It's been 2000 years since
the glorious light of the cross
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illuminated the world veiled in
darkness and confusion about the
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character of God. And
still today the greatest need of
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mankind is a revelation of God's
love as revealed in the life of
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Christ. Amazing Facts presents
the everlasting gospel with
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Pastor Doug Batchelor coming
to you each week from Sacramento
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Central Church in sunny
California. Discover hidden
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treasures in God's word today.
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Good to see each of you here
and we know during this time of
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year sometimes we're blessed
to have a few extra visitors as
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people are coming and going and
seeing their families. We want
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to welcome those who are
visiting here at Sacramento
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Central and we hope that God
speaks to you and you're blessed
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by our time together today. Our
message today is dealing with
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a Bible study subject and
also something that would be
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appropriate for the season. It's
Joseph, a Father's Legacy. Now
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I've been a little conflicted
before because I thought about
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preaching about Joseph during
Father's Day but I thought,
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well folks are going to think
it's a Christmas sermon. Now if
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you do it in December, it sounds
like a Father's Day sermon. But
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can't win either way. But I
wanted to talk about this unsung
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hero in the Bible and what a
very important role he had that
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God gave him, what lessons
we can learn and what it says to
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each of us. Now, of course, most
of us know the Christmas story.
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You haven't heard too many
sermons about Joseph. I'll tell
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you one reason. He never speaks.
There are no words of Joseph the
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Father of Jesus that you
can point to. I mean Mary utters
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a prayer. Mary says several
things during the course of
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Christ's life. Joseph
does several things, he thinks
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several things but he never says
anything that's recorded. And I
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think there's a reason for
that. You don't know what the
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personality type of Joseph was.
And I think the Lord did that
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deliberately because he is
a template for every father.
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You can't say well he was more
sanguine than I am, he was more
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of an extrovert, he was more
quiet. You can't say that about
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Joseph because you don't know.
But what it does say in the
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Bible about Joseph every father
or grandfather can apply to
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themselves. So I think it's
significant to remember that.
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Some of the things we do know
are recorded about him. Go with
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me in your Bibles to the book of
Matthew chapter 1 verse 18 and
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this was part of our memory
verse this morning. You've heard
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these verses hundreds of times.
Please indulge me as I have you
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look at them one more time
because there are some things
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I'd like to attract your
attention to. Evidently Joseph
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was a very good man. He was a
man. Think about the confidence
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that Almighty God invested
in this man in that he entrusted
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to his care during the most
formative years of our Savior's
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life, Joseph held the role
of his earthly father. That's
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significant when you consider
it. The Bible says, Now the
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birth of Jesus Christ was as
follows: After his mother Mary
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was betrothed to Joseph, before
they came together, she was
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found with child of the
Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her
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husband, being a just man...
All right, what kind of man is
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he? He's a fair man, he's a
just man and that word there
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encompasses quite a bit in it's
definition. He's a good man,
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he's an honest man, he's
a just man. Now look at the
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circumstances. Joseph is
probably older than Mary.
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When I say that I don't mean a
couple of years older. He may be
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15-20 years her senior. Now I
always have to explain this to
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people and sometimes folks just
don't hear anything else I say
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when I talk about this subject
after they hear what I'm about
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to say. Joseph, the scholars are
almost unanimous, probably had
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a family prior to his engagement
with Mary. Just so I can get
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some support, how many of
you have read this before.
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Let me see your hands. All right
good. I remember saying this
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once with a group of ministers
going to Israel and they looked
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at me like a heretic. They were
shocked that someone would say
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something. Joseph probably
had the brothers and sisters of
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Jesus before he married Mary.
Now there's good reason for
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that, biblical reason. Let me
take you there. I just want you
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to have the picture of what's
happening here when Joseph is
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first appearing on the scene of
the scriptures. The Bible tells
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us that Jesus had at least four
brothers; they are named and it
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says, And sisters. The sisters
are not named but because it
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says sisters, there are at least
two, four brothers, two sisters,
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a minimum of six. That would
be interesting if that's what it
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is because then Jesus would
be the seventh. Can't prove that
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though but no more than two
sisters, at least two. Think
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about it now. Joseph ceases to
appear after Jesus 12th birthday
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probably because he was
older. Somewhere between Jesus'
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baptism at age 30 and age
12 Joseph dies. Why does Jesus
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commit the care of his mother
to the apostle John who may be a
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second or third cousin, but why
would not the natural children
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take Mary in unless they
were stepchildren from a former
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marriage. Another reason the
scholars think that Joseph had a
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family prior to marrying
Mary, and that's where the other
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siblings come from, is because
it would have been greatly
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disrespectful and highly
improbable for the oldest son,
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if Jesus was the oldest of these
other siblings, to leave the
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family and become an itinerant
preacher. Usually the oldest is
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the one who gets the inheritance
He sort of becomes the manager
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of the family in the event of
the father's death. You remember
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which of the prodigal
sons, which of the father's two
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children runs off? The younger.
What does the older do? He stays
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at home and works with dad.
Between Jacob and Esau, which
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one is younger? Jacob. Who
leaves home? The younger one.
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And I could go down the line and
show you a lot of examples of
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that. The older ones always felt
the obligation to be sort of a
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surrogate father and they stayed
home. It would have been really
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unusual for Jesus to leave his
mother after the death of the
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father as the oldest of the
children and become an itinerant
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preacher, but they would wink if
the youngest did that. And his
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brothers are always referred
to in sort of a detached manner.
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So many think that Joseph may
have lost his first wife. He may
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have had four boys, this adds
a lot to the story, and at least
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two girls and this man who is
middle aged needs to marry again
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and he finds this pretty
young Jewish girl who is from
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Bethlehem. He proposes to her.
Maybe there are arrangements
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made with her parents though
they don't come into play.
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She is related somehow to
Elizabeth. We know that as far
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as her family is concerned. They
have a contract, an engagement.
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He pays a dowry. Everyone knows
that they are engaged. They are
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looking forward to the wedding.
The nuptials have not taken
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place yet, but they're betrothed
He thinks that he has gotten the
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cream of the crop. Mary is
a godly young lady. Now in the
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midst of that you know what
happens of course. The angel
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comes and talks to Mary. Says
surprise. You're going to get
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the greatest honor that
any human woman has ever had in
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that you're going to have this
miracle child conceived within
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you, the Messiah, the anointed
one you will be the mother of.
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That's a great honor. But to
keep her humble, she has to live
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with the humiliation of
explaining to everybody in the
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community, really I'm still a
virgin. Do you think that would
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have been accepted back
then much better than today.
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This has been a miracle?
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I'm sure that people, I
mean, you know, you can only
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hide it so long. She's an honest
young lady. She goes to Joseph
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and says I've got to tell
you something. I'm pregnant.
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Probably very early in
the pregnancy because she knew
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before it even happened. Didn't
have to take a test. The angel
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told her. And then, sure enough,
things are late. She tells
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Joseph it's true and he's
probably just as cynical. He's
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thinking, Ah you know this girl
is delusional and he's wondering
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what to do. He doesn't want to
humiliate her. According to the
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law... Let's read what the Bible
says here. Deuteronomy 22 verse
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23. If a damsel that is a virgin
be betrothed unto a husband...
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is that Mary? This is a
definition of Mary, they're
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betrothed... And a man finds
her in the city and lie with
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her... not the betrothed...
Then you shall bring them both
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out to the gate of the city and
stone them with stones that they
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die. That was the law. Matter
of fact, remember when the woman
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caught in adultery was brought
into the temple before Jesus the
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Jews quoted this law. They still
practiced that law if the Romans
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allowed it. At least, if the
Romans didn't allow it, there'd
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be a public spectacle. The
engagement is called off and she
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is humiliated. But Joseph is
a just man. He loves Mary. He's
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considerate of her needs.
That's another criteria that we
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discover. He's not just thinking
about his mortification. He's
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not thinking vindictively, well
I'm going to teach her a lesson
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so this never happens again.
