Sermon Series

Christmas Long Ago – Part 2

“A Cause for Peace”

Pastor Jerry

Matthew 1:18-25

(A first person narration/drama – by Joseph)

————————————- Message Synopsis ————————————-

O Lord, how could this happen to me? I do not know what to do.

Have you heard? …Mary is going to have a baby and it is not mine.

O God…when I was first engaged to be married to Mary, I never dreamed I could come to love her so much. We have been honorable throughout our engagement.

But…now, I find that she has been unfaithful to me!

I could not believe it when I found out. Mary has always seemed such a faithful and amazing young woman. We followed the custom of our people here in Galilee—we were always chaperoned.

And now this—I find that she has made a fool of me.

Lord…Mary has run off to see her cousin, Elizabeth. Mary claims that her pregnancy is not what I think, and she claims to have been told by an angel to go and see Elizabeth.

O Lord, what should I do?

I believe the only choice I have is to divorce Mary? Because—that is the only way to break our engagement. But, O God, beyond the divorce itself—how should I handle the situation?

I feel like I ought to do what is right, and what is right according to the law demands that Mary pay for what she has done. I have been raised to follow Your laws. I have followed Your law as closely as I know how.

To be honest, part of me wants nothing else but justice here. She betrayed my trust. She has to pay. She has done me so wrong.  But, if I divorce her publicly, she will carry the shame of her unfaithfulness the rest of her life.

That is what I ought to do—I know this.

Do you know what is so troubling about my dilemma? I love her, I love Mary. While I clearly cannot marry her, I do not want society to see her as an evil person.  

I feel so strange, my anger tells me to let the whole world know what she had done to me. Yet, my love tells me to show her mercy. Is there a way I can find peace in this time of confusion in my life?

(NO…)

O Lord, I know that righteousness demands justice. I am so troubled. I need time to think.

YES! I know what I should do. I will divorce Mary quietly—give her the bill of divorcement and simply not list a charge. I could just tell people that we decided to end the engagement and leave it at that. I simply can not put Mary to public shame.

Oh how exhausted I am …I need some rest so that I can clear my head!

(Put head down…to rest…)

Something awesome has just happened to me. In the midst of my sleep, an angel of the Lord appeared to me—I had a vision. The Lord spoke to me through his angel.

What he had to say was astonishing! Mary was not lying to me. Her pregnancy is a miracle. The Holy Spirit of God created the new life within her. She has not been unfaithful at all—she has been touched by God!

It is true! The angel told me that Mary’s child was the child of Peace for all people. This child would be the salvation of the world—he would save his people from their sins. He even told me what to name the baby, “JESUS!”

JESUS – means — “The Lord is Salvation.”  

I know that this seems incredible. But I really do believe the vision that came to me in my rest—I really do believe that Mary is still a virgin. The child she carries comes from God—the child she carries is the Prince of Peace!  

You know what? I now have a peace that I would have believed impossible earlier. My troubled heart is troubled no longer! Mary has been true to our love.

What a story!!!

Surely there should be a place for faith in our hearts. Is it so hard for you to believe that God has spoken to me? Please believe me—Mary is telling the truth.

God has given me Peace. God is the one who has let me know the truth. God is showing me even now what I should do.  

I will obey God — Mary will become my wife. It does not matter what the world believes—I know the truth. I hope and pray that one day, you will know the truth as well.   

I am going to Mary now. I am going to beg her forgiveness for my lack of trust in her. I love her—and I will be proud to raise her child as my own. I know that I can have peace, because I know that God has spoken to me.

I must tell you one last thing that I am confused about. I do not know how to be a father. But I do know this—I will look to God for guidance. I will trust that he will show me the way. This child will be raised in the house of God and this child will be raised hearing the Word of God. JESUS will bring God’s salvation into people’s hearts. I pray you will let Him into your heart!   …SHALOM …Peace…