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1. Clayton Doss, Bible Baptist Church, Crookston Minnesota, December 1 `13 am
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Joseph; The Husband Of Mary
Christmas/Mary’s Christmas – #1
[SLIDE]
TEXT: Matthew 1:16 – “And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was
born Jesus, who is called Christ”
INTRODUCTION:
Most who live in North America and many outside of the United States know of America’s
sporting past time of baseball. Even many who don’t know about baseball have heard of one
of the sports great baseball legends— George Herman Ruth, Jr. otherwise know as “Babe”
Ruth whose career in MLB spanned 22 seasons from 1914-1935.
[SLIDE]
There were many interesting and controversial things about the Babe and one incident
involving him received much publicity. It involved an 11-yr.-old lad named, Johnny
Sylvester.
The boy had been kicked in the head by a horse and doctors feared it might be fatal.
Johnny told his father, Horace, who was a Manhattan banker; “I wish I could see Babe Ruth
wallop a homer before I die.”
A telegram was sent to the baseball team who he played for at the time—the N.Y. Yankees—
who were in St. Louis, Missouri where they were playing the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1926
World Series.
Back came autographed baseballs from both Yankees and Cardinals, including one the
“Babe” had inscribed, “I’ll hit a home run for you in Wednesday’s game.”
(Actually, he hit 3 that day)
The doctors said that those autographed baseballs did wonders for little Johnny.
Some months later, during spring training, an uncle of Johnny’s approached Ruth and
thanked him profusely. Ruth politely asked, “How is Johnny?”
The uncle said Johnny was doing fine, and then he left.
Ruth turned to the reporters and asked, “Who in the world is Johnny Sylvester?”
If there is one individual who is mostly forgotten at this time of the year—it’s Joseph.
If you were to mention his name in connection with the Christmas story, some might be
tempted to ask, WHO, IN THE WORLD IS JOSEPH?
But whether the Biblical passage deals with Joseph or with Mary, the focus of all of the
passages ultimately is that of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, the Word of God does not say much about Joseph but what it DOES say is important.
The family God chose to be an earthly guardian of His Son was chosen carefully.
[SLIDE] ONE key verse is our text: Matthew 1:16 – “And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary,
of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.”
We know little about the mother of Jesus, we know even less about Joseph; there just aren’t
that many reference to him in Scripture. We only know that…
 According Matt. 1:1-2 to Joseph was of the tribe of Judah and of the house of David

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 Also, Matthew tells us he was a carpenter by trade (13:55).
 And from Mk. 6:3 we assume he apparently taught his foster son Jesus the same trade,
as it was Jewish custom for fathers to teach their children their trade.
One of the least appreciated trades, among the Jews, was that of a tanner. Tanning was a
most loathsome occupation and was usually conducted on the edge of town or on the outside
of the city.
[SLIDE]
An example of a man who was a tanner was Simon in Acts 10:6 whose tannery was by the
seaside. It says Peter, “lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall
tell thee what thou oughtest to do.”
(I suspect SMELL dictated the location of the tanner’s house and as we know location,
location is everything )
But our man Joseph is presented to us as a godly man of Biblical faith who was obedient
to the will of God.
[SLIDE]
Matthew 1:24 – “Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden
him, and took unto him his wife:”
Have you noticed that not a single word of Joseph’s is recorded in the Gospels?
He seems to fade into the background.
You see, in the divine drama of salvation no one, absolutely none one – not Mary, not Joseph,
highly favoured as they were, must be profiled above the Author of Salvation—Christ
Himself.
The last time, in the events of Jesus’ life, that Joseph is referred to indirectly is on the occasion
of the family's pilgrimage from Nazareth to the Temple in Jerusalem in Luke 2:43, when the
boy Jesus became separated from His parents for some time.
At that time, Joseph shared with Mary the natural anxiety of distraught parents over the
disappearance of their beloved child.
After this, the curtain comes down on Joseph and all references to him cease in the divine
record.
He apparently passed away at a rather young age for when Jesus was crucified, Mary is there
but Joseph is not there to ease the natural pain in a mother’s heart at the death of a son.
Somewhere between the incident at the temple where they lost Jesus, and the cross, Joseph
had passed away.
Bear in mind, however, that the average life expectancy from birth in the Roman Empire
during this time was only 27 to 30 years, but if a child survived to age 10, life expectancy
could reach to 49 years. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_expectancy /)
It may have been longer for the clean and godly lifestyles of the people of Galilee.
This is only a guess but he probably died somewhere between 40 and 50 years of age.
Please notice 3 key Biblical things about this godly, faithful and obedient man.
[SLIDE]
I. HIS CREDENTIALS

