The Journey of Joseph and Mary
Bible Devotional
How will you know if you are making the right decision?
Everyone here at some point has to make an important decision, but how do you know whether you will make the right decision? Especially, when you have to make a critical decision that will affect not only yourself, but also your reputation, and the life of someone you love and care for. How will you know if you are making the right decision?
So, we are going to find out how Joseph and Mary made a critical decision that made Christmas.
Let’s begin with this question: “How did Joseph and Mary meet?” Have you guys ever thought about that? How did Joseph get engaged to Mary?
Background
In the first century, Jewish marriage customs were very different. You don’t fall in love with another person and get married; your father goes around and looks for your future mate. In biblical times, people were married in their teens. So Mary is about 13-14 years old when she is betrothed, meaning she is engaged to be married.
In ancient Israel, being betrothed or engaged actually meant you were married. You have a contractual obligation between the two fathers. You just don’t live together or have sexual relations till after their ceremonial wedding. The ceremonial wedding is where you invite all your friends and family and celebrate the contract as the final piece of the engagement. So being betrothed or engaged was actually a certificate of marriage.
And typically, you would find your future husband or wife within the clan or tribe. If you're in the tribe of Levi, then you would find your spouse in the tribe of Levi. If you're in the tribe of Benjamin, then you would find your spouse in the same tribe.
So if the father set you up for marriage, then that was your future spouse. Now, what is interesting is if you had a son, then it was the son’s father who would pay the dowry to the father of the bride. This was a traditional wedding contract, in which you pay in cash, with anything valuable, or for some kind of service. What is interesting is that this is still practiced in many parts of the world.
Now, let’s get into the story of Mary.
Luke 1:26-33 (ESV)
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Here is Mary, about 14 years old, and engaged to a man named Joseph. And God tells Mary that she is the favored one to be selected to give birth to the “Son of the Most High.”
Why did God choose Mary?
Always remember that God has reasons for choosing the times, places, and people involved in His redemption plan. Isaiah prophesied about Jesus 700 years before His birth.
Isaiah 7:14 (ESV)
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
There are many reasons for choosing Mary to give birth.
· She was in the right lineage.
· She was from the right town called Nazareth.
· She was engaged to a man whose heritage required him to visit Bethlehem at just the right time (Micah 5:2).
For today, though, I want you to focus on Mary’s character.
Luke 1:34-38 (ESV)
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary was not shocked by the angel. She was not scared that she encountered something supernatural. She actually had a conversation with the supernatural. When the angel appeared to her, it seemed as if Mary was used to supernatural occurrences. She was not shocked by the appearance. She was more concerned with what the angel said.
Luke 1:28-29 (NLT)
Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.
She wasn’t afraid of the angel, but she was just confused and disturbed by what the angel Gabriel said. What this means is that she must have had frequent encounters with either angels or with the supernatural works of God. This means that at her young age, she had a good relationship with God. When you have a deep relationship with God, you encounter the supernatural things of God regularly.
So her confusion and disturbance are due to what the angel said, “Greetings, favored woman!” She is thinking, “Why am I the favored one, right?” “Out of all the young ladies you could have chosen, you chose me?” Listen, even with her confusion, her response was amazing because she knew this was from God.
Luke 1:37-38 (ESV)
For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
The word “servant” in Greek is doulē pronounced doo'-lay, meaning a female slave or bondmaid. This term indicates her willingness to serve God at all costs.
This is Mary’s character, that she didn’t argue with the angel. She didn’t say, “Well, let me pray about.” What I love about Mary is that she believed in God’s Word and had the faith to act on that belief. Now it’s one thing to believe in God, but it’s a whole new level when you act upon your belief. That’s why she says, “I am the servant of the Lord,” “I will serve you at all costs.”
Remember in Luke 1:36, where the angel tells Mary that her relative Elizabeth, in her old age, has also conceived a son. We also know that Elizabeth was barren, or that she couldn’t have children. But God gave her a child in her old age. So Mary decided to see Elizabeth, her cousin.
Now, from Nazareth to Judea, where Elizabeth is, is about 80-90 miles of travel. So this is about a week's worth of travel. Mary is most likely carrying provisions for travel, such as a basket of food, water, and a mat to sleep on. Also, some scholars suggest that young ladies, like Mary, didn’t travel alone; they had other ladies or older women travel with them. I'm imagining a conversation between Mary and another woman.
Questions like:
· Where are you going?
· Who are you meeting with?
· Are you engaged or married?
· Who is your husband?
“Yes, I am going to Judea. I am meeting up with my cousin Elizabeth. And, yes, I am betrothed to a man from my town in Nazareth, and his name is Joseph.”
I assume she hasn't told her she is pregnant. How do you tell someone that you are pregnant by the Holy Spirit? “Oh! By the way, God is the father of my child. I am carrying the Son of the Most High.” She would be like, “O.K.! I am going to start walking in the other direction.”
