mary’s life ahead of his own rights. Joseph cared for His family. He married Mary to protect her from accusations. He protected her on the road to Bethlehem. He protected Mary and Jesus - taking them to Egypt to escape Herod’s massacre of baby boys. Joseph was submissive to the government. He went to Bethlehem. He registered in the census. Joseph followed God’s law. He took Jesus to be circumcised and named on the 8th day after His birth. He took his family to Jerusalem - to the Temple - as required by God’s law.

And, Joseph obeyed God. When God’s angel said to take Mary as his wife - he obeyed. When God’s angel said, “Go to Egypt” - he went. When God’s angel said go back to Judea - he returned. He obeyed - submitting his desires to the will of God. This may be a stretch. But not too far a stretch. I wonder if some of this example was in Jesus’ mind - there in the Garden of Gethsemane - when Jesus - wrestling with His own choice to obey God - Jesus prayed, “Not My will Thine.”

Most of us - if not all of us - have dreams. Expectations - hopes - thoughts about our future - the future of our families. This is a time of the year when we’re especially aware of this. We cling to the familiar - times with our families - our personal traditions. As we go on in life we resist whatever may rock our boat - put things out of balance. Control is important - predictability - managing our lives. That isn’t all bad. God is the God of order and not chaos.

But, there are times when God desires to do something new in us and through us. Knowing that we have no control over Him and how He would use us - how would we respond if we we’re given the choice given to Joseph?

Thinking about our own lives - our own openness to God’s will - and Christmas - the coming of Jesus to us. We have a choice of how to respond - how to obey God’s call for our lives.

Are you willing to accept Jesus into your life with all that that choice implies? Are you willing to have your dreams - your heart - conformed by God to His will? Are there areas of your life in which you choose to resist Him?

May we allow Him to direct our thoughts - our actions. May He make each of us useful to Himself - to use us - as He used Joseph - in our homes - our families - our community - in His church.

Coming to communion - this what we will declare individually and together. Jesus has come to save us. Our choice is to allow Him to save us and recreate our lives according to His will. Taking communion we declare that we have received His salvation in Jesus and that we seek to live in obedience to His will.