JMA Newsletter Missions Mid-Month Dec 2023
The Power of a Dream
The events surrounding the birth of Jesus were marked by angelic visitation. During the months preceding His birth, angels showed up preparing the way: Zacharias, John the Baptist's father, got a visit, Mary got a visit, the shepherds got a visit from the angelic choir!
One of the important people in this story, and in Jesus' life, was Joseph. Joseph also had an angelic visitation, but his came by way of a series of dreams. Let's briefly look at the first one in this Christmas edition of Missions Mid-Month!
Matthew 1:19-20, 19"Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit."
Joseph was faced with a situation that, let's be honest, does not look good. Mary is pregnant, and he knows, Joseph knows, that he is not the father. Mary insists upon her innocence, which is naturally impossible. So, none of this is making sense to Joseph. But in what looks like betrayal and lies, he doesn't want to bring more shame onto Mary. He has a plan to put her away in secret, to release her; somehow just make the whole thing go away like it never happened.
I feel like Joseph is definitely experiencing heartbreak at this point. Maybe he had been having a dream of a family and a future. He met a nice girl, she's kinda cute, he kinda likes her, and everything was looking great. But now with this news that she's pregnant, that dream is shattered.
And then Joseph, like his Old Testament namesake, dreamed a dream. God confirms to him that the whole story Mary told him is true. He received the message of the angel, and did a 180. Joseph accepted Mary, and he accepted the Child, now knowing the truth of Who the real Father was/is. Joseph accepted the responsibility for the care, nurture, training, and provision. All the things that natural husbands and fathers do, Joseph did with Mary and with Jesus.
This is an amazing picture of adoption. This is what our heavenly Father has done with us. And more, much more. Because our heavenly Father came in search of us, in order to find us, to seek and save that which was lost, to bring near those who were afar off. He accepted responsibility for us in our less than great situation, in our horrible situation, our irreparable situation. He chose to care for us, to heal us, to watch over us, to provide for us.
And He gave us a new name. Not like our old name which had earned a really bad reputation, and was associated with betrayal, lies, sin and failure, because that is who we were. No, we have a new name. Now, in Christ, we are a son and we are a daughter in His house. No longer orphans. No longer without hope, or without family. We are accepted. We have been adopted.
Joseph was a type of the Father Who has adopted us. We who were not His people have become His people by the blood of Christ, and He has given us the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry out, Abba, Father.
This season is the season of dreams. Joseph had a dream, and it changed everything. May the God of heaven and earth, the Father of lights, invade your dreams in this season, and show you the things He has for you!
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