Joseph Is Told About Jesus Birth

Matthew 1:18-25

Two Jewish families would agree for their daughter and son to marry. The couple would be pledged to be married. There would be no union between them until they were married. After being pledged, a couple would need a divorce if they were to separate, even though they weren't yet married. Adultery within the time of being pledged had very serious consequences, it sometimes even the death sentence.

Mary and Joseph were in this very situation but without any wrong taking place. Joseph would no doubt have been confused as he saw that Mary was pregnant but no doubt believed her as he loved her.

Mary was a virgin. Why did God choose a virgin to birth His Son? Sin is talked about in the Bible like a disease that is passed down from generation to generation through man, starting with Adam. Mary had no union with man and there could be no natural father, or sin would have been present. Jesus entered Mary by the Holy Spirit. Jesus was fully man AND fully God.

Joseph was a poor man, a carpenter. Not a very significant man in human terms. God uses the insignificant to carry out His powerful works. In doing this God shows He is all powerful and man cannot boast.

Joseph was a Jewish man of faith who believed in Gods promises, a righteous man. He was a kind man. He treated Mary with the greatest care in an understandably difficult situation. He kept the matter quiet so as not to disgrace Mary or even worse, to be convicted of adultery. Joseph is a good example of a Christian man.

When the angel spoke to Joseph, he no doubt realised who this child would be as he knew the promises in the Bible. How must it have felt for him to realise that the Bible promises were going to be worked out in his life - the very things that he had read about all his life.

All the Bible promises were coming true. We can read them from beginning to end, but Joseph was seeing them happen little by little in his own life.

Are we like Joseph? Do we believe in Gods word and are we prepared to be obedient to God and be part of his plan? Is He the ruler of our lives and do we look to Him.

London Christmas Walkabout

Sat 10th Dec - 2pm onwards

Just a heads-up that the young people from a bunch of different churches are meeting up to spend the day in London.

[Call Tim or email yc@hayestownchapel.org.uk for details]

Our visit to London City Mission

On Saturday the 26th November Shannon, Amy, Olivia, Joel, Thiery along with Karen Nigel Junior and Tim, took a trip in the minibus to London City Mission at Webber Street. The purpose of the trip was to drop off the large bags of good quality used men's clothing that members the youth club and their families had collected for the homeless.

Miss Moss, one of the workers at London City Mission kindly took some time out of her busy schedule to take us for a tour around the facility, explaining what the mission does, who visits and how a regular day works in practice. She answered a lot of questions that we had and it was a very eye-opening experience. Miss Moss was

very encouraged by our visit and we were all grateful for the experience and the things we learned.

Click the pictures for a closer look.

After the tour was over, we went for the short walk to the South Bank of the Thames for something to eat and walked along the riverbank where there was a Christmas fair with a lot of interesting things to look at... and try on!