Normal People, like Mary and Joseph

The Christmas story is about people, normal people just like you and me. This week in the book Advent Journeys we will travel with Joseph and Mary the parents of Jesus.

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Many people want to make Mary something unusual something mystical someone godly who is beyond the reach of humanity. God does not do things like that. God chooses normal people who have the right to say yes or no. Mary fortunately said yes.

Jesus works in Joseph's Carpenter Shop
At the Church of Joseph in Nazareth

Sometimes God chooses good people. I really think this is the case with Mary and Joseph. They lived lives dedicated to God and they had a desire to serve him. As we look through the story of Mary and Joseph, we discover they are people who have a desire to please God, and they spend time in prayer.

A small farm outside of Nazareth

This is not always the case. There are times when God chooses people who are not so good ... as in the case of Jonah or Samson. God chose people who were on the border and maybe even on the side of rebelling against God. But God still used them, in spite of their objections. These men, because they were unwilling to follow God’s directions, were robbed of the joy of serving.
.   The fact that Mary and Joseph are normal is proven by the fact of their surprise. When Mary found out she was to be with child she wasn't joyful. She wasn't amused. She did not say “no,” but did express worry, because she did not know how, or why God would bring this about. She probably worried about what people would say and how it would affect her life. After discussing the situation with God, she said, “May your word to me be fulfilled.”

Supposedly Mary's parent's home
Church of the Annunciation, Nazareth

When Joseph heard the news he wanted to privately put Mary away because he was embarrassed. He knew he had not done anything to bring about the pregnancy. An angel came to Joseph, and spoke to him in a dream about what would happen. Joseph believed the Angel, and obediently followed God’s plan.

Joseph and Jesus

In both cases the angel came to them and convinced them of the sincerity of God's task for them to do. The angel let them know the task would not be easy, but both Joseph and Mary were obedient and willing.
.   In the story we see trials come immediately. A tax collector comes to Joseph when Mary is great with Child. He tells them they're called to go to Bethlehem and pay their taxes. Travel would not be anything easy because it would take almost a week to travel to Bethlehem. A great mountain range stood along the journey. You can read more about the travels of Joseph and Mary. Have you ever wondered what their trip was like?? You can read about it in the book Advent Journeys.

Nazareth Today

Trials did not end with the birth of Jesus but they continued for King Herod came after the child with a vengeance. Mary and Joseph had to go into Egypt into a land of exile where their forefathers have been slaves for 430 years. They live there with the strange people for a number of years, until God cleared the way for them to come back to their own land.

Merry Christmas from Nazareth

This Christmas, think about it are you a superior individual? Are you super unique in a way that makes you stand out from the crowd. Or are you a normal person, like Mary and Joseph. if you're a normal person, the Christmas story is for you because we all need the salvation and the love that God brings

Joseph the Builder

The Bible tells us Joseph, the father of Jesus was a carpenter (Mark 6:3). To most of us that means Joseph build things with wood, such as chairs, tables, homes, stables, and feeding troughs. This week as we read the book Advent Journeys we will come to know Joseph and Mary much better.

The Greek word for carpenter, τέκτων could also mean he was a craftsman or builder. After visiting Israel this definition seems much more reasonable, as wood is scarce in the land and most homes and buildings are made of stone. The term could also mean that Jesus’ father was a creator. We know that Jesus’ father in heaven was the real Creator (Genesis 1).

There has been a lot of discussion about what Joseph built. He and Mary both lived in the small Jewish town of Nazareth. Joseph could have repaired homes and objects in this small town. Certainly there were not a lot of new buildings or construction in Nazareth.

It is more probable that Joseph worked in the gentile city of Zippori, about three miles away (an easy 45 minute commute for someone used to walking). Zippori was an older town which was revitalized by Herod the Great as one of his building projects. Herod quartered an army at this location which was half way between the Mediterranean and the Sea of Galilee. The city was perched on top of a hill with excellent visibility and for that reason the Talmud tells us it was given it’s name which in Hebrew could mean a bird.

Joseph could have worked on minor projects, for there were homes and objects to create for the homes and businesses in the community. It is hard for me to think of the father of a great person like Jesus as the creator of menial things. I believe there are great objects which still exist today which were built by Joseph (which means “God adds”).

Joseph could have built the gigantic walls which were part of Zippori. Within this Roman city there are theaters, amphitheaters, hippodromes, palaces, government buildings and other huge projects. There were also fortified walls in order to provide protection for the troops. Some think Joseph was killed in a construction accident at an early age (before Mark 6:3 was written) because he does not appear during Jesus’ adult life. Accidental movement of massive rocks could certainly cause a person’s death.

Joseph could have built roads which connected Zippori with Nazareth and places beyond, for the Romans were great road builders. The Roman roads helped make the world a place where the Gospel could be easily spread by traveling apostles and missionaries. The roads were made of huge blocks which were trimmed to be thin and flat.

