We all know Joseph, the earthly father, who despite him not biologically related to Jesus, God appointed him to adopt the long awaited Messiah.
In a nativity or the Christmas story, Joseph is often in the shadow of Jesus and Mary. Yet, Joseph’s role in the pre-written story of Jesus is crucial to the health of this little family and raising of the Son of God.
Here are lessons we might have missed, skimming through the story of the chosen father of Jesus.
1) Joseph, adopting Jesus, wasn’t God’s second choice. God divinely planned Jesus to be adopted by Joseph, long before He was born. Joseph was annointed, appointed and pre-destined by God, to be Jesus earthly father
Everything about Joseph’s life prepared him and was pre-planned for the purpose of parenting Jesus.
Joseph’s story was intertwined with the prophets of the Old Testament who previously declarated, the chosen child would be a descendent of David (Joseph’s heir) and be born in Bethlehem (Joseph’s city of origin, the one Jesus’ family was forced to return to, in a time a census and Jesus’ birth)
If Jesus was “adopted” by anybody else, God’s holy Scripture wouldn’t have been fulfilled.
Joseph wasn’t a “last option” for Jesus as a father, but a predestined man, God intentionally placed over Jesus as a parent.
Joseph was also equipped from his trade as a carpenter, living with impeccable reputation and integrity and had a heart previously cultuvated to prepare him for the moment an angel appeared and called him to be the chosen father of the perfect one, Jesus.
Before Joseph was born, or Jesus for that matter, Joseph’s story was already written, the message of Jesus was given to the prophets, recorded in the Old Testament for all the world to see.
As adoptive parents, step parents, or any kind of non-blood relative, it can be easy to think we are just some cast-off choice, or a result of negative, natural consequences. But truth is, God chose Joseph from before the beginning of the foundation of the earth to be the “adopted” father of Jesus.
The child you are raising isn’t random, but God-given, just as much as Jesus was, to Joseph.
2) Joseph had faith and a heart of immediate obedience and humility
Just think of what a mighty revelation Joseph had, a dream from heaven telling him Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Joseph was called to be his earthly, unbiological father….altering Joseph’s life completely.
Marrying Mary, sacrificed and risked Joseph’s reputation. Yet, Joseph followed God’s Spirit, carting her and her unborn son far away to Bethlehem prior to Jesus being born.
What faith, to honor one short visitation by an angel in the night.
Such humility, sacrifice and love for Joseph to lay down everything He ever knew or could imagine to follow the call of that angel who told him to marry a virgin bride, pregnant with God’s son, Jesus.
Joseph was clearly sensitive to God’s Spirit, humble enough to walk in immediate obedience, all the while never demonstrating any kind of wrestling with this calling.
Joseph was obedient to the dreams God gave him, are we?
Maybe God has given you a dream, a call, a purpose, a heavenly declaration, like Joseph. Joseph responded with such immediate obedience. Will we obey when His call comes, surrending in obedience, like Joseph?
3) Joseph was given great spiritual authority and weiled it lovingly over his son, despite him not being Jesus blood relative
I find it amazing that prior to Jesus ever being born, the angel that appeared to Jospeh, telling him to marry Mary, also instructed him to name His (unborn, non-biological) son, Jesus.
It was like God gave him authority over this infant even before he was born, despite there being no blood or biological relation.
Then, after the naming. Joseph didn’t back off, hide, or let Mary take authority over her own, God/son who was annointed by God, alone, to parent this child.
Joseph’s call to protect, defend, look out for, and meet the physical needs of Jesus, carried on, throughout the scripture, from what we know about Jesus early life.
Furthermore, Joseph took his family out of Bethlehem, when woke by another dream from an 
angel. (Matt. 2:13) Joseph also got up and immediately moved Mary and Jesus back again to Nazareth, when given a third dream to do so. (Matt. 2:19-20)
Despite any genetic relation, clearly, God gave Joseph the spiritual authority to protect, defend, discern, obey, care for and raise Mary’s newborn son.
If you are a non-biological parent to a child, be assured, God has annointed you for the purpose. Don’t doubt the authority God gives the humble who look after a step-child, neighbor’s child, friend’s kid….or anyone that is not by blood related.
