The Carpenter
I was sent this Nativity image recently which is very unusual. It is a model of Mary, Joseph and Jesus as a baby. What’s interesting is that instead of Mary cuddling her new born, she is lying down and resting whilst Joseph holds the child. It’s a more realistic portrayal of what actually happens after the birth of a baby! I was at the birth of all three of our children. My wife, Marianne, did all the work and she was exhausted after each delivery, and needed to rest, leaving me with our new child.
In the Christmas story, Mary was ‘pledged’ to be married to Joseph, a local carpenter. In their context that meant they were already a couple! When Mary told Joseph she was pregnant he knew that if people found out then she would be judged publicly and stoned to death, as that was the law. So, to protect Mary, Joseph planned to secretly ‘divorce’ her. However, God had other ideas...
“An angel of the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, descendant of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the baby in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this happened to bring about what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be pregnant. She will have a son, and they will name him Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.” When Joseph woke up, he did what the Lord’s angel had told him to do. Joseph took Mary as his wife, but he did not have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to the son. And Joseph named him Jesus.”
Joseph can appear to be a minor character in the Nativity story, but his role as Mary’s partner and Jesus’ earthly father are vital. This is demonstrated by God contacting him directly. Joseph responded positively and was obedient to what God said and courageously stuck with Mary. Unaware and maybe feeling unprepared for what lay ahead for them as a young family, Joseph said ‘yes’ to God. They were in this together, with God right at the centre.
This Christmas let me encourage you to renew your faith and trust in God. When we say ‘yes’ to God we often don’t know what is up the road. However, we can be certain that whatever we face, ‘Immanuel’ is with us.
Gary Bastin - Hope Community Church leader