I got to make a statement for
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society so we're going to
humiliate her. He's trying to
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find some way as gracefully as
possible to protect her and not
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humiliate her because he cares
about her needs. And you'll find
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that several times during our
study this morning. Joseph is
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very concerned about Mary. The
legacy that a father has is to
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care about the mother. I
remember hearing an Adventist
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minister say at a seminar one
time, this quote is not original
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with him, but that's where
I first heard it: The greatest
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thing a father can do for his
children is to love their mother
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because if you love their mother
(I was waiting for Karen to say
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amen). If you love their mother
then obviously that will play
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out in the lives of the children
and by the way, I've got a
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confession to make. As I studied
Joseph and thought about husband
00:11:58.87\00:12:02.61
father I feel something like
a 500 pound pastor talking about
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the health message. Y'all know
what I'm talking about. Matter
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of fact, we have an ongoing joke
among the pastoral staff when
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we get together. We know that
the family is so important and
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every now and then I'll kind
of nudge Pastor Mike. I said
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Pastor Mike, you want to preach
a sermon on the family. I said
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we really need it. He said, Ah
Doug, you know I just never feel
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qualified. You preach it. I say,
Harold, Pastor White, I say,
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You're a seasoned pastor. You
preach on the family. Oh, but
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you know, I just don't every
feel worthy. So we all decided
00:12:29.56\00:12:32.37
that from now on Pastor Steve
Allred is going to preach about
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marriage and the family. He
can't lose, right? So when I say
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these things I'm always
preaching to myself along with
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everybody else. But if Joseph
had any natural feelings at all
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and you're engaged to this
pretty young lady and then you
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find out that she's pregnant and
you know you had nothing to do
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with it, he must
have been devastated.
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But instead of just thinking
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about what it meant to him and
his reputation and his plans,
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he's thinking about Mary. He
doesn't want to humiliate her.
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He's a just man. That means he's
a kind man, he's a considerate
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man. He cares about her needs.
The Bible also tells us that
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Joseph is a man of vision.
Now I was surprised to discover
00:13:21.39\00:13:27.17
this. There are five dreams
in the first two chapters of
00:13:27.20\00:13:32.06
Matthew. Four of those
five supernatural dreams come to
00:13:32.10\00:13:36.89
Joseph. As a matter of fact, God
speaks to Joseph through dreams
00:13:36.93\00:13:40.23
probably more than anyone else
in the New Testament. This is a
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man of vision. He had spiritual
insight. He was plugged into
00:13:43.78\00:13:48.02
heaven. He was a man that
was led by the Spirit. God could
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talk to him, he listened. You
know it says in Acts chapter 2
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verse 17, Your old men
will dream dreams. Now there are
00:13:56.64\00:14:00.64
places in the Bible where young
men dream dreams too, but Joseph
00:14:00.68\00:14:04.05
was one of those older men who
dreamed dreams and God gave him
00:14:04.09\00:14:07.65
supernatural guidance. In
this way he was a man of vision.
00:14:07.68\00:14:11.63
By the way, Acts 2:17, you'll
also find that in Joel chapter 2
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as well. He was a spiritually
guided man that God could speak
00:14:16.24\00:14:21.20
to. The next important point
is a very obvious one. He obeyed
00:14:21.23\00:14:26.10
the messages that God gave him.
One of the best things you can
00:14:26.14\00:14:30.61
do as men in your families, of
course this is true of the women
00:14:30.65\00:14:35.09
mother, grandfathers,
grandmothers is to not only be
00:14:35.12\00:14:39.01
someone who hears what God is
saying but to be willing to do
00:14:39.05\00:14:41.70
what God is saying, but to be
willing to do what God is saying
00:14:41.74\00:14:46.62
Think about it. Joseph is going
to take this young lady to be
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his wife. That first baby is
going to be premature. In other
00:14:52.22\00:14:56.72
words, suppose that right
after the angel comes to him he
00:14:56.75\00:15:01.83
marries Mary. She already is
a couple three months pregnant.
00:15:01.86\00:15:06.44
That baby is born full term.
Might be a good thing they were
00:15:06.48\00:15:12.23
out of town when he came.
You with me? If there are other
00:15:12.26\00:15:17.44
siblings, they know something's
up. When he goes ahead and he
00:15:17.48\00:15:22.34
commits to marrying Mary he
knows that he is going to be the
00:15:22.38\00:15:27.21
object of tongue wagging
over the course of his life.
00:15:27.24\00:15:30.75
He married that young girl that
was running around. They got
00:15:30.79\00:15:34.61
pregnant before they even came
together. Or they must have been
00:15:34.64\00:15:38.43
foolin' around before the
wedding. I mean, there's also
00:15:38.46\00:15:41.24
that option. But he was willing
to obey the commandment of God
00:15:41.28\00:15:46.07
even though it might reflect on
his reputation. God said do it,
00:15:46.10\00:15:50.89
he was willing to do it. It says
in Matthew chapter 1 verse 24,
00:15:50.92\00:15:55.55
And Joseph being aroused from
his sleep did as the angel of
00:15:55.58\00:16:01.27
the Lord commanded him and
he took to him his wife, Mary.
00:16:01.31\00:16:08.64
The Bible says also, The angel
said, and he called his name
00:16:08.68\00:16:15.94
Jesus. Now Jesus was a name that
was not only given to Mary when
00:16:15.98\00:16:21.94
the angel appeared to her.
Jesus is a name that is given to
00:16:21.97\00:16:25.94
Joseph when the angel appears to
him. It was the father's right
00:16:25.98\00:16:30.38
to name the child. How many of
you remember when Zechariah did
00:16:30.41\00:16:35.01
not believe, his tongue was tied
and he was mute. He could not
00:16:35.04\00:16:39.61
speak. When did his speech
finally come back. They asked
00:16:39.64\00:16:43.21
him what are you going to name
John the Baptist. They said name
00:16:43.25\00:16:46.94
him after your family name and
he said, No, his name is John.
00:16:46.98\00:16:51.10
It was the father's prerogative
to pick the name for the son.
00:16:51.14\00:16:55.23
Now the mother could make
suggestions as Rachel and Leah
00:16:55.26\00:16:58.68
often did with Jacob. But
it was really a father's right
00:16:58.72\00:17:02.17
when it was recorded in the
temple. So the first one when
00:17:02.20\00:17:05.58
the priest said and what is the
name of the baby, it was Joseph
00:17:05.62\00:17:10.37
who said, His name is Jesus.
Also I think that we should not
00:17:10.41\00:17:15.13
run past a very important point
that may not be well received.
00:17:15.16\00:17:21.35
God honored his position as
father and priest of this little
00:17:21.38\00:17:27.54
family in giving him this
information. If he had only
00:17:27.57\00:17:30.87
given this information to Mary,
it would have been disrespectful
00:17:30.91\00:17:33.98
of his position as the father
in the relationship. So he
00:17:34.01\00:17:37.02
recognized that. Joseph was the
first mortal to utter his name
00:17:37.06\00:17:44.20
publically and say his name is
Yeshua, Jesus. As many fathers
00:17:44.23\00:17:49.70
Joseph realized how important
it was that the son, that the
00:17:49.73\00:17:54.65
children of the family be
protected. He was interested in
00:17:54.68\00:17:59.53
their protection, their shelter.
Luke chapter 2 verse 7: And she
00:17:59.57\00:18:04.06
brought forth her first born
son and wrapped him in swaddling
00:18:04.10\00:18:07.98
clothes and laid him in a manger
because there was no room for
00:18:08.02\00:18:14.51
him in the inn. He found shelter
I meant to say, up there, when
00:18:14.54\00:18:20.67
he asked to go down to the home
town to pay the taxes. Now let
00:18:20.70\00:18:25.80
me give you the background here,
too. At the time when all this
00:18:25.83\00:18:31.05
is happening Augustus Caesar is
on the throne of Rome. Rome is
00:18:31.09\00:18:35.31
experiencing what they called
pax romana, the Roman piece.
