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Home , Joseph of Arimathea

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“The First ” Title 2 Mahew 1:18-25 December 6, 2015

Joseph of ’s story is told in all four . (Mahew 27:57-60; Mark; Luke

23:50-53; :38-42) :42 - 16:6 tells how Joseph of Arimathea carefully took care of ’ body aer 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 relave - great uncle (?) of Jesus. (Mary’s uncle) today “Joseph is the first Joseph in the and in Jesus’ earthly life and he’s the most important Joseph ever in Jesus’ earthly life!

(Buddy, Mom, etc…)

Pray and invite into the message!

1 (The former tax collector . . . ) Mahew’s is wrien from a thoroughly Jewish prospecve. He was an O.T. scholar. His enre 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). Noce in verses

1-16, the word “father” is used 39 mes! 42 generaons are named dang all the way back to Abraham (circa 2,000 B.C.). 41 FATHERS TOTAL NAMED / 5 MOTHERS NAMED.

Jesus, the Christ, is the 42nd generaon from Abraham!

It is for this reason that I think it most appropriate that Mahew writes with more of a focus on Joseph, Jesus’ adopve father. We have very lile 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 (see Mahew 1:1-16). *One of the purposes of the genealogy!*

2. We know nothing of his death—aer Jesus is found by his parents in the Temple in Jerusalem in :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 speculaon. We assume he died shortly aer 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 mes.)

2 Ø As a person he is shrouded in mystery. However, his acons 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 informaon! 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 me. ( 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*

(: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) mes with her mother

and future mother-in-law to symbolize the idea of the woman being a protecve,

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 creaon, 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 consummaon of the marriage to take place

unl aer 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 menoned - Mary’s

parents).. Probably because they never spoke to Joseph and Mary again..)*

Being the adopve father of the 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

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 consummaon 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 unl she started showing)

that she was going to have a son named Jesus and that He was the Messiah—per

her communicaon with the -- (see ) –and NEVER told

Joseph. –And women like to accuse men of not communicang well-- (Neither

Mahew nor Luke describe Jesus’ birth – only the concepon.)

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 me, by God—Joseph was

NOT! Why? Mary simply may not have known how to tell him. (She would be

showing.) Explaining a virginal concepon 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 essenal to believe the virgin birth for the Chrisan. 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 sll… no virgin birth = no salvaon *

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 Noce 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

jusce, 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

commied 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

acon 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. *You know why God did not give

Joseph the same informaon He gave Mary months earlier?* [I believe] to test –

grow- his faith!* *APPLICATION* Somemes God does not make us privy to

what He’s about to do unl right before He does it – to test us in our trust of Him!

Do you trust God this morning? Would you under those circumstances?*

Ø The reference to “Son of David” points back to the in Mahew

1:1-16. The Messiah had to be a direct descendant of King David from the Old

Testament. Mahew uses “Son of David” nine (9) mes; Mark three (3)

mes; Luke four (4) mes.

Ø “do not fear” – confirms that Joseph had already decided on his course when God

intervened.

Vs. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he (and no other) Screen10 will save his people from their sins.” * By naming Jesus, Joseph officially (- adopted -) accepted the child.* ( 43:1 “I have called you by name, you are MINE.”)

Hallelujah!

7 Ø It was no doubt divine grace that solicited Mary’s cooperaon before the

concepon and Joseph’s cooperaon only aer it. In patriarchal mes either a

mother (see Genesis 4:25) or a father (see Genesis 4:26) could name a child.

According to Luke 1:31, Mary was told Jesus’ name, but Joseph was told both the

names and the reason for it. The Greek literally is “you will call his name Jesus” –

it uses imperave force (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, p. 75)

Ø “Jesus” –the New Testament form of the Old Testament “Joshua”. There were Screen 11 four (4) Joshua’s in the Old Testament. Two (2) were not very significant:

1. A Bethshemite (I 6:14, 18)

2. A governor of Jerusalem (II Kings 23:8)

Ø Two were very significant and were actually “types” of Christ.

1. “Son of Nun” (“Taking The Land”) –who led the children of Israel into the

Promised Land (successor of Moses) (see Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy,

Joshua, Judges and I Kings).

2. A high priest –the contemporary of Zerubbabel (see Ezra 2:2; 3:2-9,

Nehemiah 7:7) who is referred to as “the Branch” who built the Temple of

the Lord (Zechariah 6:11-13).

Ø But instead of referring to either of these, the angel, whom I believe to be Gabriel

—though it does not say—explains the significance of the name by referring to

8 Psalm 130:8—“And he (YAHWEH) will redeem Israel from all his iniquies. (Ibid, p.

75).

Ø There was a lot of Jewish expectaon of a Messiah who would redeem Israel from

Roman tyranny and even purify His people; but there was no expectaon that

the Davidic Messiah would give His own life as a ransom for people to save them

from their SINS— NONE! In the biblical perspecve, SIN is the basic cause of all

other calamies (i.e., “we lie in a sinful/fallen world”).

Vs. 22 All (25% of the Old Testament prophesies were fulfilled in Jesus’ birth) this Screen 12

took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

Vs. 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Screen 13

Immanuel” (which means, God with us). The very first O.T. fulfillment quotaon in

Mahew.

Ø While the English Standard Version concludes the angel’s remarks at the end of

verse 21, there is strong evidence to think that they connue to the end of verse

Screen 14 def. of 23. He quotes [Isaiah 7:14] Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. miracle - “a manifestation Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name of the near presence and Immanuel. * Isaiah 7:14 is the very first Messianic prophecy given in Isaiah! power of God” There is a ton of literature about Mahew 1:23 and Isaiah 7:14—basically, it

encapsulates the enre Gospel message—“Immanuel”—God with us.

*No greater blessing can be conceived than for God to dwell with His people. Screen 15

9 (Isaiah 60:18-20) [one of the 75% that point to the ] Vs. 18 Violence

shall no more be heard in your land, devastaon or destrucon within your borders;

you shall call your walls Salvaon, and your gates Praise. Vs. 19 The sun shall be no Screen 16

more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the LORD

will be your everlasng light, and your God will be your glory. Vs. 20 Your sun shall

no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the LORD will be your

everlasng light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.) *

Ø As if this weren’t enough, Jesus promises just before His ascension to be with us

to the end of the age (see Mahew 28:20) when He will return to share His

Messianic Banquet with His people (see Mahew 25:10).

Vs. 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded Screen 17 him: he took his wife,

Vs. 25 but knew her not unl she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Screen 18

Jesus.

Ø Joseph obeys the angel of the Lord—i.e., the Lord. Joseph’s obedience and

submission under these circumstances is as remarkable as Mary’s (see Luke 1:38).

He just does it! (There was a commercial out a few years ago that said, “Just do

it!”) Recap 19 Guest 20 Bye 21

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