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Introduction
This mornings message is on the advent theme of Peace.
As I pondered what direction to take this theme and keeping with the idea of stories that lead up to
or prepare us for the Christmas story,
I was taken no farther than that of Joseph
Joseph was asked to be the earthly father of God’s Promise.
He was asked to raise a boy that would be perfect.
What correction or direction would be needed for this son?
Then I think of the concept of peace and wonder what makes a person to be at peace.
Even this time we are living through.
Folks, these last three weeks, it has been that long right?
Three weeks of anything but peaceful.
All of our lives have some how been affected and turned around.
For some of us, we are now facing a different Christmas than we would have hoped for this season.
So how can we be at peace?
When you hear the words peace, what comes to mind?
Are you at peace or is your anxiety level at an all time high?
What drives our peace?
What gives you peace.
I went to the authority on Peace, you guessed it Wikipedia
Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility and violence.
In a social sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (such as war) and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups.
Peace is not a concept but a reality.
Think for a moment about the Angels,
the angels were part of the advent of the messiah because they were the agents God used to usher in His Peace.
His Son.
We can only truly find Peace in God.
With that in mind, let’s look through this morning passage of Scripture that describe the preparation for the Messiah, The Peace that the messiah will usher into our lives.
It is my desire this morning that as we look at God’s Word this morning and discover the life that Joseph the story will bring us a greater knowledge of God and peace in our lives.
Answers to live our lives and prepare for the Christmas story with Peace.
To begin, open up your Word with me and we begin by reading the story in Matthew 1
Peace
Peace was brought into the world with the coming of the messiah, the coming of the savior was for all of us.
matt 1:18 “18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.
When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.”
Now the birth took place in this way.
If you look on the surface of the text you will see that Matthew begins to highlight the couple.
Remember he is writing this in a past tense.
This has taken place.
Last Sunday as we focused on Hope and the Mother’s of the Promised One,
this passage, a document from the evangelist, Matthew, makes the mention of the birth from a different perspective.
It is from the perspective of the earthly father of the chosen one.
Matthew points out that they were engaged.
A social engagement that was different than we know of engagement today.
They were, in the Jewish culture a couple.
There was an agreement, an understanding between the two.
Life was going along normal for Joseph.
I saw a funny caption the other day that so appropriately fits with what we have all be experiencing
Before I agree to 2022, I would like to see some terms and conditions
Peace
For Joseph the terms and conditions quickly changed.
Look at the scripture,
But wait she was with child.
A quick simple statement that asks the readers many questions.
To begin to understand peace, let’s take a few moments to look at Joseph himself.
This passage will give you an idea of the man himself as there is not a lot said throughout scripture about this man.
How he was able to live in peace when all around him there wasn’t.
Man of Justice
To start off with, he was a man of justice
Look at verse 18
Matt 1:18-19 “18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.
When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.
19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.”
The theme of peace begins with a very awkward moment in the life of Joseph.
What we are experiencing right now and these past three weeks will show people’s true character.
Disaster will bring out the worst and the best of people.
Being at peace with all that is going on, does not come from what is within ourselves.
Our sinful nature, in not at peace, but rather peace comes with handling our situation leaving the the situation in the hands of the one who can bring peace.
Some may wonder, why me?
Why them?
In Joseph’s case, this first step in their early life of a couple brought their first trial.
It’s been said, that
Confronted with the problem of his betrothed being pregnant, he contemplated how to end the betrothal in a divorce.
He sought ways to do it privately rather than to expose her publicly.
In his careful contemplation, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph with a message from God.
Man of Discretion
He was a man of discretion.
I wonder what his social media account would have been showing during this time.
They had just posted the pictures of the lovely couple.
Family beaming with delight, the young couple are entering their year of being promised to one another.
Life is exciting.
Plans are being prepared.
Mary then heads off for a trip to visit a family member and comes home with the biggest news of Joseph’s life.
I’m sure at this stage in the story, Peace wasn’t the top words that would describe Joseph.
Man of Piety
He was also a man of piety.
Doing the right things.
Does piety or being a good follower of Christ bring about Peace?
Matthew is quick to point out,
as Matthew himself was a good jew,
writing to an audience of Jewish people, the “right thing to do!”
Are we helping people in our community because it is the right thing to do, or is there something more.
Are we stepping forward to fill the needs of the people, and for some, their needs are many, or is there something more.
It is nothing wrong with being the hands and feet of Jesus, but is that all that we can bring.
How effective are we at bringing peace, true peace in their lives.
Man of Obedience
Another character of this man, that prepared him to be the father of the chosen one was his obedience.
Following God’s Word, will bring about peace.
How was he obedient, we hear news of an angel.
Matthew 1:19–21 (ESV)
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