Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 * July 9, 2006 * Pastor Leyrer

Majoring in the Minors: St. Joseph

Dear Friends in Christ,

I don’t know that we can go so far as to say he is the forgotten figure in the Christmas story, but of Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus, certainly it is Joseph who draws the least attention. And from what we learn about Joseph in the Bible, that was probably just fine with him.

This morning, as we continue our series on those rarely noted minor festivals of the Church Year, we’d like to turn our attention to this man and some of the exemplary qualities we see in him that can serve as an encouragement to our walk of faith. On the basis of our text, let’s devote the next several minutes to

JOSEPH: AN EXAMPLE OF HUMBLE AND OBEDIENT FAITH

We’ll begin with a thumbnail sketch. Hard facts are at a premium, but this much we know for sure about Joseph: He was the son of a man name Jacob and the grandson of a man named Matthan. He could trace his ancestry back to the line of great King David.

The picture we traditionally have of Joseph is that of a wise, mature, protective man who was not at all resentful of all the attention given to his foster son by adoring shepherds and gift-bearing wise men. Generally we think of him as being older, maybe even significantly older, than Mary, who would have been a young woman of approximately 14 to 16 years at the time Jesus was born.

As is often the case when Scripture is silent, stories abound. One legend about Joseph dating from the 4^th century claims that he was a widower with six children who married Mary very late in his life, and that he eventually died at the ripe age of 111. This, again, is legend and not derived from Scripture, but does complement the idea that Mary and Joseph were not evenly matched in age.

By far the best known incident revolving around Joseph has to do with his discovery that his intended wife, Mary, was pregnant with a child that he knew was not his own. Before the Lord explained to him was happening, we are told that Joseph intended to quietly divorce her.

Matthew tells us why he chose this particular course of action rather than something more public (which he could have). It was “because [Joseph] was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace” (Matthew 1:19). In other words, even in the midst of what must have initially been deep disappointment and sadness, Joseph exhibited a gracious, non-vindictive and forgiving spirit.

Later, when the Lord sorted all this out for Him in a dream, Joseph willingly accepted the role God had for him. He became the husband to Mary and the earthly father of Jesus.

By trade we know he was a carpenter, a skill in which he would eventually train his foster son Jesus. It would also appear that although Joseph lived in Nazareth, he may have originally been from Bethlehem, because that is where he had to return when the Roman census was taken. Perhaps he went up north to Nazareth to find work. Bethlehem, however, seemed to remain near to his heart, since (as our text indicates) this was the first choice to bring his family upon their return from Egypt.

The last we hear about Joseph is as the puzzled parent of the 12 year old Jesus in the temple. After that, the Bible is silent about this man. He is noticeably absent at the crucifixion of Christ. Mary was there, and Jesus made provisions for her to be taken care of by His beloved disciple, John – something that would not be necessary if Joseph was present. The common assumption is that Joseph had died by this time.

The second verse of the hymn we sang just moments ago bears repeating as it pretty well summarizes his life and spirit of Joseph we know it from Scripture.

All praise, O God, for Joseph, The guardian of your Son,

Who saved him from King Herod When safety there was none.

He taught the trade of builder When they to Naz’reth came;

And Joseph’s love as father Blessed God the Father’s name.

The line, “Who saved Him from King Herod when safety there was none,” links us directly to our text. Let’s turn to it now and briefly work our way through it. It provides us with an important piece of post-Christmas history. In the process we will learn to further appreciate Joseph for who and what he was…

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.” After the Wise Men left, God directs Joseph to flee with his family to Egypt. In the Bible there are a number of rulers named Herod. None of them were good, but this one was the worst. Historians refer to him as “Herod the Great” because of his political accomplishments, but he was also great in terms of bloodshed and cruelty when it came to protecting his own interests. This was the man who ordered the slaughter of the innocents.

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.” It is telling of his character to note that Joseph as the head of his house acts on God’s directive immediately. The Holy Family doesn’t wait until morning. God spoke – and Joseph obeyed without delay.

