Hidden Christmas - Joseph | Matthew 1:1-24
Most of us are used to hearing the Christmas story through Mary’s eyes—and rightfully so. Mary carries the miracle. Mary bears the pain. Mary is, in many ways, the MVP of the Nativity story.
But she isn’t the only one with a story.
Fathers have a story too.
That truth hit home for our pastor as he recalled the births of his own children—moments marked by fear, joy, shock, humor, and deep emotion. And just like modern fathers have stories of pregnancy and birth, Joseph—the earthly father of Jesus—had a story too. A perspective. A set of eyes. A heart that wrestled with confusion, disappointment, and ultimately, obedience.
This Advent season, as we begin our series Hidden Christmas, we step into the shadows of the Nativity and listen to Joseph’s side of the story. Because Joseph’s story teaches us something we deeply need:
God’s plan is always better than our plan.
The Messy Family Tree of Jesus
Matthew 1 begins with a genealogy most of us skip right past. But this long list of names is filled with messy, imperfect, deeply human people.
Tamar
Rahab
Ruth
“Uriah’s wife” (Matthew’s not-so-subtle reminder of David’s moral failure)
The list reads like Thanksgiving dinner with your most dysfunctional relatives.
And yet this is the family line through which God brings Jesus into the world.
Why does Matthew include all of this?
To remind us:
God was not improvising.
God has always had a plan.
God works through real, imperfect people.
And that includes Joseph.
Joseph Had a Plan… Until God Interrupted It
Joseph wasn’t an ordinary man. He was a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and King David. He had a proud heritage, a trade, and a future he could see clearly.
His plan made sense:
Get engaged, stay pure.
Marry Mary after a year.
Start a family.
Teach his son the carpentry trade.
But then Mary returned from visiting her cousin with news no fiancé wants to hear:
“I’m pregnant… and you’re not the father.”
Joseph had two scriptural options:
Plan A — Maximum Punishment (Deuteronomy 22)
Expose her publicly and have her stoned.
Plan B — Minimum Damage (New Testament compassion)
Divorce her quietly and preserve her dignity.
Joseph, described as a righteous man, chooses kindness.
He chooses compassion.
He chooses Plan B.
That is—until God introduces Plan C.
Many Are Our Plans… But God’s Plan Prevails
Joseph had considered everything. He had made his decision.
But then heaven intervened.
“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” — Matthew 1:20
Mary was telling the truth.
The impossible was real.
And Joseph had a role to play.
God asks Joseph to do three things:
Take Mary as his wife.
Name the child Jesus.
Trust a plan he didn’t understand.
And Joseph does it. No hesitation, no bargaining, no delay.
He steps into a story far bigger than himself.
God’s Plan Is Better—Not Easier
It’s important to notice what Scripture doesn’t say:
God’s plan is easier than ours.
God’s plan is more convenient than ours.
God’s plan is more comfortable than ours.
In fact, God’s plan for Joseph required:
Betraying his own expectations
Enduring public shame
Protecting Mary and Jesus from danger
Raising a child who wasn’t biologically his
Living with mystery rather than certainty
But God’s plan was better.
Not simpler.
Not smoother.
Better.
Because God’s plan brought salvation into the world.
We All Make Plans—And God Still Leads
Just like Joseph, we all build our lives around plans we think are best.
Plans for our future
Plans for our career
Plans for our children
Plans for our finances
Plans for our comfort
And there's nothing wrong with planning—Scripture even encourages it.
But Proverbs reminds us:
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” — Proverbs 19:21
God is not mocking our plans.
He is not laughing at our intentions.
But His perspective is higher.
His wisdom is deeper.
His timing is better.
His purpose is eternal.
Where Are Your Plans Colliding With God’s?
Maybe this Advent season, you feel a little like Joseph:
Something unexpected interrupted your plan.
Something painful challenged your expectations.
Something confusing forced you to reconsider your path.
And maybe—just maybe—God is inviting you into His plan.
A plan that may not be easier
…but will always be better.
Because God’s plan is always better than our plan.
