My name is Joseph and I saw it all, I have a wife and several children, all great, but it is the oldest that is beyond remarkable.

His name is Jesus, he is special beyond words, in every way.

Let me tell you my story.

I am a carpenter, I work hard designing and crafting all kinds of things in wood, it is a very skilled job.

My parents were happy when I found a lovely young girl called Mary, a virgin, a sweet girl to be my wife. Preparations for the wedding were going well, when a really big problem arose, she was pregnant, how could this happen？ She told me this amazing story that an angel visited her and said the child was God's son.

People thought I was crazy, surely I should have her stoned to death, but something stopped me, God does things outside of our thinking you see, he works through humble servants like me and Mary.

I am a thoughtful person and so I decided to get rid of her quietly, but how to do this？ One night I had a dream, God himself spoke to me telling me to marry Mary and not be afraid of anyone.

So I proceeded with our engagement, many in the town objected to Mary, so she went away to Elizabeth her cousin, who was also pregnant after years of trying.

When she returned, we had to go to my hometown of Bethlehem, as I am of the line of David, it was a long and dangerous journey, and Bethlehem was packed out with people, there was no room for us at any inn, one of the innkeepers, kindly gave us his stable and it was there that Jesus was born.

Even more incredible was the visit of the shepherds to us, they too, had heard from angels, my espoused wife had seen an angel and now these shepherds had.

The law demanded we go up to Jerusalem to present Jesus at the temple, we offered the required sacrifice, but we were met by two people who spoke of Jesus in the most amazing way. Both Simeon and Anna, said things so amazing, we are pondering their true meaning years after.?

We settled down to family life, but later on, we had a visit from three magi or astrologers from some far country, they had seen a star and had followed it to our home, they gave Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh and they bowed down? and worshipped him, this child is extraordinary. This is beyond incredible, Jesus was being worshipped by these men, they indeed were wise, because wise men seek and worship Jesus.

?After they had gone back to their home country, another dream told me to go to Egypt, because something the wise men had told King Herod, he was killing all the babies under two years old, so we got out quick.

We returned from Egypt, but being warned in a dream, not to go to Bethlehem, we headed to Nazareth.?

Every year we went to Jerusalem, with our children, when Jesus was twelve, he went missing.

Being the oldest, we thought he was with our party, so we continued to Nazareth, but after checking with all our co-travellers, we found out Jesus was missing.

He is in Jerusalem on his own, his mother and I were beside ourselves with worry, we searched for three days, we asked everyone, no sign of him. Let's try the temple, oh He will never be in there, we were amazed, there sitting in the midst of the temple was Jesus, asking questions of the leaders of Israel.

No one would ever do that, but HIM.

We scolded him, but he just looked up at us and said

Didn't you know I would be doing my father's business

He came back to Nazareth and was and is the perfect son, nothing upsets him, he is subject to us in all things, we couldn't wish for a better son.

Now tradition tells us that Joseph died, probably before Jesus started his earthly ministry.

What we do know that Joseph was an eye witness of Jesus, he saw him up close and personal.

Jesus was and is unique, he was conceived differently, lived differently, spoke differently, but he was perfectly human and perfectly God.. in human form.

He was tempted in all points like we are, but without sin.

Joseph knew Christ, my question this Christmas is.

Do you know Him?

During his earthly ministry, his family thought he was mad, his mother Mary believed in Him and later two of his half brothers were transformed by the power of his death and resurrection, they called themselves slaves of his.

James and Jude and many others, had his transforming power let loose in their lives, it makes people who are sceptics believers, it makes persecutors like Paul into servants of God.

Trust in Christ's transforming power this Christmas, Joseph and Mary, James and Jude had their lives transformed, millions and millions have seen their lives transformed.

Jesus came to save his people from their sins, to bring life through his death and resurrection

Trust Him this Christmas.

GOD BLESS YOU

KK

Who am I?

I am an ordinary Christian just like you and me, I love to study the scriptures and share what God shows me. I am from the UK, and at present live in Nanjing China. I am an English teacher. I have been saved from my teenage years, am now eligible for Pension.

I believe the whole of the bible, especially love the five Solas of the reformation.

I am saved by GRACE alone by FAITH alone in CHRIST alone through the WORD OF GOD alone for the GLORY OF GOD alone.

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