Hopes and Fears | Joseph
Deeper Dive
Hopes and Fears-Joseph
Matthew 1:18-25
Sermon Recap
Joseph is one of the most overlooked figures in the Christmas story. He never speaks a recorded word in Scripture, yet his actions shape the early life of Jesus in profound ways. He is a working-class laborer, a righteous man, a protector and provider who listens for God’s voice in the quiet and responds with faithfulness.
When Joseph discovers that Mary is pregnant, his world collapses. What is happening is not what he “had in mind.” Yet instead of reacting out of anger or self-protection, Joseph chooses mercy. He decides to divorce Mary quietly, protecting her from public shame—even at the cost of his own reputation. After sleeping on it, he remains open to God, receives guidance in a dream, and adjusts his life to make room for something entirely unexpected.
Joseph reminds us that God’s greatest miracle in an ordinary life may not be making us spectacular, but making us steady. Advent invites us to hold our hopes and fears with open hands and to root our faith not in specific outcomes, but in the presence of God with us—Immanuel.
-Go a Little Deeper
Matthew describes Joseph as a righteous man using the Greek word dikaios. While we often think of righteousness as strict rule-keeping, Matthew uses this word to describe a deeper kind of integrity—faithfulness to God that expresses itself through mercy toward others.
That matters because, according to the law, Joseph had every right to expose Mary publicly and reclaim the bride-price. Choosing a quiet divorce wasn’t the legal option—it was the compassionate one. In other words, Joseph’s righteousness looks less like punishment and more like protection.
This helps us see something important: in Matthew’s Gospel, righteousness is not about being harshly correct, but about being faithfully loving—even when you’ve been hurt.
-Discussion Questions
What stands out to you most about Joseph’s character or choices in this story? Why do you think that caught your attention?
Joseph never speaks, yet his faith shows up clearly through his actions. How does that challenge or encourage the way you think about faithfulness?
Where in your life are things not going the way you “had in mind”? How have unmet expectations shaped your hopes or fears lately?
Joseph models the wisdom of not acting too quickly when hurt. What might it look like for you to “sleep on it” and create space for God before responding to disappointment?
-Suggested Practice
Practice: Open Hands Prayer
Once a day this week, pause for a minute and physically open your hands in front of you. Name—silently or out loud—something you are holding tightly: an expectation, a hope, a fear, or an outcome you want to control. Then pray simply:
“God, this is not what I had in mind—but I trust that You are with me.”
Let the prayer be less about resolution and more about presence.
-Closing Prayer
God of quiet faithfulness, meet us in the places where our lives have not unfolded as we planned. Give us the courage to hold our expectations loosely, the wisdom to act with mercy when we are hurt, and the steadiness to trust that You are with us— even here. Amen.