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Luke the physician tells us this in Luke 1:27 – “To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was
Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.”
A. According to the inspired record, Joseph was of the house of David.
1. Now this is significant, as it seems that history is constantly repeating itself. The
long war against God has not ended since the first shot fired in Genesis 3 where
that sinister satanic serpent called into question the truth of God’s Word.
[SLIDE]
Genesis 3:1 – “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God
had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the
garden?”
a. The attack here was an all-out attempt to deny the trustworthiness of God’s
Word. But God’s Word is true:
 They ate!
 They died!
b. And every baby born into this world is without spiritual life, until that
moment of saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, at which time God takes up
residence once again in the heart of man, in the person of His Spirit.
[SLIDE]
c. Colossians 1:27-28 – “…Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach,
warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present
every man perfect in Christ Jesus:” [to God]. Christ is your hope and mine.
Outside of Him we have NO HOPE.
2. After man sinned and God separated from man, God put into place a plan for
man’s reconciliation and reconnection to God. God promised a Redeemer in
Genesis 3:15 and the WAR WAS ON!
3. In place for 145 years prior to the birth of Christ, was the HASMONEAN
DYNASTY.
a. The Hasmoneans, also known as the Maccabees, were a priestly group
(kohanim) from the Tribe of Levi. If you recall, the Messiah was prophesied to
come from the tribe of Judah.
b. The Hasmoneans remained in power until 63 B.C., when the Roman general
Pompey conquered Jerusalem and, once again–as had been the case before
the Hasmoneans–the city [and the province] became subservient to a foreign
power.
c. During their reign, they established their own monarchy in Judea.
1) The Hasmoneans were not connected to the Davidic line of the Messiah,
or to the Tribe of Judah from which the Messiah was to come.
2) To maintain their illegitimate claim to the monarchy their rulers sought
to kill and destroy ANYONE who REMOTELY could claim the throne of
David.
3) The Hasmoneans were all destroyed and later the house of Herod sought
to destroy anyone who might lay claim to the throne of David.

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4) So during the days of the Hasmonean dynasty and forward the house of
David had fallen on evil and difficult days.
B. But someone slipped through the political cracks and lo and behold a man by
the name of Joseph appears who was of the HOUSE OF DAVID.
1. The Devil never gets all of mankind that he desires. God will NEVER be without
a Biblical witness on this earth!
2. Oh, for this I am glad! The salvation of our souls depend upon the message of the
Cross getting out to the ends of the world.
[SLIDE]
Thus we see: HIS CREDENTIALS andnow…
II. HIS CHARACTER
A. First Impressions
1. I am of the impression that Joseph, the guardian and foster parent, was a rather
unassuming, hardworking, gentle man of Godly character—a man of faith in the
promises and provisions of Scripture.
2. The manner in which he deals with Mary (after she is know to be with child)
shows great DEVOTION, RESPECT, TENDERNESS and SOCIAL DELICACY
toward her.
3. These character traits come shining through as you see him in the midst of a
family crisis.
[SLIDE]
4. Of him the Word of God says in: Matthew 1:19 – “Then Joseph her husband, being a
just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away
privily.”
B. He was a “JUST man” the Word of God says. What does this inspired word
convey to us?
1. It is without doubt that Joseph was, what we would call a PERFECT
GENTLEMAN.
 He was a good man.
 He was a gracious man.
 He was a hard workingman.
 He was a pleasing man.
2. Above all of this, the Word of God says he was a JUST man.
a. This means he had a deep sense of justice; fair play, giving the benefit of the
doubt, a merciful man; a godly man who walked in the light of God’s Word.
b. If you take the full impact of the word, the word JUST means that he stood
RIGHT WITH God.
[SLIDE]
Listen to this in Galatians 2:16: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but
by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the
faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

