Finding God’s Purpose in Pain | Matthew 1:18-25

INTRODUCTION

We all face crises in life, whether we expect them or not. In the Bible, we often see that after seasons of pain, God brings restoration and purpose, whether in this life or the next. David reminds us in Psalm 40 of God’s faithfulness: ‘He lifted me out of the slimy pit and set my feet on a rock.’ This is the hope we have in every crisis—that God is at work, redeeming our pain for His glory and our ultimate good. Yet, crises also challenge us in deeply personal ways,

So, let me ask you:

• How do you deal with your time of crisis?
• How is your attitude during your pain?

Today, we will explore these questions in this sermon:

From his passage, we will learn:

• The right way to handle pain and crisis.
• What Matthew 1 teaches us about Jesus, the Saviour.

Matthew 1:18-25

¹⁸This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: 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.¹⁹Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. ²⁰But 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. ²¹She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” ²²All 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” (which means “God with us”). ²⁴When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Mary and Joseph are from a Jewish town called Nazareth. It is a small place, no more than 500 people living in the 1^st century, and everybody knows each other. In the Jewish culture, the parents make the match. So, when these kids are young, somewhere 10 to 13, their parents have already had the conversation and the match is made.

When they come to mid or late teens, their parents come together and negotiate an actual marriage contract. It is very official like there are witnesses, people from the community are there. Betrothal is legally binding.

Matthew 1:18

……before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

Joseph is facing a crisis in his life. This is a Relational Crisis.

When someone gets engaged, they have dreams to build a family. He is now in a shock to hear the news of pregnancy.

Cause of Joseph’s Crisis: Apparent unfaithfulness.

• Shattered Dreams.
• Pain and bitterness. The worst pain is the pain of broken trust. In human relationships, when trust is broken, it hurts deeply. As a result, we have legitimate anger. Joseph probably felt anger mixed with pain.
• Public shame and stigma. A good number of people must have come to Joseph and accused him of this pregnancy, “Hey, can you not wait until you get married?”
• Innocent Suffering. Joseph went through innocent suffering. He was not involved in it, Mary was also not involved in it, but until they understood the plan of God, Joseph suffered. Joseph’s innocent suffering resonates with many who endure pain because of another person’s crisis.

God’s plan in this crisis. Jesus was going to be born in a home that was in the midst of crisis.

Today, many of you are going through crisis. Crisis may have hit recently or been carried over. Joseph was going through a crisis. He experienced anger, pain, and public stigma.

How Can We Deal with Our Crisis?

We either Run way, fight back, or freeze (do not know what to do).

How did Joseph face his crisis?

Matthew 1:19

Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

How do people solve marriage crisis these days? For many people divorce appears to be the easiest way out, but it doesn’t provide relief from pain—it only causes more pain. In a marriage running away is not the best option, divorce often leaves deeper wounds.

Joseph had a couple of options:

• Expose Mary to the family and religious leaders. Mary would be disgraced and stoned to death.
• Chose a way that would not harm Mary. Quietly give her a certificate of divorce. Mary would not be disgraced.

Joseph decided to divorce her quietly. His decision was thoughtful, deliberate, and not rushed.

There was a provision where people could divorce if the partner is unfaithful. Mary was apparently unfaithful. However, even when he was thinking about it, he did not act hurriedly. He took time. He did not take a decision based on his emotions. Even in the midst of being the affected one, Joseph demonstrated care and consideration for Mary.

Another way to think is, “So-and-so offended me, so-and-so caused so much crisis in my life. You know, I am entitled to cause equal and more punishment on the other person.” That is the worldly way. But the godly way is what we see here.

Be Considerate of Others.

When we are in a crisis, we end up hurting our loved ones. Be Considerate in Your Relationships. He was already in pain and anger, and he was already carrying a stigma. Even when he was at the receiving end, Joseph was considerate of the apparent offender. He did not take revenge; he did not look for his rights.

Do Not Hurry. Do Not Make an Emotional Decision.

Matthew 1:20

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.

Consider means: Think about it carefully.

Our actions have consequences—every decision we take and act on it has consequences. “We do not have control over someone else’s action, but we have control over your reactions.” Joseph is demonstrating a character that we can emulate.

God Will Speak to You in Your Crisis.

Matthew 1:20

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream ….

God speaks to those who are in crisis. Our God is still speaking. In other words, if you are willing to listen, God speaks.

God Guides Us in Our Crisis.

Sometimes God’s guidance is not in line with what we want to do with our decisions.

