already g o s s ip ing abou t Mary; would he not soon be included in their gossip? How could he live down their slander? The Pharisees once made a statement that hints that they suspected all was not usual about Jesus' birth. They said to Him: “ We be not born of forni cation; we have one Father, even God” (John 8:41). Joseph’s position was the more difficult because he could not dis cuss the matter with anyone but Mary. He alone knew what he had been told. If he should attempt to discuss it with either friends or relatives, who was likely to believe him? Again, Mary could hear the gos sip and know in her heart that she was morally blameless, for she knew the facts. She knew she had not been guilty of sexual sin. True, the villagers were not likely to be lieve her story, yet in her heart she knew she was right; that was con solation enough. When she had gone to visit her cousin Elizabeth, she had received the greeting which confirmed her beliefs. By the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth had said: “ Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:43). Joseph must rely on the words of the angel. He could not know the facts in the way Mary did. Yet in his doubts he had one sure source of assurance, the Word of God. He could turn to the Old Testament and read the words of Isaiah (7:14): “ Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” or “ God with us.” By reading and be lie v in g God 's re ve la tio n , he strengthened his faith and starved his doubts. Profound doubt gave way to pro found belief. Joseph believed God and His Word. He gave his belief a practical expression. He did “ as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife.” That was the wedding. The decisive step in the marriage ceremony was the bringing of the bride to his own home by the bride groom. On the day fixed for the
wedding the groom went with his companions to get his wife. There could be feasting for some days. But there was no religious cere mony and no vows of any sort were made then. This feasting was a Jewish custom rather than a law which God had given to Israel. Joseph was then able to give to Mary all the care and attention she needed. Not only did the marriage mean that Jesus was born in wed lock but also that Joseph was pres ent to provide for the necessities of life for the Child and to take care of Him. Certainly Joseph has a vital mes sage for us today. Joseph was not the only man to have doubts. To some people, be lief comes fairly easily; their na ture and temperament are favorable to it. To others, like Joseph, doubts can be strong. God never blames a man for hon est doubts, for there is no sin there. He knows how we differ from one another. He will always help the sincere man. He does not expect us to believe without evidence and will always give all that is reasonably necessary for a man to be satisfied. Yet He does expect us to sift all available evidence carefully. For doubt that is sincere can always pass beyond itself to triumphant faith. Doubts are best resolved by fac ing them honestly. This means get ting to the foundation of our basic assurances of God and asking our selves what we really believe. Then we add certainties here and there as we can. All the time we trust God and believe what He says in His Word. In this way we can begin to build a satisfying faith. While we remain loyal to the Lord and live according to the light we have, no doubt need paralyze us. No problem is too deep-seated for God to lift us out of it and make us men of faith and conviction. As He shows us the answer, we accept it and go forward. When we thus handle our doubts honestly and carefully, seeking ear nestly for light, these doubts can be stepping stones to profound faith. KB THE KING'S BUSINESS
Before he could put his decision in to e ffe c t, God in te rvened . Joseph’s plan was natural, from a man in his position, but it was not what God wanted. So, while Joseph was sleeping one night, God sent an angel to him with a message. During Joseph's dream, he heard the angel say: “ Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matt. 1:20-21). Here was the answer to Joseph’s dilemma. He had learned what he wanted to know from the only One who could tell him with certainty. Joseph’s fears were quelled. Mary was just as pure as he had believed her to be. Joseph certainly deserved this explanation for his position seemed equivocal. If Mary's child were the Son of God, then Joseph had a right to know. He needed the God who brought about the conception to assure him that the Holy Spirit, and not sin, was responsible for Mary's condition. Yet, the course still had prob lems. Could Joseph build a life long marriage on a dream which lasted only a few moments, in which he received a brief message from the angel? Could he be sure he. had not made a mistake? Joseph needed reassurance here, for he was not only asked to believe a strange story, but one that was unique. History had never known such a birth as this! Joseph was given a command: "Take Mary to thy home as thy wife." What did it mean for Joseph to obey this command? First, he would have to accept as true what was declared to him in a dream. Further, if Joseph took Mary to his home for the consummation of the marriage, would not people think that he was paternally re sponsible for the child? Certainly there were people around him who were likely to take a keen interest in the events of his and Mary's life. The villagers of Nazareth were 12
<
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker