Virtual Service December 19, 2021
Dreaming of Christmas
Joseph: The Redemption of a Family Line
AND The Redemption of The World
Christmas Was An Immaculate Conception
Matthew 1:18 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.
Righteousness Endures Wrongs Done
Matthew 1:19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man, who did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
1 Peter 2:21-23 …Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth. When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
The Letter Of Law Brings Death
Deuteronomy 22:23-24 If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her, you shall take both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death–the girl because she was in a town and did not scream for help, and the man because he violated another man’s wife. You must purge the evil from among you.
Grace Brings Blessing
John 1:16-17 From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Seek For God’s Guidance And It Will Be Given Unto You
Matthew 1:20 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.
John 8:2-11 At dawn He appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around Him, and He sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing Him…
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
To Be Saved From Sin Is To Be Forgiven
Matthew 1:21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus (Yeshua=Yahweh saves) because He will save His people from their sins.”
Jeremiah 36:30 Therefore, this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim king of Judah: He will have no one to sit on the throne of David…(Joseph was a descendant of Jehoiakim)
God Is With Us!
Matthew 1:22-23 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel—Which means, “God with us!”
Obedience To God’s Word Determines Outcomes!
Matthew 1:24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
Joseph Was Honored To Name Jesus!
Matthew 1:25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
2 Corinthians 5:19-20 …God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ,(Immanuel), not counting men’s sins against them. He has committed unto us the message of reconciliation. We are all therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as if God is making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God!