2-Joseph1-A

And We Thought We Knew You:
Soul Journey With the Real Jesus

Joseph - I
TWO FATHERS, ONE SON

BC 6
Road between Judea and Galilee

�� God has selected Jesus' human father.� He's strong as a rock and fiercely loyal.� His ability to love is unstoppable.� He loves Mary completely and without reservation.� He will love Jesus the same.� And the gaps in Joseph's character?� God will fill them in.� For he's the other father. [1]

�� Very soon now Joseph will find out about his destiny.�

�� But for now, still far away, Mary turns in the direction of home and steps into the pages of human and divine history that will indeed include her Joseph.�

�� As her small caravan makes it way along the mountains, the hills, and finally the plains, Mary's mind bounces from one thing to another.� Guessing what her parents' reaction will be.� And Joseph's.�

�� Baby Jesus is growing within her.� Sometimes Mary is very tired, and she senses her baby is too.�

�� The journey.� Such a long journey Jesus has made.� From Creator to created.� From All Powerful to completely dependent.� From the infinite universe to a little womb.� From being everywhere at once to confinement in a body.� A miniature body at that. [2]

�� Her donkey sways and plots with the little lady on his back.� Now and then Mary thinks the heavenly Father's spirit enters her womb and he, too, gently rocks his baby boy.��

Nazareth, Galilee

��"My dearest Joseph.� I returned home last evening," the note reads.� "I must see you as soon as possible.� I have never stopped loving you.� LOVE, MARY."

�� It is early morning, but he's already been at work three hours and is full of saw dust.�

��"She's never going to be gone from me this long again," he thinks.� "I love her too much.� I could never let her go again."

�� Rushing out of the workshop in front of his small quarters, he unties the sash around his waste as he goes.� Between his shop and quarters is a small courtyard.� He pours a pitcher of water in a large bowl and washes as quickly as he can. Where did he throw that clean tunic?� Within minutes Joseph is out the door and rushing through the streets.

�� Before long, he comes in view of Mary's home.� His heart beats faster than normal in anticipation of his reunion with his sweetheart.� He feels his hair to make sure it's in place for his Mary.� Anything and everything for his Mary.

�� The knocks on the gate.� The latch moves from inside.� Joseph grins in anticipation.� The gate slowly creeks open.�

Hurry!� Hurry!�

�� But it is Mary's mother.

�� "Mary's upstairs on the roof, Joseph."

�� His future mother-in-law does not look very happy.� What is wrong?� Something's wrong?� Was she injured?� Has she changed her mind about the wedding?� What's going on?[3]

�� He walks toward the stairway to the roof, but the elder woman takes hold of his arm and looks up into his young, confused eyes not quite in tears. [4]

�� "Be gentle with her.� She's still our daughter.� We still love her."

�� Something IS wrong.� What is it?� Oh, Mary, what is it?� "Whatever it is," Joseph thinks to himself, "I'll stand by her and help her through it.� My love for her knows no bounds."

�� "Okay," he responds aloud.� "Just let me see her now."

�� Joseph springs up the steps, three at a time.� He stops.� There sits his Mary.� Nothing wrong that he can see.� His grin is wide and unrestrained, his eyes flash in such fantastic love.� He starts walking over to Mary, the love of his life, when her mother's arm once again catches him.�

�� "Wait.� Not yet."

�� Mary looks at Joseph with eyes of love and fear.� "Joseph, I love you with my whole heart.� I have always loved you.� You are the only man I have ever loved.� Do you believe that?"

�� "Of course, Mary.� I believe you."

�� What an odd question.

�� Then Mary slowly stands up.� Her loose tunic can no longer hide it.� She is obviously pregnant.� Joseph's bride is expecting a baby. [5]

�� Joseph stares in disbelief.� Confusion takes over his eyes, his lips, his demeanor.� Deep breathing builds up as if getting ready to fight an unknown, unseen enemy.� His fists clinch.�

�� He puts a hand up to his forehead.� He turns and looks away and then back again, hoping he just imagined what he was seeing.� But the love of his life is still pregnant.

�� Mary does not say anything.� She just stands there.� Waiting.� Hoping he will want to talk.� Hoping she'll get a chance to explain.�

�� "Mary!!!!"� His voice swirls through his head and rushes to the ears of Satan who laughs in sadistic excitement.� "How could you do this to me?!"

�� Joseph bounds out of the house, leaving the gate open behind him.� He drops the gift he'd brought her.�� He fumbles through tears that men are not supposed to have.� He stumbles down some street in some town somewhere.� Somehow eventually in a time where there is no time a familiar gate appears.� He staggers toward it, not completely aware that he is doing it.

