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The Wisdom of Joseph

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21 December, 2025Pastor John Strelan

Fear!

One of the most heartbreaking lines in all of Scripture must be Genesis 3:10, ‘The man (Adam) said (to God) “I heard the sound of you walking in the garden, and I was afraid . . . and I hid myself”’.

Fear restricts us. Fear binds us. Fear narrows us. Fear reduces us. Fear dehumanizes us. Fear diminishes us. Fear cuts us off from God.

One of the profoundest aspects of Christmas is that Jesus comes as Immanuel –God with us– in order to drive out fear, so that all people might have life and have it abundantly. Jesus comes to us at Christmas to give to us –to create in us– the opposite of fear: trust.

~ Pastor John

Matthew 1:18-25    

18 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. 

19 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.

20 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. 21 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.’

22 All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 

25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

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