Do Not Be Afraid: When Plans Change

I. Joseph’s Plan

He looked down at the receipt that he had from the local florist and smiled. He had just purchased tens of dozens of flowers. Lilies, crocuses, wildflowers and roses. Some in vases, some in bundles and some to be attached directly to his bride’s dress and pinned to her hair. He didn’t have them yet, but at the right time on the right day, they would be arranged, delivered and set up.

Joseph made a check mark next to “flowers.”
Another stop made.
Another arrangement finished. 
Another part of the plan – done. 

Joseph was engaged to be married.  It was a part of his plan. Rather – Mary, his bride-to-be, was a part of his plan. He had been looking forward to being with her for quite some time. He had seen her around the village of Nazareth. He had spoken with her as he delivered a table to a neighbor in his community. He had fallen for her. He had spoken to his parents. He had spoken to her parents. He had arranged to pay a dowry – a sum of money to show commitment to her and thankfulness to the family – he had worked hard, saved up, and asked her to be his wife. 

Now – he looked forward to the next part of the plan. First, the wedding. Then, a family --- walking the streets with this lovely lady in his arm. Lifting his head up a little higher: “How’d a gruff carpenter like you end up with such a lady?” He dreamt of sitting down to Passover meal with his family. He dreams of children – a girl with Mary’s eyes – a boy with Joseph’s eyes. Family gatherings filled with comments from aunts and uncles: “Doesn’t he look like you?” “Doesn’t she have her father’s charm?”

But that was going to come. For now he’s waiting. Joseph was a righteous man. He was faithful to God and God’s Word. He wouldn’t sleep with her until he’d made his commitment. Until he’d commit his life, his spirit, his wallet, his love, and all the rest of himself, he wasn’t going to commit to unbuttoning his pants. And he wasn’t going to ask Mary for that special gift until he had given her everything!

So he waited. 
He waited for that part of that plan. 
He waited patiently. 

One day as he worked on a brand-new piece of cabinetry for the Rabbi, his beautiful bride to be entered his workshop. He wiped the dust of his hands. He brushed it off of his pants. He made his way over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He was excited to see her. Excited to hear her news. Excited to hear what other parts of the plan for the wedding he could cross off the list. 

“The invitations? Are they out?” 
“The food? Did you make a decision?”
“The music? Are we really letting your cousin Larry’s timbre band play the reception?”

 “Joseph,” Mary interrupted. “I’m pregnant.” 

Joseph’s smile faded faster than the dust on a board when the wind caught it. Pregnant? That wasn’t part of the plan. Not now. That wasn’t the part of the plan until later. 

And Joseph knew his biology. This child wasn’t his. He had a been waiting. He had been waiting – hard as it was to wait – he had been waiting, patiently. But apparently, Mary hadn’t. Apparently, Mary didn’t care. Apparently the here and the now and a moment of pleasure was more important than the plan!

Joseph – I wasn’t unfaithful. Joseph – this child isn’t from an earthly guy. This child is of the Holy Spirit. (v.19)

Holy Spirit, huh? Is that what they’re calling it. Joseph, was it? 
Bill the fancy city lawyer who had moved from Jerusalem? 
Jacob, the butcher’s son?
Or was it Zacharias – the Rabbi’s kid? He had seen the way that he had been looking at her. 

Joseph’s mind was swimming. 

This was a DISASTER! This wasn’t the plan! And the plan was blowing up in his face. 
Gone was the wedding. 
Gone were the well wishes of family and friends. 
Gone were the family meals.
Gone was the little boy with his nose and the little girl with his eyes – they wouldn’t even have his chin!

II. God’s Plan

Joseph was wandering the streets in distress – with his breath tinted with stale wine -- when he passed by the local synagogue:

You know, what was the point God? 
I tried to listen to you. I tried to wait. I tried to do it by the book!
Why did this have to happen to me?
Why not some other guy? 
Why not one of those non-religious, non-believing types? 
Why did you let my plan change? 

Still – he loved her.
He was thankful for her. 
He didn’t want to embarrass her. 

So, Joseph decided on a new plan: (v.19) Joseph had in mind to divorce her quietly. 

No loud announcements. No complaining at the bar. No posting it in Facebook for all to see. 

A quiet cancellation.
No more meeting with the venue.
No need to meet with the priest.
Maybe he could get his money back on the flowers. 

Joseph made it home and started reformulating his plan. He put finishing touches on his NEW plan: who to tell, how to cancel, how to avoid embarrassment, and how to get his money back on the flowers  -- written down bullet point by bullet point on a tablet at his bedside.

Until finally, he was exhausted enough to fall asleep. 

That night, as he dreamt of that horrible moment that Mary told him this horrible news -- as he looked at the nervous expression on her face and heard the anger in his own voice – something was different. 

Someone else was in the scene. 
Someone who was shining brilliantly. 

An angel of the LORD appeared to Joseph 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. (v.20)

It’s from God. 
The God who is always good. 
The God who gave you life. 
The God who gave you wonderful parents.
The God who blessed you with those talented, carpentry hands.
The God who blessed you with money for the dowry, money for the wedding, and money for those wedding flowers. 
The God who blessed you with Mary.
Is the same God blessing you with this child. 

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. (v.21)

Because Joseph – this child means more than a family for you. 
This child means you are a part of God’s family. 
This child means that you are forgiven for doubting me. 
This child means that through faith in him you will be God’s child. 

