The Great Dimension of Trust: From Carpenter to Midwife

On our Christmas Eve Service 2023, Apostle Allison Smith Conliff delivers a sermon exploring the birth of Jesus through the lens of divine trust and human responsibility. Apostle Allison emphasizes that God specifically selected Joseph for his reliability and strength to protect the holy family, challenging modern believers to become equally trustworthy stewards of their faith. The message warns against the distractions of worldly spirits and idle habits, urging the congregation to prioritize a disciplined relationship with God through prayer and scripture. Beyond celebrating Christ's first coming as a babe in a manger, the teaching focuses on the urgent need to be spiritually prepared for his imminent return. Ultimately, it serves as a call to live with reverential fear and joy, ensuring that one's daily conduct reflects a true transformation by the Holy Spirit.Key Points: The Apostle redefines the roles of Mary and Joseph by focusing on the "great dimension" of trust God placed in them as individuals specifically selected for the birth and upbringing of Jesus. Rather than viewing Joseph as a passive figure who simply "went along" with the journey, emphasizing that he was deliberately chosen and selected by God for a specific mission.Here's several specific insights into how their roles were redefined through divine trust:Joseph as a Midwife: Apostle Allison redefines Joseph’s role by contrasting his trade as a carpenter with the necessity of the moment. Because there was no room in the inn and no one else was present, God transitioned Joseph from a carpenter to "midwife duty". The Apostle notes that while a carpenter’s hands are typically "rugged and rough," God trusted Joseph to use those hands to deliver his "precious, precious son".Joseph’s Role in Nurturing: Beyond the birth, Joseph was trusted with the duties of raising the child in the fear and wisdom of God, preparing him for his eventual sacrifice on the cross.Mary’s Trust as a Young Mother: Mary is characterized as a "young" teenage mother who, despite her age, was trusted by God to birth the "only begotten" because of her character and purity. The Apostle notes that she is still "highly regarded" today for the blessed life she lived.A Model for Believers: The Apostle uses the trust God placed in Mary and Joseph to challenge the congregation, asking men if they can be trusted like Joseph and women if they can be trusted like Mary. This redefines their roles as templates for modern divine trust, suggesting that God looks for people He can trust to execute His plans on earth.God "set it up" so that no one else would be present, specifically because He knew He "could have trusted Joseph" to care for the young mother and the child in those circumstances. This perspective shifts the narrative from one of historical necessity to one of intentional, divine selection based on the reliability of the individuals involved. Rec. Date: 24th December, 2023