�� Joseph puts his head down on his still-closed front gate.� With his fist he pounds it relentlessly.� "Mary!� Mary!� Not you!� Why?� Why?� Why?" he cries out to an unseeing and uncaring world.� And though he is talking to Mary, he is glad she is not around to hear him.� He is now aware that he never wants to see her again.

�� He sobs uncontrollably.� Betrayed by innocence.� But not innocence after all.� The ultimate betrayal.�

�� Satan laughs still.�

�� God wants to reach down and comfort him, but Joe is not ready yet.�

�� Somehow he manages the lock and stumbles through the gateway to his workshop, into the courtyard, and toward the little living quarters, the living quarters he had thought he and Mary would be making into a home.� But he cannot go inside.

�� "Oh, God, why?� Why, God?� Why did it have to happen?� Oh, God, not this...."

�� Stumbling around the courtyard, his hand lands on a bowl of water where he'd washed less than an hour earlier.� He pushes it over and down onto the ground in retaliation.� Retaliation to Mary.� He works his way from object to object, throwing everything he can see with young, strong arms.� The arms that once held Mary protectively.�

�� He turns and, tramping over the mud and broken pottery on the floor, he makes his way into his tiny bedroom.

�� "The man!� Who's the other guy?� Who did this to her?"� He kicks the stool in the middle of the room.�

�� "Did Mary consent?� Was she raped?"� He takes hold of the old floor lamp and topples it to the floor.

�� "Was it someone she's known for a long time?� Has she been seeing someone behind my back?� What's going on, Mary?� Maryyy!!!!!"

�� He picks up a piece of fine clay on which he had once sketched a picture of her and throws it at the wall.� He drops to his knees and remains there a few moments as though begging providence to back up and start all over again with this morning.

�� He sits now in the floor with her picture.� All broken.� Crushed.� Cut to the heart.� Unhealable.� Inconsolable.� Betrayed with the ultimate betrayal.

�� "Oh, Mary....� Oh, God....� Say it's just a dream."� Sprawling completely prostrate now, he hits his fist against the floor.� He is bleeding.� Bleeding from the broken glass.� Bleeding from the broken promise.� The broken heart.� The broken life.� "Oh, Mary....� Oh, God...."

�� Joseph opens his eyes and it is dark.� No sounds on the street.� It must be very late.� Too late.� Too late to do any work.� Too late for Mary.� Too late for him.� Too late for happiness.

�� He gets up and stumbles toward the courtyard.� He pauses in the doorway, momentarily forgetting what he's doing.� Forgetting because there's nothing to remember.� Only betrayal.� And a treacherous emptiness.

�� He throws himself across his bed on top of the crumpled covers.� He stares at the dark ceiling with unseeing eyes.� He pounds his bed mercilessly.� He turns over.� Then over again.� And over.� How can he sleep?�

�� He turns and sits up.� He puts both open hands up to his head and his ears, hoping the echoes of betrayal will go away.� But they haunt him.� He raises his fists to heaven.� "Why, God?� Why did you do this to me?� Why?"

�� His masculine nature wants to fight.� But who is the enemy?� Who can he cut down?�

�� He rushes out his bedroom door into the blackness of his night.� He fumbles with a flint to light a fire.� A fire to burn, burn, burn.� A fire to burn the wick in his lamp so he can see.

�� Joseph sets the lamp down and goes over to his just-begun doors for the mayor's new house.� Gotta get them built.� Gotta get them done.� Gotta do it.� Gotta concentrate.� Gotta cut and pound, cut and pound, cut and pound.�

�� With all the uncontrollable energy that possesses him, Joseph attacks the wood with a vengeance - cutting, pounding, avenging, thinking.... [6]

�� "I've got to turn her in to the court.� No, I can't do that.� That's Mary I'm talking about.� Mary's the love of my life.� Mary WAS the love of my life."�

�� He cuts and pounds....

�� "I know.� I know what we can do.� Yes, that's it.� I'll pay for her to have an abortion.� I know it wasn't her fault.� Someone forced her.� Mary wouldn't betray me like that.� She can have an abortion.� Then, in a few months, we can get married - celebrations, the wedding parade, the wedding feast, and everything. [7]

�� "It'll all be put back together again.� Our dream will be intact.� We can go on living as though nothing ever happened.� I can forgive Mary.� I know I can.� I could even move her away from here after the wedding and we could start all over again.� No one would be the wiser for it.�

�� "Surely, if it means forgiving Mary and getting married after all, God would be for an abortion.� God loves forgiveness and marriage.� God would approve of the abortion.� And the baby wouldn't ever know the difference. [8]

�� "The baby?� It's already got life.� I don't think I could bring myself to bring it up to her."

