Christmas Family Service
The Insiders: Joseph
The Insiders series has shown us that being ready for Jesus’ return is knowing Him, having a growing daily relationship with God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Joseph, Jesus’ step father, can inspire us and help us to cultivate that relationship by learning to listen to, trust and obey the Word of God. This takes time, and can only happen by the power of the Holy Spirit, but it’s meant for every one of us.
Scripture
Three dreams, three instructions, three fulfilments
One
Matthew 1:18-25 ESV Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
Two
Matthew 2:13-15 ESV Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Three
Matthew 2:19-23 ESV But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Learning about Jospeh
What God says is more important than what people think
The right time is now
God is stronger and wiser than anything
Learning about God
God keeps His promises
God speaks, differently to each of us, but it’s normal to hear from God
God values obedience, we need obedience to know God
Learning about Jesus
Jesus is the answer to God’s promises
Jesus knows hardship, rejection, hatred, fear - and God’s way of overcoming them all
Knowing God’s Word, trusting His promises and obeying instructions will get us ready for His return.