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Joseph’s Faith

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When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. [Matthew 1:24-25]

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In Judea, a colony of Rome, the Judean people looked forward to something with hope every day.

That hope was in the Messiah who God would send to save their own country.

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There once was a man named Joseph who lived in a town called Nazarene.

He was a carpenter. He was a very diligent and good man.

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He was a faithful person and tried to live out God's words.

Joseph was also waiting for the Messiah like all of the others.

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Joseph had a beloved fiancee named Mary.

She was also a good and faithful person loved by all.

They loved each other deeply.

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One day, when Mary was in her house.

Suddenly, a great light shone all around the room and an angel of the Lord appeared. She was so surprised.

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The angel said to Mary, "Rejoice! You have been given God's grace.

God is with you."

Mary could not understand what the angel meant."

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The angel continued, "You will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be called the Son of the Almighty God." God decided to send the Messiah, Jesus, on Earth through Mary.

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Mary said, "I have a fiance but I did not get married yet.

How can I have a baby?"

Mary did not understand how she could have a baby by herself.

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The angel said, "You will have a baby through the Holy Spirit.

And the baby will be called God's Son.

For with God nothing is impossible.

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The faithful Mary said, "I am a servant of God.

I believe that God will fulfill what he wants for me."

After hearing her confession, the angel left.

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From that day on, Mary became pregnant. Joseph found out about it.

Joseph heard from Mary that God had made her pregnant but he could not fully understand that. So, he started to worry.

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He thought, 'If people know that Mary is pregnant, then they will punish her. So I will divorce her as if nothing has happened so that she will not be in trouble.'

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He had in mind to divorce her quietly because he was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace.

He could have punished her who had betrayed him but he didn't.

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That night, he slept with a heavy heart.

The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream.

Joseph was so surprised. The angel said to Joseph.

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"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. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

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After Joseph woke up from the dream, he knew that Mary was pregnant with the Messiah. So he decided to take Mary to his home quickly.

He got married to Mary with the people's blessings.

However, they did not sleep together until Jesus was born.

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At first, Joseph did not believe that Mary became pregnant through the Holy Spirit's help. Yet, he became a father of Jesus after he believed what the angel had told him. Some of you like Joseph cannot believe that Jesus was born of a virgin. Now I hope that you believe it by today's story.