A lot of us seek our own way out. You know, there is no connection between our faith and our decisions. Our decisions are very cultural and judicial, this is what we are so used to. But you and I are believers and our decision has to be in line with God’s word and values.

When we are in crisis, we will have a lot of voices speaking to us. A child of God, understand God’s voice in the midst of many voices.

“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.”

Application: I want to speak to you to those who are in a crisis, those who are in pain, those who feel abandoned, hurt, misunderstood, and slandered. Some of us are going through financial crisis, relationship crisis—the lesson we learn is: God speaks if we are willing to listen, and God gives us a way forward we are willing to be obedient.

Some people make immediate decisions. Had he acted without waiting on the Lord, Joseph would have caused damage to God’s plan for his life and lost the blessing of serving God. We are now talking about Joseph even after 2,000 years because he had character.

An important thing: most of the time, your future becomes clearer during a crisis.

Crisis is God’s megaphone in which He speaks to people so loudly.

In other words, God said, Joseph, give up your plan and catch on to my plan. Divorcing Mary is not necessarily. You give up what you’re thinking and latch on to my plan.

We see the error of human perception. What Joseph perceived about Mary was not correct. Often our perceptions about situations or people can be flawed. We must seek God’s guidance to seek see situations. In this case, God the Father, through His angel, gives clarity. A lot of things we have perceived, they need not be correct.

Your Crisis is God’s Invitation to Partner with Him.

Your crisis is God’s invitation to partner with Him. Joseph needed to give up his plan to divorce Mary, instead marry her, because Mary was carrying Jesus, the second person in Godhead, in her womb.

Holding onto God’s plan involves risks, inconveniences, and stigmas. God used Joseph. It involved risks, and it involved inconveniences. He was going to get married to a woman who was pregnant. He had to live with the stigma. The practical message that we see in this verse is: Joseph served God’s interest. That is very important. Whose interest are we attempting to serve? Is it my interest or God’s interest? Joseph served God’s interest.

God had a great purpose for Joseph and Mary:

Matthew 1:21

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.

What Matthew 1 teaches us about Jesus:

• Born of the Spirit; v18
• Yahweh is going to save his people through Jesus, v21.
• Jesus is going to be God with us, v23.

Born of the Spirit; v18, 20.

Who is the agent, who is the divine one through whom this life is generated inside of Mary?

Holy Spirit. This is mentioned twice, v18 & 20.

Matthew has told us twice, (v1, v18) that this is a story of Genesis, origin. Now Matthew says that the Spirit is the one who gives life or conceives Jesus in the womb of Mary. Can you think of another Genesis where the Spirit is the one working to create and sustain life where it would not otherwise be possible? Genesis 1:1-3.

In the midst of the dark and void who is there hovering over there? The Spirit of God is there in the midst of that darkness and out of that comes a garden of life and beauty and goodness.

Matthew is saying something similar at the beginning of his Genesis story of Jesus. What happened with the birth of Jesus is about creation. This is about generation of life where there once was not life. Jesus is utterly unique than anyone born of a woman. This is a new genesis.

Yahweh is going to save his people through Jesus, v21

Who are his people? Israel. You got the genealogy, the family of Abraham.

What about the rest of us? The Hebrew scripture is about God saving the humans through Jesus.

• Man falls in the garden.
• God chooses one man, Adam. Failed
• Makes him a family and a nation. Failed.
• God makes a line of kings from the line of David. Failed.
• Exile to Babylon.
• God brings the exiles back.
• God brings the son of David.
• Through David, he saves his people, in turn he will save the entire mankind.

Matthew is presenting Jesus as the one who is coming to solve the problem of Israel’s sin, his people. But in the bigger story of the scriptures, this was part of God’s greater solution to solve the problem of the fall. The word Matthew uses is the word, ‘sin.’ He will save his people, Israel first and foremost so that what he does for Israel can be done for all humanity. It is about dealing with sin.

There are lots of words in the Bible to show human evil and corruption, one of them is sin.

Sin – Means to fail. Moral failure.

We had a goal as human beings to reflect the divine image and to love God and love each other and we have failed. Jesus comes to rescue his people from their failure and the huge mess sin has landed them in. He is come to rescue Israel, and therefore all humanity from their failure.

This is Jesus. Jesus will have a lot of moral and ethical teachings. But the heart of who Jesus is to save us from our sins. Jesus has coming to do something for us that we cannot do for ourselves. In the process we change and have moral and ethical behaviour.

