Advent Week #4 - Joy

We've been studying the genealogical record leading up

to. The birth of Jesus.

In a time on the church calendar called Advent.

So we have week by week. Looked at the themes of Advent

and each theme finding someone in the genealogical.

Record of Jesus that that has a story that helps us.

Understand that Advent, a time where we remember that people

were waiting for. God to fulfill the.

Promise to send the Messiah. Had to wait.

In the promises yet unfulfilled. And so we looked at the theme of

hope and we looked at the theme of love and the theme of peace.

And today maybe the the biggest tension in waiting is the theme

of joy. That you're waiting will

somehow, often miraculously, but always in God's goodness, turn

into joy. Earlier this month, about a week

ago. We got the 1st.

Delivery of Christmas presents dropped off at our house.

Daniela's sister came with a couple presents.

Put them under. Our tree.

And left. And my son, who can't read many

things, but he can read his own name, went under and found a a

gift with his name on it. He was so excited that the gifts

had finally arrived. He and he.

So he, he took the gift, and he, he, he, he proclaimed with joy

that Christmas had come. And my wife looked at him and

said, well. The gift is here.

But you can't open it yet. And for his six year old mind.

That that was the. Worst news he'd ever heard in

his life. And he came up to me weeping

tears of sorrow and he told me that he no longer wants to

celebrate Christmas. Christmas was cancelled.

And this is the Advent tension. He the the gift is.

So close and yet he can't have it yet.

And in his little 6 year old brain, he would rather not have

the gift then wait. For.

The gift and that. Is the the?

Tension that many of us have. To.

Experience in the Advent. Trust that difficult.

Times will in fact turn into joyful times.

We may not have the, let's call it frankly, the honesty of a

six. Year old.

We're we're too mature and sophisticated to throw tantrums,

but in your heart of hearts, there's times in your life.

Where you. Start to question whether a

confusing, difficult change of plans, unexpected event could.

Actually be used by God as a good.

Thing and that is what we're going to look.

At today, is that God's joy? Biblical joy.

Will use surprising circumstances.

To give you a. Surprising ending, and this is

in line with all of the themes of Advent.

Remember hope? We looked at Abraham.

He hoped against hope. It did not look like he had

anything to be hopeful. For for love, we looked at Ruth

and before she gets to the love that she gets to share.

In a wedding. She had to display love to a

widow it. Was surprising in the way that

it. Starts and for peace we looked

at Rahab. Who was a woman who?

Was a a picture of. Peace in the middle of

destruction. All of these are.

Shocking and surprising, and yet it's so worth our attention,

because this is in. Fact how God typically works.

Out in your waiting and joy will be no different.

The question of your life is can God use surprising events?

To give you joy. When you don't have what you

want immediately. When plans break.

When you don't see. Exactly how it's all.

Going to work out, can you be someone?

Who trusts God still? So that you can get through the

confusion and into the joy and so.

For that we will. Look at the very end of the

genealogical record which will. Give us a great.

Preview into what you've all been invited to our Christmas

Eve service when we will. Celebrate with great.

Joy, the remembrance that. Jesus did come.

In all of the expectations, in the waiting, the promise was

fulfilled and. Today we'll look at the preview

of that story. As we remember how the

genealogical record ends in Matthew chapter one, verse 16,

it says and. Jacob begot, Joseph.

The husband of Mary. Of.

Whom was born Jesus? Who is called Christ so all of

the the. The names on the list thus.

Far are. Leading to the moment.

Where Jesus? Is going to be sent into the

world and he will be sent into the world through a parental

unit of Mary and Joseph now genetically he comes through

Mary, but. We get the Joseph record so that

we could. Understand that he is in fact a

direct descendant through the line of.

Joseph. To the throne of David, which is

part of the messianic promise that the descendant of David.

Would fulfill a. Kingdom everlasting and for

this. If you've ever.

Asked the question well. How is he a?

Fulfillment of the line of David if he's not actually.

Related to Joseph, this is. This is just.

How genealogical records work. It is not necessarily genetics.

But it is the legal right to what the legacy of the.

The person that you're being brought into.

So Joseph is going. To have a decision to make about

whether or not he will claim this son as his own.

In fact, it will end in the custom of naming the child, and

to name the child is to claim the child as.

