Sunday Morning Service (Joshua 24:15)

 

Joshua 24:15 

“As For Me...” •  12.27.21  •  Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service

Intro.

- I will not hide the fact that I love the final week of any given year. It is a joy to look forward, to anticipate what is before us and to strategize for a more faithful walk.

- Along these lines, it is not difficult to find scriptures that clearly call upon us to consider that ethic. The passage that has most impressed me at this time is the one that we have just read.

- These are, in my estimation, the most choice among Joshua's final words to Israel. Before we consider them in earnest, allow me to quickly recap what precedes this part of his address.

Text

- As you can see from verse 1, Joshua has called a gathering of the leadership of Israel. Elders, chiefs, judges and officers are all present in Shechem.

- They are gathered "before God" and it is clear by the seventeen times that the word "I" appears that it is He that speaks through Joshua. The Lord furnishes them with a history lesson.

- You and I may bristle at the thought of another history lesson, but that is often precisely our problem. History is only a burden to those that have not experienced any pain.

- It's fascinating how important our personal history becomes when we experience a crisis. "What did this person do" or, "how did they handle this challenge," become staple questions.

• "There are three things you should never forget: Who you are, where you've come from and what you stand for."              Unnamed Speaker referenced by Sandy Adams

- That is the danger facing the people of Israel as they gathered at Shechem, itself a place of interesting history. It is the location where God called his people to commitment at least five times.

- I'd encourage you to seek these out on your own. Suffice it to say, history is an important teaching tool. This is why the Apostle Peter seems compelled to write the Christians of his day.

- Why did he repeat himself? He wanted them to have a reminder after his decease. (II Peter 1:15) Paul would say the same things to the Philippians because it was "safe."

- The word there refers to be unable to fail. It allows them to be secure in their walk with the Lord and be in a state of rejoicing. (Philippians 3:1) This is the Lord's intent through Joshua here.

- The nation's roots, as they are reviewed, were not necessarily flattering. Their progenitors, Terah and Abraham were originally idolators in Ur of the Chaldeas. (v.2,3)

- Their national ancestors were slaves in a land of idols, until the Lord crushed those enemies and freed the people from their Egyptian slavery. (v.4,5)

- God delivered them from active threats, drowning the Egyptian army and dealing with the unseen threats of Balak and Baalam. (v.6-10)

- God would only allow Balaam to bless the people, infuriating his Midianite employer.

- Then, this very generation experienced the power of God as they successfully marched through the land that they were now sitting in, from Jericho onward! (v.11,12)

- The Lord speaks through Joshua at verse 13, summarizing the entirety of their current status as a "developing nation" inside her new borders.

• Joshua 24:13 : "I have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.’" : Is this not a succinct testimony of all Christians? God has done it all! He has acted with all grace toward us before we ever knew a thing about Him!

- We have come into "a land," a walk with God, that we would never have worked for!

- He has built our lives upon the Rock and has fed us with the best that His land has to offer! We didn't deliver ourselves, nor would we ever have been able to give ourselves this life!

- As the Hebrews inherited their physical land, we have inherited the spiritual land and it is a place of sweet grace and divine blessing.

- Given the history and summation of Israel's privilege, it really seems to be strange that the next line would be necessary for the people of God to hear.

- Please understand: What is about to be said is said to people with a rich history of deliverance from idolatry into a life of blessing. Joshua speaks this from his heart.

• Joshua 24:14 : "Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!" : "Now that you are in the land. Now that you are experiencing the fullness of His blessing. Now that you have reviewed your history, fear the Lord!"

- Reverence, respect, and live with an attitude that belies a responsibility to Him above every other loyalty!

- Solomon will later call this mental acknowledgment "the beginning of wisdom." (Proverbs 1:7) It's not that it starts with fear per se. It's that wisdom is built upon reverence.

- Fear of the Lord is the foundation stone, the first and most important element of a life before God! It is the mentality that all other attitudes and actions are built upon.

- "Do I fear the Lord?" Do I fear Him more with each passing year? How will I address my fear of Him as we enter this new year?

- If this is not our first concern as Christians, the cracks at the foundation will eventually reveal serious flaws in the building. "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil." (Proverbs 8:13)

- Joshua admonishes this gathering to fear Him and serve Him! When you fear the Lord in your heart, service will be the natural action! The Apostle Paul adds great clarity to this in Romans 12.

