1. Grace to you and peace from God our Heavenly Father and from our coming Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Advent has a way of slowing us down—if we let it. It invites us to step back, breathe deeply, and ponder the quiet wonders that led to the world’s salvation. Last week we considered the angel’s astonishing announcement to Mary. Today the Holy Spirit shifts our attention ever so briefly to the man standing beside her: “a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.” (Luke 1:27) Just a few words—but, my, what a world of grace sits behind them. And so today we ponder this simple truth: We can learn more about our Savior Jesus by learning something about Mary’s husband. The message today is taken from Luke 1:27 and is entitled, “She Was Betrothed to a Man,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
2. Joseph the Foster Father Who Stood Beside the Child. Scripture doesn’t give us volumes about Joseph, but what is said is enough to warm the heart. He’s often pictured as older—gray around the edges, maybe a little bald on top. Whether that’s accurate or not, we do know he was established enough to support a wife and family. “Is not this the carpenter’s son?” the crowds later asked in Mt 13:55. And carpentry was no hobby; that was Joseph’s trade, his livelihood.
3. We sometimes assume Joseph was poor because Mary laid Jesus in a manger. But maybe—just maybe—their long trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem simply took more time than they planned. After all, Joseph couldn’t jump on Expedia and book the “Bethlehem Best Western.” By the time they rolled into town, everything was full. That’s how travel still works—especially if you’ve ever tried to book a hotel during a youth gathering. But what matters most is this: Joseph was present in the life of Jesus.
4. Joseph took the boy Jesus to Jerusalem at age twelve. He taught Him the things faithful fathers teach their sons—how to work with His hands, how to read the Scriptures, how to pray, how to treat His mother with honor, how to walk uprightly in the fear of the Lord. What a beautiful thought: the eternal Son of God learning to use a hammer from Joseph. And in all of this, Joseph reminds us that Jesus entered a real human home, with real human parents, in a real community. He grew up in our skin and among our daily tasks—so that He might redeem every part of our human life.
5. Joseph the Son of David. Luke adds that Joseph was “of the house of David,” and that one line sends a bright, golden thread running through all of Scripture. God had promised a Savior to Eve—One who would crush the serpent’s head (Gen. 3:15). He promised Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his descendant (Gen 12:3). He promised Judah that the scepter would not depart from his line. And finally, He promised King David: “I will raise up your offspring… and I will establish His kingdom forever.” (2 Sam 7:12–13)
6. For the Messiah to stand legitimately in David’s royal line, He needed a father from that line. And so the Lord chose Joseph—not merely as a guardian and provider, but as the earthly foster father whose lineage would place Jesus squarely in the household of David. Now picture Jesus, Mary’s holy Child, sitting at Joseph’s table—this Child who is both David’s Son and David’s Lord. No wonder Gabriel said, “He will be great.”
7. Have you ever met someone truly great? Someone whose very presence straightens your posture and sharpens your thoughts? If a President or King of a nation can do that, how much more the King of kings! Yet this King stepped down from heaven, entering Joseph’s home, entering Mary’s womb, entering our world—to lift us up to His kingdom that shall have no end. And yes, as with David, this kingdom will wage war—not with swords, but with the Word of God. The church is assaulted, mocked, marginalized. Pastors grow weary. Congregations grow small. But the kingdom stands because its King Jesus stands, risen from the dead and ruling at the right hand of the Father. And in Him, dear friends, you stand as well.
8. Joseph the Chaste and Faithful Bridegroom. Mary and Joseph were betrothed—a word deeper than our word “engaged.” A betrothal was legally binding. To break it required divorce. Yet Joseph remained chaste, honoring Mary’s virginity “until she had given birth to a son.” (Mt 1:25). What a contrast with our age. The old standards of chastity have crumbled. Engagements are casual. Couples easily live together without marriage. And when a pastor gently speaks God’s Word about the Sixth Commandment, the world sometimes reacts like a startled cat—claws out, hair raised, and all reason flying right out the window.
9. But as God’s people, we must be honest about sin. Scripture can’t whisper where God shouts. Sexual sin is serious. It damages hearts, relationships, families, and faith. And unrepented sin—whether sexual or otherwise—destroys eternally. But, thanks be to God, where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more. Repentance opens the floodgates of mercy. Jesus’ forgiveness is inexhaustible. The Savior born of the Virgin came precisely for sinners who fall and fail and need a new beginning. And in His design for marriage, God has given a beautiful gift: the union of husband and wife, the freedom of marital intimacy, and the blessing of children—yes, “lots and lots of babies,” as our Lutheran forebears cheerfully said!
10. The Bridegroom Who Comes for His Bride. Joseph guarded
Mary chastely and faithfully. He remained steadfast because God Himself had
bound them together. And here the Holy Spirit lifts our eyes to a greater
Bridegroom. From eternity, Christ has been betrothed to His Bride—the Church. He
loved her. He washed her in Baptism. He redeemed her with His blood.
He bound Himself to her with an everlasting covenant that cannot be broken. (Eph
5:25–26).
11. And now we wait—like those virgins in Jesus’ parable (Matthew 25:1–13). Some keep their lamps lit with the oil of God’s Word. Others grow careless. But the Bridegroom is coming. His shout will ring out. The doors of the feast will open wide. And dear friends, because you belong to Christ, you will be there. When the world collapses, you will stand firm. When the nations tremble, you will lift up your heads. When the unbelieving flee in terror, you will run toward your Savior. For on that day, Mary’s Son Jesus—protected by Joseph, born of the Virgin, crucified, risen, and returning—will look you in the eyes and call you faithful because He was faithful for you. And you will hear those beautiful words that echo through all eternity: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master.” (Mt 25:21) Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, until life everlasting. Amen.
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