Your. Own, thus giving him all.

The rights that that. Joseph would have in the

lineage. Of David so.

With that in mind. Joseph is going to be.

Presented with an option on whether or not to accept the

claim of this child and we we get the tension of this.

This is a This is a story of good.

Tidings and great. Joy, as the Gospel of Luke will

tell us. But it's.

It's not good tidings in the beginning.

It doesn't start with. Great news.

For Joseph Matthew chapter. One now skipping into the the

direct. Story of of.

Joseph now in verse 18 it says now the.

Birth of Jesus Christ was as follows.

After his mother, Mary. Was betrothed to Joseph.

Before they came together. She was.

Found. With child of the Holy Spirit

this is. Probably not new information for

you if you've been around the Christmas story at all, but

Matthew is deliberately drawing out a great tension that must be

understood about the Christmas story.

And it's right there, he says. That Mary.

Was betrothed to Joseph. This is for our best.

Reference point they were engaged and in their culture

that. Was called a betrothal.

Which meant that they needed to. Wait.

A year the families have come together, they've made the

traditional accepting of one another from the families of of

both Mary and Joseph and now the tradition was to to wait one

year both to make preparations of this union and.

Also to. Allow one year of testing to be

made that there was nothing scandalous happening within this

relationship and to. Break a betrothal is.

Not as easy as calling off a wedding.

To break a betrothal. Would be the equivalent to

getting a divorce. In this time, everything has

happened, but the final moment of coming together and

Matthew's, he's telling us, he's reminding us.

This is a very important part of the Christmas story.

Before they came together. While they were committed to one

another, Joseph is presented. With the fact that as it says.

Mary was found. To be with Child of the Holy.

Spirit. So knowing the Christmas story,

Mary has already gotten her news.

She's already gotten a vision of what has happened to her.

She's. She's already visited.

Her cousin and and and things have happened in her world.

To. Confirm to her that this is part

of God's plan for her life. But Joseph, it says.

Has to see it for himself. She's found with child.

What that finding out look like we don't know, but maybe an

inference could be made that it's once the the child is

conceived, eventually the woman will be found.

Some of you are probably showing signs of conception this morning

because. It's hard to hide A.

Pregnancy all the way to. Delivery, so Joseph is.

Faced with an undeniable. Fact that she is with.

Child, and that presents him with the tension that will lead

to eventually. Great joy, good tidings, but it.

Presents with him a. Reality that it's a very.

Difficult thing that he's being called to do, I want to remind.

You what the Bible tells us about biblical.

Joy that. Those of you who.

Can at. All relate.

To this story know. That God actually allows us to

go through. Difficult times and to view them

through the lens of trusting him that they'll turn into good

times. And one of the most profound

verses that you'll ever be reminded of when the challenge

of joy comes into your life will come from James chapter 1.

James 1 · chapter mention

My brethren, count it all. Joy.

When you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing

of your faith produces patience, this is a verse that James has

retrospectively to this moment, but no doubt.

This is the exact. Thing that James was

referencing. There will be times in your life

when what? You believe about God.

Faith gets tested. And what the Bible?

Says for those of you who are. Brethren who who know God, who

have faith in God, count it joy. Something's happening in your

testing that will produce in your life something good, and

this is. A great test that Joseph is.

Going to model for us. How to walk through the trials

of life? To get.

To the other side. Where the promise of joy is

waiting. And so how does Joseph handle

his test? It says then Joseph, her

husband, being a just man and not wanting to make her a public

example, was minded to put her. Away secretly, so he's got what

is easily stated as a classic. Dilemma.

It's a dilemma in the sense that.

He's got. Two options, and both of them

seem unfavorable. He can either, it says, make a

public example, not. His choice to make a public

example would be. To abide by the Levitical law

of. What to do when someone

apparently has committed adultery to go?

Through the process of. Divorce and to present.

His case as to why and. Avoid personal shame and present

Mary as someone who needs to be punished.

Or. He can go through the matter

privately, he can try to do everything he can to protect her

reputation and to find a A. Path forward that will.

Allow separation to happen in the most protective and private

way possible. And it says he's a just man and

he prefers mercy. I love that.

