Mary and Joseph

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HP074

MARY& JOSEPH:Reflecting On TheWonder Of Christmas

IIn the middle of the holidayseason, it’s possible to see thelights in other people’s windows

while sensing that you have lost thespirit of Christmas. While trying tolive up to the expectations ofothers, you may find that your ownability to give has been drained outof you. Even the sounds of churchbells and carols can leave youfeeling that God is asking more ofyou than you have to give.

If that describes you, maybe it’stime to revisit the wonder of theChristmas story. In the followingexcerpt of Windows On Christmas,author Bill Crowder captures thespirit of the season and shows us aGod who has moved heaven andearth, and two very real people, togive us the greatest Gift of all.

Martin R. De Haan II

CONTENTS

A Fresh Perspective . . . 2

Mary:The Perspective Of Wonder . . . . . . . . . . 4

Joseph:The Perspective Of Obedience . . . . . . 16

Our Perspective On Christmas . . . . . . 31

Managing Editor: David Sper Cover Design:Terry BidgoodUnless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations taken from the New American StandardBible®. Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 byThe LockmanFoundation. Used by permission.This booklet is based on a portion of Windows On Christmas by Bill Crowder, published byDiscovery House Publishers, a member of the RBC Ministries family.© 2007 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan Printed in USA

HP074 Mary&Joseph 9/12/07 4:19 PM Page 1

A FRESHPERSPECTIVE

II am a Christmasjunkie. I loveeverything about

it—the trees, the lights,the food, the gifts, thesongs, the food, thecelebrations, thetraditions, the food, the special worshipopportunities, the family gatherings, andyes, the food. Our family,like most families thatcelebrate Christmas, has developed its owntraditions, and each ofthose expressions of joybrings its own shadingand flavoring to thecelebration of the birth of Christ. Each one gives another layer ofexperience and providesanother slant andperspective on thefamiliar Christmas storyand its celebration.

Life is all about

perspective, and our own perceptions can beclarified and enriched by seeing life’s eventsthrough a number ofdifferent windows. Themore familiar somethingis, the more valuablethese windows become. A fresh look, a differentangle, can revolutionizeour appreciation of truththat might be in danger ofgrowing stale and tired.

This reality wasunderlined for me in a fascinating way by

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A fresh look can revolutionizeour appreciation

of truth that mightbe in danger

of growing staleand tired.


© 2007 RBC Ministries

filmmaker Clint Eastwood.As a lifelong history buff, Ianxiously awaited his filmFlags Of Our Fathers,about the World War IIbattle on the small Pacificisland of Iwo Jima. And I was not disappointed. I learned things that I hadnever known about thathistoric fight and its evenmore famous flag-raising.But it was all from the perspective of theAmericans fighting there.

Eastwood followed this with a second filmcalled, Letters From Iwo Jima. It told the same story, but from the perspective of the Japanese soldiersentrenched there.Eastwood let us lookthrough their eyes byfollowing the letters theywrote to those at home asthey described the awfulconditions and intensefighting that took placethere.

The two films recountthe same battle, but thevision of the conflict isvery different. It was animportant lesson to me onthe value and significanceof perspective.

In the Christmas story,this fresh look can befound in the familiarScripture of Luke 2. There we find differentperspectives on the eventsof the nativity, and we canshare these perspectivesby looking through thewindows provided bythose who were there,allowing us to see and feelwhat they saw and felt,and to learn from theirresponses to thesewonderful and powerfulevents. These timelesswonders:• Call us to kneel at a

humble manger—andanticipate the horrorsof a cruel cross.

• Teach us the glory ofthe incarnation—and

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the tragedy of humansin that required aSavior who would bearour sins in His ownbody.

• Allow us to celebratethe miracle of birth—and rejoice in themiracle of new birth.In short, they allow

us to enter into eventsthat altered forever the world and itsinhabitants—to join thehumble worshipers whowelcomed Christ at Hisbirth. They give us whatwe often need most—fresh perspective.

MARY:The Perspective Of Wonder

OOne of the most haunting

Christmas songsis the folksy, airy tune “IWonder As I Wander.” Inthe tone and style of aspiritual, it speaks of the

mystery of the Christmasstory and the miraculousintervention of God. Ittries to express in wordand note how difficult itis for the human heart tounderstand what Godchose to do—and whyHe chose to do it.

I wonder as I wander out under the sky,

How Jesus, the Savior, did come for to die.

