18 – This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
19 – Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and 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, 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 be with child and will give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel??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 had no union with her until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him the name Jesus.
Sue and I started decorating our house for Christmas about four weeks ago. We?ve been celebrating Christmas as husband and wife for over 30 years now and have accumulated enough decoration to fill six huge green and red plastic bins filled with various decorations. Two or three of these bins contain lights for the Christmas tree and all the ornaments we?ve collected?not to mention several strands of wooden cranberries and things to hang on or drape around the tree. The remaining bins are full of other decorations?a little white ceramic Christmas tree that is lit from within with dozens of blue lights, a candy cane made of sleigh bells that hangs on our front door, lot?s of garland and Christmas bows to make every corner of the house look more festive…and my favorite decoration?dozens and dozens of NATIVITY SETS.
- We have one that sits in a spotlight on our front lawn. The snow has melted enough now that you can see it again!
- We have a nativity that a dear friend has gifted us with literally piece by piece over the years. It?s always on the bureau in our living room.
- There?s another one I got in Nairobi years ago and it always sits on our mantle.
- One creche is the size of a post card and it has magnets on the back so we stick it to the fridge.
- We have one that fits in what looks like a matchbox and when you push it open Away in a Manger plays…as the wise men circle the manger.
- We even have a nativity that fits inside a walnut shell.
- And this is my favorite. As you can see, it looks like a section of tree branch but you open it up and it?s a nativity!
I could go on and on because, as I said, we have dozens and dozens of nativity sets. No matter where you sit in our house at Christmas you can look around the room and see them in literally every nook and cranny?a visual reminder of the true REASON for the season!
And speaking of ?reasons,? one reason we?ve been able to collect and STORE so many nativities is that a nativity doesn?t have to be BIG to tell the story of Jesus? birth. I mean to fit the definition of a nativity all you REALLY need is three people. Of course you need Jesus?and the other two that you have to have are…who can tell me? Right?you have to have Mary and Joseph. It?s nice to have some shepherds and sheep and a donkey or cow. It?s great to have some wise men and camels. An angel or two is good…but they aren?t really essential. No?other than the babe in a manger, all a nativity REALLY needs to tell the story of the Messiah?s coming is MARY and JOSEPH.
This Christmas here at Redland we have been trying to better understand the SIGNIFICANCE of the nativity by answering several Christmas questions and the one we are dealing with on this Sunday AFTER Christmas is this: ?Why did Jesus come to the PEOPLE He did?? or to be more specific, ?Why do you find these two people in every single nativity? Why are they part of the Christmas story? What was it about Mary and Joseph that made them useable by God??
It will help us to better understand the ANSWERS to these questions if we begin by reviewing the SETTING of the Christmas story?and Mary and Joseph?these key figures in the first Christmas?they both came from a town called Nazareth, so let?s begin there. Nazareth was about 70 miles northeast of Jerusalem and in Jesus? day it was a town that was well, it was remarkably unremarkable. Dr. Jeremiah writes, ?Nazareth was much like any number of other villages on the Galilean plain?and the word ?PLAIN? was actually a pretty good word to describe the town.?
When I think of the plainness of Mary and Joseph?s hometown I think of my dad?s hometown, Tomnolen, Mississippi. It?s VERY plain and consisted of a combination gas station/general store…just a small clapboard structure like this one…and a post office next door like this one.
Nothing much happened in Tomnolen. Men farmed and women raised their children. For fun everyone climbed in the pick-up truck and headed for the gas station for a cold bottle of pop. For REAL excitement they?d pour a little gas on the pavement and watch all the shiny colors. I mean no one BOASTED of coming from Tomnolen?and the same was true of Nazareth. Basically it was a place where men went about their work and women tended to their households.
It was a typical SMALL town?not many citizens called it home?and the Jews were especially hesitant to call it home after the Romans came. You see, the Romans kept a garrison close by?which meant that Nazareth was not only plain?it was considered UNCLEAN by the Hebrews. This is understandable because of the kind of carousing that went on whenever payday rolled around. I?m sure mom?s were used to gathering in their children?especially their young daughters?and closed and bolting their doors whenever these drunken troops came stumbling into town. In fact, this aspect of life in Nazareth gave birth to a common statement that was made whenever someone mentioned the town. We find it in John 1:46 where Nathaniel hears about the Messiah?s hometown and says sarcastically, ?Can anything good come from Nazareth??
