The Choice
December 14, 2024

Joseph’s Choice

Main Point: When standing at the crossroads of fear and faith, choose to trust in God every time.

“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.” —Matthew 1:18-19

When you have to do a difficult thing, always do it in the kindest way possible.

“But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.’” —Matthew 1:20

Sometimes it may feel like self-preservation is our only choice, but that is a fear-based choice.

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). —Matthew 1:21-23

We can take God at His word because he has a track record of fulfilling His Word.

“When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.” —Matthew 1:24-25

When God speaks to you, act on it immediately.

Takeaway: Always choose faith over fear.

Discussion Questions

  1. How does Joseph’s initial decision to divorce Mary quietly reflect his character and values?

  2. Fear often leads to self-preservation, while faith calls us to trust God. Can you think of a time when you had to choose trust over self-preservation? What was the result?

  3. How can reflecting on God’s track record of fulfilling His promises encourage us to trust Him in uncertain situations?

  4. Joseph acted on God’s message immediately. How can we cultivate a heart of obedience like his when God speaks to us?

  5. Have you ever faced a situation where you had to choose between fear and faith? What helped you make your decision?

Table Discussion Question: What is one area in your life where God may be calling you to step out in faith instead of giving in to fear? What practical steps can you take this week to trust Him?