Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Matthew 1:18-25
Set – Matthew 1, 4
Go! – Matthew 1-4
Matthew 1:18-25
18 So here, finally, is the story of the birth of Jesus the Anointed (it is quite a remarkable story):
Mary was engaged to marry Joseph, son of David. They hadn’t married. And yet, some time well before their wedding date, Mary learned that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, because he was kind and upstanding and honorable, wanted to spare Mary shame. He did not wish to cause her more embarrassment than necessary.
20 Now when Joseph had decided to act on his instincts, a messenger of the Lord came to him in a dream.
Messenger of the Lord: Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to wed Mary and bring her into your home and family as your wife. She did not sneak off and sleep with someone else—rather, she conceived the baby she now carries through the miraculous wonderworking of the Holy Spirit. 21 She will have a son, and you will name Him Jesus, which means “the Lord saves,” because this Jesus is the person who will save all of His people from sin.
24 Joseph woke up from his dream and did exactly what the messenger had told him to do: he married Mary and brought her into his home as his wife 25 (though he did not consummate their marriage until after her son was born). And when the baby was born, Joseph named Him Jesus, Savior.
22 Years and years ago, Isaiah, a prophet of Israel, foretold the story of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus:
23 A virgin will conceive and bear a Son,
and His name will be Immanuel
(which is a Hebrew name that means “God with us”).
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
Did you ever think what it would be like to be in Joseph’s shoes? Your parents arrange a marriage with one of the local girls in Nazareth. She’s young, not too bad looking. You’ve known Mary most of your life. She won’t be too bad a catch, but her parents are rich or anything. They are the appropriate exchanges of gifts and doweries to solidify deal and now you wait for the years to pass by so Mary can become your wife.
Then just a few months before the magic day arrives you find out she’s pregnant and you know this baby isn’t yours. You haven’t had a chance to talk with her because the culture doesn’t let you talk privately. So what are you supposed to think. How could she shame you and your family this way. But then you know Mary. You know her character and that of her family. You know she would not go out and do this willingly.
So you believe someone in the little village must have taken advantage of her when she was away from her parents. You’re not sure how it could happen, but that must be the explanation and you want to keep her from any further embarrassment and try to figure out how to move the wedding up to save her any further shame.
Do you understand how Joseph might have felt? He must have really loved Mary, though, because she would deliver before the expected time and the two of them would be labeled as having sex before marriage. Strictly taboo in their culture. Joseph could tell people the child was his and he could save Mary from stoning, but he couldn’t keep her from the snide remarks, the suggestive looks and comments, the isolation at the public well, all the things that went with the shunning that was sure to happen to both of them because of the supposed indiscretion between them.
Joseph would feel the pressure as much as Mary once Jesus was born. Yet until the angel came and explained her situation, he still supported her and wanted to avoid any shame and embarrassment she might endure. And then the angel came.
How could Joseph handle raising My Son? How could he support His education and mentoring as an earthly father? How could Joseph treat Jesus the same as his other children knowing who Jesus was and who his real father was? Did you ever think about how inadequate Joseph felt for the task ahead of him? But Joseph did what I ask any of you to do, your best. That’s all. No more, and no less. Just that and I’m satisfied.
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