• Romans 12:1 : "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." : As with the Jews, so with the Church. Because of what you were, where you would be and what He has blessed you with, it's natural, reasonable for you to serve Him!

- Joshua tells the people though, that there is a kind of service that a reverence for Him will produce. They are to serve Him in sincerity and truth. "Sincerity" speaks of wholeness.

- It refers to an entirety. God doesn't want you to "part" yourself out. Joshua tells his people that only a whole life is worthy of this Holy God!

- Jesus did not die to get a part of us, but to have the right to all of us for He has given us all of Himself! When we understand this, serving Him with our entire being seems profoundly rational!

- Serve Him in sincerity and in truth. In our language, this seems a bit redundant.

- In the Hebrew language, the word "truth" conveys the meaning of "stability." There is a firm, resigned, determined heart. This person is "true" to the Lord.

- That is the sense that is being communicated. Whatever it means to look at a person and consider them a "true" disciple, a "true follower," that is what Joshua is hitting upon!

- "This is what I want!" If that is your thinking, you are headed in the right direction! Joshua has offered two directives and turns to challenge them with one negative.

- In essence, they are to "put on" fear and service with "sincerity" and "truth." Why does he need to say this? Because of what else they had been putting on!

- They cannot continue in this manner before the Lord without also "putting away" their idols! "Turn aside" from them. Be done with that old way of life!

- The other side of the river corresponds NOT to the Jordan river, but the river that corresponds to Ur! Joshua is referring to the Euphrates river that Terah and Abraham crossed!

- How old was the life of idolatry that Joshua was referring to? It went back as far as Terah, yet, it was as current as Egypt! This is both astounding and incredibly relevant!

- Terah and Abraham left Ur of the Chaldeas behind. It's idolatry failed to satisfy them. Egypt, a land of gods, was decimated by the Lord. "Your eyes saw what I did in Egypt!" (v.7)

- Balak, another idolator, sought to curse Israel while looking down upon their gathering, but found that his prophet could do nothing but bless them because of God's intervention!

- Finally, all of the idolatrous nations that have just been dispossessed by the nation of Israel,  have been so only as their God proved to be stronger than the so-called "gods" of those nations! v.11

• Joshua 24:11a,12 : "But I delivered them into your hand. I sent the hornet before you which drove them out from before you, also the two kings of the Amorites, but not with your sword or with your bow." : Israel's God had done all of this. How is it possible that Israel would still have to be told to put aside their gods?

- Because even at this point in history, there was still a temptation to run back to them! Laban was unable to find his gods when he came searching, but Jacob buried his families gods. (Gen.35:4)

- Throughout the Monarchy, the people vascillated between serving the true God and idols. As you read, look for statements that contain the words "high places."

- The Lord Himself had revealed that this would be the nation's way at Joshua's inauguration!

• Deuteronomy 31:16 : "And the Lord said to Moses: 'Behold, you will rest with your fathers; and this people will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land, where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them." : God's people have always had to be told to put away their idols. It's the same story for you and I!

- Remember that idols are not merely figurines that men bow before. Those "figurines" all represented concepts that we relate to easily.

- People bowed to Baal, but were actually doing so for the sake of their businesses. They worship Ashtoreth, but were worshipping pleasure. Sex, money, pleasure, security, entertainment.

- Which of those gods did we NOT worship before the Lord rescued us? How often are we called back to bring our value to these concepts again, even after we have been delivered!?

- Do you see why Joshua has to tell them this? Do you see why we must be called to remember these things as well?

- At the end of the New Testament canon, the last author of scripture says, "Keep yourselves from idols!" (I Jn 5:21) "Serve the Lord!" Joshua says! That's the antidote to worshipping idols!

- At the very least, don't keep vascillating between the two! Listen to the first half of verse 15.

• Joshua 24:15a : "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell." : The verse begins with an interesting choice by the translators. The word in question can be rendered "evil" but the better translation is probably "displeasing."

- The NASB uses the word "disagreeable," the NIV employs the word "undesireable." Any of these words give us the sense. It may not please the Hebrews to serve the Lord.

- They may not want to serve Him, but they cannot think that they will serve Him and serve some other entity at the same time! This is why Joshua says, "Choose!"

- No matter how much a person wants this to be true it can never be. No man has ever successfully served two Masters. Jesus made this inspired and authoritative comment.

