Joseph: Disrupted by an Inconvenient Incarnation

Joseph: Disrupted by an Inconvenient Incarnation
Studies on The Incarnation
January 6, 2008
 
Series Theme - The Incarnation is the hub not only of human history, but also of ultimate reality.  It is in the incarnation that we know God…it is how God has chosen to let us know Him.  
 
Big idea Today – In the midst of Joseph’s normal life,God showed up unexpectedly, mysteriously, and disruptively.  To respond well to God’s initiative, Joseph had to let go of everything he held dear & take the simple, trusting steps of a sacrificial disciple.
 
Matthew 1:18-19
The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After His mother Mary had been  engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit.  So her husband Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly.
 
1.      Joseph was a normal guy.
·         Poor, teenage, engaged carpenter
·         At the mercy of history & politics
·         A “good guy”
•“righteous”
•“nice”
 
•What does your discipleship look like?
•Are you just trying to be a “good person”?
•Is there anything supernatural about your discipleship to Jesus?
 
Matthew 1:20-25
But after he had considered these things (chosen his course of action), an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”  Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.”
 
2.      Joseph met God.
·         It was unexpected
·         It was mysterious
·         It was disruptive
 
•What is your greatest point of disappointment right now? 
•What is God calling you to do that you have never done before?
•Are you open to being led by a disruptive God? How do you know?
 
Matthew 2:13-23
After they were gone, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to destroy Him.” So he got up, took the child and His mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt. He stayed there until Herod’s death, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: Out of Egypt I called My Son… After Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Get up! Take the child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, because those who sought the child’s life are dead.” So he got up, took the child and His mother, and entered the land of Israel… Then he went and settled in a town called Nazareth…
 
3.      Joseph responded (kept responding) to God.
·         The response was difficult
·         The response required trust
 
•Does your discipleship have a degree of difficulty that elicits surrendered trust? Or is it tame and manageable?
•What has God been calling you to that you have resisted because it seems so difficult and inconvenient?
 
A Month of Prayer & Response
Who?   Everyone who will
When? Month of January
What? Time of intentional prayer & seeking God’s direction
            “God, how do you want me to engage in your kingdom this year?”
Don’t do this alone!!!
Don’t fear asking for help!!!