It says he's a. Just man, Joseph is not an extra

In the play of Mary's life, Joseph is being called to a

mission to take the infant. Savior of the world.

And raise him he's. Qualified for this.

He's qualified to go through the test that God.

Would need someone who would stay with a apparently

scandalous woman. At a word.

That it was his plan. He was just as a side note.

It is a just cause to try to figure out how to.

Lay down your. Life for the sake.

Of a family. Joseph was a good.

Man and a just man. And that's why this decision was

so difficult. For his life he was still.

Thinking about Mary, he was still thinking about how to

protect her and care for her, even with a tough decision in

front of him. And it's a dilemma.

Because whether he does this publicly or secretly.

His plans are still broken and he'll in all likelihood still

lose the woman he was supposed to marry.

And so we now come to a point in the story where God wants to

meet us with maybe an example of what to do in the dilemmas of

life. I love that this.

Is a dilemma because God has some of you in dilemmas.

What do you? Do with the challenges of life

that all scenarios in front of you seem unfavorable.

Well I can tell you where Joseph examples can help you start.

It says in verse 20. But while he thought about these

things, behold an Angel of the Lord.

Appeared. We'll stop there.

It says that he actually thought about what to do.

James says considerate joy, other translations say.

Well, well, Joseph was. Considering these things,

there's times in your life that are apparent dilemmas that will

bring you to your knees in deep thought.

And that is the point is to consider.

The ways of the Lord. That are not.

Obvious to your. Own mind, and this is a great

example and a great reminder for all of us in a world of instant,

everything that God sometimes wants us to think before we do

anything else. To not react with emotion, to

not react with anger, to not. React with wrath.

Or your own ideas emotionally, but to think before we act.

Jesus would say to consider the cost of what?

You're going to do and if you're in this moment, let me just say

that if you can hold on to this story and remember this moment

in Joseph. 'S life he's.

Faced with the dilemma and he stops to think.

Just want to encourage you that this is the moment of the.

Story that I would call the pre. Joy, he's not there yet.

He. Hasn't got to the other side of

the trial, but if you. Start to think of your

considerations of life and you really.

Have trust that God worked out the details of Joseph's.

Life and he can work. Out the details of your.

You can begin to smile at the forks in the road.

And here's how you do it. I've had moments in my life,

I've had moments this week. Where I'm like, Lord, how do

you, how do we work this out? How do we go?

Through this and what you can do is you can actually say I don't

know, but I'm excited to find out.

I have the the. Beginning of joy.

Is to say. Wait a second.

My plans are broken. My ideas are failing me.

I've got to think beyond thinking.

And when you're in that moment, just do this.

Believers do this God. I can't wait to see how you

handle this one. This is the.

The beginning of joy in Joseph. 'S life.

And and just as. Sure, as God would be faithful

to Joseph, he will be faithful to you.

It says that as Joseph was. Thinking, he thinks.

So hard he falls. Asleep, don't you love?

That he's exhausted. From this situation and it says

still in verse 20, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared to

him in a dream saying Joseph son of David don't.

Be afraid to take to you. Marry your.

Wife for that. Which is conceived in her.

Is of the holy. Spirit, wow, a message from God,

the promise for you. Today is that God speaks to

people who are. Seeking him, Joseph was a man

who God spoke to through dreams in in the course.

Of his life. We actually never see a.

Word that Joseph spoke but. Time and time again.

The the way that he was called to lead his wife.

And then his family. Through the challenges leading

up to birth and the danger of Herod afterwards, God

continually spoke to him and gave him the plan.

Through a message of an Angel in dreams, he spoke to him and the

promise. Of today is that.

The word says in times past that.

God spoke through. Prophets, and now he.

Speaks through his. Son, you do not believe in a.

God of Scripture. You did not come to church this

morning hoping that God would. Speak.

God. Speaks to his people.

Seek and you will find knock and the door will be open.

Ask and the questions will be answered.

Now he doesn't speak often in the ways that we want.

Sometimes we we wish we'd get a dream from from God that told.

Us as we. Presented him with our plans,

which one that he liked. The best?

Sometimes we wish that. God would.

Give us a dream of the winning lottery numbers, or the winning

business plan, or the winning mission field or the next.

Revival so that we could just step into.

All of our dreams as in the American dream sense of the

Bible. In this dream, Joseph.

Was told to do. Something very.

Difficult. In fact, it.

Wasn't what he was planning at all.

But know this, it might not be through a dream.

It might be through the word. It might be through a timely

word of a sermon or a friend, or just.

God. Speaking to you in the voice of

your heart, but God. Speaks to people who ask.

Fact, James. Will go on to say as a.

Playbook towards joy. If any of you lacks.

Wisdom. Joseph lacked wisdom.

He needed thoughts beyond his thoughts.

Let him ask of God. And here's the promise.

He liberally gives you wisdom. Without reproach, meaning

without judgment, without condemnation, without shame, the

wisdom of God is. Available to you and he will

give it to you if you ask. And now I want to take just a

minute to to look at a couple of things that the message.

That Joseph received was. And how it was given.

The Angel says Joseph son of David.

The Angel is preaching A genealogical message.

To David, just like. The Gospel of Matthew is

preaching to us, and that's no small thing.

One one thing to be encouraged. By today is that before Joseph

ever got. The plan, even the answers.

He was reminded of his own identity.

We often get that backwards. We often want to get right to

the plan. We want to get right to the

answer. But the Bible?

Always. Wants you to know.

Who you are before what you're supposed to do, Joseph.

Was the son of. David Joseph was part of God's.

Plan to fulfill promises for the throne of David to instill an

eternal Kingdom, and it was going to come through.

Joseph, Joseph, you have a. Part to play in this and I want

you to be encouraged that in all of the dilemmas of life.

As you think. About answers and which way to.

Go there is a. Fundamental thing that.

Has to happen, God. Has to remind you of your

identity. Think about.

The message that James. Gave, he says.

Count it all joy, he doesn't say just.

Do it, he says, brethren, because.

You're in the family of God because you've been adopted into

the family. By the blood of Jesus.

You are now part of the calling and you.

Are part of. The family of God, and for that

reason, whatever happens is going to be.

Joyful so. Brethren, count it joy.

James actually does that in. Other places of his word he

actually says that we should. Remember.

That we're also beloved. One of the fundamental things

for you to remember about your dilemmas of life.

It doesn't change who God knows you to be.

You are. The beloved James says.

Beloved, be slow to speak, slow to wrath.

Quick to listen and you do those things as an extension of how

much God loves you. You are now going to love

others. And so remember your identity.

And Joseph needed to hear. Don't be afraid, son of David.

What was at stake for Joseph? His public identity.

His public. Reputation, his public profile.

He was going to be a young. Divorcee with a.

Scandalous woman who cheated on him.

Or he was going to be someone who accepted her anyway.

And it wasn't just to the law. His identity was at stake.

And I said, don't worry, you're the son of David, don't be

afraid. To take her.

Don't be afraid of the shame that awaits you from some of

these. People's eyes.

And what a great reminder that Joseph was going to walk into

something that was. So worth that public.

Criticism How do we remember Joseph?

Today. We remember him every year as

the one chosen to be the. Caretaker of the baby Jesus.

He's remembered as a St. He's remembered at every

nativity scene as the one who was carrying.

He is. One of the greats of the whole

world. And yet he was being challenged

as to what people would think about him.

In your dilemmas of life, it will challenge you.

What will people think about you if you get this wrong?

What will people think? If you are bold or courageous or

do the will of God. Follow the narrow gate.

Proclaim the truth in the in a world of lies, ask yourself what

God thinks he says, beloved brethren, and then it says, do

not be. Afraid to take.

To you marry your. Wife.

Why? Because that which she.

Is conceived in. Her is the Holy Spirit.

This is, of course, the doctrine of the virgin birth.

There's no, there's no way around what we believe.

That this is the. Son of God and not the Son of

Adam. He is fully.

God and fully man, the seed of a woman.

Who will crush? The Serpent.

This is the beautiful. Doctrine that God miraculously

sent his Son into the world without the DNA of sin.

It's also a beautiful. Reminder for the dilemmas of

life that as we present God with option A, public shame or option

B. Private put away.

God comes and says Option C wasn't even on Joseph's

consideration. You fell asleep thinking hard

about how to do his plan. And Jesus met him and said, I'm

going to do my plan, which is you're actually going to still

marry her. You're going to stay with her.