Another important part of the SETTING of this text is the fact that Mary and Joseph were BETROTHED so let?s do a quick review of the Jewish betrothal system because being betrothed back then is nothing like being ENGAGED today. You see, romance and courtship didn?t play much of a role in ancient times?because most marriages were arranged by the parents of the couple. In Joseph and Mary?s case here?s what probably happened. One day, Joseph asked his parents if he could marry a village girl named Mary. She was probably very young?perhaps as young as 13-14. Joseph would have been older, perhaps 20-25. His parents discussed it among themselves before giving him an answer, carefully appraising Mary?s parentage, ancestry, and resources.
Finally, the fathers met and agreed to a marriage contract between their children. When they did, Joseph was brought before Mary, and her parents uttered a formal benediction over them while they tasted a cup of wine together. After this they were considered officially ?betrothed.? I want to show a clip from the film, The Nativity Story, because it gives what I think is a very realistic picture of what this might have looked like. In the clip you see Mary?s parents?and in the background Joseph?s mom and dad are there as well. Notice Mary?s response when she learns of the contract…and Joseph?s blushing words to her.
CLIP ? 16:17 – 18:44
So?as the clip shows, after her betrothal a young girl like Mary was no longer considered a child. There would be no more playing with other children. Those days were over. In that culture betrothal was an abrupt jump into adulthood. In fact, this first stage of the marriage process?the ?kiddushin…? ? well, it was far more binding than our modern form of engagement. Only divorce could break a betrothal in Mary?s day, and even though they were not yet married, had Joseph died in the mean time, Mary would have been his legal widow. And if either Joseph or Mary been unfaithful to each other, the act would have been deemed as adultery punishable by death under old Mosaic law. We?ll talk more about that in a moment.
Well, as Mary?s dad said in the clip, this betrothal period, ?the KIDDUSHIN,? lasted one year. During these months the bride lived with either her parents or parents of her friends. However, her property now belonged to her future husband. During this year-long-engagement time, families worked out a dowry. They searched the temple records in Jerusalem because it would have been possible in a country as compact as Israel for near relatives to marry without even knowing it. This year was also a period for the future bride and groom to grow their love…a time for them to talk and dream of their life together. I?m sure Joseph imagined giving Mary a ?tour? of the construction site of the home he was building where they would talk about each room and it?s purpose. At the end of the year the marriage was completed, and the couple lived as man and wife.
This final state of the marital process?the actual wedding ceremony?was called the ?huppa? and it was more like our modern day weddings…only it was a much bigger celebration. The ?huppa? often lasted SEVEN DAYS. A great example of this is the wedding ceremony in Cana where Jesus did His first miracle by changing the water into wine and if their marital celebration had been going on for seven days, well it?s little wonder that they ran out of wine!
Okay?with the SETTING in mind?let?s get back to our QUESTION: ?Why did Jesus come to these TWO residents of Nazareth? Why pick Mary and her betrothed, Joseph?? I mean, this was certainly NOT a RANDOM selection. God definitely CHOSE these two. So…why? Why THEM?
Well, there are some obvious reasons. They were both HUMBLE PEASANTS?which was in keeping with the prophecy of the humble nature of the Messiah?s coming. And?they were both basically GOOD PEOPLE?people who had the kind of values you tend to get by living in a small town. For example, Joseph was stable, reliable, and hard-working. But…there would have been an almost limitless supply of peasants with these particular qualities. Mary and Joseph stood out because they had at least three OTHER crucial characteristics that led God to choose them for crucial roles in the nativity story.
(1) First, they were people who LISTENED to God…they LISTENED.
They were RECEPTIVE to God?s leading?open to his direction?even when most were not. Mary and Joseph sincerely loved God and worshiped Him with their heart and soul and mind and strength. And this characteristic made them RARE among the Jews of their day. You see, back then Israel was made up of people who had a wide array of theological and political viewpoints?each of which were out of step with God?s righteous plan.
There were the SADUCEES… the liberals who did not believe in angels and denied the supernatural and bodily resurrection of the dead. In fact, they didn?t believe in the afterlife.
There were also the PHARISEES?the legalists who believed in tradition, ceremonies, and good works as a means to salvation.
Then there were the NATIONALISTS?the zealots who were fanatically intent on overthrowing Roman control and regaining independence for the nation of Israel.
And then finally there were the SEPARATISTS?the Essenes who withdrew completely from culture and lived in communities out in the desert like the one at Qumran.