00:18:35.34\00:18:39.36
It was the longest period of
prosperity in the Roman kingdom
00:18:39.39\00:18:43.71
under Augustus Caesar. Augustus
Caesar takes a census. The word
00:18:43.74\00:18:47.31
for that really means is he
wants to make sure that every
00:18:47.35\00:18:51.53
body in paying their empire
tax. You can't really call it a
00:18:51.56\00:18:55.36
national tax. And in order to
count everyone they had to go to
00:18:55.39\00:18:59.70
the town where their birth was
registered. Joseph being from
00:18:59.74\00:19:04.02
the house of David and
Mary also was from the house of
00:19:04.05\00:19:07.66
David, they go to Bethlehem. Now
you know I talked to the pastors
00:19:07.70\00:19:13.31
yesterday. I said, do I dare
say this to the church and we
00:19:13.34\00:19:16.11
weren't even agreed on whether
or not I should mention this but
00:19:16.15\00:19:18.84
I look at the clock and I see
I've got time. I want to get you
00:19:18.87\00:19:21.53
to think about something
here. Have you ever noticed the
00:19:21.56\00:19:24.33
discrepancy between the
genealogies that you find in
00:19:24.37\00:19:27.07
Matthew and in Luke. How many of
you have read that? Of course,
00:19:27.11\00:19:32.67
the genealogy of Matthew takes
Christ, those generations, and
00:19:32.71\00:19:37.90
tracks him as the son of David
to his birth. Luke goes all the
00:19:37.93\00:19:43.09
was back to Adam. There's
a difference between who the
00:19:43.12\00:19:50.26
father of Joseph is in Matthew
and who the father of Joseph is
00:19:50.30\00:19:55.60
in Luke. It's because in
Luke it's talking about Joseph's
00:19:55.63\00:20:00.50
father-in-law, which is Mary's
father. Now there was even a
00:20:00.53\00:20:05.52
dilemma among the early church
fathers because they said if
00:20:05.56\00:20:10.12
Jesus is of the son of David
and the genealogy is traced by
00:20:10.16\00:20:14.44
Joseph but the conception is by
the Holy Spirit and if there is
00:20:14.48\00:20:18.73
no part of Joseph in Mary
then why bother even tracing the
00:20:18.76\00:20:23.16
genealogy. Have you ever
wondered that? Why go through
00:20:23.19\00:20:27.52
all this trouble to talk about
Jesus' colorful family tree and
00:20:27.56\00:20:30.85
go through the genealogy if when
you get to Joseph there's really
00:20:30.89\00:20:34.15
no connection, that it is
totally a divine insemination
00:20:34.18\00:20:39.64
and I'm using that term
correctly. It means to implant
00:20:39.67\00:20:45.06
seed. I was speaking to a Hebrew
scholar that teaches at one of
00:20:45.10\00:20:49.49
our schools, Southwestern
University, Dr. Morris Lewis.
00:20:49.52\00:20:53.69
Years ago I asked this question.
He's a Jewish expert and he
00:20:53.73\00:20:58.24
said, where does it say in the
Bible that nothing of Joseph was
00:20:58.27\00:21:03.36
in this miraculous conception.
It doesn't say that. It says the
00:21:03.40\00:21:08.46
conception was affected by
the Holy Spirit. Now just think
00:21:08.49\00:21:11.29
about this. You don't mind my
trying to stir up your thinking.
00:21:11.32\00:21:15.36
When God made Eve where did he
get the parts. Did he take part
00:21:15.39\00:21:20.36
of Adam and use it to make Eve.
Would it be beyond the Lord to
00:21:20.39\00:21:24.41
say, you know, this is going to
be a divine child, but I'm going
00:21:24.45\00:21:28.44
to take something of the
genetics of Joseph and put them
00:21:28.47\00:21:31.51
in Jesus, or put them in
Mary. Sorry, I said that wrong.
00:21:31.55\00:21:34.52
He could have done that couldn't
he have. Now I'm not trying to
00:21:34.56\00:21:39.85
detract from the divine nature
of Jesus, you understand me?
00:21:39.89\00:21:45.14
But if you know anything about
science, if he's conceived by
00:21:45.17\00:21:50.35
the Holy Spirit what DNA did God
pick from? God could have picked
00:21:50.39\00:21:59.40
from many, he could have
manufactured it. He had to pick
00:21:59.43\00:22:01.88
something, right? I mean,
the features of the male and the
00:22:01.92\00:22:04.51
female chromosomes that unite
to make that one unique new
00:22:04.55\00:22:07.49
life. What did God do. Did
he go through the cosmos and say
00:22:07.53\00:22:11.42
eeny, meeny, miney, moe and
assemble some new DNA? Where did
00:22:11.45\00:22:14.57
the different components
come from? They had to come from
00:22:14.61\00:22:18.10
something, some template
somewhere. Could God have used
00:22:18.13\00:22:21.55
Joseph. I'm not arguing that.
I have no burden to bear, but I
00:22:21.59\00:22:25.01
just want you to think about
that. If that's true, that would
00:22:25.05\00:22:28.44
then explain why did he go
through all of the colorful
00:22:28.47\00:22:34.08
characters of Jesus' family tree
following the lineage of Joseph?
00:22:34.12\00:22:39.25
Unless there was something of
Joseph in Jesus. It is possible.
00:22:39.28\00:22:44.44
You can't disprove it. So I'm
just going to say it to get you
00:22:44.48\00:22:49.89
to think and that would explain
that. But of course whether you
00:22:49.93\00:22:54.59
go through Mary or whether
you go through Joseph, Jesus was
00:22:54.63\00:22:58.91
the son of David either way and
so I just wanted you to think
00:22:58.94\00:23:03.19
about it. I have no burden.
I just shared what Dr. Lewis
00:23:03.22\00:23:05.99
shared with me and it made me
think. Joseph was interested in
00:23:06.03\00:23:10.58
he found shelter. Of course, not
only did he find shelter when he
00:23:10.61\00:23:14.59
went up and down the streets of
Bethlehem during that taxing and
00:23:14.63\00:23:18.58
ultimately he found shelter
there in the stable, but later
00:23:18.61\00:23:22.86
it says that when the wise men
came... Evidently they stayed
00:23:22.90\00:23:26.29
in Bethlehem for a while. You
don't want to move right after
00:23:26.33\00:23:30.40
the baby's born. We don't know
how long after it was but when
00:23:30.44\00:23:34.48
the wise men met before Herod
after interviewing them about
00:23:34.51\00:23:38.52
when they saw the star and
it could have been the star
00:23:38.55\00:23:41.33
appeared to the wise men in
advance to give them time for
00:23:41.37\00:23:44.52
their journey. But all the
babies in Bethlehem two years
00:23:44.55\00:23:48.78
old and under were executed.
So we don't know how long Jesus
00:23:48.82\00:23:52.40
was in Bethlehem but when
the wise men came, it never says
00:23:52.43\00:23:56.12
they came into the stable. The
Bible says they came into the
00:23:56.15\00:24:00.07
house. Now it could have been
that after a few days and people
00:24:00.10\00:24:03.99
left Bethlehem a hotel room
emptied. It could have been a
00:24:04.02\00:24:07.84
few days later, it could have
been weeks or even a year later.
00:24:07.88\00:24:11.80
The Bible is unclear about that
but Joseph had found a better
00:24:11.84\00:24:15.00
place for Mary and the baby
by the time the wise men came.
00:24:15.04\00:24:18.55
And I don't mean to explode your
mental pictures but all those
00:24:18.59\00:24:22.72
Christmas cards that you've seen
all your life with the shepherds
00:24:22.76\00:24:26.86
and Jesus and Joseph and
Mary and the wise men all in the
00:24:26.89\00:24:30.29
stable are inaccurate. It is
very likely that the wise men
00:24:30.33\00:24:33.96
and the shepherds never laid
eyes on each other. It sounds
00:24:33.99\00:24:37.55
from the Bible like the wise men
came into the house, is what it
00:24:37.59\00:24:41.59
says. There were no donkeys in
the house or sheep in the house.
00:24:41.63\00:24:46.26
So you just need to know. Part
of the reason for that is God
00:24:46.29\00:24:50.53
was confirming to Joseph
and Mary. It just wasn't for the
00:24:50.56\00:24:54.59
wise men. You have been given
a divine charge. What do you
00:24:54.63\00:24:57.70
think it says to them. Here they
are in the stable. They think
00:24:57.74\00:25:01.13
God's forsaken. They can't even
find a hotel room and all of a
00:25:01.17\00:25:04.10
sudden these shepherds come and
say angels just came to let us
00:25:04.14\00:25:07.36
know that the king of Israel has
been born and this is where he
00:25:07.39\00:25:10.58
is. Do you think that was
confirmation for Joseph and
00:25:10.61\00:25:12.94
Mary to encourage them that even
though they couldn't find a room
00:25:12.98\00:25:15.90
to stay in that this still
was true; they had this special
00:25:15.93\00:25:19.27
child. Then just before they
have to flee to Egypt, some more
00:25:19.30\00:25:22.61
time has gone by. They
are wondering, was this a
00:25:22.64\00:25:24.43
hallucination. Then the wise
men come and they say we've been
00:25:24.47\00:25:28.07
sent to confirm to you that this
is the king of prophecy we had
00:25:28.11\00:25:31.74
heard about. So all these events
that are happening, what do you
00:25:31.78\00:25:35.38
think, what's the effect
on Joseph and Mary. God is
00:25:35.41\00:25:38.91
continuing to remind them
that this child they have is no
00:25:38.95\00:25:42.40
ordinary child, that they have
been given a unique and a sacred
00:25:42.44\00:25:48.07
charge. So he found shelter
for the family. He protected his
00:25:48.10\00:25:52.78
family. Now I'm going through
some things that I think every
00:25:52.81\00:25:57.08
father should do. The problem
is many fathers stop at these
00:25:57.11\00:26:02.62
things. I know that with my dad
the bottom line for him was you
00:26:02.65\00:26:08.13
know the main paternal
responsibilities are to feed and
00:26:08.16\00:26:12.89
to shelter and to discipline.