�� He cuts and thinks....

�� "Adoption!� That's the answer.� Maybe someone in Mary's family would adopt it.� There's got to be people around here who can't have children of their own.� Mary could just give it up; then we could go on like nothing ever happened.

�� "No.� The baby would still be around.� What if the baby looked like Mary?� Every time I saw it, I'd be reminded of the betrayal.� The betrayal?� Yes, the betrayal.� What am I going to do?"

�� He pounds and thinks....

�� "Annul the engagement.� Divorce her.� That's what I'll do.� I'll quietly send her the legal papers ending our engagement and marriage.� That way nothing embarrassing is discussed in the courts to get people asking questions.�

�� "Then she can do whatever she wants.� Maybe I'll even move away.� Maybe Mary would be better off without me.� Maybe I'd be better off without Mary. [9]

��"Oh, Mary....� Oh, God....� I don't know what else to do.� Oh, Mary....� Oh, God...." [10]

�� In a timeless, healing moment, the cabinets are completely built.� The sun, like everything else, betrays him as it shines brightly and unashamedly through the little sawdusty shop window.� He decides to wash up and write out a bill for the doors before delivering them.� On his way, he'll stop at a lawyer's shop to draw up a bill of divorcement.

�� He makes his way across the courtyard to his small room.� He sits down on his bed, unused the night before.� Slowly he takes off his dusty sandals.� His logical mind still engaged.� His emotional mind shut down.� He stares at the wall.� He stares at the broken picture he took to bed with him the night before.� He leans back on his pillow.� And closes his eyes.

�� "Joseph!� Joseph!"

�� Startled, he sits straight up in bed.� Instinctively, he puts his hand on the hammer he keeps at his bedside.

�� "Hey, where'd you come from?� How'd you get in here?� Get out of my house before I do something you'll regret!� Do you hear me?� Get out!� Now!"

�� The form at the foot of his bed stays.� "Joseph, descendant of David...."

�� "Huh!� How'd you know that?� How do you know my name?� And my ancestry?� Lucky guess.� Just get out of my house!"

�� "Joseph, do not hesitate to make Mary your wife!"

�� "Mary?� Mary?� Are you the man who...."� He can't quite say it.�

�� "Make Mary your wife," he repeats.

�� Joseph's white-knuckled grip on the hammer loosens and he laughs nervously.� "You gotta be kidding me."

�� "Listen to me, Joseph.� The child in her womb...."

�� "The child?� Yes, I thought so.� It's already a child, even though it's not born yet.� But...."� Joseph completely lets go of the hammer, but he keeps it nearby just in case.

�� "The child," the stranger says, 'has been conceived by the Holy Spirit." [11]

�� Joseph simultaneously tries to comprehend what is said, and at the same time fights it.

�� "The Holy Spirit?" he repeats.� "The Spirit of God?"

�� He stands up, points a finger at the intruder and lets his guard down to debate him.

�� "Are you out of your mind?" he objects.� "The Holy Spirit does not make women pregnant.� You must really take me for a fool.� Who are you, anyway?� And get out of my house!"

��"Joseph, Mary will have a son."

�� "A son?"� He's caught up in the conversation even though he knows he should be kicking this stranger out.� For some reason, he cannot.

�� "Mary will have a son." [12]

�� "Number one, I could care less what she has.� And number two, how can you possibly know she will have a son?"

�� Without responding, the man continues.� "You shall name him...."

�� "Me?" he interrupts again.� "Oh, I'll not be around when she has that kid.� We're getting a divorce.� I've already decided.� No more Mary for me.� It's good riddance as far as I'm concerned.� I don't know why I ever let myself get taken in by her, anyway."

�� "You shall name him Jesus."

�� Joseph cannot resist the man.� He cannot resist what the man is trying to tell him.��"Jesus?"� He is startled by the name.� For the name, Jesus, means deliverer."

�� "That's right, Joseph.� This Son of God will deliver people all over the world and in all ages from their sins." [13]

�� Suddenly, Joseph realizes this man talking to him knows too much to be just an ordinary man.� He is speaking with far too much authority.� What is there about him?

�� Joseph sits back down on his bed, for some reason feeling drawn into the conversation more than drawn to get rid of him.� His message is magnetic.� But why?� Who is he, anyway?