You are called to fulfill a. Promise.

She is not a scandalous woman. She is not someone who has.

Betrayed you? She has not committed adultery.

She is the chosen 1. To be the virgin that was

prophesied. And that is how he will go on to

continue to encourage. Joseph.

He says in Matthew chapter one, verse 21 And she will bring

forth a son, and you shall call his name.

Jesus, for He will save his. People from their sins His

dilemma had dilemma had two unfavorable options.

He is now getting word that she is going to be the mother of

the. Savior of the world, this is the

road to. Joy, the surprising joy, because

your plans are broken, because God has a greater plan.

And it is also. The great beginning of all joy.

As we look at this story both as practical.

Encouragement for ways that maybe you can relate to some of

the ways that Joseph finds encouragement.

It is also the. Beginning of all joy.

That Joseph is the first to hear the Gospel of grace.

That you will name him Jesus, which means the.

Lord saves. And the beginning of.

Joy for the theme of joy. You're waiting for joy.

You want joy in your life. The beginning of joy.

That Joseph gets to hear word of.

Before anyone else. Is that it's?

Not going to be a Messiah who comes to.

Overthrow the. Occupation of the Evil Empire of

Rome. He does not come to save people

from Rome. He does not come primarily to

save people from poverty or ailments of the body.

To save people. From the the conflicts of

marriage primarily. All of those things will flow

from the salvation that he brings, but the primary mission

of the Messiah is to. Save people.

From their sin and until you have.

Accepted the free gift of grace. To be saved from your sin, you

will not know fundamental joy. The lack of joy of your life is

the root of. Sin in your life, you say?

Well, wait a minute. I thought sin was fun.

That's like the temptation works because it's fun.

Sin is pleasurable. It's not joyful.

It works. For a season and a moment.

But it will always. Require more from you than it

gives you and the beginning of. Joy that Joseph.

Is now getting. Word of For all of us to

celebrate good tidings of great joy for the whole world.

Is that God sent his Son into the world that we wouldn't

perish from sin. And so if you come looking for

joy this morning, the joy will not start by saying well.

We're at church. Here's all the reasons.

We're at church because. Our marriage is just tried and

tested and we looked at each other and said let's just get

into church and see if that helps.

It won't help until you're saved from your sins.

After that. You can start working on the the

the. Blessed Grace.

Of being husband and wife who are dying.

To to self we're. Here fundamentally and primarily

because we're really struggling as parents or job is just.

Stressful, I feel. Burdened and lonely, all of

those things. We welcome you in the root of

your loneliness and your. Lack of joy starts.

With a need to be forgiven of your sins the beginning of.

Joy, is that Jesus? Comes to set us free from sin.

Psalm 51 says restore to me the joy of salvation.

If any of you have been to and many of you have.

Our. Our.

Church in the park and witnessed when people.

Give their life public. Declaration that they believe in

Jesus as Lord and. Savior, I do believe it is the

great. Joy of the calendar year and

maybe it's because often times I'm in the water watching people

come up, but there's no greater joy in your life than when you

go into the baptismal water and die to yourself and realize that

you've been given the. Free gift of.

Eternal life in that moment, to walk in the freedom of new life,

that is joy fundamental. And then it says in Matthew

chapter one, verse 22, all these things done that it might be.

Fulfilled, which was spoken by the Lord.

Through the prophet saying, Behold the Virgin.

Shall be with child. And bear a son, and they shall

call his name Emmanuel, which has translated.

God with us. This is why we look back at the

birth of Christ. In the season of Advent, in the

season of waiting, in the season of longing, because what is

given to Joseph is something that everyone in his day would

have known was the expectation of the people, there was a

prophet named Isaiah 700. Plus years ago that said.

There was a plan that God would send himself into.

The the world of his people. Through a virgin and Joseph is

hearing the word. Today it is fulfilled.

God is with you. And we?

Don't just celebrate. Advent as a historical reminder

that God kept his promise then. For for Joseph.

And for all. Who would receive?

Jesus as the fulfillment. Of the Isaiah prophecy that was.

The first advent this. Is what they were.

Waiting for and Joseph gets to hear these amazing words that it

be fulfilled. It is the fulfillment of the

promise of God. And I remind.