III. What now? 

How’s that for a story? How’s that for a change in plans? While this story is Joseph’s story – and there are elements that are unique to his story – there are two important truths for you and I to take away when it comes to our plans in 2017. 

(1)     God’s Plan is Better

Take this note: Mary and Joseph’s plan wasn't a bad plan. They were going to get married. They were going to wait to sleep together until after they publicly committed. They were protecting each other’s hearts – even as they followed God’s plan for marriage. 

But that plan – while it wasn’t bad or wrong – wasn’t as good as God’s plan. 

Look at his name again: Jesus – because he will save the people from his sins. That’s the God part. That’s the part that humans didn’t plan NOR could they manufacture if they did plan it!

God’s plan involved much more for Joseph -- more than a game of touch football in the yard. More than a young apprentice to help with carpentry work. More than somebody to carry on his family name. 

God’s plan gave Joseph a Savior. 

God’s plan is always better. Keep that in mind. It was true for Joseph. It’s true for you. 

Scripture says this, “In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

That’s an interesting passage. Because how believable that passage is usually depends on what’s going on in our life. For instance, when things are going well, that passage is so easy to believe: 

I got a new job – part of God’s plan!
I came into some money – this is God!
I have a clean bill of health – Thank you Lord!
We’re having a baby – What a blessed part of God’s plan. 

But what happens when things aren’t so great? Is this passage, suddenly untrue? 

I lose my job –God, where are you?
I am out of money – God must have forgotten his plan. 
I have a disease – Way to go God.
We can’t have a baby – God, you don’t have any good plans for me, do you? 

But even when things look bad, God is still planning things for our God – for your good: 

Take Jesus – the little unborn baby in our story. 
He grows up. 
He is arrested when he hadn’t done anything wrong. 
He is beaten, slapped, whipped, falsely accused, wrongfully imprisoned and hung up on a cross to die!

That looks awful!

But with those words – the angel’s promise to Joseph came true. Jesus saved the people from their sins!

He saved us from our doubts.
He saved us from accusing God. 
He saved us from accusing God of not having good plans for us, by accomplishing his good plans for us. 

That cross looks awful – but it means the most good for us. 

Trust his plan --- even if it’s different. It’s always better. 

Like my friend’s dad—Tad. I had met him a few times when we went over to my friend’s house to play video games. Tad was always busy. He had a job. He wore nice suits. He made lots of money. He had a nice car. He owned a very nice boat that he would use to go up on the lake and fish on weekends. He had an NFL ticket – and would sit in his easy chair all Sunday watching his teams. He didn’t have time for God. He had a plan that was going just fine without God!

But then, Tad got sick. Stage 4 cancer. Suddenly – work didn’t matter as much. Money didn’t matter as much. Nothing mattered as much as God. 

He met with his son’s pastor. He spent a month vigorously studying the Bible. He came to faith in Jesus. He was baptized into Jesus name. He received Lord’s Supper for the first time. He was reminded of God’s promises in Scripture that Whoever believe in Jesus, will not perish but have eternal life. (Jn. 3:16)

Then, Tad died. But he didn’t perish, he went on to eternal life. 

Cancer sounds bad. But God used that cancer as part of his plan for Tad – to take him away from hell – and bring him to eternal life in heaven!

Wow. God’s plans are good. God’s plans are better. 

(2)    God’s Plan is Planned

This is a second thing to take comfort in. God’s plans are made well in advance – hundreds of years in advance. 

Look at what it says about God’s plan for Joseph in verses 22-23: All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel,’ which means – ‘God with us'.”

Understand then, that God’s plan for Joseph was not a last second, last ditch effort. Notice that God didn’t just come to Joseph and do a last second switcheroo. This wasn’t like heading out to eat, seeing that the line is too long for Chick-fil-A, so you stop at Taco Bell instead. Nope.

This good plan was on God’s heart and put into motion long before Joseph’s heart was ever put into motion. 

The same is true for you. God’s plan is guiding your life 

Now understand – this doesn’t mean that we are puppets. It’s not like we have strings and God moves us accordingly. God isn’t telling me, “Move your right arm now,” and “turn and smile right now.” Nope. 

God gives us the freedom to choose. Freedom to choose whether to drink coffee or not. Freedom to choose whether to drink Folgers or Starbucks. Freedom to choose whether to drink another – or three or four. 

We have choices, but God is still guiding us. 

Think of it like a preschooler coloring a page. (Maybe a picture of a party hat and confetti for New Year’s). Dad might sit down behind this child. He might grab the crayon. He might help them keep the coloring in the lines. He guides; he leads; he directs. 

God does the same for you. He guides. He leads. He directs. He did it in 2016. Maybe you can see how! 
He’ll do it again in 2017. He will guide you. He will lead you. He will direct you!

Granted: You know that preschooler can whine and complain that his dad is helping him. In fact, he can even have a breakdown and push dad off of him – simply because he wants to go where he wants!

And, granted: You can do the same to God. You can whine and complain and push him off of you because you don’t want to follow his directions. 

But that will eventually lead you to hell. 
Because God’s plan is for you to get to heaven. 

Trust him. Trust his Word. Trust his Son Jesus – and he will get you there. No matter what turns your life takes or what happens to you in 2017. God is guiding you to eternal life. 

So...trust God. 

That’s what Joseph did. Our section ends like this: 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. (v.24-25)

Do the same. Trust God. Follow him in 2017….no matter where you go and what happens to your plans. 

Trust God.

Amen.