Due to the need to get an early start, there was no chat room. Sorry.
Meet the hosts. Chris is absent today, but Nathan has exciting news about
leading his first communion for his new church family. Get ready for the
mysterious shower story from Keith, complete with a twist ending. It ends
better than it might sound at first.
To continue a feature from an earlier installment, we take another look at
universal Truths that apply in all situations. This time it's about the
reliability in asking God for wisdom. Prosperity fails, and other truth and
promises are wrapped in specific context, but wisdom is something God will
always grant to the heart that seeks it. What kind of heart? One that is open,
sincere,, andobedient.
Main Topic. It's still a couple weeks before Christmas, and there's more to
look at with Joseph. We return to the events in Matthew 1:19-25. We already
fixated on verse 18 pretty closely.
Joseph. had to Make sense of a problem on his own.
19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame,
resolved to divorce her quietly.
Joseph was:
A husband, even though still in a status of being engaged, the couple wwas
still a husband and wife.
Just. What does that include?
he was equitable, or fair.
He was innocent, of being the father of this special baby.
He was righteous.
not willing,
He was not of a desire...
It was not his choice...
It was not his preference...
or his intend,
To publically expose, or shame her
It is clear that Joseph loved Mary , and he didn't want to lose her, or to
shame her, or to have her be a public spectacle.
Joseph did some deep mental searching, and the only thing that seemed right to
do was a quiet divorce. It wasn't God's plan though, and intervention was to
come.
Joseph. Finds help outside himself.
20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to
him in a dream, saying,
"Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is
conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his
people from their sins."
Joseph son of David. The angel called him by name.
Commands were given: Fear not. Take., or receive, or hold close, Mary.
Joseph was assured of a few things: The child is conceived of the Holy Spirit,
Mary was a virgin, and the child would be a son. In the days before modern
medicine, and ultra sounds, predicting a son was not possible, and even a guess
was only 50% accurate. A name was given, and the promise this was the messiah
who would save people from their sin.
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23 "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his
name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).
24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him:
he took his wife,
25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name
Jesus.
Bottom line, Joseph had a problem he couldn't solve on his own, or using
conventional wisdom. An angel, or messenger, was sent with the answer,
assurances, and commands. Joseph listened, and did it.
Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV).
keith <http://podcast.heltsley.net/?author=2> | December 6, 2016 at 9:24 am |
URL: http://wp.me/p5uvFj-7h ;<http://wp.me/p5uvFj-7h>
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