A character study of Mary and Joseph

1. Parents’ First Christmas
Various Scriptures
1

2. Key concept
Be anxious for nothing, but in
everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known to God.
Philippians 4:6 2

3. Parenting
It’s not just a job, it’s an adventure
3

4. The right parents are crucial
Mary
Joseph
4

5. Think
God chose
Both
5

6. For all of us
Children are a gift from God
Kids, your parents have a God given
responsibility for you.
Grandparents those grandbabies are
God’s reward for not killing your kids
during their teenage years
6

7. Historically
The first Christmas parents
7

8. Right names
8
Yowceph
Miriam

9. Nazareth 120-150 inhabitants
Most were related
Related to royalty 9
Home sweet home

10. Economics
Peasant class
As an artisan Joseph made less than farmers
Mary would have worked 10-12-hour days
10

11. Family life
11
 Groups of 3-5 family
houses sharing a
courtyard
 Extended family

12. Courtship

13. Right Lineage
Both from the line of King David
Mary through David’s son Nathan (Luke)
Joseph through David’s son Solomon (Matthew)
13

14. Dad
(Stepfather)
14

15. What was he
like?
And Joseph her
husband, being a
righteous man and
not wanting to
disgrace her,
planned to send
her away secretly.

16. Right before God
Joseph-righteous man
1
6

17. To his wife
17
Considerate to Mary

18. To his government
Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the
city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of
David which is called Bethlehem, because
he was of the house and family of David,
Luke 2:4 18

19. Submissive to authority
19
Not an Essene
Not a Zealot

20. Good to his “son” 20
And all were speaking well
of Him, and wondering at
the gracious words which
were falling from His lips;
and they were saying, “Is
this not Joseph’s son?”
Gave him his name

21. Good to his “son” 21
Is not this the
carpenter’s son?
Taught him a trade

22. Man of faith
Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to
take Mary as your wife; for the Child who
has been conceived in her is of the Holy
Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall
call His name Jesus, for He will save His
people from their sins.
Matthew 1:20b–21 22

23. Man of faith
And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did
as the angel of the Lord commanded him,
and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a
virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he
called His name Jesus.
Matthew 1:20b–21 23

24. Not just once
1. Mary’s pregnancy
2. Warning about Herod
3. When to come home
4. Where to settle
24

25. 25
Mom
Miriam mother of Yeshua

26. 26
Not sinless
But Righteous
Not perfect
But Pure
She was an ordinary
Jewish woman of
Nazareth, and she was
impregnated by God in a
sinless way.
A regular woman

27. Angel Gabriel
“Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
First word about her
27

28. Her reaction
Upset
Confused
Normal!
28

29. Think about it
God chose her because she
was right for His plan.
29

30. Faith
“Behold, the bondslave of the
Lord; may it be done to me
according to your word.”
Luke 1:38 30

31. The Magnificat (mag·ni·fuh·kaat)
“My soul exalts the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 “For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For
behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. 49 “For
the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. 50
“AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION TOWARD THOSE WHO
FEAR HIM. 51 “He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered
those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. 52 “He has
brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who
were humble. 53 “HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS; And sent
away the rich empty-handed. 54 “He has given help to Israel His servant,
In remembrance of His mercy, 55 As He spoke to our fathers, To
Abraham and his descendants forever
Luke 1:46–55 31

32. What this tells us
Poetic
Knowledgeable of scripture
Yielded to the Holy Spirit
32

33. Faithful
Mary would be there from the cradle
to the cross
33

34. Our take-away
God chooses
God develops
You fit into God’s plan
We are to be yielded
34

35. Parenting
It’s not just a job, it’s an adventure
35