Submission Volume 2

Joseph the father of Jesus, had a tall order to fill when he decided that he wanted to be wed to Mary. Think of a teenager who decides he wants to be married, that is a great deal of responsibility alone. Then you find out that the woman you want to marry is pregnant with another man’s child, that would cripple most men. The pressure of dealing with this issue is to either accept this child as your own and bare the shame along with your bride or accuse her of this wrong and have her put to death by stoning. Then to hear that this is the work of the God whom you love and honor and His Will is for you to go through with the wedding and to raise His child as your own. Joseph submitted to God’s will and took on the task of loving a woman who bore the Son of God, and endured the shame that came along with it. Joseph’s name is not mentioned all that often in our society or in our sermons but he truly exhibited the character of a righteous man for this act of submission. As we meditate on our journey in Christ, would we have the faith to trust in a loving God to submit to His Will if it would bring shame and pain to our lives. Do we cherish this life that we have made greater than the life God Wills for us to live??? Have a wonderful life of submission on purpose!!!!!

Matthew 1

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[d]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[e] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[f] because he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[g] (which means “God with us”).

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.