An Average Joe in a Pregnant Moment

Matt 1:18-25                                                                    December 19, 2004

         This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

         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. 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 be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”–which means, “God with us.”

         When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

CCI: God calls average people into extraordinary times of opportunity.

Intro: What do you think of when I use the expression “Average Joe?” Who here today would say, “I am an average Joe or Jane.”

         I have some numbers for you:

         3.13           Average family size in 2004

         48,800       Average household after tax income

         2.69%        Amount of expenses in the average household that was given to charities in 1998

         5.2%          Average contribution in 1998 for people earning under 10,000

         1.6%          Average contribution in 1998 for people earning 75,000 - 100,000

         100            Average IQ

         9 years      Average age of automobiles on the road

         25 years    Average age of first time mothers in 2000

         32-33         Average age of Outlaw Racing Drivers on the circuit

         47 years    Average age of death for homeless people in Seatle

         Now, how many of you are average? Does that describe any of you? Of course not, no one is average, but, together, we are all average.

         So this morning I want to introduce you to a man who was just an average Joe how found himself in a pregnant moment. His name was Joseph Davidson. He lived a small village in Palestine and he earned his living by working with wood. He was a religious man whom the neighbors called “righteous” because he sought to keep the Law. Theologically he was quite conservative, perhaps even a bit of a mystic. He had a good reputation in the community and was respected in the city gate where the men all gathered to discuss the events of the day. There was little about him that was noteworthy, except he could trace his ancestors all the way back to the first righteous king. He was a descendant of David, that is why we call him Davidson. But while he did take some pride in his lineage, in reality, since 1000 years had passed since David, there were thousands of Davidsons! So even that did not set him apart as special.

         This average Joe was engaged to be married. His fiancee was a very sweet young lady who also had a good reputation in the community. We are not sure how old she was, but it was common for wedding plans to be made when a girl reached 12-15 years. Their plans for their marriage had probably been arranged while they were both children and Joe was probably a bit older and had come to care for his young bride-to-be very much. When they were together they would dream about the life they would share, just as couples do today. Perhaps they talked about the wedding party they would throw, or maybe they dreamed about house he would build them. They were an average couple who loved and respected each other. Joe and Mary were not sexually involved with one another, there were too many risks, Joe had the reputation of being a righteous man and they believed that sexual intimacy was to be reserved for marriage.

         Then, out of the clear blue, Mary began to change, she seemed troubled, her moods changed rapidly, there were times she was overjoyed, and in the next moment she would start to cry. When Joe asked her what was going on, she began to cry and simply said she had to go away for a while. He did not know what to think. So he stepped aside and let her go visit her cousin who lived in the hill country.

         While she was gone, he began to hear rumors. When he walked past the well, groups of women would look away then laugh quietly. When he approached the city gate, the men would become suddenly quiet. Some were suggesting that Mary was pregnant! But that was impossible, she loved him and they had determined to wait until they were officially married. However, the longer she was away the more the rumors grew. When after 3 months she returned, Joe gently approached her so that if she heard the rumors, she would not be caught off guard.

         That is when he was kicked in the stomach. He had simply wanted to warn her about the rumors and she looked at him and said, “Joe, my dear Joe, it is true, I am pregnant.” Can you see the scene, Joe stumbles backward a few steps and finds a place to sit down. Even before he can ask “Who?, When?” His young bride to be comes over sits down next to him, takes his hand as he pulls away and says, “But it’s OK, an angel told me this is God’s child, God made me pregnant.” I can only imagine what must have gone through his mind. Joe was not stupid, he understood biology. And now his fiancee is not only telling him she was pregnant, but now it is almost blasphemy, she is blaming God! She was telling him that the baby growing inside her was God’s child!

         Joe got up and slowly walked away with a broken heart. I do not think he slept much over the next few days. There was no one to talk to, he could not believe it, so who else would? He stilled cared deeply about Mary, but he had a reputation to keep. If he humiliated her, the rulers could put her to death, even if they did not, it would be awful for her. The only solution he could think of was to quietly break off the engagement, give up the dowry and send her away. Clearly, that would be the best plan of action. It would be quiet, it would save her life and it could save his reputation as well.

         After deciding on this plan of action, finally sleep came to him. It was great to be asleep, but then, in the middle of the night, he had a dream. It was more vivid than any he could remember in his life. An angel of the Lord came to him in this dream and said, “Joe Davidson, don’t be afraid, take Mary as your wife, she is telling you the truth, this is God’s child.”

