Morning Service, 20 December 2009
Isaac Watts was a genius. At 4 years of age, he had learned Latin, at 9 Greek, at 11 French, and at 13 years old Hebrew. His poetic re-working of the Psalms was magnificent. Unfortunately for poor Isaac, he was not a handsome figure.
His one chance at love came and went with a young lady named Elizabeth Singer, who actually fell in love with Watts sight-unseen through his published poems. Being so taken with this man who could write so deeply and passionately she threw caution to the wind and wrote to ask him to marry her.
But when they finally met, she retracted her offer. She later wrote that Isaac Watts was “only five feet tall, with a shallow face, hooked nose, prominent cheek bones, small eyes, and deathlike colour…..I admired the jewel but not the casket that contained it.”
Isaac Watts never married, but he spent his single life focused on the glory of God. In 1719, he published a work based on Psalm 98 that would go on to become perhaps the greatest Christmas hymn of all time: “Joy to the World.”
An ordinary man, but one who made a great contribution to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, whose hymn is sung around the world especially at Christmas time by unbelievers as well as by believers, a hymn celebrating the glory of Jesus Christ which was especially revealed at the time of His birth.
What encouragement that gives to all of us ordinary men as well as women and children as we desire to reveal something of the glory of our Saviour. God uses ordinary people to advance His cause.
Today as our thoughts increasingly move to reflect on and rejoice over the birth of Jesus Christ by which gospel realities and promises enter the stage of fulfilment I want us to consider another such ordinary man whom God graciously and mightily used for the advancement of His Kingdom – Joseph.
Joseph hardly gets a mention in the world today even where the Christmas story is still finding space. For instance, when was the last time you saw a Christmas stamp that had Joseph and Jesus on it? Is it much different in the church? And yet, though clearly Mary is given a larger role in the Gospel record, Joseph’s is not insignificant. Indeed what is said of him, ought we not long that it be said of us? Is there not here what every Christian woman wants to see in ‘her man’, every mother see developing in her sons, what every man ought to long to be.
The information we are given concerning Joseph is largely confined to the birth narrative in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Of which one wrote, ‘As we read these accounts one is left with the feeling that Joseph and Mary are quite right for each other – and for Jesus!’
We are told in the wider record that Joseph was a carpenter, but here we are told that he was a godly man, a spiritually-minded individual…
1. a man of faith
Notice the Holy Spirit’s testimony in Matt 1:19. Joseph is declared to be a “just man”. Of this 3 questions could be asked:
What does this mean?
Joseph in other words was man who wanted to do the right thing as defined by God and made known in His Word, to act with integrity before God and people in the issues of life – and not just in the easy times, but equally in life’s complexities such as was facing him right now with the realisation of Mary’s pregnancy. He was a man concerned for purity, which not only meant being concerned about separation from sin but also of walking with the Lord.
This is reinforced by the angel’s designating him “son of David”. Though this was true in terms of his own lineage, but we should also see that this form of speech is used as a designation of honour. So to be a ‘son of Abraham’ is to be known for faith and covenant blessing as Abraham was. To be a son of David is to be known for having a heart for God as did David before him.
How is it evidenced?
The phrase “before they came together” indicates that Joseph and Mary had not engaged in any sexual contact with each other. As MacArthur notes, ‘God places great value on sexual abstinence outside of marriage and sexual fidelity within marriage. Mary’s virginity was an important evidence of her godliness.’ But this was also an important point with reference to Joseph’s righteousness. His righteousness is evidenced in his moral and sexual purity.
But there is another dimension to Joseph’s faith. He was righteous, but his righteousness is not cold and clinical for as we shall see he is also merciful. It was not a righteousness that was taken up with self but considered others. It is a righteousness that is able to embrace and express mercy without compromising righteousness. He exhibited a righteous love and kindness. Truth and love, righteousness and mercy – these are biblical pairs, and where there is a legitimate claim of a love of righteousness there will also be a love of mercy. A reality of course which we see supremely in God, and of which believers in Jesus are recipients.
What is its foundation, and thus gives its strength and consistency?
The Word of God. He was a man of tender conscience, assessing decisions – even those invoking the deepest of emotions – through the glasses of God’s Word. His faith is centred upon the Word. It is this that the angel is referring to when he told Joseph “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife”. It was not a fear of seeing an angel, but of doing something contrary to the Scriptures. The angel of course assuring him that there was nothing here contrary to the Scriptures, that Mary was telling the truth and that this child far from being the product of sin was of the purest holiness. How did he respond to this fuller revelation, this further Word of God? He responded positively to the divine revelation given through the angel.
