THE FAITH OF JOSEPH: TRUSTING GOD IN THE MIDST OF UNCERTAINTY

1. JOSEPH'S FAITH IS ROOTED IN CHARACTER, NOT CLARITY

• Before any angel appears, before any dream, before any instruction, Scripture labels Joseph with one powerful word:

1. Matthew 1:18–25 (CSB)
2. 18 The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit. 19 So her husband, Joseph, BEING A RIGHTEOUS MAN, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly. 
3. 20 

• A dikaios man - just, innocent, correct
• AND THEN HEAVEN BREAKS IN

1. Matt 1:20-21
2. But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

• Character always shows before clarity.

1. Who you are determines what you do when life breaks.

• THE COST: Character and Righteousness will cost us something

1. REPUTATION
2. SAFETY
3. COMFORT
4. PERSONAL DREAMS

• TO LIVE A LIFE PLEASING TO GOD, THERE WILL BE A COST!

1. JOSEPH IS REMINDED WHO HE IS
2. Matt 1:15-17 
3. Luke 2:4 
4. Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because HE WAS OF THE HOUSE AND THE FAMILY LINE OF DAVID, to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant.

• Joseph is the legal heir to David’s throne.

1. Joseph carries the promises of 

• 2 Samuel 7:16
• Your house and kingdom will endure before me forever, and your throne will be established forever.’ ”

• The people heaven calls “royalty” are usually the people earth overlooks.
• In the midst of living in FAITH in Christ, you will need to be reminded who you are IN CHRIST

1. You are a child of God
2. You sit with Jesus in the presence of God
3. You have been forgiven
4. You have been restored
5. You have the power of the LIVING GOD living in you.
6. JOSEPH OBEYS NOT JUST ONCE, BUT OVER AND OVER AGAIN

• Joseph’s faith isn’t a single moment.
• HIS ENTIRE TESTIMONY IS TOLD THROUGH HIS ACTIONS

1. JOSEPH HAD FOUR DREAMS with angels
2. Four massive course corrections.
3. He obeys:
4. Matthew 1:24 – He takes Mary as his wife.
5. Matthew 1:25 - He named the child Jesus
6. Matthew 2:13-14 – He flees to Egypt to protect the Savior of the World.
7. Matthew 2:19–21 – He returns to Israel.
8. Matthew 2:22–23 – He moves to Nazareth instead of Judea.
9. Luke 2:41 - Obedience in faithfulness in worship
10. Obedience is rarely one dramatic step 
11. it’s thousands of small, faithful ones.

• Not one word from Joseph is recorded

1. But every step is documented for us to see.

• We live in a world that values having something to say.
• GOD DESIRES OBEDIENCE

1. JOSEPH RAISES JESUS - THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD
2. Luke 2:39–40
3. When they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on him.

• Joseph’s greatest contribution to the kingdom happens offstage.

1. HE TEACHES JESUS:
2. SCRIPTURE (as Jewish fathers were commanded in Deut. 6)
3. Deut 6:6-9
4. PRAYER
5. WORSHIP
6. WORK ETHIC

• Matt 13:55-57

1. HUMILITY
2. HOW TO TREAT PEOPLE
3. WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MAN OF GOD - RIGHTEOUS
4. HOW TO OBEY THE FATHER’S VOICE
5. HOW TO LIVE UNDER AUTHORITY
6. HOW TO FOLLOW GOD IN THE ORDINARY
7. Had not heard from God in 400 years
8. God the Father trusted Joseph to shape God the Son.

• We do not shape the Son of God but we do shape our children who will have the opportunity to believe in and follow the Son of God

1. KidSong
2. JOSEPH NEVER SEES THE END OF THE STORY, BUT HE REMAINS FAITHFUL TO HIS ROLE

• Joseph is there:

1. For Jesus’ childhood
2. The presentation at the Temple
3. The flight to Egypt
4. The return to Nazareth
5. The trip to Jerusalem for Passover when Jesus was 12

• BUT AFTER THAT…..SILENCE
• Joseph protected Jesus as a baby, trained him as a boy, provided for him as a young man and then died before the mission was complete.

1. Faith is acting now, even when the fulfillment comes later - maybe even after we’re gone.

• Joseph’s story reminds us that you can live a life of profound significance without ever seeing the fruit in your lifetime.

REFLECTION / APPLICATION QUESTIONS

1. Where do you see Joseph’s character show up before God gives him clarity? How does that challenge your own approach to decision-making?
2. Joseph pays a price for obedience. What area of your life might God be calling you to obey even if it risks comfort or reputation?
3. Which of Joseph’s repeated acts of obedience stands out most to you (Matthew 1–2)? Why?
4. Joseph lived with misunderstanding his entire life. How do you follow God when people don’t understand or support your decision?
5. Joseph shaped Jesus through daily faithfulness. Who is God calling you to invest in quietly? How does this change how you view unseen obedience?
6. Where might God be interrupting your plans to redirect your calling? How are you responding?
7. Joseph never saw the outcome of his faithfulness. What does it look like to stay faithful even when you don’t see immediate results?
8. What is one step of obedience you feel God is calling you to take this week; a decision that fear wants you to delay?

QUESTIONS TO ASK WHILE READING SCRIPTURE

What does this reveal about God?

What does this reveal about you in relation to God?

What do you need to do about it?