• Matthew 6:24 : "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." : This is indeed the issue: Love and loyalty! Unlike the other "gods," the God of the Bible, the true God, calls for His people to love Him!

- Deuteronomy 6:4, the great "Shema" is the backbone of the entire law. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength!"

- That love issues in loyalty and that demands single hearted devotion! If the people of Israel did not want to serve the Lord, they had plenty of other options available to them.

- They could serve the gods of the Babylonians or the gods of the Amorites. Notice that last comment, said under Joshua's breath, "in whose land you dwell!"

- The irony is that each of these gods had failed miserably, but they could still serve them. The truth is that each of us WILL serve something!

- The addage made famous by Bob Dylan is always true: "You're gonna have to serve somebody!" We were built to worship! This issue is where we will place that worship!

- What Master could you serve that is more kind, loving, merciful and consistent than YHWH!?" Serving Him brings benefit after benefit for eternity!

- Serving the gods of the nations meant slavery and demeaning themselves under a capricious, opportunistic priesthood that whipped it's adherants into frenzied action.

- For Joshua, it is this clear. The nation has a choice to make between the potent God who had affected their greatest success or the gods that had fallen before Him! That is true today!

- You may worship the God that saved you, that made you what you are or, serve yourself!

- This leads us to one of the greatest statements that were ever recorded by this amazing man of God. Listen to it again.

• Joshua 24:15b : "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." : Consider who is saying this. Consider the "me" of this sentence.

- This is God's chosen man who succeeded Moses as leader of the nation. He has been a proven warrior from his youth.

- He is never once mentioned in any negative light, unlike Moses' brother and sister.

- He has served consistently, fought bravely, worked tirelessly, and lead with integrity. Still, Joshua says, "But as for me!"

- You might think, "Does he really have to include himself in this statement? Surely, if there was ever a man that could be counted on, it's Joshua!" Therein is the rub.

- I could furnish you with another bevy of biblical examples of men that didn't finish well. Sadly, I could easily point us toward many recent and public examples.

- There are no automatic servants of God. I suggest that it is best to consider the breadth of our history of serving the Lord in context with the last day that we lived!

- Yes, the Lord will remember everything that we have ever done, but it's best if we forget what is behind! Joshua, the long standing faithful leader says, "As for me!

- Without the benefit of knowing how many others will follow him, Joshua reveals that he as made his choice! In fact, the language would read more like this: "I have chosen and will choose!"

- It is this Joshua, who has served all of his life to the present moment, who makes this choice again. Consider also WHEN he makes this choice. Listen to Joshua 13:1.

• Joshua 13:1 : "Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the Lord said to him: 'You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed." : The scripture and the Lord confirm that this man is old! The KJV tells us that he was "stricken in years." Yet, he still counts himself in. He still has more to do!

- Turn with me to Joshua 17. Joshua has been apportioning the land that each tribe was to inherit as their own. In chapter 17, his own tribe shows up to register a complaint.

• Joshua 17:14-16 : "Then the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, 'Why have you given us only one lot and one share to inherit, since we are a great people, inasmuch as the Lord has blessed us until now?' So Joshua answered them, 'If you are a great people, then go up to the forest country and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and the giants, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you.' But the children of Joseph said, 'The mountain country is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are of Beth Shean and its towns and those who are of the Valley of Jezreel.'" : Joshua finishes admonishing them by saying that they WILL take the full extent of that territory.

- If you turn back to chapter 24, you'll find that Joshua was buried in that very land, in the mountains of Ephraim! The point I'm making, I hope is clear: There is no retirement in the Lord!

- You should not lean upon your history and you should not plan to stand pat in the Lord! There are plans to make, there are gains to be had in Christ!

- Jesus tells His servants to "do business" until He comes! (Luke 19:13) He wants us to be as He was when He told Mary and Joseph that He was about His Father's business! (Luke 2:49)

• Philippians 3:12-15 : "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you." : For some this will be obvious. For others, there will be a holy restlessness.

- For all that would live godly, there is a heart to be useful, to find what it is that God would order for our steps in this next year!

- Joshua's statement is personal. He is not looking at others, which is surely a mark of a failure to understand this passage.

- Consider the story of Peter who had just been re-commissioned by Jesus to serve the Lord after denying Him three times.

- Peter asked about John. "Lord what about this man?" How did the Lord respond?

