성경:마1:16-23 People who met Jesus - Joseph

16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
  17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.
  18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
  19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
  20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "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.
  21 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."
  22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
  23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."             

 
 
When Vivaldi, a world renowned violinist, played the violin with an exquisite instrument Stradivarius. The concerthall was fulled of audience. Stradivarius was the best violin in the world.
And then he played violin. Everyone appreciate music. And they thought that Also Good violin makes that sounds . Everyone thought that.

 
Suddenly, he stopped playing. Audience saw him as if they wake up the dream. At that time, he moved up his violin and gave a fling it. It was  broken into pieces. Every people shouted and stood up.

It was impossible to break an exquisite instrument. That moment, emcee said to sprised audience. "Don't be surpised. It's not Stradivarius. It's very cheapie. You can buy it anywhere.Vivaldi want to show that the real music is not depend on the instrument. Although instrument is normal,  a capable player used it, it can make the beautiful sounds and affect to touch our mind. Like this, Mens are same.

Who is with me and the hand of who was upon me. That's decide the one's life. Halleluijah! It's the Christmas morning, I hope you who live with faith to meet the lord in the dream. Today morning I want to live by faith and came to here for lord who will come. Specially Today is Christmas which Jesus was born. We believe that his coming is to glorify him and remember  his saving. 

Let's bless each other. Happy Birthday Jesus. Amen

1. Maria and Joseph

There are so many people in the Bible. But We have seen the people met Jesus in Bible. 2 years ago, we had seen a Elizabeth and the magi.
And today we see the Joseph in the today text. Let's read verse 19 together. 

 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

 

Today text showed Joseph as a righteous man. We have known 'righteous' by the priest Elizabeth. We know that he had a title which called "righteous" As we define the “righteous' simply, we can explain that it has a "man of faith". Joseph had lived by faith. He promised to Maria. So He was engaged to Maria.

 
But Maria came to him as she was pregnant. Today living together before marriage demolishes the ethical basic completely.  A few years  ago, A movie "My Wife Marriage' released a film. It shook our moral universe.The age when the bible was written it, The marriage customs of Jews was very higher than these days on principle. The climate of middle east is very dry because it is in desert. So women are wearing a chador. It covered their face and body without eyes. It's like a muffler.
But When time went passes, it was changed. It's like an Islam's exclusive thing. Islam though that man and woman are very different. They made a rule that men couldn't see the women's face. Also women had lived in different society which was divided.  Old Testament days was more strict. If they got marriage, but bride was not a virgin. Then she was killed. And women who got married had  an affiar with other man, they were hit by the stone.


Especially they got a marriage, and she had an affair. She was hit by the stone. Today Joseph had a same situation but he did not do it. And he had in mind to divorce her quietly. In this point, we can know that he is a righteous. The reason why he did it, If Maria was exposed others what she had a pregnant, she would be dying by hitting with stone.

Be that as it may he lived with Maria prenant, it violet the law. So he couldn't do that. Therefore, he had a divorced quietly. It was a best choice to him. It was the best plan considering her's life and hers' belief. Of course, he felt betrayed to her. But he didn't choose human's bias.


That's it. If we live by faith, we had a trouble like him. When the challenge of the world came to us, a man of faith will agonize.But it's stigma of ours. who have lived in spiritual warfare. By concerning it, we have growned as a faith of men. Joseph was in a dilemma. If he didn't have a faith, he didn't care it.

 
But he was called by 'a righteous man' in the text. By seeing this word, we can know his life. It's like a microscope.  When the Christian live b faith, sometimes we go behind,  have a trouble, be patience, give way, knowing something but keep it.  It's essential living in Christian.

 
Joseph had lived like it. The author of the Epistle St. Peter said that Lot was suffered because his town was full of evil. Sodom was obscene town. When he saw the sexual things he was very tormented it.    He had a suffered  and troubled. Why? Because he was a righteous. We can see the suffer of a righteous fragmentarily. When christian want to have live by faith, there are so many conflicts.

