AN ANGEL APPEARS TO JOSEPH

What is your plan for life? What do you feel God's plan is for your life? What is your plan for life?

What do you feel God's plan is for your life?

If the "your plan" for your life is different than God's plan, how will you handle the difference?

Key verse: "For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future' " (Jeremiah 29:11)

God is interested in your life... from start to finish... and everything in between.

That is not all... He is also very much interested in you preparing and planning for that which happens after the finish line... for the finish line is actually the beginning of a wonderful experience for you and your Saviour.

Concerning the announcement to Joseph and Mary about the upcoming birth of Jesus... why do you think the angel appeared to Mary and Joseph at two separate times?

What significance does an announcement have in today's world?

Can announcements already given and verified be canceled are nullified?

Do you think Joseph and Mary had no choice in the matter as to whether they accepted or rejected the plans God had made for them?

When God chooses us to be one of His children... and to convict us by the Holy Spirit of our sin and the need for repentance and a Savior, do you think we have a choice in the matter?

What is the most important decision you have ever made in which you feel it was God's will from the beginning?

How important is it that you plan for your children's salvation and continued walk with the Lord?

It is wonderful that God keeps His promises. The fulfillment of prophecy reveals God's character. He is One whom we can trust. He never fails to keep His promises. He never says, "I forgot." He never says, "The job prevented me from keeping my promise." God always keeps His word and His Word.

Faithful Joseph. When Joseph awoke from his dream, he proved himself faithful too... but in a different way!

And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. (NASB) Matt. 1:24-25

Joseph had made a promise to marry Mary, and God was directing him to do just that. She had told him the truth, and he had not believed her.
I wonder what he said to her. Did he apologize?
What did he say to his parents and to her parents?
Joseph would have brought wonderful news to Mary. His love and support must have been comforting. His emotions were different now. Her stress would now disappear. This was wonderful news.

She had seen an angel in real life, and he had seen an angel in a dream. She had heard that her son would be the "Son of the Most High" and that He would "reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom would have no end." He was to be a king. Joseph heard that He would "save His people from their sins." They both heard that His name would be Jesus.

Conclusion. God was faithful to all of us and kept His promise that Jesus would be born into this world. Joseph was faithful to God and married Mary and kept her a virgin. The scriptures said that a virgin would give birth. If Joseph had had sex before she gave birth, that promise of God would not have been true. God has been and is faithful. He is an example of faithfulness and He calls us to be faithful when scripture says,

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." (NASB) Rom. 1:17

The righteous are to trust God. Trust is the result of believing. So, to trust God means that I am believing God, and faith in God starts when we believe in Jesus Christ.