• John 21:23 : "Jesus said to him, 'If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.'" : Joshua says, "As for me." This nation can do whatever it wants. I'm going to go this direction! "Though none go with me, still I will follow!" Is that your heart!?

- But Joshua continues because he also includes his house! He speaks for his home, his circle of influence. When Joshua names his house, he speaks of all of his descendants.

- He is NOT saying that each of his descendants will follow or serve the Lord. Many fallaciously believe that their trust in Christ will automatically transfer to their children.

- That wasn't the case with one of Adam's children, either of Samuel's children or a fair number of David's children!

- What Joshua IS saying is that his home would be dedicated to the service of the Lord! Joshua's name and the name of his home would be synonymous with service to the Lord!

- The decisions that he would make would be consistent with the Lord's will. The reputation among the neighborhood, the social media platforms, would all speak of a loyalty to the Lord!

- Those that served the Lord in his family would find themselves joyful and blessed. Those that did not would be left watching.

- What could be said of the effect of Joshua's words and actions? We don't have time today to continue our journey, but Israel did respond. His words did have an effect.

- The men and women who were gathered to listen immediately sought to comply.

- The entire nation at that time left this imprint upon the pages of scripture. Verse 31.

• Joshua 24:31 : "Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had known all the works of the Lord which He had done for Israel." : Joshua's commitment on this day, may have helped to spare the nation of Israel a sudden doom. Joshua served the Lord's interest and this was the result!

- He served the Lord in his generation well.

Conclusion
- As the year 2021 approaches, what say you? The choice to serve the Lord lies before you personally. There are other interests and loves to serve, but are they "for you?"

- Did you business die for your sin? Does your sexuality afford you with a holy heart? Will your security lead you to a more peaceful life?

- While there are millions of interests to serve only God through Christ has given His life for and to you, in order that you might be free to live as He created you!

- Joshua had a rich history of service and a short time left. He says, "As for me and my house!" What will it be for you? What if none will support you? What if it means death to relationships?

- Though none go with me, still I will follow! "Lord, to whom shall we go? You alone have words of eternal life!" I pray that this year will be a banner year for you.

- I pray that you will find His employ far more joyful and wonderful than you ever have before and that you will realize just how reasonable it is to serve this faithful Master of ours!

 

Sunday Morning Service (Matthew 20)

Matthew 1

Audio Access Available Above

"The Providential Hand Of The Incarnation" • 12.20.20 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service

Intro

- This morning, we mark an incredible moment in redemptive history, namely the moment when God added humanity to His eternal deity. Theologians call this "the Incarnation."

- We consider this against the peace of that night, the quiet as the "cattle" lowed, the beauty of the night sky illuminated by an unusual star, all the while, God's glory is obscured by an infant's skin!

- God's greatest move against Satan's plot to destroy mankind was made and less than half a dozen people even knew about it as it happened! This is the definitive move in an ages long conflict.

- When Satan stood against humanity and enticed them to disobey their Creator, to turn from trusting the Fatherly heart of God, to satisfying their own desires, God made a promise.

- Satan would bruise the Seed of the Woman's heel, but that same Seed would crush His head! This was the moment when that plan took on personhood!

- As Matthew looks back, he reveals that there has been a steady hand, a series of calculated moves that have brought us right up to the night of the Nativity.

- God deposited Himself in a human body and would be the final weapon of Satan's final destruction! Look at how Matthew frames the movement of God toward the act of the incarnation.

Text

I. The Preservation Of The Line Of Christ  (v.1-17)

- I will spare us the reading of each of the 40 descendants named here, but I will ask you what it is that you think you see? Why is it here? What purpose does it serve?

- For you and I as Gentiles, this is seemingly irrelevant and certainly uninteresting. This is not the case for the Jews. The conversation about the Messiah is moot with roots!

- Geneologies were vitally important to the establishment of the identity of the Messiah, who had to descend from Abraham, Judah and David.

- Nobody today can legally claim to be the Messiah of Israel, seeing that those records were destroyed with the Temple in A.D. 70.

- The Lord's human genetic relationship was readily available to Matthew. When you look closely, you will recognize names that are famous, indeed synonymous, for their faith.

- Abraham. David. Hezekiah. Unfortunately, for every act of faith that they are famous for, there is an equal act of failure that comes to mind.