For poor ornery people like you and like I . . .I wonder as I wander

out under the sky.I can’t imagine a

more appropriate word to describe that miraclethan wonder. But Isuspect that, in our worldtoday, wonder isn’t allthat wonder-ful anymore.A recording artist whoflops after his firstrecording is considered a“one-hit wonder.” One ofthe plainest white breadson the market is knownas Wonder Bread, and

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we even have Wonderundergarments. Yetsomehow these thingsdon’t seem to representan appropriate use of the word wonder.

The Seven Wonders ofthe Ancient World (suchas the Great Pyramids ofGiza and the HangingGardens of Babylon) may more closely capture the essence ofwonder—something thatoverwhelms our thought,reminding us that we aretoo small to think andprocess things at acertain level. But eventhose great and oftenmysterious engineering

feats fall short. Theywere, after all, created byhumans just like us. Wemay not know quite howthey did it, but there isan explanation for it,even if that explanationis yet undiscovered.

No, wonder needs to be reserved for thatwhich is beyond humanexplanation. Wonderspeaks of omnipotenceand omnipresence andcreative power. Wonderspeaks of God. So thoughtGeorge Beverly Shea whopenned the words:

There’s the wonder of sunset at evening,

the wonder as sunrise I see;but the wonder

of wonders that thrills my soul

is the wonder that God loves me.

O the wonder of it all,the wonder of it all—

Just to think that God loves me!

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Wonder needs tobe reserved forthat which is

beyond humanexplanation.



Why on earth (or in heaven, for that matter) would God love me? That defiesunderstanding. I knowme, and frankly I’m notall that lovable. So whywould He do that?Wonder.

But to add even moreto the sense of wondersurrounding that love,why would He love methe way He did—sendingHis Son to die for mysins and in my place?That is the very essenceof the Christian faith,and there is no easyanswer, aside from thenature of God Himself:love.

Because the wonder of God’s love found itsfullest expression in thecoming of Christ on ourbehalf, let’s look at theChristmas story throughthe perspective of ayoung woman who hadmore cause for wonder

than any other personinvolved in the story.

THE WONDER OF PRIVILEGEAn American Expresscredit card ad used tosay, “Membership has its privileges.” Theypromoted their creditcard by appealing to thehuman desire for beingselect and elite, forhaving an opportunitythat others could onlyimagine.

The world is dividedbetween the haves andhave-nots, between the

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The wonder ofGod’s love found

its fullestexpression in the coming ofChrist on our

behalf.



welcome and theexcluded, between theprivileged and theoutsiders. People on theoutside look in with envyand awe as the lucky fewaccess their “privileges.”

Some privileges,however, are more thanjust a special treat or amembership card. Theycarry with them thesense of amazement thatyou have been selectedabove all the rest. I don’tbelieve I ever understoodthis until I met Marlene,the young woman wholater became my wife.

Marlene and I hadbeen dating less than 2weeks when, while eatingdinner together, she saidshe needed to tell mesomething. The sombertone of her voice mademe assume that I wasabout to hear about theboyfriend back home orthe fiancé in the military,but that wasn’t the case.

She wanted to tell methat she was adopted.After heaving a huge sigh of relief, I asked her to fill me in on thedetails. After listening toher explain how she hadgone from being Kathy in Washington County,Virginia, to Lili Marlenein Raleigh, NorthCarolina, I asked her,“Have you ever wanted to find your realparents?” “These are myreal parents,” she said.“They had an entireorphanage full of kidsneeding a home—andthey chose me. Theycould have chosenanyone, but they choseme. Me.” For Marlene,privilege was the joy ofbeing chosen!

I suspect that youngMary felt the same waywhen the angel Gabrieltold her that she hadbeen chosen to give birthto the Christ-child. Ever

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since the promise of aMessiah had been given,young Jewish women hadlonged to be selected forthis privileged role.Centuries came andwent, and no Messiaharrived. Then themessage came: The timehad come for Messiah tobe born, and Mary wasto be His mother! Evenin Gabriel’s greeting, thewonder of privilege isclear: “Greetings, favoredone! The Lord is withyou” (Lk. 1:28).

Luke tells us that Mary was “perplexed,”and that she “pondered”the meaning of such a strange greeting. These are strong words.Perplexed means “deeplydistressed” and ponderedcomes from the sameword as our worddialogue. She was, in fact,reasoning with herself, inher own mind, about themeaning of all this.

