Joseph, the husband of Mary, received four surprises from God. The first was that Mary became pregnant while they were engaged, though Joseph was not the father. An angel then appeared to Joseph in a dream, telling him to marry Mary as her son would be the Messiah. Finally, after Jesus's birth, Joseph was warned in a dream that King Herod planned to kill Jesus, so he fled with his family to Egypt to protect them. Throughout these events, Joseph obeyed God without question.

1. Four SurprisesFour Surprises
for Josephfor Joseph
Matthew 1:18-25;
2:13-15

2. Joseph-Joseph-
the nearly
INVISIBLEINVISIBLE man
of the story!

3. Joseph’s Name
•Named after Joseph
son of Jacob

4. Joseph’s Age
•As young as 13-14
•Perhaps in his 30’s

5. Joseph’s Trade
•Carpenter/Contractor
•Farmer

6. Joseph’s Status
•Not wealthy, but poor

7. Joseph’s Character
•A righteous man
•Devout
•Full of faith
•Obedient
•Merciful

8. Joseph: the
Husband
•Quiet and
unassuming
•A good provider
•Protector

9. Joseph: the Father
•Adopted Jesus
legally
•Protected Jesus from
harm
•Fathered other
children

10. What happened to
him?
•No definitive word
•Disappears after
Jesus is 12 and
before Jesus is 30.
•He probably died.

11. FOUR SURPRISES
God sent Joseph

12. A PREGNANTPREGNANT FIANCEE
•Mary was engaged
to be married to
Joseph,
•But she became
pregnant!

13. A PREGNANTPREGNANT FIANCEE
•He decided to
divorce her quietly
•Avoid making her a
public example

14. A PLANPLAN TO FOLLOW
•“Go ahead with your
marriage to Mary.”
•“She will have a son,
(from the Holy Spirit)
and you are to call
him Jesus.”

15. A PROPHECYPROPHECY
FULFILLED
•“All this took place to
fulfill what the Lord had
said through the
prophet, ‘He will be
called Immanuel
(meaning God with us).”

16. A PLOTPLOT FOILED
•Jealous Herod tries
to kill baby Jesus
•Joseph is warned
•They escape to Egypt
•He protected his
family

17. CONCLUSION
Although Joseph did not
have as big a role as Mary
in the coming of Christ to
Earth, he repeatedly and
immediately obeyed the
angel of God.