         Now when Joe awoke, if ever it has happened, he faced a pregnant moment. The next decision he would make would change his life forever. If he listened to the angel, he would have to accept Mary’s child as his own. If he chose not to listen, Mary’s life would be changed and her baby would be abandoned. Pregnant moments are those times that become hinge pins in our lives. The future swings on the decision.

         So how do we decide? There are many ways we can make decisions. Sometimes we look at the benefits for us as individuals. Sometimes we look at what is just and fair. At times we make decisions based on what is best for the group. We will at times weigh the pros and cons and see what makes sense. Each of these approaches to decision making have their advantages, but that is not what Joseph did. He did not weigh the issue, he did not look for rules to guide him, he did not think about justice, he did not even think about what was best for the group. No, Joseph decided what to do with Mary on the basis of obedience and even more importantly, grace.

         When he awoke from his dream, Joseph chose to graciously obey the voice of the angel. Rather than proceed with his plan, went to Mary, took her as he wife, kept her a virgin throughout the rest of the pregnancy, and raised her baby as his own. He claimed him, he loved him, he cared for him, he taught him and he named him. In essence, he adopted Mary’s baby who was named Jesus.

         In obedience to what he believed God was calling him to do, Joseph set aside everything that had been important to him. His reputation was gone, his standing as a righteous man was gone, much of his business would have been affected. He even made himself the object of gossip. And he did it because when he faced that pregnant moment of opportunity, he chose to respond with grace. Each of us face those moments. They are the decisions that are rich with opportunity. They are pregnant moments, decisions or opportunities that are filled with potential for good or for evil. When the angel spoke to Joseph in his dream, he had the choice of following the directions of his dream, or pursuing his own plan. His plan would have been easier, his plan would have been free of embarrassment, his plan would have opened new doors for him in his life, but instead, Joseph chose the way of grace.

         He was an ordinary man, and average Joe, but God chose to use him in an extraordinary way. Throughout his life, Joe Davidson had learned to listen to the voice of God. He had experienced God’s grace and had learned to share it with others. He had discovered the importance of praying through the problems he faced. And so, even though he was an average Joe, God used him. And in the same way God is seeking to use us.

         What are the pregnant moments you are facing right now? It may be questions about medical care. What will you do for your loved one, how will you decide on the next level of care? You may be facing questions concerning education. Where will you go to college? Where will you send your kids to school? The pregnant moment you are facing may relate to who you will marry, or even if you will stay married. Maybe there is a secret that you are keeping to yourself or a sin you are struggling with. When we face pregnant moments, we must make a decision, the pregnant moment is that point when we can no longer delay. When Joseph had to decide how he would relate to Mary and her baby, God gave him direction, he led him to a decision of Grace. And as you face your moments of decision, God will lead you and the decision that God will honor is the decision that reflects God’s grace.

         Today, as a church we also are standing before a pregnant moment. As we enter the new year, there are tremendous opportunities before us. The outreach that we have had through the food pantry this holiday season has been tremendous. I find myself echoing Paul’s words “I thank my God at every remembrance of you.” As a congregation you provided Thanksgiving Dinner to 50 families and yesterday 35 more families received meals for Christmas. As a congregation you have opened the doors of our church to Adventure’s Bay Preschool, and because of this relationship every one of us has the opportunity to work with these children and show them the love of Jesus. These ministries are wonderful opportunities, but for them to continue, we need your help, the holiday baskets have left the pantry short of almost everything. We need vegetables, sugar, flour, jello and money. The preschool needs people who will have background checks and then give of their time to read stories and play with the children.

         Yet while we have these opportunities, we are facing a very difficult financial situation. We are in a crisis. We are called to continue to minister hand in hand with Christ. The diaconate has cut expenses to the bone, there have been no salary increases for three years, and still we are running a significant deficit, a deficit that can not continue. This ministry needs each member to give sacrificially. If you believe God has a plan for the ministry of New Hope, now is the time to become a part of that ministry through sacrificial giving of your time and resources.

         When our Average Joe faced that moment pregnant with opportunity the decision to take Mary as he wife was a very risky decision. In fact it did not even make sense. It was costly. But it was a decision of grace rooted in obedience that changed human history.

         The pregnant moments we face as individuals and as a church carry risk, the decisions we make may be costly, but when we look for grace and seek obedience, we can be a part of God’s transforming work. Joseph’s step of faith became the hands that welcomed Jesus into the world. The first hands that touched him.

         God uses average Joes and Janes to accomplish his purposes when we approach those pregnant moments with a determination to choose obedient grace.