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Joseph
(Matthew 18:1-25)
Yearly Theme: “Goodness is… the Great I AM”
Series Title: “What Child is This”
December 1st, 2024

Something to think about:

Joseph’s story is anything but normal. It’s one of a kind; it’s unique; it’s quirky; it’s important. Of all the men mentioned in the Bible, the story of Joseph, though only briefly mentioned, is significant in light of the kind of man Joseph was. In the very few verses that mention him in the Gospels, we seem to get a glimpse of a kind and quiet man; unassuming and humble, while also strong and courageous. It’s hard not to imagine what Joseph was really like. Our minds are prone to fill in the blanks where Scripture remains silent about the stepfather of Jesus. However, there are some important points to his character that are illuminated in the verses we have surrounding the birth of Christ. Let’s take a closer look…

Before we get too far into the character of Joseph, we need to consider the historical context of betrothal and marriage during the time of Christ. Understanding this practice is important in understanding the decision that Joseph made to take Mary as his wife. In reference to this, Biblical scholar, Louis Barbieri explains that,

“Marriages were arranged for individuals by parents, and contracts were negotiated. After this was accomplished, the individuals were considered married and were called husband and wife. They did not, however, begin to live together. Instead, the woman continued to live with her parents and the man with his for one year. The waiting period was to demonstrate the faithfulness of the pledge of purity given concerning the bride. If she was found to be with child in this period, she obviously was not pure, but had been involved in an unfaithful sexual relationship. Therefore the marriage could be annulled. If, however, the one-year waiting period demonstrated the purity of the bride, the husband would then go to the house of the bride’s parents and in a grand processional march lead his bride back to his home. There they would begin to live together as husband and wife and consummate their marriage physically. Matthew’s story should be read with this background in mind.”[1]

With that, our key point this morning is this…

Key Point: “Joseph loved Jesus as his own.”

How can we determine that Joseph loved Jesus as his own? A few things stand out in the text. Here’s what we can learn:


[1] Barbieri, Louis A., Jr. 1985. “Matthew.”In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 2:20. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

· Joseph was a ______________ ______________.

Matthew 1:19 (NLT), Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

· Joseph was ______________.

Matthew 1:24-25 (NLT), 24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

· Joseph ______________ Jesus as his ______________.

Joseph was to not be afraid to proceed with his marriage to Mary (1:20). To do so would require that he drop the consideration of divorce and accept her child as his own.[1]


[1] Hahn, Roger L. 2007. Matthew: A Commentary for Bible Students. Indianapolis, IN: Wesleyan Publishing House.

Something to take home:

Like Joseph, is God calling you out on a limb? Is He asking you to love Jesus as your own?

This Christmas season, as you consider the story of Joseph, what is God calling you to that may take more faith and trust than you think you have to offer? If He is calling you out on a limb, rest assured, that He will be there with you and strengthen you for the journey ahead!

Key Point: “Joseph loved Jesus as his own.”

What do you think Joseph felt when he first heard that his fiance Mary was pregnant?

If you were Joseph, how would you have responded to Mary when she told you she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit, and that the child she was carrying was the Messiah and Savior of the world?

The passage in Matthew’s Gospel says that Joseph was a good man and did not want to disgrace Mary publicly, but decided to break their engagement quietly.Would you have had the same restraint under the circumstances?Why, or why not?

After an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream confirming that Mary truly had conceived a child under the power of the Holy Spirit, he did as the angel told him and took Mary as his wife.How difficult must this have been in light of the social and cultural norms of the day?

What is the main takeaway for you about how Joseph handled this situation?What can we learn from Joseph’s willingness to become the earthly father of the Son of GOD?

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