Christ Fellowship Today: Christmas in Joseph's Shoes

Hi, I’m Scott Terry. Merry Christmas from Christ Fellowship Today!

Have you ever felt disappointed at Christmas? I’ll bet Joseph did. Listen to this from Matthew’s gospel, “The birth of Jesus Christ happened this way: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.” We know that the babe in Mary’s womb is of the Holy Spirit, but Joseph doesn’t.

Joseph had to be disappointed in Mary who was pregnant, and not by him. All his plans and preparations and hopes dashed; and he had done nothing wrong. Could it be true that God’s plan for the birth of Jesus would include all this disappointment in this righteous man’s life?

We would never have planned it this way, but in the midst of disappointment Joseph would obey God’s instructions with great zeal; keeping Mary pure and naming the baby, Jesus, which means Savior. Joseph would serve God as the earthly father of Immanuel, God with us. Isn’t God’s presence precisely what a righteous man wants?

If you think about it, it’s really our own sin that we find so disappointing. God places His Son Jesus in the midst of our sinful lives and says, ‘Believe in Him’. He will save you from your sin. And in Him you will never be disappointed. Why? Because Jesus is Himself the very presence of God.

Come worship Jesus, the Savior who promises to be with us always, this Sunday at 10am and again Christmas Eve at 7pm, at Christ Fellowship Church.