Any of you grow up with a dad
00:26:12.93\00:26:17.04
like that? Don't complain. You
got food. I don't want to hear
00:26:17.07\00:26:21.12
anything. Doesn't matter that
I never play baseball with you.
00:26:21.16\00:26:24.43
You got food on the table, don't
complain. You got a roof over
00:26:24.47\00:26:27.17
your head, don't complain. If
you don't want to listen to me
00:26:27.20\00:26:30.25
get your own food, get your
own roof. Did any of you have a
00:26:30.29\00:26:34.78
father like that? Yeah. I guess
all that great generation that
00:26:34.82\00:26:39.28
came out of World War II
and the father's principle
00:26:39.31\00:26:42.74
responsibility was you were to
be the protector, the provider
00:26:42.78\00:26:47.82
for the family. But you know
what? We downplay that sometimes
00:26:47.85\00:26:52.84
but not too many women want to
marry a man that won't protect
00:26:52.88\00:26:57.82
the family, that won't provide
for them. We all know that some
00:26:57.86\00:27:02.77
women have a husband they
got to protect him and provide.
00:27:02.80\00:27:07.33
And I think it creates a little
insecurity. Now I'm not trying
00:27:07.37\00:27:10.47
to ridicule some who might have
unique circumstances but we're
00:27:10.51\00:27:14.30
not talking about those. When
Herod sought the life of Jesus
00:27:14.33\00:27:19.08
he was there to protect. I
remember reading about one five
00:27:19.12\00:27:22.78
year old boy was talking to
another five year old boy and
00:27:22.82\00:27:26.41
he said, My father can beat up
your father, and his friend said
00:27:26.45\00:27:31.11
Yeah, my mother can beat up my
father too. Matthew 2 verse 13
00:27:31.14\00:27:35.77
and 14: Now when they had
departed, behold the angle of
00:27:35.80\00:27:39.65
the Lord appeared to Joseph in
a dream (another dream), saying
00:27:39.69\00:27:43.10
arise, take the young child...
Now the word there, young child,
00:27:43.14\00:27:46.48
is different from the word
infant. So he has grown a little
00:27:46.51\00:27:50.18
bit there. Take the young
child and his mother and flee to
00:27:50.22\00:27:54.23
Egypt and stay there till I
bring you word, for Herod will
00:27:54.26\00:27:58.57
seek the young child to destroy
him. And he arose and he took
00:27:58.60\00:28:02.69
the young child and his mother
by night and they departed to
00:28:02.73\00:28:06.80
Egypt. He protected. Some of you
remember reading in Revelation
00:28:06.83\00:28:10.87
chapter 12. It says that the
dragon was wroth with the woman
00:28:10.90\00:28:15.51
and he sought to devour the man
child as soon as it was born.
00:28:15.55\00:28:20.10
The devil wanted to destroy
Jesus and of course there were
00:28:20.13\00:28:24.46
angels giving protection.
Can you imagine being Joseph and
00:28:24.50\00:28:28.40
here you've got this cosmic
battle going on and all of the
00:28:28.43\00:28:32.93
devils of hell are wanting
to destroy your baby and you are
00:28:32.96\00:28:37.17
the earthly protector. He
doesn't have an army does he?
00:28:37.21\00:28:42.57
That's a heavy responsibility
isn't it? So he protected his
00:28:42.61\00:28:48.33
family. Again, Matthew chapter
2 verse 19. But when Herod was
00:28:48.37\00:28:52.75
dead, behold, the angel of the
Lord appeared again in a dream
00:28:52.79\00:28:57.08
to Joseph in Egypt, saying arise
take the young child and his
00:28:57.11\00:29:00.74
mother and go to the land
of Israel, for those who sought
00:29:00.77\00:29:04.33
the young child's life are dead.
And then he arose and he took
00:29:04.37\00:29:08.20
the young child and his mother
and he came into the land of
00:29:08.23\00:29:12.30
Israel. Father should protect.
You know, we just heard a couple
00:29:12.34\00:29:17.09
of weeks ago about, I think I'd
actually seen him on computer
00:29:17.13\00:29:21.85
before, James Kim. You all
heard about the young family,
00:29:21.88\00:29:25.69
this gentleman who took
the wrong road. You know that
00:29:25.73\00:29:29.47
happened to me once. I was alone
didn't have my family with me.
00:29:29.51\00:29:34.95
I wanted to take a shortcut from
Paradise, California to Covelo.
00:29:34.98\00:29:40.83
And you drive across 60 miles
of rugged, dirt, mountain roads
00:29:40.86\00:29:46.68
very high mountains and I
thought I'm sure the snow is
00:29:46.71\00:29:49.39
melted by now and it's so
much quicker to go across the
00:29:49.42\00:29:52.03
mountains rather than go all
the way down to highway 20, back
00:29:52.07\00:29:54.77
across and back up again.
So I took off going across the
00:29:54.80\00:29:57.86
mountains with my four-wheel
drive pickup truck. I ran into
00:29:57.90\00:30:02.32
some snow. But I'm stubborn and
I'm also a man and it's a sign
00:30:02.35\00:30:06.74
of weakness to turn back. So I
kept going. And I saw tracks in
00:30:06.78\00:30:10.17
the snow. I said someone made it
across the mountains so I kept
00:30:10.21\00:30:13.66
going and I kept going. Finally
I came upon a vehicle that was
00:30:13.69\00:30:17.47
stranded up in the mountains.
This German tourist... This
00:30:17.51\00:30:21.22
doesn't directly relate with our
sermon here but I thought you'd
00:30:21.26\00:30:24.05
find it interesting. This German
tourist had also tried to go
00:30:24.09\00:30:26.98
across the mountains. He had
a two-wheel drive pickup truck.
00:30:27.01\00:30:30.45
He'd gotten stuck and he'd been
up there, I forget, two or three
00:30:30.49\00:30:34.67
days waiting for someone to come
and get him out. He didn't want
00:30:34.71\00:30:38.86
to leave all his stuff. He
had stuff in the camper up there
00:30:38.89\00:30:41.53
on the truck. I was so
disappointed I couldn't make it
00:30:41.56\00:30:44.98
across the hills because the
snow was so deep but I knew the
00:30:45.02\00:30:47.82
Lord sent me up there because
I was able to use my winch and
00:30:47.85\00:30:50.96
pull this guy out. But that
happens. People say oh I think I
00:30:51.00\00:30:53.90
can make it and they take off,
make a wrong turn, end up on a
00:30:53.94\00:30:56.87
logging trail. This young family
stayed up there for days and the
00:30:56.90\00:30:59.80
father finally took off to
protect and save his family.