Sensing her confusion,Gabriel explained itfurther:

Do not be afraid,Mary; for you havefound favor with God.And behold, you willconceive in your womband bear a son, andyou shall name HimJesus. He will be greatand will be called theSon of the Most High;and the Lord God willgive Him the throne ofHis father David; andHe will reign over thehouse of Jacob forever,and His kingdom will have no end (Lk. 1:30-33).“Found favor” meant

that Mary was privileged.Talk about wonder! AndMary’s response—thatshe was a virgin—showshow difficult it was forher to grasp such a thing.Gabriel reassured herthat even as her cousinElizabeth had become

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pregnant in her old age, the God of theimpossible was capableof granting this privilegeto her. Awe and wonderdissolved into trust andwillingness of heart.

Her response toGabriel was firm anddirect: “Behold, thebondslave of the Lord; be it done to meaccording to your word”(Lk. 1:38). The NewLiving Translation puts it this way: “I am theLord’s servant. Mayeverything you have said about me cometrue.”

Amazingly, Mary understood the magnitude of whatshe had been chosen to do, and she acceptedwith humility. Imagineher emotions, herdisbelief, her sense ofunworthiness, her joy,her amazement. Imaginethe wonder in her heart.

THE WONDER OF PREGNANCYMarlene and I have fivechildren, and each oftheir births remain themost miraculous events I have ever witnessed. Itis amazing to see a babyenter the world. To hearthe heartbeat for the firsttime, and to wonderwhether the child is aboy or a girl. To see theultrasound and feel thekicks of the unborn child.

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Imagine Mary’semotions, herdisbelief, her

sense ofunworthiness,her joy, her

amazement.Imagine thewonder in her heart.



To watch the miracleunfolding behind the veil of the mother’s body.To see the child take itsfirst breath. Few things in life compare to that for sheer wonder.

The Scriptures arelargely silent about the 9 months Mary carriedthe incarnate Christ, but we can make someassumptions based onwhat we know about life.It would have been atime of new experiencesin which Mary felt thingsshe had never knownbefore. She had no frameof reference for what shewas feeling, physicallyand emotionally, withevery day of the baby’sgrowth.

Added to that, she undoubtedly had to endure the looks and whispers of her neighbors in thevillage of Nazareth—ordinary people with

ordinary questions about the true father ofthe extraordinary childshe carried. The sting of pointed words anddisgusted looks musthave cut her deeply.

And there certainlymight have been timeswhen Mary doubted herown understanding—“Did I really see anangel? Did it all reallyhappen like I remember,or is everyone right inwhat they say about meand my child?”—untilthe wonder was affirmed.

Early in herpregnancy, Mary traveled to the Judeanhill country aroundJerusalem to visit herelderly cousin Elizabeth,who was pregnant withthe baby who wouldgrow up to be John theBaptizer. The Bible doesnot tell us why Marywent to visit Elizabeth,but it’s possible that she

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left Nazareth to escapethe harsh looks andwagging tongues.

Seeking safety andsupport, she sought outElizabeth. They were two women, separated by age, but connected by family. Separated bymiles, but connected by history. Both were theunlikeliest women to bepregnant—one too oldand one a virgin.

Upon seeing Mary,Elizabeth declared:

Blessed are you among women, andblessed is the fruit ofyour womb! And howhas it happened to me,that the mother of myLord would come tome? (Lk. 1:42-43).Mary’s affirmation

had come from a mostunexpected source—theunborn baby that hadleaped in Elizabeth’swomb at the sound ofMary’s voice. Mary’s

response, sometimescalled “the Magnificat,”shows the true sense ofwonder she felt at theprivilege of herpregnancy:

My soul exalts theLord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for thehumble state of Hisbondslave; for behold,from this time on allgenerations will countme blessed. For theMighty One has donegreat things for me;and holy is His name(Lk. 1:46-49).Mary’s sense of

awe at this miraculouspregnancy is clear in her eloquent response of praise, worship, andthanksgiving. The wonder of this divinelyorchestrated pregnancyhad grasped her heart,filling her with true anduninhibited wonder.

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THE WONDER OF CHILDBIRTHWhen Mary was nearingthe end of her pregnancy,she and Joseph beganthe long, arduous journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem to registerin the imperial census(Lk. 2:1-3). Writer WalterWangerin, Jr. imaginesthe struggles of thejourney this way:

They were bound forBethlehem, the citywhere King David had been born onethousand years before,because Joseph wasdescended from thehouse of David.

Mary rode thedonkey. Joseph hadfashioned a smallrolled saddle tosupport her back. She had nearlyreached the term of her pregnancy . . . .She was breathlessand tired, swollen in

her hands, wrists, andankles. Her long hairhad lost traces of itsbeauty . . . Mary was determined to go with Joseph to bearher boy in the city ofhis father David.Though this is just

one piece of the overallwonder of the Christmasstory, I find it no smallthing that, in essence, thesovereign God put theentire Roman Empire in motion for the singlepurpose of getting Marywhere she needed to be at the moment Christwould be born. Perhapsbecause nothing short ofan imperial edict wouldmake a woman nearingchildbirth travel about 80 miles on the back of a donkey! (Lk. 2:4-5).