4. Joseph parented well and passed on his own personal skills and traits to Jesus, just like any biological parent might
Joseph sounded like a great dad in every way. He fervently protected Jesus, was highly respected in His community, and had both a trade and a full understanding of his faith that He diligently passed on to Jesus.
Joseph was a carpenter, and like Jesus would later demonstrate; took things that seemed worthless and molded them into something beautiful and purposeful.
Jesus became an apprentice to His earthly father, a carpenter, before going into full time ministry sharing the gospel and revealing who He was to all creation.
Jospesh also greatly respected and honored his Jewish faith. He went to the temple annually, taking Mary and Jesus, much like any modern day dad might take his family to church.
Joseph didn’t just “put food in Jesus’ mouth”. Instead, he worked alongside Jesus, molding and instructing him in both mundane tasks and spiritual matters.
To parents who aren’t biologically related to your kids, don’t be fooled. You are passing on a great gift to your children. They are watching, modeling, and will eventually be living from how you teach them.
Children learn more from watching the behaviors from those in their sphere of influence, than by any words a teacher, parent, coach, or church leader might preach to them.
What we model matters. What Joseph modeled mattered.
Do you want to know how a child will turn out? You can find glimpses by looking at the parents who are raising them.
5. You don’t have to be rich to parent a child not born to you
There is this lie. Money can compensate for loss.
In the case of Joseph, there was never a time reported where Joseph gave Jesus any earthly possessions. However, what Jospeh did offer Jesus was much greater.
Joseph gave Jesus the gift of a safe home, an upbringing of Old Testament teaching, a model of what it means to respect and protect himself and his mother.
Joseph gave Jesus skills and unconditional love. He was steady, thoughtful, diligent and obedient to God in every way.
Lastly, Joseph gave Jesus the mighty name we all declare today, having such power and authority, Jesus. What a gift!
Yet, Joseph wasn’t earthly rich. He was humble, worked hard, and was greatly respected by his local community.
God didn’t predestine Joseph to parent Jesus for any material wealth he possessed. God chose Joseph because He was inwardly rich; rich in character, love, humility, obedience and faith.
It doesn’t matter what you physically possess either. God calls people to parent, based on their faithfulness, not on the size of their bank accounts.
Chances are, if you are not rich, God will still use you to fulfill His purposes through adoption or in some other way in mentoring someone not biologically related.
God is looking for the faithful, not just the wealthy.
Conclusion
- Joseph had three dreams written in scipture. In each dream, Joseph instantly obeyed, without doubt or questions.
- Joseph’s heart was humble, He was God-fearing, and desired to fulfill God’s call despite the way he might have appeared to onlookers. Joseph loved God more than he feared people.
- Joseph didn’t just “fill a role” in the parenting of Jesus. Joseph took great care, worked with detailed diligence, and daily trained Joseph both in skill and in spiritually in every account of scripture we have.
- Jospeh took Jesus to work and to church, He protected Him fiercely and banged on the doors all throughout Bethlehem to find a place for his wife and soon to be “adopted” son. He carried authority and diligence in wanting to protect those God entrusted Him with.
- Jospeh didn’t take lightly the call to raise a son that wasn’t biologically related. He risked everything, gave up all just to honor the call, making Jesus the descendent of David, as prophesied, through his family line.
- Joseph was also from Bethlehem, the exact city of the pre-proclaimed, chosen King….the Messiah…the one the entire world had been waiting for.
Joseph didn’t just step on the scene at the appearance of a need, but was predestined from the beginning of creation to be the father who would raise Jesus.
If you are an adopted mom or dad today, it is clear from Scripture, adoption or parenting a non-blood related child isn’t God’s second choice. Like Joseph, God orchestrated your calling, your purpose long before you were born.
He put everything in order, and has used everything in your story to prepare you for this season.
Let’s parent like Joseph; all in, whole-hearted, taking this sacred call seriously, in dependency on Him, with great humility and grace.
If God chose Joseph to adopt Jesus as part of God’s first choice, an earthly man, not biologically related….my guess is God’s has predestined your family’s redemption story as well.
