# Lessons from the Life of Joseph

Key Passage: Matthew 1:18-25
Date: June 7, 2024

Would you take your Bibles and turn to Matthew chapter number one in God’s word this morning. Matthew chapter number one.

And Matthew chapter number one, we were going to cover all the different times Gabriel, the angel sent by God, he came to Zacharias, John the Baptist and forerunner of Jesus Christ, and then to Mary and now to Joseph and then to the shepherds. I don’t know that we’ll cover them all. God’s already kind of changed that. I try to figure he knows better than me. But we are going to get to this thing just a little bit about Joseph this morning and when God sent the angel Gabriel to Joseph, and we’ll title it for the internet: Lessons from the life of Joseph.

I think Joseph was one of the, oh, maybe hidden heroes of the Bible. You’ll find him in a manger scene here, there, but beyond that, you don’t hear that much about Joseph. We’re going to look at his life a little bit. Isn’t that amazing that God, when he’s looking for someone to be the father—we know he wasn’t his biological dad, but his stepfather, if you will—of his only begotten Son, that he chose, of course, Mary, praise the Lord for Mary, highly favored, and then Joseph. Out of all the men God could have chosen, he chose Joseph. What was it? That’s so important. Actually, when he gave the Ten Commandments over there, he said, “The sins of the fathers visit the children to the third and fourth generation,” just showing the importance of fathers. Last verse of the Old Testament: “The hearts of the fathers turn to the children, and the hearts of the children to the father.” If that doesn’t happen, there’s a curse. So God, when he says, “I’m looking for a man that would father my only begotten Son when he comes to this world,” he chose Joseph. That’s just amazing just to think about that a little bit. So we want to look at Joseph. What was he like? The Bible doesn’t tell us a whole lot, but we get some shots of his life here, and we want to look at those for just a bit this morning. And Matthew 1. If you’re there already, would you say amen? I like that. And not leave, not go leave, not go to the restaurant; that’s later on.

Matthew 1, we’re going to start in verse number 18. Would you please stand if you’re able to, Matthew 1 and verse number 18 of God’s word, Matthew 1:18. And the Bible there says, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.” Then Joseph, her husband—time out for just a second there. The Bible calls her his husband. And legally in that time, that is correct. But they had not fully consummated that. It was almost like three parts to marriage in that day and time: the beginning, the espousal, the Bible calls it. That had begun. After that, you legally were married, but it wasn’t fully developed, if you will. So I just kind of want to explain a bit what’s going on here. They’re in the process, but in that day and time, it’s much stronger than being engaged. We call it engagement now. You’re not fully married until you say, “I do.” And you know all the jokes today: before you get married, time to run right now. In that day and time, once you’re espoused, you can’t run; it’s done. But it’s not fully fulfilled, if you will. So that’s what’s going on here in this passage. We’re in verse number 18. “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privately.” But while he paused on these sayings, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled, which is spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, “Behold, a virgin”—by the way, this is quoting from Isaiah 7:14—“shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel,” which being interpreted is God with us. By the way, get that: he’s deity, God with us. Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife, and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.

I believe Joseph was a hurting, confused man. Just think about his predicament before the angel spoke to him. I think he thought that Mary had been unfaithful. Can you imagine if you found out your wife to be was expecting? Can you imagine what you would think?

