Dec. 18 2016 - Advent 4 - Scorning Shame to Obey God - Joseph and Mary

Hope/Peace/Joy/Love – John 13:34

Lord, thank You for bringing us together this morning – and for the 4th week of Advent, where we can focus on love. You were the ultimate example of that. Be with us now as we look at Joseph and Mary and the love they demonstrated.
The focus this week is on love – and we will look at it from the aspect of Joseph and Mary. We have all heard the story – at least once for every year you are old. But when you stop and let it sink in, you think, wow – how did they do that?
Joseph was a righteous man – The Hebrew word is Tsadiq. Religious – faithful to the Law. He didn’t just go about his life, he worked at it. The Shema was his way of life:
Shema: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children.
Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
Write them on the doorposts of your houses and your gates.”
A lot of these are right out of the Bible – familiar passages. This is what the orthodox Jew would recite – to show how much he loved God and wanted to focus on Him – as a righteous man, he not only recited it but lived it. He studied and learned and recited the Torah. He observed the food laws, and would celebrate the Jewish holy days. He was a righteous man – people knew this about him.
In Joseph’s world, there was no more desirable reputation – unless you were a priest – which was rare – or a prophet – even rarer –or the Messiah – rarest of all! But Joseph had something soon that would challenge the foundation of his soul and his desires.
Matthew 1:18-19

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
They were engaged to be married. In the Jewish culture – they weren’t married yet, but they were bonded together – until some later time when they would have the full marriage ceremony. They were legally bound but were not living as man and wife together. We don’t know the details of Mary’s pregnancy becoming known – but I can only imagine her coming to Joseph privately and personally. Sooner or later, people would notice. Maternity robes can only hide so much!
We can only assume what she told Joseph – but can you imagine that conversation? How nervous Mary might have been? Joseph – we need to talk! (Oh gee, we’re breaking up, he probably thought!)
Imagine what went through Joseph’s mind – you were pregnant by someone else? Who is he? This is not like you? Then imagine Mary trying to explain – and Joseph probably saying – let’s go back to the original story… Imagine being a fly on the wall.
So now Joseph has a dilemma. What does he do? Here I picture Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof – on one hand we have this – but on the other hand – what should I do, God? Which way should I go? On one hand – he would look to the Law. The Law says he would have the right to have her stoned. But on the other hand – It’s Mary – I love her! She couldn’t be sleeping with someone! But yet, somehow I’m supposed to believe this wild tale? Eventually – he came to a decision – he followed God’s law and didn’t stone her, but it was in his right to divorce her. He didn’t want to make a public spectacle of her – he would do it privately. He thought he had come to a middle of the road decision – respecting God’s law and Mary.
But God had other plans:
Matthew 1:20-21

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. 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.”
We are going to continue the original plan – you and Mary will get married – she is with child and He is from Me. Do not fear. Those are key words – whenever an angel appears – he almost always says – do not fear – do not be afraid.
I don’t care how devastating the news is – this is my plan – do not fear.
This was probably the worst option in Joseph’s mind – because now he was going to be marrying a woman who was pregnant out of wedlock – he will lose his reputation and become the object of gossip. He is willing to give up his status as a righteous man.
Matthew 1:24-25

