In One Moment: A Moment of Faith (Joseph)
Matthew 1:18-25
Connect:
Share how you have seen God in the Highs and Lows of your week.
Discuss how resolutions made last week in “growing more like Jesus” worked themselves out— what did God do in and through you (Phil 2:13)? Celebrate those together!
Prayer:
Pray that God would lead your discussion time and bring fresh insight, conviction, and hope through your time together.
Read: Matthew 1:18-25
Review: Remind the group of the focus of this series:
o This series takes us through the pivotal decisions that changed everything and ‘made Christmas”, so the critical question is, “Will it change YOU?”!
o Last week we looked at Adam and Eve in the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden and God’s promise that one day Satan’s head would be ‘crushed’ in the victory of One whose heal he would bruise. This week we fast forwarded all the way to Joseph, Mary’s husband!
The Grand Tour of the message: Thinking back on what you heard this Sunday…
o What did you learn about God?
o What did you learn about people?
o What did you learn about yourself?
o What do you want to commit to putting into practice?
Reflect:
Scott began by reading a letter that could have been written by Joseph before the angel spoke to him— how would you have counselled Joseph if he was your friend in that day and time in that situation?
Read Luke 1:30-35. Discuss this passage.
o What character traits do you see in Mary in her response here?
o Apparently, Mary had not told Joseph this happened (or he did not believe her). What do you think happened there?
Read Matthew 1:18,19. Discuss these questions
o Joseph was “tsadiq” (he lived as a man who took the law of God as the rule of his life), and yet he did not want to condemn Mary publicly and disgrace her. What does this tell us about his character?
o Scott’s insight here was that “our faith is revealed in how we respond to pain.” How/why does pain force a revelation of faith?
Read Matthew 1:20-23. Discuss the following questions
o The Angel said, “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife…”, but that did not mean ANYONE else was going to believe their story. How did the angels words change the focus of Joseph’s fear?
o The angel said to “call Him Jesus for He will save His people from their sins.” …and then disappeared, leaving Joseph with a choice between his own public reputation and faithfulness to his part in God’s plan. Have someone share a time they faced a similar choice and how they responded.
Read Matthew 1:24-25. Discuss the following questions
o Joseph woke up and acted in obedience. He didn’t think it through, pray more about it, add up the risks or get advice from parents or peers. He just did it. Was that wise? Why or why not?
o Look back over the story of Joseph and Mary here and identify the ways their faith in God and honor for God was expressed in a situation that literally not a single other person was likely to believe.
Respond:
o “Will it change you” is the call to decision and action here. Break out into pairs and share how the question hits you, here, now. Pray that the Lord would search and know your heart, and take the time to recommit yourself to Jesus as He lives HIS life through YOU!
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