Another miracle.Another wonder.

The Kindness OfStrangers. Bethlehem,the home of Joseph’s

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family and ancestors, wasa village located about 5miles south of Jerusalem,not far from the foothillsof the Judean desert.Upon their arrival inBethlehem, Mary andJoseph found the smallcommunity flooded withpilgrims who had comefor the census. The innwas groaning under theweight of overflowcapacity, and there wasno place for the youngcouple to sleep, let alonegive birth to a child.

The city of David waswithout shelter for theyoung woman who wasready to deliver. Yetsomeone (the innkeeper,according to Christmaslegend and most churchChristmas programs) waswilling to go above andbeyond the call of duty.He or she cared enoughto make accommodationfor Mary and Joseph in astable. Though primitive,

this provided them shelterfrom the elements and theevening chill, and privacyfrom the mobs of people.

That simple act ofkindness guaranteed thatthe stage was set for themost marvelous reality ofall—that the Lamb of Godwould be born in a stable.

The Birth Of TheSon. “While they werethere, the days werecompleted for her to givebirth. And she gave birthto her firstborn son; andshe wrapped Him incloths, and laid Him in a manger, because therewas no room for them inthe inn” (Lk. 2:6-7).

I am always struck by the simplicity of that description. Thisremarkable event is sounderstated, so matter-of-fact, that you couldalmost miss it if youblinked. So much is left unsaid that you arecompelled to read it

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again . . . and again.A veil of silence is

pulled over the youngwoman as she agonizesthrough childbirth. Theshouts of joy are leftunrecorded as Joseph,apparently serving asMary’s midwife, deliversthe baby and hands Himto His mother.

On one level, Marymust have experiencedevery wonderful emotionfelt by every new motheras she held her child forthe first time. But on

another level she had tohave been overwhelmedby the realization thatthis child she cuddledand nursed was the Sonof God, and by thethought of what this childhad come to do—rescuea lost race from their sins(including herself, Hisown mother). This Son—promised by an angel,conceived by the HolySpirit, affirmed by thethen-unborn John,carried in the womb toBethlehem, andsurrounded in birth byfarm animals—was theOne who would be called“Wonderful Counselor,Mighty God, EternalFather, Prince of Peace”(Isa. 9:6).

Nothing in Mary’syoung life could haveprepared her for all this.She was a normal first-century Jewish girl from an ordinary familyliving in an ordinary

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Mary had to have been

overwhelmed by the realization

that this child she cuddled and

nursed was the Son of God.



small town. Yet withwonder and obedienceshe embraced theextraordinaryimplications of

God’s extraordinary plan for her life. And thewonder of her 9-monthemotional roller coasterbrought her to onesimple response: “Marytreasured all these things,pondering them in herheart” (Lk. 2:19).

The word ponderingwas also her response tothe message of the angelGabriel 9 months earlier(Lk. 1:29). Once againMary, in her own internaldialogue, in her ownmind, was trying tounderstand all that washappening. Today, in ourtechnology-driven culture,we would say that shewas “processing.”• Processing the

fulfillment of thepromise.

• Processing theculmination of thepregnancy.

• Processing the journey from her home to Bethlehem.

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This Son—promised by an

angel, conceived bythe Holy Spirit,affirmed by the

then-unborn John,carried in the wombto Bethlehem, andsurrounded in birthby farm animals—was the One whowould be called

“WonderfulCounselor, Mighty

God, Eternal Father,Prince of Peace”

(Isa. 9:6).



• Processing thesurroundings in the stable.

• Processing the struggle of childbirth.

• Processing the visit by simple shepherds.

• Processing the wonderof God incarnate inher child.Two thousand

years later, we are stillprocessing. Still caughtup in the wonder. Again,the carol “I Wonder As IWander” puts it well:

When Mary birthed Jesus

’twas in a cow’s stall,With wise men

and farmers and shepherds and all.

But high from God’s heaven

a star’s light did fall,And the promise of ages

it then did recall.There it is—the

promise of the ages. Thewonder of Christmas.The wonder of it all.

JOSEPH:The PerspectiveOf Obedience

II love music—all kinds of music. But for years, I

deliberately ignoredcountry music (perhaps a little rebellion againstmy West Virginia roots).Then a few years ago, my daughter convincedme to listen to some“country,” and I gothooked—partly becausethe lyrics and writingwere so clever, and partlybecause the songs oftentold stories.