Mary needs encouragement and confirmation to comfort her soul. Remember, she is still living in the flesh, and she is a young lady. So here comes the comfort, and a sign from God.
Luke 1:39-41 (ESV)
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
What the “filling of the Holy Spirit” means is that the more you submit to God, the more God fills you with His presence. And, being filled with the Holy Spirit is not about feelings or dramatic manifestations of power, but it's about living in step with God’s will through the Spirit’s power. That’s why the Bible tells us to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). “God, whatever you have in plan and whatever the outcome is, I surrender my heart to you. Even if you don’t want me to have a child, I will give you my heart.” The filling of the Spirit is about submission to God’s will.
Mary is in her first trimester when she walks from Nazareth to Judah, a distance of about 90 miles. I was thinking, how bad can her first trimester be? Physical changes in the first trimester.
· Morning sickness (Nausea)
· Food aversion (You stay away from certain foods).
· You're tired more than usual, feeling fatigued.
· Emotionally sensitive: (Your emotions may feel a little all over the place during your first trimester.)
· Bloating, constipation, and a need to pee more than usual.
So, Mary is going through all these mental emotions and physical challenges, and she needs to hear something that will comfort her soul.
Luke 1:42-44 (NLT)
Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
Mary hasn't told Elizabeth that she is pregnant. She needs confirmation from the Lord that what she just received is truly from the Lord. Remember, she is still 14 years of age and dealing with emotions and physical changes. Her heart is good with God, but she still needs supernatural confirmation. And, as soon as she sees Mary, she says, “Your child is blessed by God.”
When they use the word “blessing,” it is not used as “Congratulations on your baby,” it means “a divine favor of God.” And in this blessing, this divine favor, correlates with her faith, “You are blessed because you believed in the Lord.” So, blessing is related to believing in the Word of God.
If there was ever a time when Mary needed confirmation from the Lord, then this was it. Mary needed to hear these words from her cousin. She needed to hear from God, and God spoke through Elizabeth.
Listen, my friends, when you walk with God, life can be challenging, but by the end of the walk, you will know it was worth it. God will give you the peace and confirmation in your heart, and through people like Elizabeth.
And that is why Mary responded.
Luke 1:46-49 (NLT)
Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.
Is this not one of the most comforting from the Lord? When Mary needed to hear words of confirmation, God spoke them through Elizabeth to give her strength.
Questions To Consider:
- Can you serve the Lord, whatever the costs will be?
- Was there ever a time you needed to witness a supernatural work in your life?
- Was there ever a time you truly needed to hear from God clearly?
Everyone here at some point has to make an important decision, but how do you know whether you will make the right decision? Especially, when you have to make a critical decision that will affect not only yourself, but also your reputation, and the life of someone you love and care for. How will you know if you are making the right decision?
So, we are going to find out how Joseph and Mary made a critical decision that made Christmas.
Let’s begin with this question: “How did Joseph and Mary meet?” Have you guys ever thought about that? How did Joseph get engaged to Mary?
Background
In the first century, Jewish marriage customs were very different. You don’t fall in love with another person and get married; your father goes around and looks for your future mate. In biblical times, people were married in their teens. So Mary is about 13-14 years old when she is betrothed, meaning she is engaged to be married.
In ancient Israel, being betrothed or engaged actually meant you were married. You have a contractual obligation between the two fathers. You just don’t live together or have sexual relations till after their ceremonial wedding. The ceremonial wedding is where you invite all your friends and family and celebrate the contract as the final piece of the engagement. So being betrothed or engaged was actually a certificate of marriage.
And typically, you would find your future husband or wife within the clan or tribe. If you're in the tribe of Levi, then you would find your spouse in the tribe of Levi. If you're in the tribe of Benjamin, then you would find your spouse in the same tribe.
So if the father set you up for marriage, then that was your future spouse. Now, what is interesting is if you had a son, then it was the son’s father who would pay the dowry to the father of the bride. This was a traditional wedding contract, in which you pay in cash, with anything valuable, or for some kind of service. What is interesting is that this is still practiced in many parts of the world.
Now, let’s get into the story of Mary.
Luke 1:26-33 (ESV)
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Here is Mary, about 14 years old, and engaged to a man named Joseph. And God tells Mary that she is the favored one to be selected to give birth to the “Son of the Most High.”
Why did God choose Mary?
Always remember that God has reasons for choosing the times, places, and people involved in His redemption plan. Isaiah prophesied about Jesus 700 years before His birth.
Isaiah 7:14 (ESV)
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
There are many reasons for choosing Mary to give birth.
· She was in the right lineage.
· She was from the right town called Nazareth.
· She was engaged to a man whose heritage required him to visit Bethlehem at just the right time (Micah 5:2).
For today, though, I want you to focus on Mary’s character.
Luke 1:34-38 (ESV)
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary was not shocked by the angel. She was not scared that she encountered something supernatural. She actually had a conversation with the supernatural. When the angel appeared to her, it seemed as if Mary was used to supernatural occurrences. She was not shocked by the appearance. She was more concerned with what the angel said.