Zippori is known for it’s beautiful mosaics. Some people called this town the “Ornament of Galilee.” Mosaics are in many of the homes and are objects of great beauty. Mosaics are made of small square stones of different colors which create pictures. It could be that Joseph, and his son Jesus were creators of some of these Mosaics. One of the pictures is of such beauty it is called the Mona Lisa of Israel.

If you want to learn more about Israel or the mosaics of Zippori, or the travels of Joseph, I will be taking a group to Israel in June 2018. Watch for more details on my website (Israel Trip) www.KosherCopy.com

Sharing Jericho from our tour in Israel

Recently I taught Adult Vacation Bible School at Fairview Baptist Church. The lessons were simple, and well known: Zacchaeus (little man up in a tree), Samaritan Woman (came to the well), Nicodemus (came to Jesus at night), Blind Bartimaeus, and Jesus’ rebuff to his disciples of “Let the children come to me.”

Fairview Baptist Church, Statesville, NC

The group I was teaching was well versed in the scripture, and I knew some of them had studied the Bible stories twenty or more times. I did not feel comfortable moving away from the curriculum lessons, so I prayed, and the Lord showed me how to teach the all too familiar lessons in a different way.

Ben Gurion Airport on our 2012 trip to Israel

The inspiration came because of my recent trip to Israel. I could see, feel, and hear elements of the Bible stories through my experiences at the locations and on the very streets these events took place.  I decided to take my class “on location” so they could experience the stories also.

"Elisha's Well" in Jericho

For the first lesson I brought my class to the well in Jericho, Israel. As we sat facing the well, I told them how important water was for the land of Israel. Elijah had visited this well and healed its waters.

Bedouin village in Jordan. Mt. Nebo is in the background

Not only had Elijah visited Jericho, but also Joshua as Israel was entering the land. The people came down from the mountains of Nebo and crossed the Jordan River (on a familiar trade route). They prayed at Gilgal, and then approached the walled city of Jericho.

Excavated walls of Jericho. Notice the different types of walls.

After marching around the walls seven times, the walls fell down. They gave the first city taken in the land as a “first fruits” offering totally dedicated to God. Only Rahab and her family were saved.

Date Palm farm south of Jericho near the Dead Sea

I showed the class that Jericho is in a rich agricultural valley. In addition to commercial opportunity which came from Jericho sitting on the trade routes, they raised sheep, camels, dates, bananas, and other produce. Taxes were collected on each commodity and at every opportunity.

A village in Jordan Valley. Olive Trees in foreground.

The amenities of Jericho drew the richest people in the world. Jericho is well below sea level, so winters are mild.  The air is dry and allergies are few. Herod had a palace in Jericho and Cleopatra had business interests in the area.

Ruins of King Herod's Winter Palace in Jericho

Zacchaeus was the Roman-backed IRS. Within the lessons monologues were given by the toll collectors on the roads, the agricultural tariff takers, the commercial tax agents who received a portion of goods sold, and the real estate tax assessors. All of these “publicans” worked for Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector. He was very rich.

Camel for Tourists entering Jericho

The Bible tells us Jesus entered Jericho from the north. As he approached the city gates a blind man called out for healing. Jesus healed him before entering the city. As the report of the healing spread through the city gates, Zacchaeus heard. Because he was short, he could not fight the crowd and climbed up in a Sycamore tree (the saviour he wanted to see).

Perhaps Zacchaeus climbed a tree like this in Jericho city square

Jesus called him down, and ate lunch at his home that day. The discussion at the home of Zacchaeus is not recorded in the Bible, but the results are. This man of wealth, who in a sense lorded over the people of Jericho, gave half of his wealth to the poor. Then he restored fourfold all that he had taken illegally.

Class members shared with me what they received from the lesson. My journeys to Israel enabled me to share the old story in a refreshing way. Can a trip to Israel refresh and bring a new sense of reality to your understanding of God’s word?

Join me next time

I am planning a trip to Israel in 2018, probably in June. To accomplish this I need 45 people who will travel with me to Israel. The cost will be about $5,000 per person (start saving money now)! … Let me know you are interested … and I will put you on the mailing list (no obligation at this point).

I will let you know through e-mails the steps in the planning process. If you are interested, you can help confirm the date (June 2018), or help set another date. I will be asking along the way what you want to see in Israel. Over the next year (until March 2017) I will be collecting ideas in order to plan. Then I will be talking to an experienced tour leader who will help put the trip together. (The price and plans will be complete about a year before the trip). My e-mail is KosherCopy@gmail.com. (Write to let me know you are interested, or to ask questions).

I will let you know of other plans as they develop, such as a potential add-on dig in the land, or an add-on side trip. What I need now is simply people who are interested (no obligation) and ideas for the trip.