- Abraham was a liar. David, an adulterer. Hezekiah was a King infected with pride late in his reign. There is faith, but there is also great dysfunction!

- Among regular people, these actions are sinful. Among those who have been given the promise of Messiah, these actions are potentially devastating to the plan of God in salvation!

- Consider for a moment the life of Judah, the one whose very tribe will be responsible for bearing the Messiah. After the episode with Joseph, Judah seemingly leaves his kin.

- Where does he end up? Married to a Canaanite woman! She is no proselyte to the Jewish faith. In fact, Judah's children with her all bear Canaanite names! What in the world is Judah doing!?

- I'd encourage you to read Genesis 38 on your own and see there the faithful actions of Judah's daughter-in-law, which essentially saves the purity of Judah's line of succession!

- You and I will look through western eyes and judge Tamar for dressing up like a prostitute in order to lure her Father-in-law into impregnating her, but Judah renders his own judgment.

- "She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her Shelah my son." (Genesis 38:25)

- What seems scandalous in our eyes, was a last ditch effort of Tamar's for God's righteousness to prevail. That is probably why she is tagged by Matthew here.

- These individuals are dysfunctional, but then, there is also the disobedience of Christ's nation! King David was Israel's best King. After his reign, the results were spotty at best.

- We traveled through the book of Kings a few years ago and it was not often that we came upon exemplary moments.

- There were Kings who served the Lord's interests in their generation, only to cede the throne to a person that reversed every previous righteous directive! For example, note verse 10.

• Matthew 1:10 : "Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah." : Hezekiah and Josiah were two of the most righteous Kings for the nation of Judah in it's latter days. Mannasseh and Amon however, set new standards for wickedness!

- Manasseh even repented in his old age, but it wasn't enough to turn from sacrificing more and more to idols. (II Chronicles 33:23)

- As the throne went, so went the nation, easily turning back to idolatrous ways and practices.

- It got so bad that the Lord commanded Jeremiah three times to cease praying for the nation. (Jeremiah 7:16, 11:14, 14:11)

- God told Jeremiah that the nation was so bad, it wouldn't be saved even if Moses and Samuel stood before Him! (Jeremiah 15:1)

- He adds Noah, Daniel and Job to that list in Ezekiel 14:14! This nation that carried the promise of the Prince of Peace, could not be bothered to truly walk in the ways of their Lord!

- They were chosen by God. They had the laws of God, the Priesthood and the Kingdom! With all of these advantages, they failed to live faithfully.

- It is the story of mankind, who may have great intentions but aren't equipped with the engine!

- Even so God preserved the nation until it was best for her to be scattered as a final measure of discipline. And even then, God preserved His promise!

- Look at verses 11 and 12. There is Matthew following the Messiah's line into Babylon, in exile! How many nations have survived such an ordeal? How many promises come from rubble?

- Can you believe the fact that the people of Israel were not only able to preserve their culture and language, but were eventually able to re-enter their land, not once, but twice!

- The Babylonian captivity took place in 586 B.C. The Jews re-entered their land in 1948 and took Jerusalem as their capital in 1967!

- The preservation of Christ's lineage can only be attribute to divine interevention! When you look to the end of it, I hope you understand Matthew's point. Verse 17.

• Matthew 1:17 : " So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations." : When you look at this geneology, from now on, I pray that you see continuity, a faithfully unbroken line!

- The promised One survived His dysfunctional descendants from Abraham to David.

- God preserved His promise despite His disobedient nation, from David to the captivity. And, most unbelieveably, from the ashes of a scattered people until reaching Mary and Joseph!

- But if you think that was a safe place to emerge, you'd be mistaken. We have seen the preservation of the line of Christ. Look now at the . . .  Verse 18.

II. The Protection Of The Life Of Christ (v.18-20)

• Matthew 1:18-20 : "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.'" : Of all the ways that the Messiah could enter into humanity, He chose the way that is common to us all!

- Jesus was "born." He came into this world through the birth canal of a human woman! He endured the traumas endemic to the birthing process! One can hardly imagine!

- The King of all glory confined and adhered Himself to the uterine wall of a young virgin!

- "Someone affluent for sure!" Nope. Poor, unknown. "Certainly in a major market!" Not really! Bethlehem in out in the country and Nazareth was a bit of a rest stop!

- But then, you will note the drama that attended this birth. "After His Mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph." Betrothal is equivalent to our engagement, but is far more difficult to break.