Well all these unscriptural views had combined to form a nation that, as a whole, was far from God. But there was a REMNANT?a small section of people who went against the flow and still looked for the coming of the Messiah. This small group of Jews sincerely sought the Lord. They believed in His promises and this made them open and receptive to God?s leading?Mary and Joseph were part of this small remnant.
This is what the Gospel writers were getting at when they said that Joseph was RIGHTEOUS. We see a clue to this same uncommon quality in Mary when she said, ?My spirit rejoices in God my SAVIOR.?
So, one reason Mary and Joseph were chosen to play a crucial part in the nativity story is because unlike so many of their peers God knew they would be receptive to Gabriel?s visit. And of course they were. This receptivity and openness to mystery is why Mary didn?t pass Gabriel?s visit off as an illusion. It?s why Joseph didn?t ignore his dream?thinking it was nothing more than a nightmare brought on by something he ate. No?they were both open?receptive to God. His coming kingdom was IMPORTANT to them. So, they lived by the words of Samuel who prayed, ?Speak, Lord, for Thy servant is listening.?
The story is told of a native American and his friend who were in downtown New York city for a visit. They were walking near Times Square in Manhattan. It was during the noon lunch hour and the streets were filled with people. Cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing, and the sounds of the city were almost deafening. Suddenly, the native American said, ?I hear a cricket.? His friend said, ?What? You must be crazy. You couldn?t possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!? ?No, I?m sure of it,? the native American said. ?I heard a cricket.? ?That?s crazy,? said the friend. The native American listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street to a big cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches, and sure enough, he located a small cricket. His friend was utterly amazed. ?That?s incredible,? he said. ?You must have super-human ears!? ?No,? said the native American. ?My ears are no different from yours. It all depends on what you?re LISTENING for.? ?But that can?t be!? said the friend. ?I could never hear a cricket in this noise.? ?Sure you could!? the native American said. ?It just depends on what is really IMPORTANT to you. You hear what you are listening for. Here, let me show you what I mean.? He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few COINS, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk. And then, with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their ears, they noticed every head within twenty feet turn and look to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs. ?See what I mean?? asked the native American? ?It all depends on what is IMPORTANT to you.?
Well?what is important to YOU this Christmas? What do you listen for? Many times we don?t hear God?s still small voice, especially at Christmas, because we are too TUNED IN to other things….more ?important? things. Listen! If, like Mary and Joseph, you long to be a part of God?s work?if you are seeking Him, you?ll find Him. You?ll hear Him when He speaks…and NOTHING is more important than what God has to say!
Do you remember Jesus? warning? ?For this people?s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them…but blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.? (Matthew 13:15-16)
Well, which of these ?camps? do you fall in? How good are your spiritual eyes and ears? Do you spend enough time talking to God and meditating on His Word that you recognize His still, small voice? Do you hear Him?even as you walk through this noisy crowded world of ours? Mary and Joseph did! And their receptivity to God is one thing that made God chose them for key parts of His redemptive plan.
(2) This leads me to mention a second answer to this week?s question. You see, they not only listened?they BELIEVED.
They trusted God even when His instructions made no earthly SENSE. This was indeed an important quality for them to have because what God told them through Gabriel…well, it was impossible news?on so many levels!
Think of it from Mary?s perspective. She knew she was a virgin?so how could she give birth?
And even if this MIRACULOUS conception were possible…it would mean incredible HARDSHIP for this young girl. First, even though she believed God?no one else would and because of that she might even face death by stoning if a Mosaic legalist enforced the religious laws of her culture. And speaking of LEGAL?the LAW gave Joseph the right to divorce her. And even if he didn?t, her parents and friends would be sure to reject her. I mean, if she agreed to this, at the very LEAST her reputation would be shot because she would be branded a lose woman. By the way the gospel record says she was indeed labeled in this way.
And then, think of all this from Joseph?s perspective.
Would you believe Mary?s explanation if you were in his shoes? Would you believe her claim to be a virgin? Wouldn?t you be more likely to believe that some drunken soldier from the nearby garrison had done this? The belief in the virgin birth is something that many people have a hard time swallowing today?and it wasn?t any different back then. Gabriel?s reminder of Isaiah?s prophecy?His statement that the Messiah would be VIRGIN born?well, even though it was a well-known prophecy it made no HUMAN sense. And accepting it?well, it meant that Mary and Joseph to would have to trust God for this thing they could not understand. Trusting God would be very hard on both of them.