One of the first artistsBeth had me listen towas, ironically, a fellowWest Virginian. Iimmediately embracedthis singer/songwriterbecause he shares with me a love for theCleveland Brownsprofessional footballteam and the West

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Virginia Mountaineercollege football team. His name is Brad Paisley,and he is as engaging ashe is entertaining. Many of his songs (like “Celebrity” or “I’mGonna Miss Her”) areknee-slappingly hilarious.Others (like “I WishYou’d Stay” or “When I Get Where I’m Going”)are serious and poignant.

In that latter category is a song titled “He Didn’t Have To Be,” which tells thestory of a boy who is the only child of a singlemom. Whenever a manasks this young mom ona date, the relationshipquickly evaporates whenthe aspiring suitor seesthat she has a little boy.Time after time, the boywatches helplessly as hismother loses what hethinks is another chanceat happiness, knowing all the while that it’s

because of him. One day,a man comes to call and,with a smile, invites theboy to come along withthem on their date. Abond of love andappreciation growsbetween the boy and the man who eventuallybecomes his stepfather.Now, singing as an adult,he celebrates growing up with the love andacceptance of astepfather who madetheir house a home andtheir twosome into a trio.Now married himself, the young man standsoutside the observationwindow of a hospitalnursery looking at hisown newborn baby, withhis stepfather at his side.His longing and desireand prayer? That he willbe able to be half the dadhis stepfather “didn’thave to be.”

The man he hadgrown to love as his

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father could have turnedaround and walked away.He had a choice, and hechose to be a dad. Hechose to be what hedidn’t have to be. Hechose to love.

This song reminds me of the Christmas storybecause it reminds me ofa central, though silentand almost invisible,character in the drama

of Christ’s birth: Joseph, the carpenter of Nazareth. He alsomade choices. He alsocould have turned andwalked away. Instead, heundertook willingly andobediently what couldarguably have been themost impossible task inthe universe—to be thestepfather for the Son ofGod. He was obedient, at great personal cost,choosing to be what hedidn’t have to be. And itall began with an angelicvisitor, as was the casewith Mary and with theshepherds.

OBEDIENT TO ANGELICINSTRUCTIONSTradition has held thatJoseph was significantlyolder than Mary, anassumption based on thelikelihood that he wasdead when Jesus beganHis public ministry.

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Joseph could haveturned and walkedaway. Instead, he

undertook willinglyand obediently whatcould arguably have

been the mostimpossible task in

the universe—to bethe stepfather forthe Son of God.



Perhaps Joseph hadwaited many years to marry. And now he anticipated theconsummation of hismarriage to his youngbride. Their betrothalmeant that they werelegally bound to eachother, though not yet living together ashusband and wife—quite unlike today’s“engagements,” whichcan be easily ended.

Imagine Joseph’sheartache, then, when heheard that Mary, his pureand godly young fiancée,was pregnant! Herapparent betrayal musthave rocked his world.How could she do this?And who was the manwho had participated inthat betrayal?

We are not told thatJoseph had any contactwith Mary personallyabout the matter.Very likely her father

ashamedly approachedJoseph with the news.What was he going to

do? Matthew fills in theblanks for us, giving us a window into the quietcharacter of Joseph’sheart:

Now the birth of JesusChrist was as follows:when His mother Maryhad been betrothed toJoseph, before theycame together she wasfound to be with childby the Holy Spirit. AndJoseph her husband,being a righteous manand not wanting to

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Imagine Joseph’sheartache when heheard that Mary,his pure and godly

young fiancée,was pregnant!



disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly (Mt. 1:18-19).The heartbroken

groom-to-be weighed hisoptions. If word of Mary’spregnancy got out, hewould be publicly

humiliated, an object ofpity and ridicule. Yet hisresponse was not one ofrevenge, or even of ademand for justice. Hecould have demandedthat his intended bride be stoned to death for the sin of adultery—sexual promiscuity

occurring during theformal betrothal period.Although there were nosexual relations betweenbride and groom duringthe betrothal period, thearrangement was legallybinding and could beended only by a divorce.But instead of revenge orretribution, Joseph lookedfor ways to protect Marywhile still obeying the lawof Moses.

His options? Death by stoning, which wouldpublicly exonerate him,or a quiet dissolution ofthe marriage contractthat would remove herfrom his life.

As Joseph waswrestling with thisdilemma, and apparently deciding to end the betrothalquietly, he received aspecial message from the same messenger who had previously visited Mary:

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If word of Mary’spregnancy got out,Joseph would be

publicly humiliated,an object of pity

and ridicule.