 
Lot want to live by faith and righteous. Sodom seemed to him as a torture. The point is that even he was in trouble situation but God saved from the sexual. God save people who want to live by faith.  Yes, Even though Joseph had a so many trobles such as hurt, sad, pain he went through with patience and faith. Even he had a suffered by that situation. But It became to his faith of base.

Halleluiah!  Let's live righteous.

2. Joseph who listens the Holy siprit.


Today verse 20 wrote God's plan how can he saved the Joseph who want to live righteous. Let's read verse 20 together.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "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.
   


 Amen. When righteous Joseph had confused about Maria. God answer in his dream. Verse 20 started it. "After he had considered this"  in the English version wrote "But after he had considered this," However as translated 'considered' have a two meaning.
First, think about it carefully. Second, (Rarely) cherish it.

 
As we see this word in text, Joseph didn't decide it. It's not a simple idea and momentary choice. He was pondering over and decided it. What's output of him? “to divorce her quietly" Joseph considered Maria and thought his faith. So he thought that it was the best decision.
Soemtimes we had face in like Joseph. At that moment, how do we think about our decision? The point is that God knows every process and progress. God knows every moment and knows his think and mind.

시편 40:17 17 Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay.
[창 19 : 29]  29 So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.

Yes. When God destroyed the city of Sodom, he remembered Abraham.
Dear congregation, What did Abraham for Lot who lived in city of Sodom? Bible wrote Abraham prayed earnest. It was put to feel inconvenience
 If there was a 10 righteous person, they could not destroyed.
Yes, Joseph thought to divorce quietly. It's contain the earnest pray of Joseph.

 
He prayed earnest to God. The surprising fact is that God knows our thought. Therefore, it is important for us to have a good idea. How can make a good idea?　What is a good idea? here it comes from?  Bible show us it's example.

 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
  7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
 Amen. It comes from God. Joseph had a conflict. And He didn't limit his circumstance to him But he prayed earnest to focus on God's plan. 
Therefore, pray is very important. It is the project that makes my will and God's plan to same point. It make to give up my will and think it change into the God's plan. It's like a compass of ship. Text shows us that God sent the angel as an answer of his praying.  God's answer is to send angel. So he said that Maria's circumstance is God's plan. 

 
Let's think about it. God's will goes beyond our higher moral basic and general knowledge. Pregnant of Maria is example. It's not commen sense. It is hard to accept in view of science. But it can be in faith. See the many of miracles in the bible. How many things it can not be verified with science. Could you prove The crossing of the Red Sea? A crippled beggar stood up and a blind open his eyes. Is that verfied in science?

 
So it is important for us to have a faith. The world of faith shows that what we can not experience. It goes beyond our limit overcome the science. That's the act of faith.Today, God answered to Joseph. Maria got pregnant the christ child. The holy spirit did it.

 
Dear brothers, In the view of humans, faith is very amazing. But it's very natural to God. He showed to circumstance of Elizabeth because Maria might not accept the birth of Jesus.In Bible, Elizabeth was so old that she can not get a pregnant. But surprisngly, angel told to Maria about Elizabeth’s pregnant.
 
 The surprisnly, God give a faith to Maria The more surprisingly fact, God advanced through the prove of faith. Angle appeared to Maria and said “You will be pregnant by the Holy spirit.” "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." And angel said about Elizabeth’s pregnant. Because he made to prove Maria’s confession. Angel appeared to Joseph and Maria’s matter was made by the Holy spirit. The interesting fact is that many people think that Joseph is happy.

Why? He realized that the birth of Jesus by the angel in the dream.  And he showed it with his eyes. However, Today’s morning it also have been happening to us. But we don’t realize it. Couple married have  a precognitive dream about the birth of a child. Whether Wife have it or Husband. In my case, YE-rang, my first daughter, I had a dream about it. In husband dreamed it, it’s like a Joseph’s case.
 
  It shows us that God is the Supervisor of the life. Yes, Today we know it by Joseph. God drives our life.  God saves our life and forgives our sins and lead to the truth and eternal life. I hope us to realized the bless fact in the moring. May Belss to us.