00:30:59.83\00:31:02.62
He took off through the elements
to try to find help and he died
00:31:02.66\00:31:07.38
in the process. I was watching
a nature film this week. Colobus
00:31:07.41\00:31:12.66
monkeys. Chimpanzees like to
hunt, now it's not pretty, but
00:31:12.70\00:31:16.74
they like to hunt, they're not
all vegetarians, chimpanzees,
00:31:16.77\00:31:21.57
Colobus monkeys. And when a
tribe of chimpanzees finds a
00:31:21.61\00:31:26.34
tree filled with Colobus monkeys
they surround the trees and they
00:31:26.38\00:31:29.50
try to get them. The father
monkeys are the best able to
00:31:29.53\00:31:33.36
escape. But you know what
happens? The father monkeys
00:31:33.40\00:31:36.58
throw themselves at the
chimpanzees and sacrifice
00:31:36.62\00:31:39.73
themselves so that the wives,
is that what you call female
00:31:39.77\00:31:44.75
monkeys, yeah, the mothers and
the infants can escape and they
00:31:44.79\00:31:49.74
basically are killed by
the chimpanzees. Fathers should
00:31:49.77\00:31:54.27
protect their families. Not
just physically. I think God has
00:31:54.31\00:32:00.68
wired many fathers that
way. We should be interested in
00:32:00.71\00:32:05.35
spiritually protecting our
families. And sometimes, and I'm
00:32:05.39\00:32:09.96
not without guilt in this area,
sometimes fathers would lay down
00:32:10.00\00:32:16.37
families, but if the kids are
quiet while they're watching TV
00:32:16.41\00:32:21.66
sometimes we're not as worried
about what they're watching as
00:32:21.69\00:32:26.57
long as they're out of our hair.
And we're not as interested in
00:32:26.61\00:32:31.46
their spiritual protection.
What's coming into our homes
00:32:31.49\00:32:38.67
spiritually? What kind
of attacks are happening
00:32:38.70\00:32:40.41
spiritually? A lot of fathers
are very aloof and indifferent
00:32:40.45\00:32:44.53
about the spiritual attacks that
happen where they would lay down
00:32:44.57\00:32:48.66
their lives if there was some
physical attack, some intruder.
00:32:48.70\00:32:52.72
Someone tries to assault their
wife or their children on the
00:32:52.76\00:32:56.61
street, I think most fathers
here would say, Yes, I would put
00:32:56.65\00:33:00.78
myself in harm's way to protect
my family. But when the devil
00:33:00.82\00:33:04.43
does it in the home spiritually,
ah, as long as their quiet.
00:33:04.46\00:33:10.57
Someone say amen. That was
almost all women saying amen to
00:33:10.61\00:33:17.26
that. Joseph was a man who had
self-control. There's no record
00:33:17.30\00:33:23.46
of him ever losing his temper or
shouting or becoming impatient.
00:33:23.49\00:33:29.62
And I deliberately left
something out when I read
00:33:29.65\00:33:32.03
earlier because I wanted to
save this verse for this point.
00:33:32.07\00:33:37.95
Matthew 1:25: When he woke up
and he took Mary as his wife it
00:33:37.99\00:33:42.54
says and he did not know her
till she had brought forth her
00:33:42.58\00:33:46.92
first-born son. In other
words he forfeited the honeymoon
00:33:46.95\00:33:52.83
nuptials because he realized
this is a sacred child and there
00:33:52.86\00:33:57.86
should be no doubt in Mary's
mind or anyone's mind, but that
00:33:57.90\00:34:02.15
God is the father of this child
and he wouldn't even come near
00:34:02.18\00:34:06.40
her. He respected that
relationship and he exercised
00:34:06.43\00:34:12.78
self-control. I think that's a
legacy that every father should
00:34:12.82\00:34:18.52
give their families and their
children is control of your
00:34:18.55\00:34:22.93
passions whether that's your
temper, whether it's physical
00:34:22.97\00:34:26.87
passion, whether it's food,
whatever it is there should be
00:34:26.91\00:34:31.06
an example of self-control. If
you don't have discipline over
00:34:31.10\00:34:35.58
yourself, no other theology
will be of any good because the
00:34:35.61\00:34:39.56
ultimate theology is by the
grace of God Jesus came to save
00:34:39.60\00:34:43.52
us from our sins and
that's going to involve a battle
00:34:43.55\00:34:48.22
between the spirit and flesh.
And fathers ought to leave a
00:34:48.26\00:34:52.30
legacy to their families, to
their children of self-control.
00:34:52.33\00:34:57.06
Amen? If you conquer a city and
you can't control yourself you
00:34:57.09\00:35:01.79
are a weak man. That's one
of the most important things.
00:35:01.82\00:35:05.61
Galatians 5 verse 22, this is
one of the gifts of the Spirit.
00:35:05.65\00:35:09.30
But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, long-suffering
00:35:09.33\00:35:12.92
kindness, goodness, faithfulness
gentleness... Now King James
00:35:12.96\00:35:17.11
says temperance here, New King
James, self-control, same thing.
00:35:17.14\00:35:21.30
Against such there is no law.
One of the fruits of the Spirit
00:35:21.34\00:35:25.04
is self-control. I believe that
Joseph had that fruit of the
00:35:25.08\00:35:29.37
Spirit. He was concerned for
their environment. You notice
00:35:29.41\00:35:33.63
after they leave Egypt, we don't
know how long they were in Egypt
00:35:33.67\00:35:36.96
Now this confuses people but
since I'm on the subject we may
00:35:36.99\00:35:43.36
as well cover everything. Jesus
was not born the year zero.
00:35:43.39\00:35:49.62
By the way, there was no year
zero. You got 1 A.D. and 1 B.C.
00:35:49.66\00:35:54.24
If someone tries to fool you
about the year zero, there was
00:35:54.27\00:36:00.09
no year zero. Three hundred
years after Christ they tried to
00:36:00.13\00:36:05.52
figure out a new dating system.
The church leaders, the church
00:36:05.56\00:36:09.84
had now become accepted in Rome
Instead of dating all history
00:36:09.87\00:36:14.31
from various kings and religious
leaders it was very confusing.
00:36:14.34\00:36:17.95
They wanted a universal dating
system that everybody could use.
00:36:17.98\00:36:21.58
So they tried to pinpoint the
birth of Christ. They said let's
00:36:21.61\00:36:25.13
date all things from Ano Domini.
Now you know they're getting
00:36:25.17\00:36:28.99
away from that. I forget, Roger,
what is the new thing? CA circa?
00:36:29.03\00:36:32.91
Yeah. They have a new dating
method. They tried to get rid of
00:36:32.94\00:36:36.95
A.D. because it was Ano Domini,
year of our Lord. And B.C. what
00:36:36.99\00:36:40.74
did that used to stand for?
Before Christ. Well the atheists
00:36:40.77\00:36:44.15
are really troubled by the idea.
How can you be an atheist and
00:36:44.18\00:36:47.54
date all history from Christ's
birth? So they've got some new
00:36:47.57\00:36:51.04
terms for that now. But the year
that they picked for Christ's
00:36:51.07\00:36:54.18
birth they found out years later
they were wrong. The reason is
00:36:54.22\00:36:58.20
King Herod the Great who killed
all the babies in Bethlehem died
00:36:58.24\00:37:03.59
two B.C. Well obviously he had
to die after Jesus was born and
00:37:03.63\00:37:08.33
so the best research says that
Jesus was born approximately
00:37:08.37\00:37:12.78
4 B.C. So when he fled and he
went back to Egypt he may have
00:37:12.82\00:37:16.63
stayed in Egypt anywhere from a
matter of months to a year and a
00:37:16.67\00:37:20.43
half. When they came back...
How many of you have seen the
00:37:20.47\00:37:24.16
post cards, The Flight to Egypt?
And it's got a picture of Joseph
00:37:24.20\00:37:30.64
and Mary and Baby Jesus is in
Mary's arms and she is sitting
00:37:30.67\00:37:34.18
on a donkey and they're across a
desert. The silhouette of these
00:37:34.21\00:37:37.69
three people going across
the desert. Now you know in your
00:37:37.72\00:37:42.51
post card now you've got to have
Joseph and Mary, Baby Jesus,
00:37:42.55\00:37:47.86
and Judas and Simon and Joseph,
I forget the fourth brother's
00:37:47.89\00:37:52.74
name and three more kids. You've
got a big silhouette going to
00:37:52.77\00:37:56.93
Egypt and the silhouette coming
back from Egypt. He had to work
00:37:56.96\00:38:01.50
hard to provide for all of them
didn't he. Self-control. He was
00:38:01.54\00:38:05.30
concerned for their environment.
When he heard that Archelaus the
00:38:05.34\00:38:09.21
son of Herod was reigning over
Judea instead of his father and
00:38:09.25\00:38:14.13
that he was afraid to go there
being warned. That doesn't mean
00:38:14.16\00:38:18.47
that Joseph was a man of fear.
