Better Days

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

Responsive Reading: Luke 2: 1-7.

What is gift of Christmas?

The real gift of Christmas is the hope of better days.

We celebrate Christmas one day out of the year. But the birth of Jesus Christ represents the coming a better days for the world. Within the gleaming eye of every child is the hope someone sees the good in them on Christmas Day. A good enough to reward them in tangible ways. Parents gladly sacrifice by humble means to show love to bruised knees and scared hands.

Christmas tree rises to the heavens in the kindly home while the family meal points to the Great Table when we share the glorious feast at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

God will surely manifest our hopes with love and power. “A virgin SHALL conceive and gift birth to a son, and you SHALL call his name Jesus; and he SHALL save his people from their sins.” Angels proclaim Glad tidings of great joy can be found at the manger. Wise men make themselves at home where there is no furniture. They kneel before the cradle with the treasures of gold, frankincense and Myrrh to worship Immanuel. The choir of angels signs, “Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to whom God’s favor rests.” They speak of better days.

Christmas declares the coming year offers no defeat, for we survived. This last year has strengthened our resolve to press towards the mark. Our faith is clear. We take another step closer to the Great Recompense, when The Son of Righteousness will come again with healing in his wings and right every wrong. Christmas announces The King is born and we are born again.

Tonight, we look towards better days. The spot light has always been on Mary. I raise a question. “Do the other characters in the story of Jesus’ birth have anything to say to us?” The answer is, YES. Look at Joseph. Look at him before the dream and after. His life inspires us to hope for better days.

Joseph is the first true believer in the Messiah.

John Nolland of, The Gospel of Matthew: a Greek Commentary,” said, “Joseph is the first person in the Gospel called upon to commit himself to the significance of Jesus in the purposes of God.”

Joseph reminds us, in God’s kingdom, we all have a part to play. Mary is the mother of Jesus, but Joseph was both Jesus’ earthly father and his spiritual son, for he too followed the angel’s command.

Joseph tells us the greatest thing to ever happen to you is to get thrown off course and find your way back on course again.

If you obey God and remove bitterness from your heart and give thanks for what God has given, you will have better days.

Better days come after difficult times.

Joseph’s hopes could not have been crushed more. His betrothed is pregnant.

A betrothal was a marriage. Being engaged today does not have the same weight of a betrothal in Joseph’s day.

When a man desired a wife, he had to secure permission to marry her from the maiden’s family. Then he paid a dowry or offer years of service to the father. Jacob worked 14 years for Rachel. Once the family agreed, then a contract was signed a covenant. Often covenants were marked by blood to secure the bond between the two families. Afterwards the groom would present the bride with jewelry, as Isaac did to Rebekah.

Gen 24: 53 “Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother.”

Then there was a ceremony we're both families made the agreement in public.

To find out that Mary was pregnant by another brought shame to her family, to Joseph and Mary herself.

If the people found the betrothed was not a virgin, she could be stoned.

Joseph thought, this is end of marriage. Save her from being stoned, but send Mary away. But he loved Mary. What could Joseph do? Exhausted from the weight of this doleful night, Joseph went to sleep. Sometimes, the best and only thing to do after a bad time is go to sleep. Let it go for now.

The Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph by night in a dream. Joseph heard from God- by the angel of the Lord. The was not just any angel. God’s special angel.

“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. 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.” Matt. 1: 20-21.

JOSEPH WOKE UP.

Being “woke” is controversial today. Being awakened to God is everything.

It is being enlightened to the Divine. It is taking a new path. It is the soul’s transformation.

Joseph did more than wake up from a dream, He awakened to God’s will. The same angel who spoke to Mary.

Luke 1:30-31 “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.”

Joseph went from dismay to humility. He no longer questioned his marriage. he was in awe by the angel’s message. THIS WAS JOSEPH’S MOMENT OF SALVATION.

Joseph did what the angel of the Lord commanded. Joseph recommitted himself to Mary. Joseph remembered the will of God for his own life. The angel calls him, “Joseph, son of David.” The Lord told King David,

2 Samuel 7:12 NIV

When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom.

Joseph is a son of David. WAKE UP FOR YOU ARE A CHILD OF THE KING.

The holidays usually get us down. The world is so unsettled. There is so much violence. People are dying. We look back over our lives and wonder what we have accomplished. Wake up child of God. You are greatly beloved.

Once you wake up, STAY AWAKE.

1 Thessalonians 5:6 NIV

So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.

Once you are awakened to the things of God, do what you are called to do.

The answers to our questions are in our commitment to Christ.

His love for Mary is from the Holy Spirit.

His fidelity was his own. How much Mary loved him for keeping her safe.

BETTER DAYS COME WHEN YOU TAKE CARE OF LIFE’S BASICS.

Joseph did what the angel of the Lord commanded. He took Mary home to be his wife. There is something to be said for doing the right thing. Joseph was not spiteful. He was not resentful over the misunderstanding. He held nothing against Mary. He took her home. Joseph kept his vow. He brought Mary home and cared for his wife.

Matthew Henry said, “He did it speedily; He did it cheerfully, without delay, without dispute.”

The Bible encourages us to rid ourselves of all bitterness and malice.

Ephesians 4:31 NIV

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

I believe Joseph fell in love with Mary again. He never really stopped loving her. He was confused because he did not know what God was doing. I can hear him says, “Come with me, my beloved. You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride.” Song of So. 4:8.

BETTER DAYS COME WHEN YOU ARE FAITHFUL TO THE LORD.

Joseph did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son.

The Angel of the Lord said, “A virgin shall conceive and bring forth a son.”

God’s promises are not vague. They are not yes and no. Everything in Christ is yes, and Amen. What God has promised you shall come to pass. It will be exactly what God says and it shall God as God says. Just wait on the Lord.

Joseph was faithful. He was a holy man. Integrity is not fancy, but it is powerful. Joseph did not let his flesh get the best of him. He kept himself and his wife holy so God’s work would be fulfilled.

When the days came that Mary should deliver, Joseph had to travel 90 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem, his hometown. The only place of welcome was a stable. If Joseph had money, he would have found room in the inn, but he was a working man. So, he made a manger out of a water trough. There, without the care of a midwife, Joseph did his part. Mary delivered her son. They wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him down.

Just think. Joseph was about to put his wife away. All along, they were in God’s will. The Christmas story means,

GOD’S WORD WILL BE FULFILLED.

All these things took place to full the prophecy.

The prophets spoke of better days.

Is. 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Is. 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

Mic. 5:2 ““But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.””

Gen. 49:10 “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the obedience of the nations shall be his.”

Num. 24: 17-19 ““I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.””

THERE IS NO BETTER DAY THAN WHEN YOU BELIEVE JESUS CHRIST

Declare these words...

I may not have all the answers but I trust God

God is with me and my family

I will obey the Holy Spirit

I believe God will keep his word and better days are coming for me.

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