Matthew 1:18-25
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[a]: 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[b] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
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,[c] 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”[d] (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. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Matthew 1:18-25
Listening guide
Don’t just _____ _____________. ________ __________________.
Discussion questions
Notes
Depending on the number of people discussing, it may be easier to split into same gender groups.
You will not have time to discuss all the questions. Discuss those that interest you.
Getting talking
What is a challenge you are facing lately? Any way we can help?
In Matthew 1:18-25, Joseph sees an angel. What are some other Bible stories that have an angel visiting a person?
Have you ever seen an angel? Has someone you’ve known seen an angel? Tell us about the time.
Getting into Matthew 1:18-25
After reading this story, any comments or questions?
This section teaches the incarnation. Incarnation means God becoming flesh. Other religions have an incarnation. What are some interesting aspects of this incarnation?
What were the steps of obedience Joseph was asked to take? What do you think would have been the hardest part of the angel’s instructions to Joseph?
It can be pretty hard or uncomfortable for us to trust God. Is there anything that you are finding hard right now in your own life?
In verse 21 and 23, we hear names for Jesus and work he is going to do. What is that work? How would you describe being “saved” to someone who has no idea what it means?
John Gerhard, a great Lutheran pastor, offers the following list of Jesus’ work. Pick a line and tell us why you like it.
The Son of God came down from heaven, that we might receive the adoption of sons (Gal. 4:5).
God became man, that man might become a partaker of divine grace and of the divine nature (2 Pet 1:4).
Christ chose to be born into the world in the evening of the world’s life, to signify that the benefits of His incarnation pertain not to this present life, but to eternal life.
He chose to be born in the time of the peaceful Augustus, because He was the blessed peacemaker between man and God.
He chose to be born in the time of Israel’s servitude, because He is the true liberator and defender of His people.
He chose to be born under the reign of a foreign prince, seeing that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36).
He is born of a virgin to signify that He is born in the hearts of spiritual virgins only (2 Cor. 11:2), that is, in those who are not joined to the world or to the devil, but to God by one Spirit.
He is born pure and holy, that He might sanctify our impure and defiled birth.
He is born of a virgin espoused to a man, that He might set forth the honor of marriage as a divine institution.
He was born in the darkness of the night, who came as the true light to illumine the darkness of the world.
He is born among the beasts of the stall, that He might restore to their former dignity and honor sinful men, who through their sins had made themselves little better than the beasts.
He is born in Bethlehem, the house of bread, who brought with Himself from heaven the bread of life for our souls.
He is the first and only-begotten of His mother here on earth, who according to His divine nature is the first and only-begotten of His Father in heaven.
He is born poor and needy (2 Cor. 8:9), that He might prepare the riches of heaven for us.
He is born in a mean stable, that He might lead us back to the royal palace of His Father in heaven.
Wrap up
How have you seen God at work in your life lately?
What has God been teaching you in his Word?
What’s an area of your life where you need to repent or grow? How can we encourage you?
What kind of conversations are you having with non-Christians? How can we encourage and help you?
What good can we do around here?
How can we pray for you and others?
Sermon
Almost every year you have to watch Charlie Brown’s Christmas at least once. Lucy asks Schroeder to play Jingle Bells. First Schroeder plays this beautiful setting of Jingle Bells, probably a Mozart arrangement or something. It’s beautiful. She says, no, no no, I mean Jingle Bells. He plays this more powerful organ setting. She says, no, no, no I mean Jingle Bells. So he plays this two fingered Jingle Bells (pounds it out). It’s miserable. Then
Charlie brings the Christmas tree back and people start saying,
“-What kind of a tree is that?
-You were supposed to get a good tree.
Can't you even tell a good tree from a poor tree?
Boy, are you stupid [dumb], Charlie Brown.
I told you he'd goof it up.
He's not the kind you can depend on to do anything right.
-You're hopeless, Charlie Brown.
-Completely hopeless.
You've been dumb before, Charlie Brown, but this time you really did it.” (https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=a-charlie-brown-christmas)
You watch that scene and say, that stinks for Charlie Brown. I feel like that all the time!
Don’t ever send me to the grocery store without an exact list of everything you need, down to the exact brand you want, the size you want and the quantity you want. Otherwise I’m going to get home and you’re going to say, what’s all this? You got all this junk we don’t want and hardly any of the stuff we do want. You’re hopeless, Nathaniel.
Marc’s annual review, territory expanded, extra sales, but still not good enough for a raise
Can anyone ever do good? Just do a good job?
Then we have Joseph, who God gives to us as this silent superhero.
