Joseph’s Solitude

❖ Video

❖ Audio

ADVENT 1- Matthew 1:18-25

Mari Ikeda

Today Advent just started to wait for Christmas. Christmas is a celebration of Jesus’ birth, but I don’t think it’s that easy to celebrate with all of our hearts. The most important meaning of Christmas is Immanuel, that God is with us. But don’t we find ourselves searching for God rather than feeling safe knowing God is with us more often? I think there are times when we know that God is with us, but we can’t feel it. That’s something all people would repeat throughout their lives, and it was the same with the people 2000 years ago facing the very first Christmas. Joseph, the man to become Jesus’ father, was one of them. Let’s think about “God with us” from the story of Joseph. Let’s read from Matthew 1:18.

A. Joseph’s story

1. Struggling alone (18-19)

18 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. 19 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.

The magnitude of the shock of finding out his fiancé was pregnant without him knowing is probably about the same now or back then. The scripture says “pregnant through the Holy Spirit”, but Joseph didn’t know it, so the only possibility he could think of was that Mary had committed adultery.

In Jewish society back then, women who committed adultery were not only divorced but also subject to be exposed to violence in public. Many of the Jews interpreted that as the rule by the law.

Verse 19^th says “Joseph was a righteous man” in the Japanese translation, while the English translation says “Joseph was faithful to the law” – indicating Joseph was a righteous man in terms of being faithful to the law. Therefore he should have rebuked Mary in public if he intended to be faithful to the law.

However, Joseph didn’t do so. He chose to protect Mary rather than being faithful to the law. He might have felt guilty for compromising the law, the justice. Furthermore, it was just a matter of time for the public to know her pregnancy, even if he divorced her. He couldn’t have known if he could actually protect her, and he himself could have been exposed to criticism – he must have had lots of worries. Joseph was probably not able to ask anyone about the situation. He was forced to make the decision on his own while being under great stress of being betrayed by his fiancé.

There are times when we also face issues that we cannot resolve and feel distressed alone. We would wonder what God is doing, why He would give such trouble to our life, and doubt perhaps he doesn’t love me more than others. Even so, we are forced to make a decision, and we must keep going while carrying the worries. It would help if we could share it with someone, but there are some topics we couldn’t share or some things others wouldn’t understand. Can we do nothing but to just endure? Joseph’s story says that’s not the case. Let’s continue to 20 -21.

2. Helped by an angel (20-21)

20 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. 21 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.”

God sent an angel to Joseph in his dream and told him Mary’s child was from the Holy Spirit, and to accept Mary and the child. Jesus was a common name, but it meant “The Lord saves” – God also said this child to come would make his name true. How surprised Joseph would have been. Something extraordinary happened, and he was told to proceed a path he couldn’t imagine.

Meeting an angel in a dream or being showed how to resolve an issue like Joseph did is probably uncommon for us. While many of us wish it would happen, God’s voice rarely comes down from heaven in our dream or reality.

Even so, God would not let go of those who are in worry. He teaches us that God’s plan beyond our imagination is in progress, even in the middle of terrible happenings we cannot control.

God sent Holy Spirit to us, and he sends angels for that purpose. Holy Spirit strengthens our hearts that we couldn’t pray or ask for help. Angels are the various people surrounding us. They could be familiar people, or they could be a stranger. Could be a child, could be someone bedridden. Most of them don’t know they are carrying the role of an angel. They may not resolve the issues we carry, but they would remind us that God loves this world, and He does not forget us.

If you are feeling troubled, please ask for help from the Holy Spirit. Also please pray with an expectation to send a helper. Please recognize that we are also expected to be an angel for someone. Angel is not something we become because we want to be, but we become one without knowing when we live loving God with the guide of the Holy Spirit. Let’s continue to 20 -21.

3. The right quTrusting God and journeying with others (24-25)

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Joseph trusted God, and chose the third option he wouldn’t have imagined, and moved his way. The way to accept and live with Mary’s son – the son, not of his own.

Joseph and Mary were a couple, but I also see it as the image of what church should be. The church is a community to believe together that God’s good plan is in works even in the difficulties of our lives. We do feel fears and worries, as we don’t see all of God’s plan. But I think we are here together to remind each other and spread to the world that we are part of it.

Finally, let’s read verses 22 -23 that we skipped.

B. Immanuel (God with us) (22-23)

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

We focused on Joseph’s story and saw how he accepted Mary and Jesus. I think the path he took signifies the path for us to believe “Immanuel”.

“Immanuel” God with us is that God loves us as His precious children while God knows our faults and weaknesses. He proved it by being a man to devote His own life for us.

We will re-walk the path Joseph walked so that we can believe it with all of our heart, and that we can live feeling that joy. We may feel lost in front of issues we cannot handle, we may feel in the darkness of loneliness, but we will start walking, looking up with the help of angels and the Holy Spirit. We will get to know the light that God is with us, in the darkness where we are lost for God. We will encounter Jesus on the cross in pain when we are lonely and in pain the most. We will know the power of the Holy Spirit who helps, and we will realize the existence of an angel who tells us that. And we are able to keep moving ahead with those who are trying to move on the same path.

（Prayer）Lord Jesus, you know all of our weaknesses and mistakes, what we are worrying about. Please help so that we can walk ahead with you, trusting you, please light up in the heart of each of us. Please help so that we can be the lights for each other so that we can walk together even though we are weak. Lord Jesus, we pray in your name. Amen

Summary

The most important part of Christmas is knowing “Immanuel” (God with us). This is God’s message to each of us in our solitude as we face anxiety and suffering. God strengthens us so that we can encourage one another to trust God and journey with those around us.

For Discussion

1. How does God help you when you struggle alone?
2. How can we share the message “God is with us” with those around us?