(closing thoughts from my sermon this Fourth Sunday of Advent, 2019)

Something hit me this week when I was preparing for this message. I’m sure it is something I’ve considered before, but for whatever reason, maybe it’s just the place I’m at this year, or in this stage of life, something about Joseph jumped out at me and grabbed me.

Joseph was an adoptive dad. Joseph decided to stay and raise a child that was not his biologically. And every time I’ve thought about it this week, and even when I was typing this, it made me emotional.

I know not everyone has the same experience, but I know there are a few of you here. Adoptive parents. And there’s something about choosing to raise a child that is not yours by birth. A child that didn’t belong to you, but you opened yourself up and gave them a family and a home. I realized Joseph was an adoptive dad, like me. Like some of you.

And by opening himself up to being an adoptive dad, Joseph taught Jesus something about love. The love God has for you, is the love Joseph had for Jesus.

I’d like to think that I have taught my kids something about love by choosing to be their father. It takes courage to offer someone love instead of following all the rules.

Jesus would grow up to be motivated by love, he taught about love, loving God, loving neighbor, even loving your enemies. I’d like to think that Jesus learned that love from Joseph when he chose to be his dad. Amen.