Encountering Christmas - A Christmas Scandal
The Christmas Scandal: Understanding the Virgin Birth from Joseph's Perspective
The Christmas story is often told from Mary's perspective, but what about Joseph? This young man faced what appeared to be a devastating scandal when he discovered his fiancée was pregnant - and he wasn't the father. Yet this apparent scandal became the greatest gift humanity has ever received.
What Was the Real Scandal in Nazareth?
Picture a small town of only 200-400 people where everyone knows everyone's business. Joseph, described as a "righteous man" who tried hard to follow God's laws, discovered that his 16-year-old fiancée Mary was pregnant. In ancient Jewish culture, engagement was legally binding - you needed a divorce to break it off - but couples weren't allowed to live together or have sexual relations until after marriage.
Joseph knew he wasn't the father. As a righteous man following the law, he had every right to divorce Mary publicly, but he chose to do it privately to avoid disgracing her. This was scandalous enough for a small town like Nazareth.
Why Did Joseph Change His Mind About Divorcing Mary?
Just as Joseph was about to quietly divorce Mary, something extraordinary happened. An angel appeared to him in a dream with a message that changed everything:
"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
The angel revealed that Mary hadn't been unfaithful - she had conceived through the Holy Spirit. This wasn't just comforting news for Joseph; it was crucial for all of humanity.
Why Was the Virgin Birth So Important?
The Problem of Sin Nature
To understand why Jesus had to be born of a virgin, we need to go back to the beginning. When Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, he passed down a sin nature to all his descendants. Scripture teaches that this sin nature is transmitted through the seed of the man to each generation.
This is why even Noah, described as righteous, still had a sin nature - he received it from his father, who received it from his father, all the way back to Adam.
Jesus: Conceived Without Sin
Because Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit rather than by human seed, He didn't inherit the sin nature that plagues every other human being. This was absolutely essential for our salvation.
If Jesus had been born with a sin nature like the rest of us, His sacrifice on the cross would have been ineffective. It would be like trying to pay off a million-dollar debt with an expired gift card. But because Jesus was born without sin, His sacrifice was sufficient to pay for all our sins - past, present, and future.
What Do the Names Jesus and Emmanuel Mean?
The angel told Joseph to name the child Jesus, which in Hebrew is "Yeshua," meaning "God saves." For 33 years, Jesus would carry a name that defined His mission - to save people from their sins.
The child would also be called Emmanuel, meaning "God with us." This name reminds us that Jesus isn't just an ordinary man, but God Himself wrapped in flesh, coming to live among us to do what we couldn't do for ourselves.
How Did This Fulfill Ancient Prophecy?
This wasn't a last-minute plan. Matthew tells us this fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah 700 years earlier: "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel."
This was God's plan from the very beginning - even before Adam and Eve fell into sin. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit had designed this rescue mission for humanity long before it was needed.
What Was Joseph's Response to God's Call?
When Joseph woke up from his dream, he did exactly what the angel commanded. He took Mary as his wife, but didn't consummate their marriage until after Jesus was born. This ensured there would be no doubt about Jesus's virgin birth.
Joseph's obedience is remarkable. He set aside his own plans and reputation to participate in God's greater story. When he met with Mary, imagine her surprise when instead of rejection, she received acceptance and partnership in raising the Son of God.
What Can We Learn from Joseph's Example?
Joseph faced an impossible situation that required tremendous faith. He had to trust God's word even when circumstances looked scandalous. His example challenges us to consider: How much better would our lives be if we obeyed God's word the first time, just like Joseph did?
Joseph also had to wrestle with profound questions: How does a simple carpenter raise the Son of God? How do you parent someone who is both fully human and fully divine? Yet he stepped into this calling with faith and obedience.
Life Application
The real scandal isn't Jesus's birth - it's our sin. We are the ones with the problem, and Jesus came as the solution to our scandal. His virgin birth made it possible for Him to live a sinless life and offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
But understanding this isn't enough. Jesus's payment for sin is sufficient for everyone, but it's only applied to those who receive it by believing in their heart and confessing with their mouth that Jesus is Lord.
This week, consider these questions:
Have you personally received Jesus's payment for your sins, or are you just intellectually aware of it?
Like Joseph, are there areas where God is calling you to trust Him even when circumstances seem impossible?
How can you demonstrate the same kind of immediate obedience to God's word that Joseph showed?
What "impossible" situation in your life might God be asking you to approach with faith rather than fear?
The Christmas story reminds us that what appears to be a scandal from our limited perspective is actually God's perfect plan unfolding. Trust Him with your circumstances, just as Joseph did, and watch how God can turn apparent disasters into divine appointments.
Setlist
WFC Lenexa + WFC Anywhere
I Believe - Phil Wickam
Believe For It - CeCe Winans
Holy Forever - CeCe Winans
Josepsh’s Song - Michael Card
WFC Speedway
Beautiful Surrender - Melissa Helser
House of Miracles - Brandon Lake
See A Victory - Elevation Worship
Thank You For The Blood - The Worship Initiative
Be sure to save our Spotify Worship Playlist, updated weekly with the upcoming Sunday’s set!