In fact, the angel said, “Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife.” Fear not. In other words, he had some fear about this thing. Oh, my goodness. Maybe he was saying, “She’s giving me some kind of crazy story here, that she’s been faithful.” How in the world? There’s facts here, there’s evidence here. Can you imagine if you were engaged to someone you love and already in the marriage process, and she’s expecting, and you knew you had not been with her? Just think about it. Try to contemplate that a little bit. Just try to put yourself in his shoes. I tend to think this, and I’m not blaming Mary—can you imagine what Mary’s going through? She doesn’t want to hurt the man she’s about to marry that she loves. Look in verse number 18. “When as his mother, Mary, was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child.” I don’t think, and I’m not trying to point fingers at Mary, but I don’t think Mary went and told Joseph. Because the Bible says she was found with a child, kind of like it was discovered, if you will. Can you imagine Joseph? We’re just focusing on Joseph a little bit here. My wife’s pregnant, and it was found that she’s with child. Just imagine how confused he would be. What am I to do? Not only that—and there again, I’m not trying to point fingers at Mary—she was highly favored, blessed of God, the mother of Jesus Christ. But she left town for three months. I’m just telling you the facts. Gabriel the angel went and told her she was going to have a baby, and told her that her cousin Elizabeth was having a baby. The honest truth is, typically that espousal stage was about a year or so, with a lot going on during that time, but typically they didn’t leave for three months. Can you imagine? You’re engaged, you’re in love, and you plan on getting married, and all of a sudden your wife-to-be just takes off for three months? That’s what happened. I’m just trying to put ourselves in Joseph’s shoes. Can you imagine in his mind how his world just got turned upside down? No wonder he’s sitting there thinking, how many nights—the Bible didn’t tell us how long—he’s just thinking, what should I do here? My heart’s just torn apart. I’m confused. What do you do about this situation? I wonder how many sleepless nights he had trying to contemplate this and pray about it. Guys aren’t supposed to cry, but my dad, who was a wonderful dad, would cry much quicker than Mom would typically. I wonder how many tears Joseph shed. Just put yourself in his shoes.

Look at verse number 19 here. “Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man.” He’s a good man. He’s an honest man. He pays his bills. If you can’t pay your bill, go tell him you can’t pay your bill. He’s a just man. And not willing to make her a public example. He was a balanced man. He was just, he was a man of principle. He was a hard-working, honest man. But then he was minded not to make it public. Why? By the Old Testament law, if she had been unfaithful, she could be killed by the law. They would pick up huge rocks—it’s in Deuteronomy and Leviticus—and throw it on someone until the person was dead. He was a just man, an honest, hard-working man, yet he had some mercy here. I like that balance. He thought, “I don’t want to make it public.” If the Pharisees and Sadducees got a hold of this, they’re liable to have her killed. By the law, he had that right, but he chose not to go there. But he’s just thinking, what in the world should I do about it? Verse number 19: “Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man, not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privately.” He felt like he had to do something, and he didn’t want her to be stoned, but he thought, “Who wants to marry a girl that, while engaged, wasn’t faithful to me?” Just think what he’s going through in his heart and his mind. I think he loved her. Some say it was just a prearranged wedding, and maybe it was, but I still think he had some love for her because he didn’t want her to be killed. Who wants to marry a girl you are engaged to who was not faithful to you? I imagine all the hurt and pain he was feeling. By the way, that’s why the angels said, “Fear not.” Their marriage back then had more steps, a longer period of time before the final step of consummation. They had to prove her purity, and he couldn’t do that. It would be tough for them to get married. If they did marry, everybody would blame Joseph. In fact, that did happen for years; they said Joseph was the father of Jesus, and his name was smeared. You have to understand what was going through his mind. He thought about putting her away, divorcing her in secret. He wanted to protect her but didn’t want to get involved in this. He felt something wasn’t right here, and you can understand why he would think that. What if he went to counsel? “Hey, Joe, what do you think I ought to do?” And Joe’s like, “Come on, dude. You weren’t born yesterday. She’s pregnant, duh.” Can you imagine him trying to get advice from somebody? Maybe he did. Maybe he said, “I don’t want to go to anybody. Nobody’s going to know what to do with this situation.” You ever feel like that? Maybe he did go for advice, and they said, “Joseph, get out of there, man. You don’t want to get messed up in this rotten deal.” Can you imagine all these things? I want to contemplate all the hours of hurting, tears, contemplating—the late nights trying to sleep, laying in bed, thinking, what should I do, where should I go, who should I get advice from? Can you imagine all this turmoil in Joseph’s mind and heart?