To help you understand I want to show another clip from The Nativity Story. It takes place as Mary is returning from her long visit with Elizabeth. Notice Joseph?s difficulty in hearing Mary?s news and that of her parents. Notice the people?s response as the whisperings begin.
CLIP: 41:29 – 46:30
Believing God was HARD for these two?but the Bible tells us they believed. They heard the Angel?s message and responded by trusting God even when it was hard?even when it made no HUMAN sense to do so. Let me stop and ask: Is there something difficult that God has asked you to do?something that makes no earthly sense?something that is going to cost you popularity or comfort or money? Perhaps God has said…
?I need you to TAKE A STAND. Some of the local churches are organizing a campaign to defend Biblical marriage. They need volunteers.?
Or He may have said, ?I need you to FORGIVE. It doesn?t matter who hurt first. What matters is that you go and build the bridge.?
You may have heard God?s still small voice saying, ?I need you to EVANGELIZE. That new family down the block? They don?t know anyone in town. Go and meet them.?
Or…?I need you to SACRIFICE. There?s a missionary who is needs a substantial financial gift. Remember that Christmas bonus you just got??
My point is this?God is always calling us to join Him in His work?and many times those calls don?t make earthly sense. Obedience requires us to leave our comfort zones. It means we have to trust God and not self. So again let me ask. Is God asking you to do something that doesn?t add up…something you can?t do on your own strength? If so, then I challenge you to be like Mary and Joseph. Trust God even if you don?t understand.
This leads me to a third characteristic that made these two members of the nativity unique. They not only listened and trusted…
(3) They OBEYED…even when it was incredibly difficult to do so.
When Gabriel explained God?s improbable plan Mary calmly responded, ?I am the Lord?s servant. I am willing to accept whatever He asks of me. I?LL OBEY.? And Joseph?he didn?t understand everything that was going on but he did understand one thing. God could be trusted?so he obeyed. As verse 24 says, He ?…did what the angel of the Lord had commanded Him and took Mary home to be his wife.?
In his book, When God Came Near, Max Lucado writes about Joseph and says, ?He had to take cold showers for nine months so the baby could be born of a virgin. He had to push away the sheep and clear out the cow patties so his wife would have a place to give birth. He became a fugitive of the law. He spent two years trying to understand Egyptian…after they had to flee Bethlehem to avoid Herod?s murderous troops.?
But still Joseph obeyed. It wasn?t easy?for EITHER of them?but think about the results of their obedience! The MESSIAH was raised in their home! They were among the first to experience, ?Immanuel?God with us!? Think of the blessing of their childlike trust! Think of the amazing things they experienced over the years?simply because they OBEYED God!
Listen Christian. Do you know the kind of people God uses to do amazing things?
- Things like ministering to refugee women in Kenya?
- Things like going to Kosovo to encourage missionaries and share the love of the one true God with Muslim school children?
- Things like taking medical care to people in a 3rd world country like the Dominican Republic, building homes for the homeless, and teaching the Bible to children?
- Things like helping children in Derwood understand how much God loves them each Sunday Morning during the Sunday School hour and Sunday evening in AWANA…
…and Wednesday nights in Kids for Praise?
- Things like building relationships with kids?AND THEIR FAMILIES?through Upwards Basketball?relationships that enable them to hear about Jesus?
- Things like helping people in this multi-ethnic county?people from literally all over the world learn to speak English and in the process hear the good news of the Gospel?
- Things like singing in a cantata whose beautiful music lifts the hearts of an entire mall full of people toward Heaven?
Do you know what kind of people God uses to do wonderful things like that…exciting things like that…fulfilling things like that? He uses WILLING people?OBEDIENT people.
Well, let me ask?have you ever been called on to be a ?Joseph? or a ?Mary?? Has God asked you to go out on a limb and trust Him in doing something that doesn?t make any sense…obey Him in a task that is sure to be very difficult? You know, at the beginning of this message I said you only REALLY need three figures to tell the Nativity Story: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. But?on further consideration I would say that is not correct. Because?if the Nativity Story is to be proclaimed?it requires you and me as well. For some unexplainable reason God almighty has entrusted us with the task of sharing the Christmas story?the Gospel?with a lost and dying world. The Nativity story requires OBEDIENT Christ followers like you and me. So?are you doing your part? Are you listening? Are you trusting? Are you obeying?
LET US PRAY