“Joseph, Do Not Fear”
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“Joseph, Do Not Fear”

Matthew 1:18–25  (ID: 3202)

When Gabriel announced the birth of Jesus to Mary, she submitted to God at great personal cost. At just the right time, God also sent an angel to prepare Joseph for his role in the birth of the Messiah. Alistair Begg explains that Joseph’s response was grounded in his character and shaped by his commitment to the Word of God. This kind of submission to God requires courage in the face of shame and rejection, but our hope is found in the Lord Jesus Christ, who became man to endure shame and meet our greatest need.


The Birth of Jesus Christ

18Now the birth of Jesus Christ5 took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed6 to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us). 24When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Copyright © 2024, Alistair Begg. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service.

Alistair Begg
Alistair Begg is Senior Pastor at Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Bible teacher on Truth For Life, which is heard on the radio and online around the world.