When he hadconsidered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream,saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not beafraid to take Mary as your wife; for theChild who has beenconceived in her is ofthe Holy Spirit. Shewill bear a Son; andyou shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His peoplefrom their sins.” Nowall this took place tofulfill what was spokenby the Lord throughthe prophet: “Behold,the virgin shall be with child and shallbear a Son, and theyshall call His nameImmanuel,” whichtranslated means, “God with us” (Mt. 1:20-23).The word considered

in verse 20 is significant.

It speaks of deepmeditation and intensethought, and shows thedegree to which Josephwrestled with thedilemma. It is also aword whose meaning issynonymous with the“pondering” Mary didafter her own visit fromthe angel Gabriel!

An angelic messengerwith a heavenly messageis no small thing. And theelements of the messageare overwhelminglysignificant:• Joseph’s position as

a descendant of thegreat King David, heroof Israel’s past, placeshis stepson in the lineof the royal family.

• The Holy Spirit is the source of Mary’s pregnancy:“Conceived by theHoly Spirit.”

• The child’s name,Jesus, will describe His mission (“He

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will save His peoplefrom their sins”).

• The child’s birth willbe a fulfillment ofprophecy from theJewish Scriptures,explaining not justwhy the child wascoming, but who Hewas (“God with us”).The message of the

angel was both goodnews and bad news. Thegood news was that Maryhad not been unfaithfulto him after all. He couldmarry her without doubtsabout her purity or hercommitment to him. Thebad news? Who wouldever believe it? Howcould he explain tofriends and family thetrue nature of Mary’spregnancy? Surely such a story would be seen as absurd, and he wouldbe branded a fool forbelieving such nonsense.

Once again, Josephstood at a crossroads of

choice—a choicebetween self-protectionand obedience.

Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lordcommanded him, andtook Mary as his wife,but kept her a virginuntil she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus (Mt. 1:24-25).Obedience was

Joseph’s response 22

The message of the angel was bothgood news and bad

news.The goodnews was that

Mary had not beenunfaithful to him

after all. . . .The badnews? Who would

ever believe it?



to a deeply difficult life situation. It was not an easy or painlessobedience, and it did not come without cost. It was, however, not theonly time that obediencewould be the hallmark ofhis life.

OBEDIENT TO HUMANGOVERNMENTFor two millennia, the beginning of theChristmas story has beenheralded by the familiarwords, “And it came topass in those days, thatthere went out a decreefrom Caesar Augustusthat all the world shouldbe taxed” (Lk. 2:1 KJV).This passage conciselyand clearly describes the reality of the world in which Joseph lived.Rome ruled with absoluteauthority, and either yousubmitted to that poweror you were crushed

under its weight.The events

surrounding Christ’s birth, however, also serve as an impressivereminder that humangovernment does notoperate independently or in a vacuum. Proverbs21:1 reminds us that “the king’s heart is likechannels of water in thehand of the Lord; Heturns it wherever Hewishes.” In Galatians 4:4 we are told that“when the fullness of the time came, God sentforth His Son, born of awoman, born under the Law.” Part of the “fullness of time” was adivine orchestration of theevents of human historyto prepare the stage forthe arrival of the Christ.

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus,that a census be takenof all the inhabited

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earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius wasgovernor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to registerfor the census, each to his own city. Josephalso went up fromGalilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea,to the city of Davidwhich is calledBethlehem, because he was of the houseand family of David, in order to registeralong with Mary, who was engaged tohim, and was withchild (Lk. 2:1-5).Notice the political

heavyweights involved ingenerating this decision:Caesar Augustus, whoruled the known world atthe time, and Quirinius,who governed a chunk ofthat world. Yet both ofthem were ruled by God,the King of heaven and

earth. And the entireworld—“all the inhabitedearth”—was placed inmotion so that Marywould be where sheneeded to be for Christ to be born where theprophets had said Hewould be born.

Bible scholars differ in their opinions aboutwhether or not Marycould have been excusedfrom the difficult (anddangerous) journey toBethlehem for the censusbecause of her advancedpregnancy. But whateverthe legal case might havebeen at the time, Josephfollowed the edict to the letter by going toBethlehem to be countedin the imperial census.

This may seem a smallthing, but I don’t think so.I think it reveals the heartof this man and hiscomplete obedience to theOne who instructed Hisfollowers (and us) about

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our relationship with the“powers that be.” It’s anindication of a heart thatrecognizes the function ofauthority and accepts it.