He was concerned for the safety
00:38:18.50\00:38:22.28
of his family. He didn't think
that would be a safe environment
00:38:22.31\00:38:27.11
He was warned by God in a dream.
He turned aside into the region
00:38:27.14\00:38:31.62
of Galilee and he came and dwelt
in a city of Nazareth. It was a
00:38:31.65\00:38:35.71
blue collar town. That it might
be fulfilled which was spoken by
00:38:35.75\00:38:40.09
the prophets, He shall be called
a Nazarene. Joseph provided for
00:38:40.13\00:38:44.62
the family. He provided by way
of example. He provided by way
00:38:44.65\00:38:49.11
of sustaining them. Now
you notice it says in Matthew
00:38:49.14\00:38:54.31
chapter 13 verse 55, speaking
of Jesus, Is not this the
00:38:54.35\00:38:59.45
carpenter's son? Now at this
point it never refers to Joseph.
00:38:59.49\00:39:04.13
He has probably died at this
point but they remember Joseph
00:39:04.17\00:39:08.71
who was the carpenter.
They say Jesus is the son of the
00:39:08.75\00:39:13.22
carpenter. You might be thinking
I thought Jesus was a carpenter
00:39:13.26\00:39:16.50
too. Well you read in Mark 6
verse 3. It says, Is not this
00:39:16.53\00:39:20.09
the carpenter, the son of Mary?
So not only was Jesus the son of
00:39:20.13\00:39:25.65
a carpenter, but Jesus picked
up the trade of his father.
00:39:25.68\00:39:30.08
So Joseph set an example of work
for Jesus. He worked along side
00:39:30.12\00:39:36.41
of his father, learned a trade.
I think that every father ought
00:39:36.45\00:39:42.33
to teach their children as much
practical information as they
00:39:42.37\00:39:48.37
can. Amen? How to work, even if
your work, like mine, is largely
00:39:48.41\00:39:52.92
book work and sedentary work.
I try to teach my boys to work
00:39:52.95\00:39:57.43
with their hands, whatever
I know about construction or
00:39:57.46\00:39:59.78
building or painting or making
things. I think that's some of
00:39:59.82\00:40:02.93
best time a father can spend
with his son is doing things
00:40:02.97\00:40:06.70
creative and productive. I'm
sure Joseph did this with Jesus.
00:40:06.74\00:40:10.71
So he provided for the needs of
the family. Nowhere does it ever
00:40:10.75\00:40:14.70
say that they went hungry. Of
course the time of the greatest
00:40:14.74\00:40:18.88
dire straits were when they
went to Bethlehem there and they
00:40:18.92\00:40:23.03
had to stay in the stable.
Joseph was, in some respects,
00:40:23.06\00:40:29.88
Jesus' foster parent, a
step father. Now I think I've
00:40:29.91\00:40:36.66
established that at least
everyone will agree, Jesus had a
00:40:36.70\00:40:39.58
blended family. We all know
that term in our culture today,
00:40:39.61\00:40:44.24
blended family. It presents
unique challenges. I've got my
00:40:44.28\00:40:49.14
black belt on what those
are. Not only because I'm in a
00:40:49.17\00:40:54.36
blended family, but because
my mother and father were both
00:40:54.40\00:40:59.52
married five times, not to each
other. I had stepmothers, I had
00:40:59.56\00:41:05.20
stepfathers, I had stepbrothers
and stepsisters and I know what
00:41:05.23\00:41:10.84
it feels like to have a step
father. I know what it feels
00:41:10.87\00:41:17.44
like to have a stepbrother.
Did Joseph treat Jesus with less
00:41:17.48\00:41:23.63
love because he didn't know how
much involvement he had in the
00:41:23.67\00:41:28.65
the actual birth; well I should
say he did know. Or did he love
00:41:28.69\00:41:34.06
him just as much. Matter of fact
I'm going to suggest that if you
00:41:34.09\00:41:38.55
are a parent and you have any
stepchildren, mother or father,
00:41:38.58\00:41:43.76
you almost need to treat them
a little better. Not that you
00:41:43.79\00:41:48.90
treat them better, but they need
a little more love just so they
00:41:48.94\00:41:53.21
can have security that they're
not being slighted. Now I think
00:41:53.24\00:41:56.37
my father did pretty good with
my stepbrother. Matter of fact,
00:41:56.41\00:41:59.03
I used to be jealous and think
that I sort of got the tail end
00:41:59.06\00:42:01.75
of the stick. He bent over
backwards to make Jonathan feel
00:42:01.79\00:42:04.16
like he was part of the family.
He was actually my father's
00:42:04.20\00:42:06.84
stepson and I sort of felt well
you're treating him better than
00:42:06.87\00:42:11.78
you treat me. But what's the
most important heritage you can
00:42:11.81\00:42:17.63
give to children? Your DNA or
your character. There's a lot of
00:42:17.67\00:42:21.37
fathers out there that say you
better listen to me because I'm
00:42:21.41\00:42:25.18
your father. You got my genes
and so you've got to obey me.
00:42:25.22\00:42:28.60
Now there's something about you
know God wants children to obey
00:42:28.64\00:42:31.99
their parents but the most
important heritage, the most
00:42:32.02\00:42:35.66
important legacy that a father
can give their child is their
00:42:35.70\00:42:40.99
example. You've heard it
said, three ways to teach your
00:42:41.02\00:42:44.88
children, example, example, and
example. And whatever you are
00:42:44.92\00:42:49.38
your children are going to end
up modeling various aspects of
00:42:49.41\00:42:53.84
the mother and the father.
So you want to give them your
00:42:53.87\00:42:57.49
character. It doesn't matter
if that daughter or that son has
00:42:57.53\00:43:02.07
none of you genes in their
body. If God has put you in the
00:43:02.10\00:43:05.87
position of being their parent
whether you're stepmother or
00:43:05.90\00:43:10.79
stepfather model Christ before
them. This is probably one of
00:43:10.82\00:43:14.81
the most important things
that I could talk about, what an
00:43:14.84\00:43:20.78
awesome responsibility that he
had. Joseph taught Jesus how to
00:43:20.81\00:43:27.60
talk right along there with Mary
Did Jesus come out of Mary's
00:43:27.63\00:43:34.39
womb suddenly with this
cosmic understanding and he was
00:43:34.42\00:43:37.69
suddenly talking and he knew
everything, or did Jesus have to
00:43:37.73\00:43:41.64
learn many things the same way
any child learns from a parent?
00:43:41.68\00:43:45.56
Can you think about what an
awesome responsibility Joseph
00:43:45.59\00:43:50.49
had in that he had to
communicate to this Holy Child
00:43:50.52\00:43:56.26
principles and behavior that
would prepare him for his divine
00:43:56.30\00:44:02.81
work. Wow! What an incredibly
awesome responsibility that he
00:44:02.84\00:44:08.05
had. Now think about this.
Was it only Joseph that had that
00:44:08.08\00:44:13.22
responsibility. Can you imagine
raising a child that you know is
00:44:13.26\00:44:16.89
not really your property but
God's property. You know this
00:44:16.92\00:44:21.01
point, are you with me, is
the person next to you with me?
00:44:21.04\00:44:25.06
Do you know? Take a look at them
are they with me? I want you to
00:44:25.10\00:44:29.55
hear this. This is why I picked
this sermon. This point, I
00:44:29.58\00:44:33.46
think, is the most important
point. What God did for Joseph
00:44:33.49\00:44:37.73
in many respects he does for
every parent. You're children
00:44:37.76\00:44:43.09
are not your own. You're
children are God's. You have a
00:44:43.12\00:44:48.38
responsibility to raise them
for God. Sometimes we treat our
00:44:48.42\00:44:54.35
children like they're our
pets at our disposal. But our
00:44:54.38\00:44:58.48
children really belong to
God. They've been bought by God,
00:44:58.52\00:45:02.55
they've been created by God. You
might think well didn't I have a
00:45:02.59\00:45:06.96
part in it. Didn't have to think
about it very much. The design
00:45:07.00\00:45:11.96
of procreation is God's plan.
You simply participated in that.
