Joseph: From Good To Courageous

I had a chance to speak this past Sunday at Mosaic, so I spoke from Matthew 1:18-25 on an unsung hero (thanks James Petticrew), Joseph.

Here were some of my thoughts:

1. Are we willing to trust God when circumstances do not go our way? Do we trust God in the midst of disappointment? Joseph discovered his betrothed was pregnant, and surely felt betrayed, angry, and pain.

2. Joseph chose not to take revenge but instead chose to do something he felt was good and honorable. He would quietly divorce Mary so that she would not face punishment and their union would end. Instead, God wanted him to do something better than good – something courageous! Staying with Mary would require sacrifice. Are we willing to make the sacrifices necessary to become the person God created us to be?

3. God is more concerned that we become the person He created us to be than we are. At times He intervenes in miraculous ways. The greatest miracle is that God is with us. The Spirit of God is even better than angelic intervention! A courageous act is to allow God to guide us and lead us.

4. We need to be willing to make personal sacrifices that bring life to others.

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