You that we celebrate. Advent in two directions.

We celebrate by looking back, remembering that people who

waited on God. Received the joy.

Of the first Christmas and we are people who are waiting on

God. We are in Advent.

We are. We are waiting for the final

joy, not just when the Savior comes the first time, but when

the Savior comes again to put everything to write says in

first Peter chapter 1 whom having not seen.

1 Peter 1 · chapter mention

You love though now. You do not see him yet

believing. You rejoice with joy.

Inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith,

the salvation. Of your souls.

The end of your faith, The final inexpressible.

Joy of your life. Is not going to happen now.

This will be another lesson I can share with you from my own

children is that when the gifts do come, what happens every

year? The joy wears off.

The the wrappings get burned and the toys.

Lose their luster. And they go back to waiting for

the next thing and. You are little children.

Your earthly joy will wear off. Your fundamental joy.

Starts with the salvation. From your sin and the end of

your faith, know this the fullness.

Of your joy will. Be an Advent for the rest of

your life. Joy Inexpressible is a coming

day, and This is why we celebrate Advent.

Keep looking. This is not a time to say.

OK, this is. Everything we'll ever have, 2026

is going to have challenges and trials.

Fear not. The final joy is on its way.

And then it says. That you.

Should call his name Emmanuel. This is the Christmas message.

That God. Sent his son into the.

World. The word.

Became flesh and this is another beautiful doctrine that you're

you can stand on with joy. This is the doctrine of the

incarnation. And so as you are in the

dilemmas of life and you ever find yourself talking to someone

and they try to cheer you up and they try to encourage you, and

they say just, you know, I'm counted all joy.

And you think, you look at them and you say, listen, you have no

idea what I'm going through. And you know, you might be

right. Depending on who you talk to,

you might hear a message from a preacher.

And you think? Yeah.

What You're a? Preacher, you have no idea what

I'm actually going through. Here's the Doctor of Incarnation

for the. Joy of your life.

You can never say that to God. You can never say you can never

shake your. Fist at God.

With your circumstances and your dilemmas and your considerations

for how to work it out and say this one is beyond you.

Because what we believe. About the Christmas message is

that we call him God, Emmanuel, he is with.

US. He's with us in everything you.

Go through. He knows every temptation, every

test. Of your life.

Yet without sin, and it says in. Hebrews that the author.

And the finisher, our faith for the.

Joy set. Before him endured.

For the joy set before Jesus. He endured, which means.

With the spirit of. Jesus in you, you can endure

unto. The joy.

And finally it says, then Joseph being aroused from sleep, he did

as the Angel of the Lord commanded him, and he took his.

Wife he despised. The shame he made himself of no

reputation and he took on this in the eyes of men, but not in

the eyes of God. A scandalous woman and a

scandalous child. And if you come back on

Wednesday, you'll find out how it ended.

But I'll tell you this. This is this is now.

Every aspect of. Joy in your life we have the

beginning of joy, which is your salvation.

We have the end of joy the the fullness of faith, all of

eternity and this is the middle joy.

Being aroused from his sleep, he did what was commanded.

These are the three-dimensional. Joy of your life.

It begins with your salvation. It ends with heaven and in the

middle. As God awakes.

You with the message of His word, with messengers of His

word. Says Joseph.

Awoke. And he did.

What God said. This is the middle.

Joy. This is the joy for today.

This is the joy. For tomorrow.

This is the joy. For the next test, do.

What God tells you to do. Says in Psalm chapter. 40I

delight to do your. Will.

Oh my God. All of you will be.

Faced with dilemmas, with challenges, with things you'll

have to think about that go beyond your own thoughts.

And you'll ask for wisdom. And wisdom will come.

And here's the joy of your life if you do what God's Word says,

if you allow the Spirit. To prompt your life and point

you into His will, you will have.

Joy. And joy more abundant.

This is the promise of God. It is the great temptation of

your life to think. I'll do.

It God's way, but my way would have been better.

Here's the. Reality.

The middle. Joy is this.

There's no greater joy than living in God's perfect will for

your life. May He speak to you.

May you trust Him. Thanks for joining us today.

If you would like to watch the full service, check out the link

in the description. For next steps and to learn

more, visit calvaryboise.com.