- It would take public legal proceedings and a strong, even life threatening reason to end the relationship. One of those reasons would be sexual infidelity.

- This is where the next phrase comes in: "Before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit!" Uh-oh! That is not only a scandalous proposition. It's a death sentence!

- The penalty for a woman caught in adultery was stoning. According to historians, such a woman would be placed in a box of manure up to her knees and then stoned till she was face down.

- When Mary disclosed her pregnancy to Joseph, the Bible tells us that she had already been prepared and instructed. The angel Gabriel visited her and revealed God's plan to her.

•  Luke 1:30-35 : "Then the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.' Then Mary said to the angel, 'How can this be, since I do not know a man?' And the angel answered and said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.'" : Listen to how extensive Mary's knowledge was. She knew about her own virgin conception, the Child's Name and place in history.

- She knew her Son would be the King that was promised to David! He would reign forever and ever! When you read further, into Mary's Magnificat, she knows that her child is her Savior!

• Luke 1:46-49 : "And Mary said: 'My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name." : That's quite a lot of information to share but none of that was disclosed to Joseph!

- Matthew informs us that Joseph was her husband as well as a "just man." That is, he was a man that sought to do what was right in the sight of the Lord.

- He wanted to act in accordance with His faith and in line with the character of His God.

- This led him to consider how he should respond to Mary's news. Imagine the ackward moments that this couple shared together.

  - It was obvious that Mary was pregnant, but imagine, from Joseph's perspective, the gall that was necessary for Mary to announce to him that the baby "was from the Holy Spirit!"

- Joseph believes in God. He knows miracles are possible. He is sure that nothing is impossible for Him, but c'mon!

- Whatever he actually thought, it's obvious that he did not believe her but he couldn't bring himself to shame her either.

- Joseph did not want to make her a "paradigm" of infamy, but sought to "put her away secretly." He was willing to seek an under the table, quiet divorce.

- This is such a wonderful example, especially in light of our culture's current stands today.

- Today, such an event would not only garner scandalous attention, but Mary would be almost certainly "cancelled" before being publically executed!

- Joseph reveals the kind of heart that a godly person has. He doesn't want retribution or to advertise Mary's supposed sin.

- This man that has been chosen to be the "Stepfather" of the Lord shares in the heart of God the Father and will exemplify this same heart to God the Son!

- Our culture cancels at the first sight of sin but God's love covers a multitude of sins! (I Peter 4:8) For Joseph, this was the most humane thing to do considering the alternative!

- Joseph loved this young lady and his actions are motivated from what was best for her. That is the very heart of "agape!"

  - Imagine him pacing the floor, racking his brain, asking God to provide some sign, some word of wisdom! Joseph was caught in the middle of something very delicate.

- The stress level was high and his options were limited and painful. That is when God dispatched a messenger to soothe him.

- An angel of the Lord, a messenger from the Lord brought a word of assurance to Joseph. "Don't be afraid to take to you Mary your wife!"

- The fact that the angel tells him signals the fear that had gripped his soul. How often in our lives will we hear the Lord say these same words to us: "Do not fear!"

 God protected Mary's reputation and gave Joseph the information that he needed to guard her life. He knew definitively from God Himself, that this child was Divine!

- With one timely angelic visit, the Lord protected the life of His Son by saving the life of His Mother! Can you think of how many other scenarios God protected His Son from?

- Soon, Joseph will move his family to Egypt just before Herod kills every baby 2 years and under in the region. (Matthew 2:16)

  - How many times did the Jews attempt to seize Jesus in the gospel records? His Father protected Him right up until it was time for Him to offer Himself for our sin!

- Along with that, please don't miss Joseph's peace that he fought to have! Because he sought the Lord and waited to act, he learned that Mary was telling the truth.

- He heard from God directly and was put at ease. Every Christian can know this peace if they are willing to wait to receive it! That brings us to verse 21.

- We have seen the preservation of the line of Christ and the protection of the life of Christ. Please see finally, the . . .

III. The Power Of The Name Of Christ (v.21-25)

• Matthew 1:21-23 : "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.' So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us.'" : After the angel provided the information that would protect Christ's life, he gets to introduce Joseph to the Name above all Names!

- "You shall call His name Jesus!" Joseph hears the very Name that connects him to every believer before and every believer after him! Jesus is the very center of redemptive history!

