We are in the month of December and all over the world, people are preparing for Christmas day. Some have no idea that Christmas is about Christ. To them, it’s just another day to eat a lot, be with friends and family, and open a gift or two. When we look in the Bible to find what Christmas is all about, we must look at the two people who were amazing parents that God chose for Jesus’ earthly parents. How scary and yet magnificent it would be to be chosen by God himself to raise the Son of God in human form. Today we will look at Mary and Joseph and the circumstances they dealt with as they accepted the task God gave them. God chose Mary to be his mother. A virgin betrothed to Joseph to be married. Joseph was the man chosen to be His earthly Father. Two very common people, yet, people we can learn much from.
Mary was told by the angel that Jesus would be placed in her womb, by the power of the Holy Spirit. This was difficult to understand for all involved. It had never happened, and it would never happen again.
Luke 1:26-31 “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.”
Luke 1:34-35 “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore, also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”
Mary must have been the center of gossip by the women of the village. She was pregnant but was not married. How would she explain to those who knew her and lived close to her? There is no mention of her having a conversation with relatives or friends about her condition, other than Elisabeth, her cousin, as found in Luke 1:39-44. However, it would not be long before everyone would know. Wagging tongues were no different then than they are now. She would have been the main course at the gossip table. Even those who loved her and trusted her would have a hard time believing her story. Even Mary doesn’t understand in the beginning, as she asks the angel “How shall this thing be.” However, we never find Mary tormenting herself with what others would say. The truth of her innocence and the trust she had in God never deterred her from her purpose. How did she keep her mind clear and calm? She was committed to God. The only thing about Mary that made her different from any other young woman was her relationship with God.
What about Joseph? How could he endure the men teasing him about what appeared to be sexual activity before marriage? What about the fear of those who thought Mary had been unfaithful to him? Many questions would flood his mind and those around him bringing pain, regret, and doubt. Yet, he followed through with God’s plan. Joseph listened to the angel God had sent to him and he obeyed. He believed what God said. The confusion, doubt, and pain were replaced with love for his bride, and the child they would bring into the world. Joseph became a wonderful father to Jesus. Nowhere do we see anything negative written about Joseph. He was a good father in every area, He had trained Jesus to work. In Mark 6:3, Jesus is referred to as a carpenter, just like His earthly father Joseph. He took him to the synagogue to worship and taught Him about His heavenly Father. He had been taught well, trained well, and well-loved, even though he was God in the flesh.
Mary and Joseph had a successful marriage. Jesus was not their only child as we see in Mark 6:3. They both had much to overcome, but how did they overcome the pressures of this world, the regrets of not being able to follow through with their own plans, the pain of so-called friends and nonbelieving acquaintances gossiping about them? This couple followed God. They had fully surrendered to God long before this situation arose. Their belief in God and their determination to follow His will for their lives had already been settled. This is what made their marriage a success!
Mark 6:3 “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.”
They are a great example to us of complete obedience. Many of us would have sat down and pouted or worse, rebelled against what God had intended for our lives. Many would have asked why, not for a sense of understanding, but with a sense of entitlement. In other words, God who do you think you are to do this to me?
Their marriage should also be an example for us. Their unwavering love for God guided their love for one another. The key, they were selfless, not selfish. They desired to please God, therefore the more they loved God the more they loved each other. We all battle with selfishness to a great measure, yet we know it is a sin. It is only through recognizing the ugliness of this sin that we will seek to overcome it. It is only through Jesus that we can become a selfless person.
Selfishness is also a sin that will rear its ugly head often. We can overcome this when our obedience becomes more important than our desires. Many Christians will never know God’s will for their lives because they are not close enough to hear Him speak to them. They accept Him as their Savior, serve him to a point, and then the relationship goes stale because they fail to continue to study and pray.
Where are you today? What kind of marriage will you have if given the blessing of someone to share your life with? What kind of parent will you be if given the opportunity? Are you preparing for what God’s will is in your life by being obedient to all you know? Are you seeking daily to know God in a greater way by study and prayer? You have a choice just like Mary and Joseph. What will you choose?