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This is a most blessed word! The word JUSTIFIED means that, in Christ, we stand SINLESS
before God.
To be justified means we are no longer LOST but SAVED; no longer GUILTY but
FORGIVEN; no longer UNRIGHTEOUS but RIGHTEOUS.
Listen to it again from Galatians 2:16: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the
law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified
by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be
justified.”
Say? When, where, and how were you justified?
Here’s a little test!
Pushed to the wall, what is the one thing are you relying on
to get you into eternity past—the pearly gates?
Now, take your answer and compare it with Scripture!
[SLIDE]
Thus we see: 1. Joseph’s CREDENTIALS; 2. HIS CHARACTER andfinally…
III. HIS CONFUSION
A. Joseph was caught in a most painful, heart-wrenching predicament.
1. His heartthrob! His sweetheart! His betrothed! His bride to be! The love of his
life! …IS WITH CHILD!
[SLIDE]
Here is how the Word of God puts it in Matthew 1:18 – “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on
this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found
with child of the Holy Ghost.”
2. Obviously, this dear man could only conclude one thing. She CLEARLY had
been UNFAITHFUL and IMMORAL— What else could he think?
3. And what is worse—this was a capital offense—death was the penalty … AND
death by STONING.
[SLIDE]
Leviticus 20:10 reads, “And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he
that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be
put to death.”
Years later, when the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus in
John 8:5 they asked, “Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what
sayest thou?”
4. BUT HERE is where the special character of Joseph comes out as being a “JUST
man”; looking for any possible way OUT of this terrible predicament!
a. This loving, caring, compassionate, gentle, tender, MERCIFUL man sought
for a way to take care of this sin without TELLING THE WHOLE WORLD
about it.
[SLIDE]

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b. Ya know when you love someone you can overlook a lot of wrong doings
concerning yourself… the Word of God says in: 1 Peter 4:8 – “And above all
things have fervent charity [love] among yourselves: for charity [love] shall cover
the multitude of sins.”
B. A man who has been justified and forgiven HIMSELF is not so quick to expose
another who has been caught in sin.
1. One, who has been a recipient of unmerited GRACE, is quick to GIVE GRACE.
2. I’m not talking about EXCUSING sin—but EXPOSING sin.
[SLIDE]
Matthew 1:20 says Joseph sought to put her away privately. “But while he thought on these
things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David,
fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”
CONCLUSION:
If you look at this dear man, as a whole, just walk completely around him, size him up…
it’s easy to see why God chose him to raise and train His Son!
The most horrible thing in the world is SIN; “for the wages of sin is DEATH” (Rom. 6:23) –an
eternal separation from God in HELL!
I would not want my worst enemy in hell…I have given my life to tell the world that JESUS
SAVES…you need not die in your sin…to keep you out of hell.
TURN from your sin and FLEE to the blessed Son of God! IT IS THERE at His feet you will
find the COMPLETE ERASURE OF ALL YOUR SIN; ALL record of your sin wiped—erased
from the very mind of God.
[SLIDE]
Jeremiah in 31:34 speaking for the Lord says, “…for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will
remember their sin no more.”
Again Paul writes in Hebrews 10:17-18 – “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.”
How about that?
It all comes to us sinners through the PERSON and PROVISIONS of Christ—nothing else—
no one else.
[SLIDE]
INVITATION:
27 Dec. `2015 – River Valley BC – Leixlip, Co. Kildare