As a result of Joseph’s obedience, the Son of God was born in Bethlehem, thecity of David, as Micah5:2 had prophesied.

OBEDIENT TO GOD’S WORD

When eight days had passed, before Hiscircumcision, His namewas then called Jesus,the name given by the

angel before He wasconceived in the womb.And when the days for their purificationaccording to the law ofMoses were completed,they brought Him up to Jerusalem to presentHim to the Lord (as itis written in the Law of the Lord, “Everyfirstborn male thatopens the womb shallbe called holy to theLord”), and to offer asacrifice according towhat was said in theLaw of the Lord, “Apair of turtledoves ortwo young pigeons”(Lk. 2:21-24).We see Joseph’s next

involvement in the storyin an event that waswithout doubt hisresponsibility, though heis not named in the text.It was very important toa faithful Jewish manthat the requirements of the law regarding the

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As a result ofJoseph’s obedience,the Son of God wasborn in Bethlehem,the city of David,

as Micah 5:2 had prophesied.



birth of a child behonored. The Mosaic law demanded certainsacrificial responses andceremonial rituals, setforth in these OldTestament mandates:• Every Jewish male

child had to becircumcised. Thismarked them as sonsof Abraham (Gen. 17).First practiced at the direct command of the voice of God,circumcision becameincorporated intoJewish law throughMoses as a way ofkeeping the people of God distinct andseparate from thepagan cultures thatsurrounded them.

• A sacrifice had to be made for thepurification of the newmother (Lev. 12). Thiswould have takenplace 40 days after thebirth of the child, male

or female. The factthat Joseph and Maryoffered turtledoves orpigeons as a sacrificeshows that they were not wealthy, as those of means were required to offer a lamb. It would have been

the father’s task to fulfillthe requirements of thelaw. And though he is notnamed in this passage,we can safely assumethat Joseph fulfilled theexpectations of the lawafter Christ’s birth,preparing the way for the One who would latersay: “Do not think that Icame to abolish the Lawor the Prophets; I did notcome to abolish but tofulfill” (Mt. 5:17).

The Christ who wouldbring all the law to itstrue and completefulfillment followed in the footsteps of anearthly stepfather who

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took obedience to Godseriously. In all he did,Joseph exemplified thespirit of submission that God expects anddeserves from Hischildren.

OBEDIENT TO A HEAVENLYWARNINGBefore Joseph’s finalappearance in the pagesof the Bible, where wefind him visiting thetemple at Jerusalem withMary and 12-year-oldJesus (Lk. 2), we see him faced with two

more opportunities toobey or disobey.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judeain the days of Herodthe king, magi from the east arrived inJerusalem, saying,“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come toworship Him.” WhenHerod the king heardthis, he was troubled(Mt. 2:1-3).The magi’s visit

alarmed Herod, whoviewed the birth of a new king as a clear andpresent danger to thestability and longevity of his own kingdom. The repercussions of themagi’s visit to Bethlehemmust have been equallytroubling for Joseph,albeit in an entirelydifferent way. After these mysterious

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In all he did,Joseph exemplified

the spirit ofsubmission thatGod expects anddeserves from His children.



strangers showed up on the doorstep, anotherangelic messenger alertedJoseph to the dangerhanging over their head.

When they [the magi]had gone, behold, anangel of the Lordappeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Getup! Take the Child andHis mother and flee to Egypt, and remainthere until I tell you;for Herod is going tosearch for the Child to destroy Him.” SoJoseph got up and took the Child and Hismother while it wasstill night, and left forEgypt. He remainedthere until the death of Herod. This was tofulfill what had beenspoken by the Lordthrough the prophet:“Out of Egypt I calledMy Son” (Mt. 2:13-15).Mary and Joseph lived

far beneath the notice of

rulers and magistrates.The thought that theirchild might be in dangerfrom such powers wouldnever have occurred tothem. Suddenly Josephrealized that they lived in a world that was farmore dangerous thanthey ever imagined. Onlyan angelic voice couldhave convinced themthat their baby boy wasin danger.

When Joseph receivedthe warning from theangel, he didn’t hesitate.His first instinct was toprotect the child. Thejourney to Egypt wouldbe long, and evendangerous in itself. But with Herod’s threats hanging overthem, they could not stayin Bethlehem. In Egyptthey would be safe. Andout of Egypt, Christ—likethe Moses-led children ofIsrael hundreds of yearsbefore—would eventually

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return home to live andgrow and prepare for Hisyears of public ministry.