�� Anger has given way to curiosity.� Now curiosity gives way to possibility.� Joseph is on the brink of faith.� He stares at the man and tries to comprehend his words.� Thinking.� Absorbing.� His head swimming.�

�� He objects again.� He must.� But in a different way.� "You mean this is God's baby I'm supposed to raise?"� He doesn't believe he is saying this.

�� The stranger smiles. "Precisely."

�� "No!� No!� It's not possible.� God can't have a son."

��" He can have a brain child."

�� "A what?"

�� "Any time God shows himself to mankind, that is his brain child.� He does it with words sometimes.� He's about to put his words in the form of a human so you can see them for yourself."

�� "Man, this is heavy."

�� "God spoke for centuries and people didn't quite catch on.� So now he's going to speak through the life of a man.� That man is who Mary has conceived."

�� Joseph wants to believe the man.� Oh how he wants to believe him.��For Mary's sake he wants to believe.� It would put things back the way they were.�

�� Then he takes the plunge.� The plunge that makes no sense to him, but makes much sense to him.�

�� "How can I do that?� I'm not strong like God."��

�� With Joseph at least wanting to believe the impossible, the stranger takes him to the next level.� He quotes an ancient prediction.

�� "This will fulfill God's message through his prophets.� Don't you remember the prophet Isaiah?"

�� The stranger standing next to Joseph's bed begins to quote it.� " 'Listen!� The virgin shall conceive a baby!� She shall give birth to a son, and call him Emmanu-El, which means God is among us.' " [14]

�� "A virgin?� Is Mary still a virgin?"� Joseph lunges at the idea.� How he loves his Mary.� How can he give her up?� "A virgin?

�� "No, that can't be.� Virgins can't be pregnant.� Mary has betrayed me."� His hated tears return.

�� Again the stranger waits while Joseph thinks and absorbs and struggles.� Momentarily he looks up at the stranger, embarrassed and wiping his rugged and smudged face.

�� Remembering the comfort of the stranger's words, he whispers, "Who are you?"

�� In his heart, he knows.� Somehow he knows.� One more plunge of faith.� A big one.� It will seal everything that's been said.

�� "Are you....� I guess this sounds bizarre, but are you some sort of angel?"

�� The stranger smiles.�

�� "You are, aren't you?"

�� The instant Joseph comprehends and believes, the angel disappears.� The young man opens his eyes and jumps up.� It had been a dream, but a dream of reality.� A dream of hope beyond hope.� A dream that will change his destiny and the destiny of the entire world.

�� He raises his eyes to the ceiling and shouts aloud, "Mary's a virgin!� Mary's still a virgin!"

�� Turning, he looks for his scripture scrolls.� "Where did I put them this time?"� He rummages around his bedroom, then the courtyard.� He finds the one covering the prophecies on the ground next to the broken bowl.� Some of the water has soaked the edges.

�� Grabbing it, he turns it quickly in his hands.� It will not turn fast enough.� Impatiently he puts the scroll back on the ground and rolls it all out in front of him.� He straddles it, scanning and searching for the word to jump out at him - the word virgin.� Frantically.� Desperately.

�� "There it is.� Mary's still a virgin!� Mary IS THE VIRGIN...."

�� Joseph's excitement recalls a deeper statement of the angel, and his mind climbs deep, deep into the Word of God.

�� "Jesus....Emmanuel....God With Us.� God's Spirit.� Oh, God.� This is your baby!" [15]

�� His soul grabs at the statement and hangs on to it relentlessly.� "Oh, God.� How can I ever be a father to your baby?"

�� Joseph once more has startled himself.� Did he really hear what he thought he heard?� Did he really stay what he thought he said?

�� He looks up into the sky, shading his eyes from the sun and watching the clouds race by.� Confusion returns, and along with it, fear.

�� He continues to stare at the fleeting clouds above.� Something swells up inside of him.� Something deep within him begins to rumble and quake.� His whole body slowly begins to shake - very slowly, very steadily as he looks up into the heavens.� As he looks up into the heavens.

�� Rising slowly and steadily from the depths of his soul, his being shouts to the heavens beyond the sky he sees.�

�� "Oh, God!� Creator of the universe!"

�� His heart beats faster.� "How can I be a father to your baby?"

�� His eyes search the heavens for an answer.�

��"How can you give me this kind of responsibility?� I am just a weak man!� I am not strong like you!� Oh, God, I can't handle it!"

