Joseph- A righteous man in a complicated world

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(18) This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. (19) Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement  quietly. (20) As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

 (21) And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus,  for he will save his people from their sins.” (22) All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: (23) “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!She will give birth to a son,and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” (24) When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. (25) But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus. 
Matthew 1:18-25 – NLT

Lessons from observing Joseph

Joseph didn’t know the whole story yet.
And in that moment, he had to decide what kind of man he was going to be.

1. Godly men exercise self control and manage their emotions –

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2. Godly men sacrifice for the needs of their family– 

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(13) After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”…………..(19) When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. (20) “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of

 Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.” (21) So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother. (22) But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee. (23) So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.” 
Matthew 2:13-23 – NLT

3 . Godly men are called to protect and defend Their Family, the Church and to be an influence for Christ in the culture. 

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• God calls men to protect their families from:
• Moral compromise-
• Cultural confusion
• The enemy’s lies

we need men to step up and do the hard things.

“Lord, even when my plans change… I will trust You.”
“Even when emotions rise… I will obey You.”
“Even when it costs me… I will care for the ones You’ve given me.”
“Even when the world is dangerous… I will stand and protect.”