There are many interesting characters of Christmas. One of them is Joseph. Today we would call him Joseph Davidson because he was the son or descendant of David (Matthew 1:20). He was a simple carpenter and was engaged to a young Jewish girl named Mary.
The Bible doesn’t tell how Joseph learned that his young wife-to-be was going to have a baby. Knowing that he wasn’t the father, Joseph undoubtedly ran the gamut of emotions. But then the angel appeared in a dream and explained everything. Awaking from the dream, Joseph accepted the assignment and embraced his role in the Christmas story.
Bible teacher, Haddon Robinson, made this observation about Joseph, “Joseph was an ordinary man that sometimes believed his doubts and doubted his beliefs, yet he had enough faith to do what God wanted him to do.”
Though a common man, Joseph rises out of the ranks of the ordinary because he believed and obeyed God. Think about it. Joseph was one of the first persons to believe in the virgin birth. That’s no small thing! He fully embraced the doctrine of the incarnation – that God became a man. He looked into the face of Jesus and believed in his heart that this truly was the Son of the living God.
While the neighbors gossiped, while friends and family smirked, and while suspicion and rumors filled the streets of Nazareth, Joseph believed. His profession may have been humble, but his faith was profound. So it was that God entrusted the care of His Son not to a king, but to a simple man of faith.
The challenge then is to follow the example of this ordinary man named Joseph. In the face of opposition and unbelief, believe what God tells you to believe and do what God calls you to do. Believe and obey. I think that is how you spell greatness in the kingdom of God.
Pastor Todd Weston
The Bible doesn’t tell how Joseph learned that his young wife-to-be was going to have a baby. Knowing that he wasn’t the father, Joseph undoubtedly ran the gamut of emotions. But then the angel appeared in a dream and explained everything. Awaking from the dream, Joseph accepted the assignment and embraced his role in the Christmas story.
Bible teacher, Haddon Robinson, made this observation about Joseph, “Joseph was an ordinary man that sometimes believed his doubts and doubted his beliefs, yet he had enough faith to do what God wanted him to do.”
Though a common man, Joseph rises out of the ranks of the ordinary because he believed and obeyed God. Think about it. Joseph was one of the first persons to believe in the virgin birth. That’s no small thing! He fully embraced the doctrine of the incarnation – that God became a man. He looked into the face of Jesus and believed in his heart that this truly was the Son of the living God.
While the neighbors gossiped, while friends and family smirked, and while suspicion and rumors filled the streets of Nazareth, Joseph believed. His profession may have been humble, but his faith was profound. So it was that God entrusted the care of His Son not to a king, but to a simple man of faith.
The challenge then is to follow the example of this ordinary man named Joseph. In the face of opposition and unbelief, believe what God tells you to believe and do what God calls you to do. Believe and obey. I think that is how you spell greatness in the kingdom of God.
Pastor Todd Weston
