Series: What Child Is This?
Sermon: Joseph
Speaker: Japhet De Oliveira
Writer: Japhet De Oliveira
Kids Sections: Jessyka Albert

Refresh: Open with prayer. Ask for the Holy Spirit to open your heart to new understanding and for God’s character to be revealed.

Read: Matthew 1:19-25 in the New Living Translation. Note 1–3 insights or questions. 

Reflect: Parents don’t get to pick their kids, and kids don’t get to pick their parents. Even if you have adopted kids (or parents), you still don’t really know who you have picked. The reality will always be a surprise. Of course, for Joseph and for Mary, Jesus was more than a surprise. Jesus was a calling on their lives.  If they were each to ask the question, “What child is this?” they would used different tones of voice. In the case of Joseph that we exploring this week, one certainly gets the impression that his tone was not one of awe and wonder. It was much more along the lines of, "Who is the father, and why would I believe you, Mary?" Yet there was something inside him that he was wrestling hard with, something that gave him pause for thought. Enough at least, that he wished within his heart to cause as little grief as possible in ending this chapter of his life quietly. But I am sure he unable to hide his feelings from Mary. In the end, Joseph was able to see how loving the impossible, believing the improbable, and hoping for a miracle, was his privilege. This is also our privilege on the road to recovery in any of our relationships. 

Recalibrate: Who do you need to reconcile with? 

Respond: Pray for the heart of acceptance. 

Research: Explore www.foccusinc.com and consider this resource to prepare or enrich your marriage.

Live Wonder (ages 0–3)
It’s important to learn to trust in God from the very beginning of our lives until the very end. In your own words, tell your child what the word “trust” means to you. Share a story about a time when you trusted in God.

Live Adventure (ages 4–11)
What does it mean to trust someone? Who are three people who you trust a lot and how do you show them that you trust them? What is one thing you can trust Jesus with today?

Live Purpose (ages 12–16) 
God’s way doesn’t always make sense to us right away; it definitely didn’t make sense to Joseph. What is something that doesn’t make sense in your life right now? How are you trusting God with it?