When we get to know Jesus, we understand that we have failed as individuals and communities and he is here to restore us. Matthew is putting forward Jesus of Nazareth the one in whom is the only hope, solution, rescue and salvation from this corruption or sin that mankind has gotten themselves into. That is the meaning of the virgin birth. It is the solution of God becoming human and rescuing human beings. It is the divine and the human come together in Jesus to save and to rescue us.

He will save his people from their sins. You can accept that claim or you can reject that claim. You can also take time to consider that claim. But you cannot ignore it.

Jesus is going to be God with us, v23.

Matthew 1:22-23

²²All 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” (which means “God with us”). (Isaiah 7)

Hebrew: Immanuel. Greek: Emmanuel. English Meaning: God is with us

God is not going to leave humanity as it is in sin. How is God going to be with us. This leads to the story of his death and resurrection.

It is comfort and solace that God is with us. This God has come to deliver sinful and broken humanity. This God is going to be with us.

God is with the disciples in the Gospel of Matthew

• Jesus is with them in the storm; Mt. 8:23-27.
• Jesus is with us when we are rejected for his name; Mt. 10:25-40
• Jesus is with us when the Church takes a decision; Mt. 18:15-20 (Context: Dealing with sin in church)
• As the church obey his mandate and make disciples of nations, Jesus promises to continue his presence with the church all the days until the end of the days. Mt. 28:18-20

How do I know God is committed to us? See the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Jesus is with us. Jesus is not just past history. Matthew tells us that Jesus is alive and present right now. He promises us that when we gather together, he is here with us.

Transition: Jesus is Born of the Spirit; save his people, God with us. See what Matthew does:

Transition:

Matthew 1:24-25

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

Joseph’s response to God’s invitation was immediate obedience.

Someone said, “Delayed obedience is disobedience.” The passage starts with Joseph planning to divorce her, and the passage ends with him taking Mary as his wife.

The key is he heard God’s word, he obeyed God’s word. Hearing needs to be substantiated with obedience.

What is the test of listening to God? The test of listening to God is obedience.

Joseph was going to divorce her, but now he takes her as his wife.

This obedience is not what he thought he was going to do. It is not what he is going to benefit from. If God is going to benefit, if this is the plan of God, Joseph says, “Here I am, I will serve you with this decision.”

LIFE APPLICATION

1. Jesus is God’s Provision for Human Depravity.

Every human being born in this world is depraved. In other words, they cannot get back to God on their own with their religion, with their good works, or with their philosophy. Jesus is God’s provision as a Saviour. He took upon Himself your punishment and my punishment, died on the cross, and redeemed us from our helplessness. Jesus is God’s provision. Have you received Jesus in your life for the cleansing of your sins?

2. God Chooses Human Agents to Carry out His purposes.

God could have chosen the religious elite in Jerusalem; the Pharisees, Sadducees or the teachers of the law. But God chose Joseph, a carpenter from Nazareth.

It is not about what you are. It is not about whether you whether you a wealthy person, or an influential person. It doesn’t matter to God. What matters to God is: Can you listen to Him? Can you obey him and say, “Here I am Lord, use me.”

God chooses a human agent to carry out His purposes. Are you available to Jesus?

3. Serve God’s Interest.

Joseph served God’s interest, not his interest. We serve our interests: “I make money for myself; I keep time for myself; I use my talents for myself—and me, me, me. What will I get.” Serve God’s interest.

Ask yourself: “How am I going to serve the Father and His interest for this year. What about the next year?” It could be in forgiveness. It could be in restoration. Maybe it’s in avoiding slandering. Perhaps it’s in forgiving someone. Maybe it’s in sharing the Gospel. Serve God’s interest.

When you do something or take up something always ask God: “Lord, Is this Your interest or is it my interest?” Test your actions.

4. Serve God Through Obedience.

I see in the Bible that when people obeyed, God used them, God blessed them. Be obedient. Are we willing to be obedient? What is it God is asking us to obey? Is He asking you to forgive someone, to step out in faith? Is He asking you to share the Gospel with someone? Don’t put it off.

The mark of a disciple is in their obedience—not in their excuses.

5. Your Crisis is God’s Invitation to Partner with God.

CONCLUSION

As we reflect on Joseph’s obedience and God’s purpose in his crisis, let us commit ourselves to trust God in our pain, serve His interests, and obey His voice. Will you partner with God today, saying, “Here I am, Lord, use me”?