Now, I want to point out a couple of things about Joseph. Number one, he waited until God gave him leadership. He was contemplating this; he had a mind to put her away, but he hadn’t done anything. He just waited until God… He could have just blown up and gone off on Mary and everybody else, and he could have spread it around. He could have just been mad and angry and vengeful and told the Pharisees and Sadducees. He could have done so many different things, but it seems he just waited on the Lord. Can I say some of the best advice and counsel you can get is often just to wait on the Lord? George Müller, that great man who had all the children’s homes and fed thousands of children in London, England, for years and years—his principle was he would never ask anybody for anything. He wanted everybody to know you can go to God in prayer, and God hears and God answers without us trying to manipulate the situation. He just asked God, and yet God used him to feed thousands of orphans. That great man, George Müller, said this: “You need never to take a step in the dark. If you do, you’re sure to make a mistake. Wait, wait, wait till you have light.” Oh, friend, the wisdom of just waiting! Psalm 27:14: “Wait on the Lord: be of good cheer. He shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord.” How many are saying, “Man, I have a situation I don’t know what to do about. I don’t know what I should or shouldn’t do. It’s bothersome. It’s hurting me.” I’ve got some things like that. My wife, one in particular, my mind is going to right now. What do you do during that time? You’re going to be so tempted just to rush in there like a bull in a china shop and try to take care of that situation. So often we make a bigger mess of the situation. Joseph was a wise man. He just waited and he prayed. He waited. He did not do anything until the Lord said, “Imagine this is what you do, Joseph.” The people that God uses greatly are not those that have all the answers, but typically are those that learn to wait until God gives them the answer. Remember that: People that God uses greatly are not those that have all the answers, but are those that learn to wait on the Lord for the answer.

Think about it. There’s almost always waiting in faith. David, he’s the shepherd boy. You remember the story? Samuel comes there. He says one of the boys, one of your boys is going to be the king. He goes to Eliab, the oldest, and all the other seven brothers. Wait, wait, wait, don’t you have any more sons? Well, he’s out there watching the sheep. We’re not going to eat that fried chicken until you go get him. You got to study that out. David comes. “I’ll go get David.” David comes, and Samuel anoints David king. But David wasn’t king for years and years. Do you know what David was doing when Goliath had been coming out for 40 days? He was out there watching the sheep. After that, it took years. He played the harp for Saul when the evil spirit would come upon him. It took years for it all to develop. Friend, I’m saying there’s almost always that waiting on the Lord for Him to step in and show you what you are supposed to do about this situation. Study out in the Bible those great Christians. What about old Joseph the dreamer? He had those dreams as a boy. All those years, his brothers sold him into slavery, then he was over in Potiphar’s house, and then in prison. Finally, after about 13 years, he’s the prime minister of Egypt. Joseph didn’t just go do something about the situation because he was mad. Just wait. There is wisdom in waiting on the Lord to work. Abraham waited at least 25 years. “Abraham, your son, Isaac, I’m going to make a great nation.” He didn’t have a son for years and years. Hebrews says, “After he had patiently endured.” Wow.

Joseph, what a wise man. He didn’t react in haste. What about Moses? Forty years on the backside of the desert. God said, “Hey, I’m going to use you, Moses. You’re going to deliver Israel out of Egypt.” It took 40 years. He was out there watching, just waiting on the Lord. Sometimes the best thing I can tell you is, wait on the Lord. Joseph was just waiting. Was he hurting? I guarantee that boy was hurting. How many years did Hannah go with her husband before God gave her Samuel? I’m just talking about waiting on the Lord. Jesus spent 18 years as a carpenter before he started his public ministry. Joseph was a wise man. He didn’t just rush out and say, “I’m going to take care of this situation.” It’s so easy to do that. But notice: I’m going to take care of this situation. Young people, it’s a good thing even while you’re young to learn that God doesn’t always work on my timetable. I tried to get him to work on my timetable about a thousand times; he hasn’t done it one time yet. I’m learning, just waiting on the Lord. His timing is perfect. He’s never late. Joseph just waited. Was he hurting? I guarantee he was hurting. But he waited until God sent an angel to give him advice about what to do in this situation.

Here’s the amazing thing about Joseph. Every time God finally gave him the direction he needed, boom, he obeyed. Four different times. Look over in Matthew 1:24. This is when he just got the message. He said, “Hey, take your wife, Mary. It’s from the Lord, this baby.” Look and see what he does about it. “Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him and took unto him his wife.” So, “All right, Lord, you gave me a direction. I’m going to do it.” Look over in chapter number two. This is after Jesus is born, probably a year and a half later. The wise men had come and gave the gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The angel says, “Hey, get out of here. Herod is going to try to kill that baby.” Look at verse number 13: “And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” And he arose. Most people who have studied that really think he arose right that night. He had the dream. He arose right in the middle of the night. He said, “Let’s get up. Let’s go.” That speaks volumes for Mary too. He had the dream. The Lord said, “Get out of here.” Verse number 14: “When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt.” Every time, he just does it. “All right, you gave me leadership, that’s what we’re doing.” Look in verse number 19. He’s in Egypt. God says, “Come back to Israel.” Verse number 19: “But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise, take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.” And he arose and took the young child and his mother and came into the land of Israel. Notice God changes his direction. Is there an argument or debate about it? Let’s see what happens here. Verse number 22: “But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He should be called a Nazarene.” Every single time, God said, “All right, Joseph, here’s your direction.” He never debated it, never argued, never delayed. Boom, he did it. Every single time.