When Herod died,behold, an angel of theLord appeared in adream to Joseph inEgypt, and said, “Getup, take the Child andHis mother, and go intothe land of Israel; forthose who sought theChild’s life are dead.”So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and cameinto the land of Israel(Mt. 2:19-21).On a human level,

Joseph’s willingness toobey the angel’s warningprovided the first ofmany escapes from perilthat Jesus experienced.The One who was oftenheard to say, “My hourhas not yet come” wouldsurvive this and otherthreats until the momentarrived for His death onthe cross—a death that

would fulfill the law,remove the need forfurther sacrifices, andredeem a sin-filled world.

Joseph’s obediencewas part of thepreparation for the ministry andaccomplishment of the Son who “learnedobedience from thethings which Hesuffered” (Heb. 5:8).

7When we look at theChristmas story throughthe window of Joseph’sexperience, we clearly see his constant heart ofobedience. Facing choiceafter choice after choice,he responded obedientlyto each challenge setbefore him.

The beauty ofobedience has beensomewhat tarnished inour “have it your way”world where “doing your

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own thing” has becomethe rallying cry. Yet, thereis still a simple, quietbeauty to the obedientheart. It speaks againstthe rebellious nature ofour fallenness and pointsus to a better way. Itshows us the wisdom of taking God seriouslyand the folly of self-determination. It remindsus that God is sovereignand we are not—and that

this is the way it issupposed to be.

In his excellent book,A Long Obedience In TheSame Direction, EugenePeterson says this:

Friedrich Nietzsche . . .wrote, “The essentialthing ‘in heaven andearth’ is . . . that there should be longobedience in the samedirection; there therebyresults, and has alwaysresulted in the longrun, something whichhas made life worthliving.” It is this “longobedience in the samedirection” which themood of the worlddoes so much todiscourage.The “long run.” A

“long obedience.” Josephchose to live such a lifeof obedient trust in aworld that discourageslong-term commitment in favor of instantgratification. And as

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The beauty ofobedience shows us the wisdom of taking Godseriously and

the folly of self-determination. Itreminds us thatGod is sovereignand we are not.



we face the challenge toignore or obey, to followthe Master or go our own path, Joseph left us an example well worth following.

Scripture doesn’t recordthe words of Joseph. He’snot seen as someone whoinitiates; he responds. Hedoesn’t take center stage;he works behind thescenes. But the abidingcharacteristic of hisconsistent example is hiswillingness to obey God.Apparently, he had longbefore learned to trustGod. In fact, Joseph’sobedience teaches us thattrust and obedience areinseparable. If we do notfirst trust God, we willnever surrender ourchoices and destinies toHis purposes. And if wedo not obey God, we willnever see the great andhumbling things Hewishes to accomplish inand through our lives. No

wonder one of the mostbeloved hymns of thechurch echoes this simpletruth:

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.

OUR PERSPECTIVEON CHRISTMAS

PPerhaps you areamong the many

people for whomChristmas is not a seasonof joy but a trial and achallenge. For you,Christmas cheer and thereason for celebrationhave long since been lostin the fog of confusion,disappointment, orloneliness. It isn’t aseason to be enjoyed—ithas become a season tobe endured.

Maybe that’swhy one’s perspective is so important. Theperspectives of Mary

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and Joseph can help us torediscover the marvelousreality that Christmas isnot a season after all. It’sa gift—a gift expressingthe extent to which ourloving God was willing togo to make us His own.

For Mary and Joseph,there was wonder inthose events. The wonderof who Christ is and thewonder of why He cameare only the beginning.The wonder of what thatcan mean in our lives isbeyond imagination.

In John 1:12 we readan important promise tous from the God ofheaven:

As many as receivedHim, to them He gavethe right to becomechildren of God, evento those who believe in His name.Imagine‚ the Maker

of heaven and earth isthe One who makes itpossible for us to know

Him, to find forgivenessfor all of our wrongdoing,and to receive more thaneternal life—to receivethe privilege and wonderof becoming part of Hisfamily!

God did all that bysending His Son on thatfirst Christmas. If youwill talk to Him, admityour failings, expressyour needs, acknowledgeHis authority over yourlife, and accept the gift offorgiveness His Son hasmade possible, you canknow the greatest of allwonders—the wonder ofnew life in Christ.

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hThis booklet is excerpted from Windows On Christmas by BillCrowder, which is published byDiscovery House Publishers, amember of the RBC Ministries family. Bill, who spent 20 years in pastoral ministry, is now theDirector of Publications for RBC Ministries. He and his wife Marlene have five children.

“The Wonder Of It All” (p.5) by George Beverly Shea © Renewed 1985 by The Rodeheaver Co. All rights reserved.



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Mary and Joseph