SECRET DIVORCE

Is the Lord and His Work Still Number One in Your Heart?

Main Readings: Matthew 1:18-25, Mark 8:38, Revelations 2:4-5

Joseph sought to retain the appearance of a righteous man, while secretly shirking the responsibility of sharing the burden of the Gospel. Thankfully, God through an angel gave him greater awareness and he rescinded his decision. He therefore retains the distinction of being the one to have publicly named the Messiah. This sermon is a reflection on the passage aimed at helping us search our hearts constantly to retain our first love.

1.      Found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit

According to Matthew, Joseph was aware that Mary had not been unfaithful. Rather, she had been appointed to a unique Divine service, just as each f us receives a unique calling from God when we come to Christ.  

2.      Righteousness up to public view

Joseph was well known to be righteous and he sought to retain that image. He knew that his association with the new assignment that had become his portion through his engagement to Mary could easily call his reputation into question.

3.      Secret Divorce

Joseph sought to play it safe by divorcing Mary secretly. It is difficult to imagine how that secret divorce would be like without some lie being put out in public, since people knew they were engaged. At least, he would have said something like, “I just lost interest in Mary, or I discovered after the engagement that Mary was not the right person for me, or I was confused about her pregnancy”. These possible excuses tend to be the same a Christian would give for failing to serve the Lord he or she knows so well: “O, I just lost interest in sharing the gospel with others, or I discovered soon after being saved that I am not cut out for the work of ministry either full time or part time, or I am still confused about what the Lord wants me to do”. None of these excuses is tenable, as the real reason remains an unwillingness to bear the burden of the gospel. It is secret divorce, a loss of one’s first love for God!

4.      Voice of God

 God, in His infinite fatherly love and excellent will, does not cease calling us back to blessed fellowship of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ. He spoke to Joseph through an angel, just as I am sure He speaks through you in this reflection to remember your calling and first love. Do not harden your heart. Turn away from your secret divorce plans just as Joseph did and serve God with all that you have once again.

5.      Mission of God

The Mission of God is to give Christ Jesus as a gift to the world, as the channel of escape from the control of sin (and you shall call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins. Matt. 1:21 MKJV)One redeemed soul is the best witness to the possibility of escape from sin’s dominion and divine adoption. That is why it is our single calling and purpose as the redeemed of God to show forth Christ in all we do and say.

6.      Burden of the Gospel

It takes a willingness to be different from the crowd, personal discipline and submission to Christ to share in the gospel.

a.      Public Ridicule: Because the gospel transforms us from within, our new sensitivities when lived out is extraordinary, ridiculous and confrontational to societal norms. Just as Joseph dreaded the stigma of marrying an already pregnant woman, so will we sometimes feel awkward in asserting that, having Christ, indeed all is well with us in the troubled waters of the world.

b.      Self Control: To retain the sanctity of the miraculous conception of Jesus, Joseph had to exercise enormous self-control by not sleeping with his new bride until Jesus was born. It takes the personal disciplines of prayer, fasting, studying the Word and purposeful good doing to let Christ shine through us to others. Again, having done all things, we must be very willing to let Christ take all the glory, accepting that all that we have and do are by His power at work in us alone.

c.      Naming Him Jesus: When Jesus was born, Joseph named Him, as He was instructed in the dream. He did not dream up modifications. Our instruction in presenting and representing Christ is clear enough: We should show Him forth as ONE WHO SAVES FROM SIN. This should always be the principal answer we should give to all who enquire about the reason for our new birth.

7.      Conclusion: It is unsafe to divorce secretly

A secret divorce would have meant that Joseph would not share in the glorious gospel; Mary would possibly have suffered some damage to her reputation, and the gospel would have arrived roughly indeed! Take yourself to be Joseph, and the church to be Mary, she being the one pregnant with the sole purpose of bringing Christ to the world. If you fail to discharge your Gospel obligations, because of your association with the church, previous or current, you will not be free of some guilt of bringing Christ into disrepute where you live. Rescind any secret divorce plans, and get active in showing forth the Christ in you!