Here’s the interesting thing about Joseph. He was a man of action instead of words. I’m not saying words are wrong; I’m a preacher. Actions speak louder than words. Actually, the Bible does not record one word of Joseph. I think they are a wonderful team. When the angel Gabriel told Mary, she spoke the great, magnificent Magnificat. Joseph didn’t say a word. You will never find one word from Joseph. Joseph just says, “All right, we’re doing it.” His action spoke. Whatever the Lord told him—he waited, he contemplated, he hurt, and God told him what to do—boom, they did it. I like that. He was obedient unto the Lord. He did not debate about it. He just obeyed: “God told me to do this, so we are doing it.”

This is interesting. Look in verse number 11 of Matthew 2. This is when the wise men are coming. We picture three wise men in the manger scene, but we don’t know how many—probably a whole lot, because all of Jerusalem was stirred up in fear. The shepherds came right immediately as the baby was born, but the wise men didn’t come until probably a year, year and a half later. That’s why Herod said, “Kill all the boys two years and under.” Don’t burn your manger scene; keep it out there, but know the wise men came a little while later.

Look in verse number 11. This is the wise men coming. “And when they were come into the…” What’s the next word? Not manger, not in a stable—they had a house at this point. Can I put it this way? Someone had been told, “Hey, you take that lady as your wife and you take care of that woman and that baby.” Joseph got a job and he was working. Amen. The Bible says, “If a man will not work, neither shall he eat.” Joseph got busy working to provide that house for them. That’s where a man should be. A man isn’t determined by his biceps or his muscles; it’s determined by accepting responsibility in your life. That’s a true man. Get your hands dirty, dig a ditch if you have to, do whatever it takes. Get out there and get a job and work. I think Joseph wasn’t around when the wise men came because he was out working, providing a house for them. I don’t think they were rich at this point, but I think God used those gifts to provide for their travel over to Egypt. God always provides in unique ways. He wasn’t even there when the wise men gave those gifts. I’m simply saying Joseph was just a man. God told him what to do, and he said, “I’m going to do it.” Maybe that’s the reason why God chose him to train his only begotten Son when he became incarnate flesh. The Bible says he grew and increased in wisdom. God said, “I’m going to have an earthly man train him. I’m going to pick Joseph, because when there’s a job, he knows what he’s supposed to do; he just gets busy doing it.” Maybe that’s what God said: “That’s the man I want to train my Son.” Joseph was just out there working, getting it done, taking care of the wife and her child.

David was out there watching and protecting the sheep. He actually killed a lion or the bear. Pretty good deal; he didn’t have a .30-06 either. Moses is out there busy working on the backside; he’s doing the same, watching and protecting the sheep. And Joseph, it didn’t matter where he was. In Potiphar’s house, he’s a slave, but he’s doing the job, and he rose up in the ranks because he was working hard, and God was with him. In prison, he rose up and became a caretaker in the prison. If someone said, “This is the lot God’s giving me,” he just worked and did what God told him to do. Amos, that great prophet, he was just a herdsman, a rancher. Nehemiah was a cupbearer. They were just doing what God called them to do. When God spoke to Nehemiah’s heart, “Go rebuild the walls around Jerusalem,” I’m saying the people that God gives a job, they just go do it. They’re not concerned about flash and everybody else seeing them. They say, “Hey, God’s told me what to do. I’m just going to do it to the best of my ability, whether good or bad.” That was Joseph. Those are the ones that God chooses. He found a man who never even said a word. Scripture never records anything he said. But every time he waited on the Lord and God gave him direction, he did it every time. He’s obedient. Don’t try to be the exception to the rule; just obey. Joseph just obeyed whatever God said.

I thought about Noah’s wife. He’s building a boat for 120 years, and it had never rained. How many wives would have a hard time with that? But as far as we know, Noah’s wife just said, “All right, Noah. I’m all in.” God calls Noah a preacher of righteousness, and nobody listened besides his family. It must have been hard on a wife who loved her husband, watching him get beat up all the time while he was out there preaching and nobody was listening. But Noah’s wife was faithful, following what God called her to do for 120 years building a boat. The only ones whose lives were saved were Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their sons’ wives. God uses those that say, “This might not be big to anybody else, but this is what God’s called me to do, and it’s big to me.” That’s what Joseph was. “This is what God’s called me to do.” He told me to take that woman to be my wife, take care of her child, take them to Egypt, then back to Israel, and then up to Galilee. Joseph just did it. Never one word of what Joseph said do you find in the Bible. He was just fighting and doing it.

Here is the last thought about Joseph. God used Joseph so much so. Look back over in Matthew 1, verse number 21. Sometimes the Bible gives little hints here and there. Look in verse number 21. The angel is talking to Joseph. “And she shall bring forth a son: and thou…” By the way, “thee” and “thou” is singular; “ye” and “you” is plural. Every word in the Bible is important. He said, “Thou shalt call his name Jesus.” Gabriel had already told Mary the name would be Jesus, but I’ll read the wording for that in just a minute. “But thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Look at verse number 25: “And he knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.” Let me read for you when the angel came to Mary; it’s in Luke 1:31. “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.” It doesn’t say “thou” in that context; it says, “and shalt call his name Jesus.” That’s a little thing, but I think there are times you just see these little hints in the Bible. Joseph had the privilege. A name in the Bible is more than just, “That’s your name.” No, it meant something. That’s why many times in the Bible you find them changing the name. Jacob, deceiver? No, not anymore; now you’re called Israel, peace with God. Abram, a father? Yes, but you’re going to be Abraham, father of many nations. Names in the Bible meant something. God is saying, “Hey, Joseph, you’re going to be the one that names that boy.” More than just putting a name, you’re the one that’s going to give him an identity. He’s going to understand who and what he is a little bit because you’re going to be the one that names him Jesus—Joshua, Savior. And you’ve got the privilege of molding that boy.

In Bible times, when a boy was like 12 or 13, they had the Bar Mitzvah, and they entered into training time by the father. Often, the boy would follow a different trade, though he always had that trade to fall back on. But here’s my thing: Jesus, what did you do for 18 years before he reached 30 and public ministry? He was a carpenter. Who did you learn that from? Joseph. And then he decided to go on and do his own thing, humanly speaking. He said, “I’m going to follow in my stepdad’s shoes; he was a carpenter.” God used Joseph greatly to form and to train his only begotten Son. People around town in Galilee often said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?” (John 6:42). They were going against Jesus, and it wasn’t accurate, but the people in town thought Joseph was his dad because he was always with him, treating him like his son, and Jesus learned from his earthly father. I say that to say: Joseph was just a man who said, “I didn’t know what the world to do. I didn’t have all the answers. But I was hurting, and I just waited on God.” God gave him direction, and he said, “All right, I’m going to do what God’s called me to do. I don’t have to make all the fanfare.” He never said a word; he just said, “That’s what God called me to do, and I’m going to do it.” Every single time God gave direction, he obeyed. Herod is trying to kill that boy? Go over to Egypt. Boom. Let’s get out. He just obeyed. God used him so greatly.

Isn’t it interesting? This is so often the way it is. The Bible says often that the first shall be last and the last shall be first. The world, when it comes to Joseph, doesn’t talk much about him. He’s in the manger scenes here and there. Somewhat, the world has forgotten about Joseph. But can you imagine when Joseph went to heaven and he stands before the Lord? Imagine the Father saying, “Hey, you trained Jesus.” And can you imagine Jesus welcoming Joseph home? God never forgot about him. Those of you who are hurting, just wait on the Lord. It may be years and years. You just keep saying, “All right, Lord, I’m waiting on you. I’m seeking you. I want to do right while I’m waiting. I’m confused. I don’t understand.” You just keep waiting, and God gives a direction. Boom. He’s on it. No fanfare. “All right, let’s do it.” In the end, God brings those who were in the shadows out to the light. Those are the ones that God uses in great ways.

Original File: Pastor Paul Chisgar - Lessons from the life of Joseph - Sunday AM 12172023