BEING A FATHER Matthew 1:18-25

Introduction  Today is FATHER’S DAY.  I want to speak about a Father who is often overlooked.  His wife is more prominent than him.

 I am talking about Joseph, the husband of Mary.  As much as God chose Mary to give birth to the Son of God, He also chose Joseph to be a Father to Jesus.  To lead Him to manhood.

 Mary and Joseph were chosen together to be parents.  God went looking for a father.  The role of the Father is an important one.

 They are needed for the spiritual act of raising a child.  God needed a man to fill the role of father in Jesus’ life.

 If you are a single parent – do not despair that your children are beyond hope.  God is gracious.  He will not forsake you.

 God made a choice.  He chose Joseph.  What can we learn from Joseph that can inspire fatherhood?

1. HE WAS A LOVING MAN  Joseph was a wonderful, caring and affectionate man.  You see this in his relationship with Mary.  Matt.1:19 – Joseph finds out that Mary is pregnant.  What was he to think?  Did he feel angry? Betrayed?

 The penalty for adultery in the Old Testament was death by stoning.  Even before God spoke to Joseph, he did not have any vengeance or bitterness in his heart.  He wanted to put her away secretly.  Joseph was already considering the best way to do this.

 Joseph was kind.  He loved Mary.  It was based on a real commitment.

 Eph.5:25 – As husbands we are to love our wives with all that we have.  We must love them sacrificially – just like how Christ loved the church.  Joseph was loving toward Mary.

 Joseph was also loving towards Jesus.  There was no resentment or indifference towards Jesus even though Jesus was not own “flesh and blood.”  Joseph adopted Jesus as his own.

 He protected Him from the hatred of Herod.  He nurtured and cared for Him.  He even taught Jesus his own trade – carpentry.  He adopted Jesus but the world rejected Him.

2. HE WAS A DEVOUT MAN.  Joseph explicitly followed the Lord’s leading and direction.  He wanted God’s plan for his life.  When God spoke to him in a dream and told him to marry Mary – He obeyed.

 When God said, “Take Mary and Jesus to Egypt” – he obeyed immediately.  He closed up his business and left.

 Then God said, “Return to Israel” – he did as directed.  He was a man of obedience.  He was also a man of faith.

 It takes faith to pack your bags and leave for a foreign country.  There were no prospects nor planning.  Because God said so, he did.

 Made no excuses to stay because of better prospects.  Fathers, your faith will speak to your children.  Raise them in an environment of faith toward God.

 Story  Farmer and his crop.  Needed a harvest to pay his creditors.  Hail storm. Harvest lost.

 Son expected his father to curse in despair.  But instead heard him sing “Rock of ages cleft for me.”  Years later, the boy now a man said, “That was the greatest sermon I ever heard.”  Joseph was leaning on God.  He was a man of faith.

 He was also faithful in his spiritual duty.  He set an example for his family – going to the Temple; attending the feasts – Luke 2:41  He was regular in going to God’s house.

 Story  Dad, his son and Sunday school.  “Get ready, hurry up.”  “Are you going to come with me?  “No”.  “Did you go to Sunday school when you were a boy”?

 “Certainly I did!”.  “If it did not help you, it sure would not help me too.”  Our children watch our faithfulness.

3. HE WAS A WISE MAN.  Joseph was wise because he lived as one who redeemed the time.  All records indicate that Joseph had a short life.  At the Cross, Jesus instructs John to look after His mother.

 But Joseph used what time he had been given wisely.  He provided for his family.  He set an example for them to remember.

 He raised them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  Joseph had other children.  Two of them were greatly used by God.

 Two of them wrote a book in the Bible – James and Jude.  James was also a leader in the church in Jerusalem.  He raised his children in the ways of the Lord.  He left a legacy after his lifetime.

Conclusion  Are you redeeming the time as Joseph did?  Are you setting an example for them to follow?

 Are you showing enough affection, Godly counsel or loving concern?  Joseph was not perfect, but he did his best.