00:45:12.00\00:45:16.93
It is a miracle he is
responsible for. Life is a
00:45:16.96\00:45:20.14
miracle. You know I was talking
with Karen last night about the
00:45:20.18\00:45:24.52
miracle of life that we
were talking a little bit about
00:45:24.55\00:45:26.59
creation and evolution and some
of these issues. Scientists can
00:45:26.63\00:45:32.68
talk about reproduction. They
understand the continuation of
00:45:32.72\00:45:37.84
life. But they don't understand
the origin of life. They can
00:45:37.88\00:45:43.42
explain how a kernel of corn
opens up and forms a new plant,
00:45:43.46\00:45:47.72
but how the essence of life is
in there they don't understand.
00:45:47.76\00:45:51.99
It's a miracle. Every one
of your children are miracles.
00:45:52.02\00:45:56.54
And you're somebody's child.
You're a miracle. And God wants
00:45:56.57\00:46:00.28
us, especially I'm talking to
parents now, whether you've got
00:46:00.31\00:46:05.00
children or stepchildren, they
are not yours, they're God's.
00:46:05.03\00:46:10.12
And the responsibility that God
gave to Joseph to love them, to
00:46:10.15\00:46:14.61
teach them, to provide for them,
that's something he's offering
00:46:14.64\00:46:18.50
you. And here's another really
important point about Joseph I
00:46:18.53\00:46:22.82
don't want you to miss. Joseph
brought his sacred charge to
00:46:22.85\00:46:27.02
church. You didn't think I was
going to miss that point, did
00:46:27.05\00:46:31.19
you? Luke 2:22: Now when
the days of her purification
00:46:31.22\00:46:35.36
according to the law of Moses
were complete, they brought him
00:46:35.40\00:46:39.36
to Jerusalem to present him
to the Lord. We just had a baby
00:46:39.39\00:46:43.28
dedication and that's biblical.
Some people baptize their babies
00:46:43.32\00:46:46.63
and that's not biblical. Jesus
was dedicated as a baby. He was
00:46:46.66\00:46:50.50
baptized at 30. We don't baptize
babies, we dedicate babies,
00:46:50.54\00:46:54.88
right? And we present them to
the Lord and say God this child
00:46:54.92\00:47:00.04
is your property. Give me wisdom
give me self-control, help me to
00:47:00.07\00:47:05.16
protect, help me to lead,
help me to provide and be a good
00:47:05.19\00:47:10.02
example and you read on here.
It says in Luke 2 verse 27:
00:47:10.06\00:47:14.52
So he came by the Spirit into
the temple. They brought him to
00:47:14.55\00:47:18.46
Jerusalem. Where was he in
Jerusalem? In the temple. They
00:47:18.50\00:47:23.62
brought Jesus to the house of
the Lord. You can also read in
00:47:23.66\00:47:29.11
Luke chapter 4 verse 16: So
he came to Nazareth where he had
00:47:29.14\00:47:33.69
been brought up. Who's this
talking about? Jesus. And as his
00:47:33.73\00:47:37.42
custom was he went into the
synagogue on the Sabbath day
00:47:37.45\00:47:41.07
and stood up to read. Where did
he get this custom in Nazareth?
00:47:41.11\00:47:46.61
From his parents, from the very
beginning. And Luke chapter 2
00:47:46.64\00:47:52.11
verse 42. When Jesus was
12 years old they went up to
00:47:52.14\00:47:55.51
Jerusalem according to the
custom and where they end up
00:47:55.54\00:47:59.21
finding Jesus? He's in the
temple because that's where he'd
00:47:59.24\00:48:04.32
been trained to go. Joseph
brought his family to church.
00:48:04.36\00:48:09.37
He brought them to the temple.
He brought them to the synagogue
00:48:09.41\00:48:12.39
one of the best things that a
father can do for the children
00:48:12.42\00:48:15.31
whether you feel like it or not
whether you're in the mood or
00:48:15.34\00:48:18.34
not is to have that commitment
to bring them before the Lord
00:48:18.37\00:48:21.45
to take them to the place where
the word is taught. Oh, by the
00:48:21.48\00:48:24.90
way, Joseph taught Jesus the
word. Well Pastor Doug I thought
00:48:24.94\00:48:28.30
that he just got that because
the Lord just put a Holy Spirit
00:48:28.33\00:48:31.34
funnel in Jesus' ear and just
poured it all in at one time.
00:48:31.38\00:48:34.75
When Jesus was tempted in the
wilderness and he quoted to the
00:48:34.78\00:48:38.14
devil, who knows what book
he quoted from? Deuteronomy all
00:48:38.18\00:48:41.57
three times. Did Jesus get
that supernaturally or did Jesus
00:48:41.61\00:48:45.31
resist temptation the same
way you and I do. Joseph taught
00:48:45.34\00:48:49.63
Jesus the word right along
with Mary. That was part of the
00:48:49.67\00:48:54.39
father's responsibility.
And fathers, in my family if I'm
00:48:54.43\00:48:59.48
there typically I'll read. If
I'm not there Karen will read.
00:48:59.52\00:49:04.68
We read to the kids. We have
a devotional every morning some
00:49:04.72\00:49:08.26
scripture. You don't have to
read them three chapters, you'll
00:49:08.29\00:49:12.44
wear out the poor kids. But read
them some verses, give them a
00:49:12.47\00:49:16.27
principle, let them digest it.
Try to help them memorize some
00:49:16.31\00:49:20.12
scripture. Joseph! Can you
imagine. Jesus is out there in
00:49:20.15\00:49:23.64
the wilderness, the devil is
firing his missiles at him and
00:49:23.68\00:49:27.85
he remembers what he had learned
at his father's knee. I'm sure
00:49:27.89\00:49:31.18
Mary had a part in it too,
but typically the father was the
00:49:31.22\00:49:34.22
priest of the family who read
these things. You never ever
00:49:34.25\00:49:37.68
hear where a woman got up to
read the scriptures in the Bible
00:49:37.72\00:49:40.67
It does talk about Timothy's
mother and grandmother, but I'm
00:49:40.70\00:49:44.11
talking about publically. Joseph
read the Bible to his family.
00:49:44.14\00:49:47.83
And you read about the book of
Jude, the book of James. These
00:49:47.87\00:49:50.76
are probably the brothers of
Jesus. They knew the word too
00:49:50.79\00:49:55.36
didn't they? He had that example
Now I think it's interesting
00:49:55.39\00:50:00.46
when Jesus' last scene, Joseph
had taught him the word, he
00:50:00.50\00:50:05.48
taught him the scriptures. When
Jesus' last scene with Joseph,
00:50:05.52\00:50:10.47
the last time he appears is
in the temple, he is sitting
00:50:10.50\00:50:14.71
surrounded by the scholars
of Jerusalem. They're asking him
00:50:14.74\00:50:18.30
questions, he's asking them
questions and they're giving
00:50:18.33\00:50:22.04
biblical, scriptural answers,
they're in a Bible study
00:50:22.08\00:50:25.72
together and they were amazed
at his knowledge of scripture.
00:50:25.76\00:50:29.51
I have a feeling that Joseph was
a man who understood the word of
00:50:29.55\00:50:33.75
God and that God deliberately
picked that man and that's one
00:50:33.78\00:50:37.70
of the reasons he was a just man
and a good man and an honest man
00:50:37.74\00:50:41.60
and a man of vision is because
he was a man of the word. Do you
00:50:41.64\00:50:44.58
think I'm reading too much into
the story or is there evidence
00:50:44.61\00:50:48.85
for that. I think there's good
evidence for that. Now this to
00:50:48.89\00:50:53.98
me, I think, is profound. Luke
2:49, the last words that you
00:50:54.01\00:50:59.17
find Jesus uttering to Joseph
and Mary. It says, Why did you
00:50:59.20\00:51:03.90
seek me... He's in the temple.
It's like he said father Joseph
00:51:03.94\00:51:08.74
you've raised me to prepare for
my life mission of serving my
00:51:08.78\00:51:13.80
heavenly father. Why did you
seek me? Did you not know I must
00:51:13.83\00:51:18.50
be about my Father's business.
When Jesus turned 12 years old,
00:51:18.53\00:51:22.62
that was a transition point for
a Jewish boy. Today they do bar
00:51:22.65\00:51:26.25
mitzvahs at 13. It used to be
12. Why they changed it I don't
00:51:26.28\00:51:29.85
know. But at 12 years old
he technically was to start
00:51:29.88\00:51:34.20
transitioning into manhood.