Huntsman ““There are few examples in ancient text,” he said, “of someone who knowingly raised someone else’s child.”
“Fathers in that culture were the dominant figures in a family, not inclined to bend to a woman’s needs.
“Joseph presents a different model, Huntsman said. “Instead of ruling or presiding, he is serving, caring and nurturing, putting aside his own needs for those of his wife and baby.” (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/joseph-father-jesus_n_4498409)
Discover that with God, you can not only do good, you can even be good.
Joseph was a good guy. Absolutely was. In the section of the Bible just before these words, we hear about his ancestors. His ancestors included the great king David, a whole bunch of other good and bad kings of Israel, the governor who broke the exiles from Babylon, and perhaps the man who started the Sadduccees. He was a craftsman or a builder of some sort, so likely a hardworking guy. He took his family into political asylum when it was necessary. When verse 19 in this text says he was “faithful to the law”, it really meant it.
Some of you are here today saying, hey don't say too much about God. I don’t want to have an encounter with God. My life is pretty good. I'm mostly doing good stuff. I'm just here to do something good for Grandma Jean or Grandpa Jo or whatever. I’m dressed up. I just want to sing a few nice songs. Don’t make this into a whole big thing.
You're thinking you can get through life like Captain America. Did you ever notice the one guy who survives the entire Avengers saga? Who is it? The guy who survives is the one guy who basically always does the right thing. The guy who survives is not the guy partying and celebrating, he is the guy sitting with the support group and cheering everyone up. And like Captain America,
You're saying, I’m mostly doing good stuff with my life. Just leave me alone.
You can't. God is doing crazy stuff. He won’t leave you alone.
Look at me.
You look at me and you could easily think, there’s a pretty good guy. He has got it all together.
I’m the good who was ten years ago saying, I’m not sure if there is god. I don’t think there is a god.
“I’m not sure if you’ll be a good pastor”. And a lot of the time I’m not that good, but..
God is working in people’s lives
I’ve got people coming and saying, “I want to be baptized.”
I’ve got people coming and saying, “I want to profess faith that Jesus is my Savior and Lord.”
I’ve got people saying, “Why are you all so generous?
I’ve got people saying, “I want to be part of this. I want to use my time and energy and gifts to change other people’s lives.”
How many of you ten or even five years ago would have said I never would have been here?
Here you are.
Are you starting to see what is going on?
Joseph thought he had to do good. He found out that his wife to be was pregnant. He said, wow this stinks. This is sad. I’m going to do the good thing and let her go marry the other guy. We’ll keep it quiet. God says to Joseph, don’t just do good. Don’t just do good. ________ __________________. What if you could make it all be good? God says it this way, “Don’t be afraid to take Mary home as your wife...he will save his people from their sins.”
What God said to Joseph is, there is a whole ton of shame and isolation and guilt and blame to go around here. Don’t push it away. Blame this kid who I put into your life and one day you will be more accepted than you ever imagined. Let him be isolated and one day you will be more integrated than you ever imagined. Make him guilty and you will finally be forgiven and free.
You can try to do good and push all that sin as far away as possible. You can try to push the guilt and the shame and the isolation away.
Or you can let this baby take it and finally all will be good. You know what I’m saying?
I bet a lot of you saw the new Lion King this year. It opens with this scene where all the animals are running to meet this new baby. That scene should strike you, because you’re watching this and all the lions and leopards are running right next to the elephants and the rhinos who are right next to all the giraffes and zebras. These are all animals that normally don’t get along. They normally eat each other. They fight. They’re like a bunch of kids when you put pizza out (devour pizza). But at that moment they don’t care. They’re just stampeding to see this new baby. The only one who still has guilt and fear and isolation is Scar.
Scar lurks on the edge. He hates that baby. He wants nothing to do with it. Murder grows in his heart. Eventually his fear drives away that new life.
Then death swallows the land. Blackness and anger and desolation and fear descend on the country. Nobody gets along. Everyone is killing everybody. Until that baby returns.
He endures the shame. He takes the blame. He even hangs ….. of the edge of that rock. It’s only then, when that baby returns, that life comes to the land again.
“He will save his people from their sins.” It strikes me in that moment. That’s why he came. He took the blame and the guilt and the shame and the alienation and the wrath of God and he didn’t push it away. He let himself hang. He took it all away.
Listen. It can all be good. You’re a mess. I’m a mess. He loves you. He died to take it all away and rose to bring you life. He came for you. He died for you. He rose for you. Because that’s what kings do. They put themselves in the place of the people they love dearly. The true king makes it all good.