SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 12 December 11, 2005

Joseph Trusts God
Theme: Living by Faith in Christ Alone
Theme Verse: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20 NIV
Readings: Matthew 1:18-25
Memory Verse: "When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife" Matthew 1:24

      Read the lesson aloud. You may want to assign parts: Angel, Joseph, and narrator.

      "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 1:18) A word received: Blessed are you who believe the Gospel record. This was a miracle. Various people through the centuries have denied this and proposed other answers but this is God's truth and was prophesied.

       Who was Joseph? A) In Matthew 1:1-17 Joseph's genealogy is traced through King David to Abraham. In Luke 3:23-38 it is traced through another son of David to Adam, emphasizing the universal aspect of the Savior. Jesus came for all people, though all do not receive him. B) Joseph was betrothed to Mary -- legally married and her husband but they were not yet living together. That was the second half of the marriage rite (see parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25). C) Joseph was a righteous man. He lived a life of obedience and worship of the God of Israel. We see that he also was a kind and compassionate and sensitive man who wanted to protect Mary at the same time he would divorce her. D) He was a man who trusted God and was obedient to him after he received the angel's message. God knew what kind of man he was choosing.

      Joseph and Mary would both have known about the miraculous births recorded in Scripture: Sarah, Hannah, Samson's mother and now Elizabeth.

      Notice how God reveals his plan to Joseph and speaks to his fears. (See Matthew 1:20-22.) "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." (Matthew 1:19) A word received: Do not be afraid. It seems so easy now, but think of all the doubts Joseph put aside to be faithful as a father and as a husband. God's angel points Joseph to the old prophecy from Isaiah 7:14 that a virgin would conceive and bear a son whose name will be Immanuel (God with us).

      Look at the memory verse: When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the LORD had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. What amazing trust and obedience. He not only took Mary home with him as his wife but he also set aside his natural desires as a newly married man (Matthew 1:25) to allow God's plan to be fulfilled perfectly. [This is where Roman Catholic theology and Protestant theology differ. Protestants take the word "until" literally and believe that Mary later bore other children. Roman Catholics believe the other children were cousins and Mary was a perpetual virgin.]

      Are we ready to obey at once when we become clear that something is truly from God? Are we willing to set aside our own desires, if necessary, to allow God to work in and around us? Notice the "at once-ness" of Joseph's obedience. It is like the disciples who later "at once" left their nets and their families and followed Jesus. Mary also responded at once. Another act of obedience was to name the baby boy "Jesus". That name represents what God was going to do through him. In Luke 1:59-63 we see that it was expected that the father would give the baby a name. Zachariah insisted on a name not in the family. A word received: I want you to trust me and be obedient like Joseph was. A word received: Joseph got up and took Mary home as his wife. I want you to pray for discernment about my call on your life.

      Now look at God's provision. God provided a stable, loving earthly home for the child Jesus and for Mary. Both Mary and Joseph are faithful and obedient. They do what the LORD commands. Joseph was quickly called to protect his family in the flight to Egypt and provide for them by his work as a carpenter/builder. He was right there with Mary when the boy Jesus got so excited about being with the teachers in the Temple that he forgot to let his parents know where he was! Jesus obeyed them (remember Hebrews says Jesus "learned obedience").

      Joseph and Mary couldn't see the future but the words of the angel enabled them to trust, to be "confident of what they did not see" (Hebrews 11:1). Certainly the thing God asked of each of them went way beyond their comfort zone.

       Some of those who knew about the coming baby would either assume Joseph and Mary had jumped the gun or that Mary had been unfaithful. We don't know how many they told the angel stories to and how many believed them but it would have been a burden they needed the LORD's help to carry. One reference said, "Jesus, son of Joseph as was supposed" (Luke 3:23)so it is reasonable to suppose that the story was not widespread. It is also reasonable to suppose that the true stories came out as the church began to tell the full story of Jesus through Matthew and Luke. Yes, there were nasty stories that circulated but the church steadily pointed to the truth. Mary lived for a number of years after Jesus' resurrection. She would have been the source for these stories. Like Abraham, Joseph and Mary obeyed God even when it seemed beyond what was acceptable. In Jesus' birth God fulfilled his promise to Abraham, "through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." (Genesis 22:18). On the surface Mary and Joseph's situation looked disgraceful but because it was God's plan, in reality it was full of grace and blessing.

      God keeps his promises. He fulfilled the prophecies. His word is true and he can be trusted. A word received: I will accomplish my purposes. Where is the crux of your own trusting God to fulfill his promises?

How to teach word-SS teachers: I want you to see that being a father is more, much more, than being the biological originator of a child I want the fathers to re-consecrate their fatherhood to Me.

Teaching Ideas for Lesson 01
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.

      Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.

      Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.

Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1.The birth of Jesus was a miracle.
2. Joseph trusted and believed the angel who appeared to him in a dream.
3. God wants us to trust and obey Him like Joseph did.
4. When we trust God He will always go before us and provide for us.
5. When God asks us to do something we do not need to be afraid. He promises to be with us (Emmanuel) It's OK to tell God how you feel. He already knows.