They start going through puberty
00:51:34.24\00:51:37.85
during that time and they had
picked that age. Jesus says to
00:51:37.88\00:51:41.11
Joseph, I now must be about
my Father's business. From this
00:51:41.14\00:51:44.83
point on there's never any
reference to Joseph in the Bible
00:51:44.87\00:51:48.64
It's almost as though the Lord
is saying I am now transferring
00:51:48.67\00:51:53.34
the responsibility from this
earthly father to the heavenly
00:51:53.38\00:51:57.22
Father. When he went to the
temple at 12 years of age Jesus
00:51:57.26\00:52:01.08
finally got an epiphany, a
revelation of what his mission
00:52:01.12\00:52:04.67
was. He saw the Passover lamb
and he knew I am that lamb. It
00:52:04.70\00:52:09.01
all began to jell in his mind.
Up to that time Joseph was his
00:52:09.04\00:52:13.28
father. Joseph had to represent
the heavenly Father to Jesus.
00:52:13.32\00:52:17.53
Can you imagine that
responsibility? Do you know you
00:52:17.56\00:52:20.75
as parents must represent God to
your children. They are going to
00:52:20.79\00:52:25.22
take what they learn about you
and they will later superimpose
00:52:25.25\00:52:30.49
the template you have given them
of a parent on God. And some of
00:52:30.52\00:52:35.73
you, for you to learn to love
and appreciate God maybe you
00:52:35.76\00:52:39.08
didn't have good fathers and
mothers. In your mind, you may
00:52:39.12\00:52:42.05
have to at some point divorce
yourself from your earthly
00:52:42.08\00:52:44.94
father and mother to get a real
picture of God. If you had some
00:52:44.98\00:52:50.07
areas of dysfunction, and most
of us did, Amen? In our families
00:52:50.10\00:52:54.31
most of us had a little baggage,
dysfunction, these words we like
00:52:54.35\00:52:58.52
to use. You need to separate
those issues and not blame God
00:52:58.56\00:53:02.72
for those things. And Jesus
said I must be about my Father's
00:53:02.76\00:53:06.59
business. Now it tells us he
went back to Nazareth and you
00:53:06.62\00:53:10.42
know what it says? He
was subject unto them. He was
00:53:10.46\00:53:15.10
subject to Mary and to Joseph
and up until his 30th birthday
00:53:15.14\00:53:17.96
he was at home helping. We don't
know exactly when Joseph died,
00:53:18.00\00:53:20.79
we don't know how he
died. There's almost universal
00:53:20.82\00:53:23.91
agreement that Joseph died
before Christ began his ministry
00:53:23.94\00:53:27.53
but he had left an indelible
impression on Jesus by his
00:53:27.56\00:53:31.08
example. I'll bet you, even if
Jesus had none of the physical
00:53:31.11\00:53:36.35
DNA of Joseph, I'll bet you
that after 20 years, 15 years of
00:53:36.38\00:53:40.78
watching this man before him,
that there was something in the
00:53:40.81\00:53:45.17
idiosyncrasies, in the
gait, in the mannerisms, in the
00:53:45.21\00:53:49.07
vocabulary that when people
looked at Jesus they said, you
00:53:49.10\00:53:52.96
know, he's got some of Joseph
in him. And what a privilege,
00:53:52.99\00:53:57.25
what a responsibility, for a
man to know I am going to leave,
00:53:57.28\00:54:01.49
I'm going to impress, like a
photographic plate, on another
00:54:01.52\00:54:05.92
life who I am. Well friends,
fathers, you've got a chance to
00:54:05.96\00:54:09.88
adjust the camera right
now to make sure you get a good
00:54:09.92\00:54:13.77
exposure, to make sure you make
a good impression on the lives
00:54:13.81\00:54:17.09
of your children, and if you've
made mistakes, don't think it's
00:54:17.12\00:54:21.39
too late. Children are very
forgiving. Confess to them and
00:54:21.43\00:54:24.69
say I want to be a better father
I want to leave you a better
00:54:24.73\00:54:28.33
legacy and do your best to spend
time with them because children
00:54:28.36\00:54:31.23
aren't going to know, they're
not going to care so much about
00:54:31.27\00:54:34.25
what you believe if they don't
think you love them, if they
00:54:34.29\00:54:37.44
don't think you care about them.
It's more than just providing
00:54:37.48\00:54:40.60
and protecting. They want
a relationship with you and I
00:54:40.63\00:54:44.76
believe Joseph had that with
Jesus. Amen? The last time you
00:54:44.80\00:54:51.18
find him Jesus says I must be
about my Father's business, he
00:54:51.22\00:54:56.65
never appears again. He is
an example. Joseph is sort of a
00:54:56.68\00:55:01.33
model for us as earthly fathers
for our families, for our
00:55:01.36\00:55:05.15
children, for their spiritual
welfare, knowing they're not
00:55:05.18\00:55:09.11
our property, they belong to
God. We are all children of our
00:55:09.14\00:55:13.95
heavenly Father and all of our
children belong to him. I pray
00:55:13.99\00:55:18.77
that we'll all have the
same attitude that Joseph had,
00:55:18.80\00:55:20.95
realizing that we have a sacred
charge and it is our privilege
00:55:20.99\00:55:25.82
to impress upon these young
minds the divine character and
00:55:25.86\00:55:30.21
prepare them for their life's
work, a great work, a work to
00:55:30.25\00:55:35.18
be sons and daughters of God.
Our loving Father in heaven,
00:55:35.22\00:55:39.56
Lord, we are so thankful that
you have invited us to address
00:55:39.60\00:55:43.67
you as our Father. We've seen
today that in your choice of
00:55:43.71\00:55:48.20
Joseph you chose a good and
a just man because he can be a
00:55:48.24\00:55:52.75
model for every man. I pray,
Lord, that we will all have a
00:55:52.79\00:55:57.23
renewed interest in not only the
protection and provision for our
00:55:57.27\00:56:02.12
children but also the spiritual
environment and protection, the
00:56:02.15\00:56:06.88
spiritual provision. Lord I pray
that by word and by example we
00:56:06.92\00:56:11.40
can leave them a legacy that
will strengthen the church, that
00:56:11.43\00:56:15.30
we can teach them the word, that
we can bring them to the house
00:56:15.33\00:56:19.66
of the Lord where he can inspire
them and speak to them. Thank
00:56:19.69\00:56:23.41
you Lord for this example that
we find in your word of this
00:56:23.44\00:56:27.47
very important holy father that
we see in Joseph. I pray Lord
00:56:27.50\00:56:31.49
you'll help each of us to
recognize we have a similar
00:56:31.52\00:56:34.66
sacred charge in the children
you've given us, whether they
00:56:34.69\00:56:38.04
are our genetic children,
whether they're stepchildren,
00:56:38.07\00:56:41.35
help us to love them Lord as far
as humanly possible as you love
00:56:41.39\00:56:45.75
them. So bless us Lord that we
might take this responsibility
00:56:45.78\00:56:50.03
this awesome responsibility as
a sacred charge and fulfill it
00:56:50.07\00:56:53.89
to the best of our ability.
In Christ's name we pray and we
00:56:53.93\00:56:57.72
thank you. Amen
00:56:57.75\00:56:59.23
¤ ¤
00:56:59.26\00:57:30.36
Amazing Facts Ministry has been
broadcasting the gospel since
00:57:30.40\00:57:33.94
1966 when it aired its first
radio program in Baltimore,
00:57:33.98\00:57:38.29
Maryland. Elder Joe Cruz was the
speaker/director for more than
00:57:38.33\00:57:42.42
30 years. At that time, no one
dreamed that Amazing Facts would
00:57:42.46\00:57:46.75
become a multifaceted, world
wide ministry. The heart beat of
00:57:46.79\00:57:50.93
the gospel pulsating from this
ministry is heard today on radio
00:57:50.97\00:57:55.70
television, the internet, the
correspondence Bible school, the
00:57:55.74\00:58:00.43
publishing ministry and
local and world wide evangelism.
00:58:00.47\00:58:03.99
Pastor Doug Batchelor stepped
into the leadership of the
00:58:04.02\00:58:07.47
ministry after Joe Cruz died
in 1994. Currently Amazing Facts
00:58:07.51\00:58:12.01
is on more than 100 TV stations
and 11 satellite and cable
00:58:12.05\00:58:16.15
networks throughout the United
States, Europe, Australia,
00:58:16.19\00:58:20.26
Central and South America,
the Middle East and Asia.
00:58:20.29\00:58:23.67