Sermon Video: Joseph and the angel - Matthew 1:18-21

Infidelity is a brutal emotional and spiritual wrecking ball, it destroys families and ruins lives.  Joseph, a young man pledged to be married to a local village girl named Mary was hit with the realization that his intended bride had been unfaithful before their marriage could even be consummated.  Mary didn't offer an excuse or explanation, but her guilt was all too obvious, she was pregnant.  God sent Mary an angel to let her know what was about to happen, but he did something interesting with Joseph, he allowed Joseph to react to this shocking news according to his own character before the angel came to explain the situation.  By doing so, God gave Joseph a chance to show that he was indeed a righteous man.
Joseph decided to divorce Mary quietly rather than demand public justice.  He chose to have mercy upon her, even though her apparent sin was against him, rather than taking his anger out on her to salve his pride.  It was an act of restraint that is an example to us all, Joseph may have had the right to humiliate Mary, but he didn't have the heart to do it.  Joseph couldnt' allow himself to be part of a lie by going through with the marriage, but he also didn't have a vindictive or self-righteous impulse.
After his decision, God sent an angel to let Joseph know what was really going on.  The child was from the Holy Spirit!  God had helped barren women before, it's one of the major themes of the Old Testament, but always through their husband.  Now, God has created life apart from the natural process.  Thus the child born to Mary will be part of David's royal line, if Joseph is willing to marry her, but not of David's fallen ancestry.  To top it off, the angel tells Joseph that the child's name will be Jesus, "because he will save his people from their sins".  Save them from their sins!  Not even the great Law-giver, Moses, had been able to overcome sin, the whole generation he led died in the desert before entering into the Promised Land.  And yet, this child, born of the Holy Spirit, will accomplish so much more than any who had before.

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Sermon Video