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25 December 6, 2015 Joseph of Arimathea's Welcome 1 “The First Joseph” Title 2 Ma1hew 1:18-25 December 6, 2015 Joseph of Arimathea’s story is told in all four Gospels. (Ma1hew 27:57-60; Mark; Luke 23:50-53; John 19:38-42) Mark 15:42 - 16:6 tells how Joseph of Arimathea carefully took care of Jesus’ body a;er the crucifixion. Read Mark 15:43-46: 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself Screen 3 looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died.[a] And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. 45 And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. 46 And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. and explain Joseph of Arimathea possibly, if not probably, being a relaEve - great uncle (?) of Jesus. (Mary’s uncle) today “Joseph is the first Joseph in the New Testament and in Jesus’ earthly life and he’s the most important Joseph ever in Jesus’ earthly life! (Buddy, Mom, etc…) Pray and invite Christ into the message! !1 (The former tax collector . ) MaQhew’s gospel is wriQen from a thoroughly Jewish prospecEve. He was an O.T. scholar. His enEre gospel presents Jesus as the fulfillment of the O.T. Chapter 1, verses 1-17 are an account of another “genesis” (beginning) much Screen 4 like that found in Genesis Chapter 5. (Adam’s descendants to Noah). NoEce in verses 1-16, the word “father” is used 39 Emes! 42 generaEons are named daEng all the way back to Abraham (circa 2,000 B.C.). 41 FATHERS TOTAL NAMED / 5 MOTHERS NAMED. Jesus, the Christ, is the 42nd generaEon from Abraham! It is for this reason that I think it most appropriate that MaQhew writes with more of a focus on Joseph, Jesus’ adopEve father. We have very liQle material about him. “Mariology” - Mary is venerated and worshipped. “Co-redemptrix” in Catholicism… Pope John Paul II supported… 1. We know nothing of his birth – other than he is a direct descendant of King Screen 5 David (see Ma1hew 1:1-16). *One of the purposes of the genealogy!* 2. We know nothing of his death—a;er Jesus is found by his parents in the Temple in Jerusalem in Luke 2:41-52, Joseph simply disappears. Though there are many “legends” about St. Joseph (as he is referred to by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglican Churches) all are mere speculaEon. We assume he died shortly a;er Jesus’ childhood. 3. We know nothing of his words—he NEVER speaks in the Gospels—NEVER! (The message of “The First Joseph” is “talk is cheap”! Men, fathers - say that with me “talk is cheap” three Emes.) !2 Ø As a person he is shrouded in mystery. However, his acEons speak very LOUDLY!! Ø PRAY AND ASK GOD THAT OUR ACTIONS WILL SPEAK LOUDER THAN OUR WORDS IN OUR SERVICE TO JESUS, THE CHRIST—JUST AS JOSEPH’S… Vs. 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Ø This is a power packed verse, with a lot of informaEon! First, “When his mother Screen 6 Mary had been betrothed to Joseph…” The betrothal period would last anywhere from six (6) months to a year. The parents of the future bride and groom would come together and “pre-arrange” the marriage. *The bride’s father would pay the groom’s father.* A contract would be drawn up and the “bride price” would be exchanged at this Eme. (I am in full support of this process.) Then six (6) months to a year later, the groom would go – at night - to get the bride and bring her back to his house for the actual wedding ceremony. *IMPORTANT* (John 14:1-6 is wedding vocabulary.) The focus of the Jewish wedding in those days (and even somewhat today) was on the *GROOM*. Part of the ceremony Screen 7 includes the bride circling around the husband seven (7) Emes with her mother and future mother-in-law to symbolize the idea of the woman being a protecEve, surrounding light of the household that illuminates it with understanding and love !3 from within and protects it from harm from the outside. The number seven (7) parallels the seven (7) days of creaEon, and symbolizes the fact that the bride and groom are about to create their own “new world” together (ohr.edu website). Under no circumstances was the consummaEon of the marriage to take place unEl a;er the ceremony. *(We don’t know if a wedding ceremony ever took place – we know they indeed got married – but the ceremony? (Besides Joseph’s father, Jacob) Jesus’ grandparents are NEVER meneoned - Mary’s parents).. Probably because they never spoke to Joseph and Mary again..)* Being the adopEve father of the Messiah had a huge price tag to it… - Obedience to God always has a price tag! “Obedience always comes with a price.” Ø “Joseph” – prior to our “would-be-groom”, there were five (5) Josephs in the Bible appearing in this order: 1. The son of Jacob and Rachel (see Genesis 30-50) (NOTE: Joseph’s father was Jacob; so was this Joseph’s) 2. A spy sent to the Promised Land (see Numbers 13:17) 3. A son of Asaph (see 1 Chronicles 25:2, 9) 4. One who married a foreigner in exile (see Ezra 10:42) 5. A priest (see Nehemiah 12:14) Copy from Unger’s Bible Dictionary here. !4 Ø The name means “may he [God] add [other sons] (Who’s Who In The Bible, p. 243). The son of Jacob and Rachel was the most prominent Joseph in the Old Testament—geng more press in Genesis than any other character therein. Ø “Before they came together she was found to be with child” –before their wedding ceremony, and the consummaEon of their marriage, “she was found to be with child”. – *HUGE!* This phrase means that she was obviously pregnant. Mary had known for six plus (6+) months (or unEl she started showing) that she was going to have a son named Jesus and that He was the Messiah—per her communicaEon with the angel -- Gabriel (see Luke 1) –and NEVER told Joseph. –And women like to accuse men of not communicaEng well-- (Neither Ma1hew nor Luke describe Jesus’ birth – only the concepeon.) Ø You and I (and Mary) know it was “through the Holy Spirit” but Joseph did NOT KNOW. Mary was communicated to, way ahead of Eme, by God—Joseph was NOT! Why? Mary simply may not have known how to tell him. (She would be showing.) Explaining a virginal concepEon would have been difficult for a 13 to 15 year old. Joseph was caught completely off guard! Ø Do you believe in the virgin birth this morning? (Most people don’t.) I do! The Bible is crystal clear that it’s for real. (It’s the only explanaon of how Jesus could have been fully God and fully man!) I believe in miracles . !5 Ø It’s essenEal to believe the virgin birth for the ChrisEan. If Jesus was born with a sinful nature, He could NEVER have been the perfect sacrifice for our sins and his death could NEVER atone (make “at one”) for our sins before God. (--A spotless lamb was required.--) * All that said—if there was no virgin birth, you (and I) are lost sEll… no virgin birth = no salvaeon * Vs. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to Screen 8 shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. Ø NoEce with me that “Joseph, being a just man” – meaning he had a sense of right about him. (He was not just Joseph - he was just Joseph Micah 6:8 …but to do jusEce, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? He wanted to do the right/correct thing before God and Mary. He was a believer! (John MacArthur said, “It is totally inconceivable that God would entrust his Son into a family where the Father was not totally commied to Him.” (totally commi1ed to God). He could have legally had her stoned for adultery according to Old Testament Law (though this was rarely carried out in the 1st Century). The Law also allowed for a private divorce before two (2) witnesses (see Numbers 5:11-31) (“The Expositor’s Bible Commentary”, p. 75). One thing is for sure--he was thoroughly humiliated (and I believe ANGRY also) regardless of the path of acEon he chose. *How do you respond when humiliated / angered? He did not ⬆ ⬆ ⬆ seek revenge… ⬆ Emphasize fatherhood in this sermon… !6 Vs. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him Screen 9 in a dream, saying, “ Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. Ø Joseph tried to solve his dilemma in what seemed to him the best way possible – ONLY THEN – did God intervene with a dream.
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