Series: Stories

Joseph’s Turn to Trust

Christmas in July!

~~Pray

Dillon dance lessons for his birthday gift

VIDEO

“I feel like you’re trying to lead!”

Don’t let overthinking, timing, or temptation make you detach from or distrust God.

Joseph is a man who has a brain, he was obviously a skilled carpenter, has been entrusted with a wife and now needs to make it all happen.

When you put your trust in the One True God, you’re deciding to let Him decide!

Galatians 5:25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Keep in step with the Spirit - it doesn’t say make up your own steps

Matthew 4:19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said…

When we read or retell the Christmas story, often Joseph’s faithfulness fades into the background behind Mary’s miraculous pregnancy, the shepherds’ exuberant joy, and the glory of Jesus Himself.

Matthew 1:18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

19 Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

Don’t understand how God could ask you to

To forgive when someone doesn’t ask for forgiveness

To refrain from certain activities or entertainment

To keep loving someone who doesn’t seem to deserve it

When we allow our limited understanding of our situations to steer us, we risk missing the miraculous provision and purposes of God.

Joseph was thinking: How can I make this work?

“God still has ways of making His will known, hints of providence, debates of conscience, advice of faithful friends - apply the rules of the written word and we can get direction from God” - Matthew Henry Commentary

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

Joseph’s obedience was key to fulfilling God’s promises.

God will take your brave obedience and use it for His glory and the salvation of others.

But first, there’s actually an enemy to our obedience. And there’s one in the Christmas story.

New upgrade you can get for your nativity

**PHOTO Herod statue

Matthew 2:2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.

Matthew 2:13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt,

15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Joseph didn’t delay, he immediately took them and fled in obedience in the night.

This time it wasn’t Joseph's logic that was steering him, there was a real enemy!

God knows the projects and purposes of the enemy. The safest route for you and those in your care is to follow His lead!

But when Joseph’s mind was quiet and not busy scheming. Do you have a time or allow the Lord to speak to you? Or are you always in charge and making the plans?

Take time to listen and learn to follow

And as we’ve seen in Joseph’s life, God can use dreams to warn us

Background: childhood home in DC had metal bars

PHOTO - Leah on steps

Shut the door on darkness

WORSHIP TEAM

And that Jesus says “Behold I stand at the door and knock”

Jesus brings peace instead of poison

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Look at the nativity differently when you see Joseph and think about his choices to turn from his plans to God’s way.

God can take the most precarious situation and turn it around.

We can pray for God to turn around hard situations but really most of the time we need His help to turn OUR hearts around.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things