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
He didn’t understand it – but he obeyed God. God tries to explain what is going on – and it is hard to know how much they grasp. We have looked at the ramifications if he obeys God. So what does he do? He was a righteous man – and it goes back to his character – he did what was right. He loved God and he loved Mary. This is why God picked him – he knew he would do the right thing.
As the angel said – do not be afraid. He understood the consequences in the near-term – but he also understood the eternal implications.
Think back what it was like in that day – they were willing to suffer the scorn. God had a bigger plan. He knew that they would struggle – and we’ll see how we can apply it in our lives.
First – we need to look at reputation – what do others think of us? In our families, at work, in public, on the roads as we are driving?
Second – how does God see us? What is our identity of how God sees us? He doesn’t just see the outward, but He sees the heart – and which is more important? Our reputation or identity?
Scot McKnight – Jesus Creed
Spiritual formation begins when we untangle reputation and identity
Joseph decided to do what God wanted and set aside what people thought.
Sometimes the implication of listening to the voice of God…
We have to focus on what God thinks – our identity in Him. If you profess to be a Christian – people should be seeing that – and sometimes, in society today – when people see that, your reputation goes down just for being a Christian.
Joseph’s reputation was getting worse as his identity was getting better.
Legally adopt Jesus…
Joseph is no longer a Tsadiq?
It is easy to obey God in the easy times.
Their reputation is shot in Nazareth.
Joseph’s world has been turned upside down – instead of being looked up to – he is now the subject of gossip. He loved God so much, he was willing to do whatever He asked.
Will we identify with God or worry about our reputations?
We’ve alluded to what happened to Mary as the subject of gossip as well….
Luke 1:26-30

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.
I don’t know about you – but I get a little nervous when an angel appears to me! I haven’t gotten used to it yet!
You have to know this is not a normal person. Descriptions of angels can be quite fearsome. We don’t know what he appeared like.
I’m sure she was scared – since he said – do not be afraid.
Luke 1:31-33

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
AT least he tells her WHY. But imagine what was going through her mind! Joseph and I aren’t even married yet – this doesn’t make sense! What will people think! What will my parents think? I’ll be shunned by my friends. Maybe she was a little ahead of the curve and could help Joseph as he works through it.
Imagine if she just came out with the truth to everyone – who would believe it? They WOULD stone her. They had to trust in God.
Her first response was – I’m a virgin:
Luke 1:34-38

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
What a response! No arguing or stuttering or stammering – can you explain this better? Give me some answers here! None of that is recorded – instead, quietly with acceptance – I am the Lord’s servant.
Somehow she is able to grasp that she has been given a great responsibility. She knew this was an angel from God speaking directly to her – so what is there to argue about. By accepting – she is now the chosen one of God – but she can’t tell anyone that publicly!
When she goes to visit Elisabeth –
All generations will call me blessed (except Protestants…!)
They both, speaking through the Holy Spirit – said that she was Blessed – so no, she IS blessed. How special she must have been!
Mary has now accepted the vocation that God has assigned her.
“The great term vocation has two meanings. We are to live as Jesus taught us. But specifically – vocation is the spiritual assignment that only YOU can do – parenting your children, working at your office.
Mary has been given a special vocation – raising God the son.
Mary was expecting to marry Joseph and raise a family – and God says – yeah, we’ll continue that plan – but on steroids! Her family now includes the Messiah.
We know that Mary also followed the Shema – and that she loved God with her heart, soul, mind and strength – How do we know? God chose her.
Like Joseph, Mary was willing to follow God no matter what the cost.
Think about their household. They loved God so much that they were given this assignment that ruins their reputations. Imagine how the tongues would have been wagging. The 4 BC Facebook would have been going crazy. But I think their love for God and each other overshadowed all the gossip. The example of their life overcame the gossip.
Imagine some of the lessons they taught their children. One of the best images we have of Jesus – caring and loving the downtrodden and outcasts. I think he learned it at home. Think of what Mary and Joseph had to go through – they were the outcasts. Instead of being bitter – they had a compassionate heart toward others. Will you let hard things turn you bitter and angry and eat your heart up? Or will you accept that God has a plan even in rough situations. As Jesus grew older – when He hit twelve – he didn’t just realize he was the Son of God.
Their home is where Jesus learned to love God and others – where He learned the Shema and the plan that God had for Him.
As we look at the situation – we have to ask ourselves – do I love the Lord with my heart, mind, and soul? The Jesus Creed – those two things – love God and others. That is what life is all about.
Do we practice the Shema? Am I righteous? Or am I more concerned with my reputation.
Am I willing to follow God?
Let’s pray – Help us, God to understand the pain and struggles that Joseph and Mary went through – but You helped them through it. Help us to prepare ourselves daily – to make the right decisions and fall back on You as our strength.