2. a man of clear spiritual maturity
An immature believer loves God’s Word, but often need to understand it before they willing obey it, especially when such obedience comes with a personal and often public cost.
His implicit submission and obedience to God’s Word
It would not have been easy. The Word of God came to him in a mysterious way, the message even more mysterious – one hard to understand after the event let alone before it!
Yet he obeyed God’s revealed will without delay, complaint, reservation or moderation. He was ready to love and raise a son not his own, seeing the privilege and honour. He married Mary and when the Child was born named Him Jesus as directed – by which he was also embracing to himself all that was promised by that name, the covenant blessing of salvation full and free.
And in so doing he fulfilled all religious requirements relating to circumcision and presentation at the Temple. In other words his obedience to the angel’s message was not grudgingly undertaken but wholeheartedly.
His gracious humility
Joseph faced public humiliation. Gossip would’ve been rife, impugning his high moral stance and godly character as a result – potentially affecting his income as some in a pursuit of what they saw to be righteousness themselves may have thought they could no longer do business with such a man… and yet he willingly surrenders all claim to his life including his preconceptions, aspirations for marriage and reputation.
He cared not for his reputation, but embraced the opportunity to serve God according to His revealed Word. A service that focused on the benefit of others – this is true humility as Phil 2:3-5 describes!
His generous compassion
Joseph was deeply perplexed and no doubt hurt at the news of Mary’s pregnancy. Would he exercise his ‘rights’ in having her publicly disgraced?
Though Mary’s explanation seemed incredible to him even as a believer, he knew she wasn’t wicked. So, though at that point he felt he could not continue the relationship unto marriage, yet he could not hurt her but decided instead to ‘divorce’ her quietly, without assigning cause. He chooses the path that not only gives him an out from the betrothal and thus to be clear of even the appearance of sin on his part, but one that also takes Mary out of the public spotlight. ‘He had been shamed (if what he assumed had been true), but his concern was not for his own shame but for Mary’s.’ (MacArthur).
Do we not see the marks of godly maturity in this man? He did not act on impulse. Nor was he was not thinking of himself, of his own rights that had been infringed or reputation that had been impugned. On the contrary he maintained compassion even in the wake of deep personal hurt. And when God’s Word came and brought not only greater clarity but a call to obedience in the face of the trial he obeyed, demonstrating that he truly was a man who sought to live by God’s Word regardless of circumstances and indeed even in apparent adverse circumstances.
3. a man of continuing spiritual growth
There is one other reference to Joseph in the birth narrative, and that is when he and Mary took Jesus to present Him at the Temple – recorded for us in Luke 2:29-35. It was here that they saw the godly Simeon approach, take hold of the Child in joyful praise and wonder, and then declare prophecy concerning Him. There we read that “Joseph and Mary marvelled at those things which were spoken about Him” (v.33).
The word “marvel” means more than a sense of surprise and wonder, it involves pondering over the marvellous things seen and heard.
They couldn’t take it all in at once, but they registered it, thought it though and talked about it together over time. They turned these things over in their hearts, meditating on the great works of God!
And this is the means of spiritual growth. As Scripture declares, “faith comes by the hearing of the Word” – and this applies not only to the beginning of faith, but its daily growth. Though we encourage ourselves with this in our evangelistic labours, let us lift this precious verse from what has for the church at large become a sole evangelistic purpose.
As we go over the Word again and again, faith increases. Christians are called to study the Word, to “let the Word of God dell in us richly”, to “meditate on it day and night, to “store up [God’s] Word in [your] heart”.
We too ought to take time out with God, to constantly be learning concerning it, and as a result growing – oh there is so much to learn, so much help to receive, so much substance to add to our prayers and praise, as well as sweetness to our trusting in the midst of God’s providences and hope in the face of life’s challenges and even suffering and death itself.
It is no surprise that this is the calibre of the person to whom God would commit the care and nurture of His Son. And yet in this he is not to stand alone – for to us He has committed the knowledge, ministry and reputation of that very same Son. Peter reminds us that God calls us to “be holy as I am holy”. Do we see that? That we have been entrusted with “Jesus” too? With the Gospel of who He is and what He has accomplished and so offers?
Surely our response to Jesus as we remember His birth and read the glorious accounts about Him is to assess our standing. Am I like Joseph? Has God worked this way in me? Am I believer? If so, am I living out that faith in a way that honours Him? Am I maturing and growing in that faith? What impact is the Word of God having on my life before God, amongst believers in the Church, and before the world? Do I have a keenness to grow in grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ – not merely of the mystery of His birth but also of what that birth led to for Him and through Him to this world, to me? Am I as a result available for God’s service, to foster the work of Christ as He leads and directs, whatever the cost it might bring to me?