God with Joseph, the Dutiful

Advent Worship Series: God with Us Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25 The Christmas story of Jesus’ birth begins with a dilemma. Mary’s pregnancy creates a real issue for Joseph. He is not the father; this situation not only creates personal pain; it also could cause a public scandal. Joseph chooses not to disgrace Mary, but instead he will divorce her, the best that could be hoped for in this situation. However, the Spirit of God moves Joseph from doing good out of a sense of obligation to the revelation of God’s extraordinary plan. When God calls us to move beyond our duty, God is with us.