Advent 4 with Matthew

22 December Matt. 1:18-25
Many people have problems with the idea of the virgin birth, but let's take this story at face value in order to look at the figure of Joseph. He has a 'bit' part in the gospel story, but yet there is much to commend in his supporting role. It might be a shame to miss this
opportunity to look at his qualities which we can all seek to emulate.

Joseph is called a 'Righteous man' He's also humble. He was hurt at the news of Mary's pregnancy, and according to the Law could have had her stoned - but he didn't. Instead he resolved to keep a hat on the scandal and 'have her put away quietly.' There is an idea here that God is entrusting His Son to frail human beings. It makes me think of those wonderful foster, step and adoptive parents, and carers who are entrusted with someone else's birth children, in all their need and vulnerability, and what a great job of love so many do!

Quiet Joseph has the following qualities according to Matthew. He is righteous (v19), kind, discreet and sensitive, (v19) a man of faith, responsive to God (v24), self-disciplined, (v25) Professor Larry Hurtado claims that if Joseph was required to return to his family home for
the Roman census, then he would probably have family at Bethlehem with whom the couple could stay. However he didn't do that. instead he knocked on the inn door, and spent the night in the stable. Was this because of the scandal of Mary's pregnancy?

Matthew reveals plenty of scandal in the ancestry of our Lord Jesus. Not only the scandal surrounding his birth but look also at some of the terrible rogues in his genealogy in Chapter one. Once more Jesus is identified with those who are 'on the wrong side of the tracks, as well as those who have 'history'.

Possible preaching points.

• What qualities ought Christians try to follow in the supportive role played by Joseph?
• God in Christ was in solidarity with unfashionable, scandalous people (see the characters in the genealogy, Matt. Ch.1). How well does our congregation identify with such people in society today?