THIS COULDN'T HAVE BEEN COMFORTABLE
Matthew 1:18-25 NKJV
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."
24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
The Book of Matthew was written by Matthew, one of the 12 apostles. Matthew was Jewish and wrote with a very Jewish perspective. This is why we see so many references to the Old Testament prophets. Matthew was presenting Jesus as the fulfillment of Scripture and worthy to stake a claim to being the long-awaited Messiah.
In our verses for today, we find the story typically associated with Christmas. Matthew gives Joseph's perspective. Our verses for today also include an Old Testament prophecy being fulfilled in Jesus, which is very congruent with Matthew's style. However, I want to focus on what Joseph had to deal with regarding the birth of Jesus.
The situation with Mary being found pregnant prior to the marriage's consummation had to be difficult. It's easy for us to skip over this fact but a couple betrothed was considered as binding as a marriage. The couple did not live together, but it was a done deal except for the marriage ceremony and the wedding night. So, the shock of Mary being pregnant had to hit Joseph hard. He was not bitter or vindictive; he was a good man and was going to handle the severing of the relationship privately. This gives us a picture of what kind of man was chosen to raise up young Jesus.
God intervened and sent an angel in a dream to calm Joseph's fears. The angel explained that the child in Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit, so all was good. We read this from the perspective of those who know the entire story, but how do you think this set with Joseph? He was obedient to the angel's directions and went through with the marriage. But he did not touch Mary until after the child was born. Waking up from that dream, Joseph did the right thing. But it couldn't have been comfortable seeing his wife grow bigger day after day and grappling with the truth that the child in her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And we have no indication that the angel ever appeared again to Joseph to reassure him that this was a divinely conceived child. Joseph had to work with his dream and Mary's revelation that the child to be born was from God. And as beautiful as the story sounds, there was no precedent for a virgin birth except the ancient prophecy in verse 23. Spiritual things are very real, but it can be easy to lose sight of the spiritual when you are dealing with the natural mundane routine of everyday life. Regardless of how we tend to gloss over the story, it could not have been a comfortable situation for Joseph.
Adding to Joseph's discomfort was that the child in Mary was to be the world's Savior. Joseph didn't pick the name; the child was to be called Jesus. And this child was to save His people from their sins. Being a first-time father is a rather daunting task. It's a rare thing to meet a man who feels fully equipped and ready to be a dad. In fact, the pressure of being a father is often what brings many men back to church. They sense the weight of having to raise a child and can feel rather inadequate. So Joseph, a first-time dad, not only gets to raise a son, but the child is not his own. This child is God's child. No way is that a comfortable situation for Joseph.
But God helped Joseph and Mary so that they did a stellar job of raising young Jesus. The situation may have been uncomfortable, but God was with them, and it all turned out well.
APPLICATION
This story is a reminder that following the Lord is not always going to be comfortable. There are times when what the Lord has spoken to our hearts can get lost in the routines and challenges of life. This is why we are told to guard our hearts and thoughts and stay connected to the Lord. He is there to help, lead, and comfort even in uncomfortable times. We are never alone when we are walking with Him.
PRAYER
Lord, thank You that following You is not always the easiest path, but it is the best path. And thank You for never leaving me or forsaking me in my walk through life.