- When the angel tells him that he shall call His Name Jesus, he is telling Joseph that he is to take legal responsiblity for the child. He's going to be legally responsible for the Savior!

- "Jesus" is an English equivalent for the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name "Yeshua." Yeshua, when translated, means "God our salvation."

- This is why the angel says that He will save His people from their sins! That is the meaning of His name, the function of His mission, the purpose of the Godhead in Christ.

- His Name is the definition that will govern His life and ministry. Notice the certainty in those words: He will save or deliver! There is no question. There is no doubt.

- Jesus came to deliver us from our sins and that's what He has done by taking or bearing them upon Himself! Joseph has the privilege to hear of his own salvation from an angel!

- We get the privilege of sharing this same news to all that will listen! Christmast isn't about gifts give to one another. It's about THE Gift of salvation given to all that believe!

- Mary's pregnancy was a legitimate miracle and a fulfillment of one of the scripture's most vitally important prophecies of Christ!

• Isaiah 7:14 : "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel."

- Scholars attempt to soften this by mentioning that "almah" could be young woman. Sadly, nobody told Matthew this because he uses the Greek word used exclusively for "virgin!"

- Mary is also unaware, as she confesses that she had never known a man! (Luke 1:34)

- Several obstacles presented themselves with regard to Christ's humanity. There is the inherent sin nature passed through the genes of the Father. There are disgraced Kings to bypass.

- God takes care of that by allowing Christ to adhere to the womb of a virgin woman!

- Immanuel. He was never called this, but it is a description of what men would say when they encountered Him! "God was with us!" Jesus would be with them physically but with us spiritually!

˚ "And God with us, through every action of our life, that we begin, continue, and end in his name. He is God with us, to comfort, enlighten, protect, and defend us, in every time of temptation and trial, in the hour of death, in the day of judgment; and God with us and in us, and we with and in him, to all eternity."

                  Adam Clarke

- When they heard that a virgin had conceived a son, this would be the sign that they waited for. Only God's own blood would be sufficient for the stain of human sin. Verse 24.

• Matthew 1:24,25 : "Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus." : What a night's sleep he had! Think of how he had gone to bed: Stressed out and not sure what to do.

- How often do we go to sleep with the very same emotions? How often will the believer be aroused from sleep, confident in the Lord's direction!

- Joseph understands that this will be a much more difficult road for him. He is to take Mary, this pregnant teenager, as his wife. People would look. They would theorize.

- They would form their own opinions of both Mary and Joseph. This makes Joseph's actions all the more impressive. He did as the Lord had commanded him, no matter the cost to his reputation.

- And notice that he did this without violating his commitment to the Lord.

- Joseph "did not know her till she had brought forther her first born Son!"

- "She's already pregnant, she's already his wife. Who would know?" The Lord would know and eventually, to engage in such activity, would increase the questions of the Lord's deity!

- Joseph knew that his and Mary's purity would eventually lead to their blessing.

- Joseph was a man who was willing to take the more difficult road because of his love for the Lord and His will. I pray that we take a long look at that example!

- When the Baby was born, a story of incredible circumstances itself, Joseph proclaimed proudly that the Child's Name was Jesus.

Conclusion

- The Incarnation speaks so powerfully to me of the faithful God that we serve. Think about it.

- When God's people were dysfunctional and His nation disobedient, God kept His Word and found ways to faithfully continue the course that He promised! That is the character of God!

- He won't give up! If He has promised you a salvation from sin and a hope of eternity with Him, remember that He preserved the line of Christ through worse!

- When God's Christ came into the womb of the virgin at a time when she could have been abandoned by her betrothed and stoned by her brethren, God sent His Angel to protect Him.

- From there, God protected His life to the very moment when Jesus stood on the Mount of Olives, fully surrendered to His Father's plan and His nation's betrayal.

- Our God is powerful enough to carry us through safely until that time when we leave this life and join His.

- Finally, when God wanted to provide a Savior for man's sins, He physically sent His own Son, who appeared in time, helpless in form, perfect in life, present in death.

- The Incarnation reminds us that if He physically appeared to deliver us from our sins, He will physically come again to deliver us from this Earth!

- On that night, only a privileged few knew of His arrival. When He was born, hope filled their hearts. When He comes again, every heart will know and every knee will bow before the Holy King!

- Christmas is a yearly reminder that what God promises, He brings to pass!