�� But Joseph feels reassurance deep in his soul.� WE FATHERS WILL WORK IT OUT - YOU AND I.

�� He turns and sits on the ground in the solitude of his courtyard.� On the ground next to where he set the broken picture.� Next to Mary.� He remembers Mary.

�� His hair in shambles, sawdust still permeating his clothes, tear stains criss-crossing his face, he runs out the door of his shop.�

�� "I must get to Mary.� I must tell Mary.� I must help Mary.� She needs me."

�� Bolting out into the street, he races toward the home of his bride.� Seemingly the homes and shops he passes jump out of his way.� Seemingly the wind picks up his feet and delivers him at the familiar gate.� He pounds on it and rattles the latch.� Deliriously, he pounds on it.

�� "Mary!� Mary!� Open up!� Please Mary!� Forgive me, Mary!� Please, you've got to come to the gate!� Please, Mary!"

�� The gate opens and this time it is Mary's grandfather.� "She's still up on the roof.� We've been expecting you."

�� Joseph once more takes the stairs three at a time, spots Mary, and kneels in front of his sweetheart.� Kneels in front of his bride.� Kneels in front of the mother of God's baby.

�� He puts his head in her lap and sobs.� Mary sobs.� Their tears mingle and flood the earth.� Their tears rise higher and higher through the universe.� Their tears at last reach the throne of God and swirl restlessly at his feet.�

�� God reaches down and touches those tears.� Now, somehow, the young couple way down on earth, feels peace like a river.

�� "We're still getting married.� God has chosen us to raise his baby.� I think I understand now.� We've got to follow through.� He's put his trust in us.� Oh, Mary, how I love you." [16]

�� "I love you too, my dear sweet Joseph.� I always did and always will."

�� The two sit alone together.� Together facing something they cannot explain to themselves, let alone to other people.� Together facing what seems to be the impossible, and which of course is the impossible.

�� "Why did God choose us?"

�� There is no answer.�

�� "Mary, all I can say is that I'll do the best I know how," Joseph whispers.� "Man, Mary, it won't be enough."

�� "God doesn't want us to do anything other than give him a normal home so he can grow up," Mary replies.� "That's all.� He will do the rest."

�� "What about our wedding?� No one will believe us."

�� "Oh, I didn't really need a big wedding, Joseph.� We'll be just as married without all the feasts and parades.� I'm just worried about how you will handle what people say about you," Mary adds.

�� "Not as much as the things people will call you, Mary.� But, don't worry.� I'll stand by you all the way."

�� "Me too, Joseph.� We'll stand by each other."

�� Late in the afternoon just before dark, Joseph returns alone to his home.� The home where the angel of God had actually appeared to him.� And changed his life forever.

�� As he walks in, he sees his scripture scroll still rolled out to the place he'd read earlier.� He reads it again and again.� Then he prays.

�� One father praying to the other father.�

�� "Can I do it, God?" he asks over and over.

�� Joseph understands all the hurdles he will have to overcome to protect his son ~ his and God's son.� At least he thinks he does.� There will be so many.� Many more than even Joseph realizes.� But God realizes.� And God is ready to do what is necessary.

�� For, over the next four years, God will speak to Joseph and give him specific instructions to get his young family out of some very tough situations.

�� God has spoken one time to Mary and that is sufficient.� He will speak four times to Joseph.� There will be a lot of things for the two fathers to talk over.

�� The two fathers will need that time together.� The two fathers will need to confer together.� Develop their strategies together.� Plan their future together.� The two fathers must be strong.

�� So, on this night, as Joseph drifts off to sleep, God in heaven looks down on this solitary man and knows he made the right choice.�

�� They will share their fatherhood together.� Joseph has faith in the heavenly father.� God has faith in the earthly father.

�� Together, not even hell will be able to stop them!

�LIFE APPLICATION

1.�� Is there anyone in your life that you feel betrayed a trust or who you betrayed?� How do you feel about your estranged relationship now?� Would you like things to be the way they were?� It is possible if you are willing to take the first step.� If you can't alone, find a mutual friend to intercede for you.

2.�� Everyone has responsibilities.� God says we are to handle them as though we're doing them for God (Ephesians 6:6).� What responsibilities have you failed to follow through on lately?� How will you remedy the situation?

3.�� Joseph had a pretty good idea what was ahead for him.� If he married pregnant Mary, the word would get around that he was being taken advantage of.� He'd receive unjustified taunts from his friends and perhaps his family.� What good thing have you turned your back on recently for fear of taunts?� How can you backtrack and do what you know is right anyway?

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