In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. – Luke 2:1-5
Yesterday, we began talking about the lessons we can learn from the life of Joseph in the Christmas story. Let’s continue that conversation now with three more lessons we can take from this incredible story in history.
The third thing we must understand is that we don’t always get what we deserve. Don’t be surprised as a follower of Jesus that life is unfair, that you get the short end of the stick, and that you don’t always get what you deserve. Some of the greatest men and women in the Bible didn’t get what they deserved. The Lord Jesus certainly didn’t get what He deserved. Perhaps the greatest Christian who ever lived, the Apostle Paul didn’t get what he deserved.
Maybe you’re the type of person who does what is right. You say what is right. You live what is right even when you are done wrong, even when life is not fair, and even when you get what you don’t deserve. The only thing that matters in life is not getting what you deserve but giving God what He deserves, which is your obedience, your gratitude, your praise, and your faith no matter what. This is exactly how Joseph chose to live.
The fourth lesson we need to learn is that we can’t see the end from the beginning, but God can. There is something about this story you would not know at first glance. Joseph took Mary with him, but he didn’t have to. Only the man was required to appear before the census taker. Why in the world did Joseph take a pregnant wife on a seventy-mile journey when it was not required by Roman law? Because seven hundred and fifty years before this journey took place the prophet Micah foretold the future birth of this future king.
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2).
You see, we can’t see the end from the beginning, but God can. He knew what needed to happen for Micah’s prophecy to be fulfilled, therefore He worked in the details to make sure the prophecy came true.
Finally, we need to remember that we follow a God who can be trusted. It wasn’t an accident, a stroke of fate, a piece of luck that caused Caesar Augustus to take a census and make sure everybody went to their hometown. The Christmas story reminds us there is a sovereign God in control of our lives and mine and we can trust Him.
We don’t have to worry about accidents, because there are no such things as accidents – only appointments. We don’t have to worry about how everything is going to end, because it is going to end exactly the way God wants it to end. We don’t have to worry about what plan is in place because His plan is in place and His plan will be accomplished.
Dear Lord, thank you for all the lessons we can learn from Joseph in the Christmas story. Help me to trust you and follow you the way Joseph did, even when things don’t make sense and the future seems uncertain. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Topics: Christmas
