Intro: For our Advent season this year, I have chosen to enjoy the Jesse Tree by sharing a 24-day practice to prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s birth; the event we celebrate and honor at Christmas. From the root of Jesse’s stump, we will discover or rediscover the people in the family Tree of Jesus Messiah who were instrumental in bringing the presence of God near to us in order to revive the Spirit-led family of faith. With each day’s reading, we will add a new symbol—an ornament—to our family tree.
Today, is day twenty-two of our journey and our symbol is the Hammer.
My husband, John, loves working with wood. He’s not a carpenter, but he is creative and has made many beautiful things for me out of wood over the years. Working with wood requires certain tools, a plan, precise measuring, and a lot of patience to make things fit together well.
God builds His story throughout Scripture fitting all the pieces of writing together like a Master Architect. In the Old Testament, Jeremiah is sent by God to prophesy to Israel that one day He will send them a righteous ruling King and Messiah through the line of David. Then, in our New Testament lesson today, Matthew introduces us to Joseph, a descendant of David, a righteous man, and a carpenter by trade who will unexpectedly participate in the advent of Messiah.
Joseph is in love with a young maiden named Mary and he wants to marry her. He has a plan to build a life with her, but suddenly things do not play out according to Joseph’s proposed structure and design. Surprisingly, even though Mary is betrothed to Joseph, she is pregnant with a child he did not father. Joseph considers breaking his engagement to Mary, but he loves her and knows she and the child will struggle to survive alone. Joseph wrestles with these new and confusing chain of events and wonders how to move forward.
Things become a lot clearer for Joseph when an angel appears to him in a dream and shares the Lord’s plan for Mary and her child. Joseph is to name the child, Jesus, and raise the Son of God as his own. Joseph will be instrumental in building a spiritual home that will prepare Jesus for his mission—to save the world by building the lives of people for the glory of Father God. The Hammer reminds us that Joseph—a carpenter whose name means God will add—was chosen and used by God to be the earthly father of Jesus whose name means God Saves. The Good News is all about God’s addition of His Son and what He will do to save His world.
Jeremiah 33:14-15 NLT 14 “The day will come, says the Lord, when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good things I have promised them.
15
“In those days and at that time
I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line.
He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
Matthew 1:1, 16-25 NLT 16 Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.
17 All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.
The Birth of Jesus the Messiah
18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
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“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.’”
24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for this amazing lesson from Joseph. Like Joseph, please help us to allow your plan to overshadow our own plans. May we also respond with grace and love when life takes a sudden turn. In Jesus’ name. Amen.