We’re also told here why it was Egypt they fled to. In doing so they fulfilled one of the many Old Testament prophecies made concerning the life and work of Christ. This particular prophecy came from the prophet Hosea (11:1). Originally it referred to God’s calling the nation of Israel out of Egypt at the time of Moses. But here Matthew, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, applies these words to Jesus. Just as Israel went down to Egypt as an infant nation, so the child Jesus went there. And just as Israel was led out of Egypt by God, so was baby Jesus and his earthly family.

¹⁹ After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt ²⁰ and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” We don’t know how long the family was in Egypt. The best guess from historical sources puts it at less than a year since Herod the Great died the same year Jesus was born. Sometime after Herod’s death Joseph receives another angelic revelation and is given the green light to return home.

²¹ So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. ²² But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, ²³ and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.” Once again, the first thing to note is Joseph’s unquestioning obedience to God’s command.

It would appear that Joseph probably intended to go back to Bethlehem where they had stayed some time before this latest turn of events. Perhaps they had relatives there, or maybe Joseph had found employment. However, Bethlehem was only five or six miles from Jerusalem. When Joseph learned that the new ruler, Archelaus, was a son of Herod the Great, he was frightened of what could happen.

That being the case, for a third time Joseph is warned by God in a dream and told to stay away from Judea (the southern part of the Holy Land). So the Joseph and family headed up to Galilee, the north country of the Holy Land. There they settled in the small, obscure hometown of Joseph and Mary – and now, Jesus – named Nazareth. And in this relocation process Matthew informs us that more Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah were fulfilled.

So far the text. Now, the question of the day. What can we learn from Joseph? What qualities do we see in him that we would do well to pray for and, with God’s help, cultivate within ourselves? There are many, but let’s limit ourselves to five.

1) In Joseph we see a man with a gentle, unassuming spirit, yet a man who is characterized as righteous and just and God-fearing…

And we are reminded that in a world which tells us how important it is to make a name for ourselves so that everyone knows who we are, the only thing that is really important – and provides us with real contentment and security – is that God knows us.

2) In Joseph we see a man who probably thought he would quietly pass through life, yet was open to the Lord’s leading and humbly and willingly accepted the responsibility to be used as God’s instrument…

And we are reminded that we honor and serve God by faithfully and diligently carrying out whatever role or combination of roles He gives to us – husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, employer, employee or Christian friend – and that there is no greater privilege or sense of satisfaction than to know God has chosen us for His own and is using us as we are and where we are for His purposes.

3) In Joseph we see a man of principle as well as a man of compassion…

And we are reminded of how important it is to have our lives shaped and transformed by God’s Word so we, like Joseph, can give witness to our faith before a watching world.

4) In Joseph we see a man of faith and conviction, as well as a man who translated that faith and those convictions into action…

And we are reminded of the natural connection between faith and action, just as Jesus tells us in John 15 when He says: “I am the vine, you are the branches, if a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit;” and we are encouraged to stay connected to Christ through daily devotion and contemplation with the blessed promise of bringing Him honor through our lives.

5) Finally (perhaps not explicitly found in our text but inferred by everything about it), we see in Joseph a man who knew he was a sinner in need of Jesus, the Savior, and a man who rejoiced at the coming of Immanuel…

And we are reminded that our greatest need is not money or health or position or prestige, but the forgiveness of the sins that put us at odds with a holy God who rightfully demands perfection from His creatures. Those sins have been fully and freely forgiven by Jesus’ perfect life as our substitute, his cruel death in our place, and his glorious resurrection that proves His mission of forgiveness has been accomplished. What Jesus did becomes our through faith. And now we no longer stand as outsiders with God, but as insiders; which means fulfilled life under the watchful, caring eye of Christ is ours in the present and eternal life at His side awaits us in heaven.

And as Joseph and every believer knows – it just doesn’t get any better than that.

Of Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus, Joseph is always a distant third. But there is much we can learn from this nearly forgotten figure of Christmas. Today, as we mark this minor festival the church has set aside for his commemoration, he has provided us with an example of humble and obedient faith.

May God work within us those same qualities so that, like Joseph, we bring glory to His name. Amen.