Matthew 2:13-15
"And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord
appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son."
Merry Christmas to you all! I read these verses yesterday, and I knew what I should write about for Christmas. I don't need to tell you the story of the birth of Jesus; you already know it. Everyone knows that Jesus was born. I heard a lady in the store the other day singing a Christmas song. I wanted to ask her, "Do you know the one you're singing about?" Maybe I should have. But the point is, everyone knows that Christ was born; most even know who he was and why he came! There are a few God
rejectors who act like it's a social statement at Christmas time, putting Spanish, Oriental, and even Hamitic manger scenes. Some have even put two men or two women in place of Joseph and Mary, catering to the homosexuals, or sodomites! But, thank God, this is not the norm. Most people know the truth, because it is not a matter of social standing, wealth, philosophy, or race; it's a matter of history! It's the truth, the birth of Jesus Christ!
The question, then, is not what happened. The question is: What will
you do with Jesus?
Joseph has become a favorite Bible character of mine! He's very unique. As God made the choice of what girl would have the
privilege of carrying and delivering the Son of God, surely God took into account what kind of man this Joseph was. He would choose no sloth for a task such as this. Mary, a virgin, carrying her firstborn son would certainly need care, protection, and attention. Not an easy task in any case, let alone in the case of the Son of God!
In the above passage of scripture, I see Joseph--a man. A
man in every sense of the word. In
today's generation, there are some weird ideas about what being a man is. These
delusions include age, size, accomplishments, or social status. This is simply not what lays the foundation for a real man. These things are not bad, and certainly can be desired. But they alone are not what constitutes a man in God's eyes.
He was a carpenter;
certainly no sloth! He was a hard worker, a man under whom Jesus could mature, work with, and grow. Can you imagine the responsibility of such a task?
He was obedient to God! First, you see that God told him to "fear not to take unto thee Mary, thy wife." He obeyed! He did not argue the implications with God. He did not question the possibility. He simply "did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him." He obeyed God! Had he not, what might have happened? Thank God for a man like Joseph!
Now he lays in a bed in Bethlehem. The journey was long, the birth of the child was surreal, to say the least, and now the taxes are payed. He's finally settling down in a comfortable place to sleep; since espousing the chosen mother of God's son, he couldn't remember many nights like this. And now he has just been awaken from a dream, much like the one he got from the angel that told him to take Mary as wife. Now he's being told to flee to Egypt; he's told that Herod seeks the child's life. And he obeyed. He did not question God, and because of him, we see Christ known as "the son of a carpenter."
You have been entrusted with Christ as well! "Really? Me?" Absolutely. When Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary, you were left with the decision. What will you do with Jesus? It has nothing to do with anything you've done, who you are, where you were born, etc. It has to do with what Jesus did for you, and what you will do with him. It's the most important decision you will ever make in your life...
I have chosen to make him Lord! He did what only he
could have done. He saved me by his grace through the sacrifice of his own self, his own blood being the atonement to pay my debt of sin.
Not everyone gives you a second chance like that!! Thank God for the second chance he gave to mankind when he sent his son!
What will you do with Jesus?