Luke 1:28-29 (NLT)
Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.
She wasn’t afraid of the angel, but she was just confused and disturbed by what the angel Gabriel said. What this means is that she must have had frequent encounters with either angels or with the supernatural works of God. This means that at her young age, she had a good relationship with God. When you have a deep relationship with God, you encounter the supernatural things of God regularly.
So her confusion and disturbance are due to what the angel said, “Greetings, favored woman!” She is thinking, “Why am I the favored one, right?” “Out of all the young ladies you could have chosen, you chose me?” Listen, even with her confusion, her response was amazing because she knew this was from God.
Luke 1:37-38 (ESV)
For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
The word “servant” in Greek is doulē pronounced doo'-lay, meaning a female slave or bondmaid. This term indicates her willingness to serve God at all costs.
This is Mary’s character, that she didn’t argue with the angel. She didn’t say, “Well, let me pray about.” What I love about Mary is that she believed in God’s Word and had the faith to act on that belief. Now it’s one thing to believe in God, but it’s a whole new level when you act upon your belief. That’s why she says, “I am the servant of the Lord,” “I will serve you at all costs.”
Remember in Luke 1:36, where the angel tells Mary that her relative Elizabeth, in her old age, has also conceived a son. We also know that Elizabeth was barren, or that she couldn’t have children. But God gave her a child in her old age. So Mary decided to see Elizabeth, her cousin.
Now, from Nazareth to Judea, where Elizabeth is, is about 80-90 miles of travel. So this is about a week's worth of travel. Mary is most likely carrying provisions for travel, such as a basket of food, water, and a mat to sleep on. Also, some scholars suggest that young ladies, like Mary, didn’t travel alone; they had other ladies or older women travel with them. I'm imagining a conversation between Mary and another woman.
Questions like:
· Where are you going?
· Who are you meeting with?
· Are you engaged or married?
· Who is your husband?
“Yes, I am going to Judea. I am meeting up with my cousin Elizabeth. And, yes, I am betrothed to a man from my town in Nazareth, and his name is Joseph.”
I assume she hasn't told her she is pregnant. How do you tell someone that you are pregnant by the Holy Spirit? “Oh! By the way, God is the father of my child. I am carrying the Son of the Most High.” She would be like, “O.K.! I am going to start walking in the other direction.”
Mary needs encouragement and confirmation to comfort her soul. Remember, she is still living in the flesh, and she is a young lady. So here comes the comfort, and a sign from God.
Luke 1:39-41 (ESV)
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
What the “filling of the Holy Spirit” means is that the more you submit to God, the more God fills you with His presence. And, being filled with the Holy Spirit is not about feelings or dramatic manifestations of power, but it's about living in step with God’s will through the Spirit’s power. That’s why the Bible tells us to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). “God, whatever you have in plan and whatever the outcome is, I surrender my heart to you. Even if you don’t want me to have a child, I will give you my heart.” The filling of the Spirit is about submission to God’s will.
Mary is in her first trimester when she walks from Nazareth to Judah, a distance of about 90 miles. I was thinking, how bad can her first trimester be? Physical changes in the first trimester.
· Morning sickness (Nausea)
· Food aversion (You stay away from certain foods).
· You're tired more than usual, feeling fatigued.
· Emotionally sensitive: (Your emotions may feel a little all over the place during your first trimester.)
· Bloating, constipation, and a need to pee more than usual.
So, Mary is going through all these mental emotions and physical challenges, and she needs to hear something that will comfort her soul.
Luke 1:42-44 (NLT)
Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
Mary hasn't told Elizabeth that she is pregnant. She needs confirmation from the Lord that what she just received is truly from the Lord. Remember, she is still 14 years of age and dealing with emotions and physical changes. Her heart is good with God, but she still needs supernatural confirmation. And, as soon as she sees Mary, she says, “Your child is blessed by God.”
When they use the word “blessing,” it is not used as “Congratulations on your baby,” it means “a divine favor of God.” And in this blessing, this divine favor, correlates with her faith, “You are blessed because you believed in the Lord.” So, blessing is related to believing in the Word of God.
If there was ever a time when Mary needed confirmation from the Lord, then this was it. Mary needed to hear these words from her cousin. She needed to hear from God, and God spoke through Elizabeth.
Listen, my friends, when you walk with God, life can be challenging, but by the end of the walk, you will know it was worth it. God will give you the peace and confirmation in your heart, and through people like Elizabeth.
And that is why Mary responded.
Luke 1:46-49 (NLT)
Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.
Is this not one of the most comforting from the Lord? When Mary needed to hear words of confirmation, God spoke them through Elizabeth to give her strength.
Questions To Consider:
- Can you serve the Lord, whatever the costs will be?
- Was there ever a time you needed to witness a supernatural work in your life?
- Was there ever a time you truly needed to hear from God clearly?
Posted in Weekly Devotional