Week 3 Family Talk

Week 3 Family Talk: Joseph

If you have ever seen a live play, you know that there’s something magical that happens between acts. The stage curtains open, and suddenly, the audience is transported to another place and time. New scenery is in the background and new props are in place. How did everything change so quickly and silently? It all happens because of the hardworking stage crew—the people who work behind the scenes of a play, putting everything into place so that the main action can happen just as it should. The stage crew is super-important to a good play, yet stage crew members aren’t noticed. In fact, they often wear black clothes so that they fade into the background of the stage and won’t be noticed!  

In the story of Jesus’ birth, Joseph was like a stage crew member. He was following God’s directions, doing the important work of getting everything ready so that Jesus would be born in the right place at the right time. After Jesus was born, Joseph again listened carefully to the directions told to him in a dream. Like a good stage crew member, he silently transported Mary and Baby Jesus to safety in Egypt in the middle of the night!  

The Bible does not tell us much about Joseph, but it does say that he was a righteous man. He loved God and followed Him closely. Because of this, God entrusted Joseph with the care of His most treasured Son, Jesus. Baby Jesus would grow up to take center stage for all of history! 

What was it about Joseph that made him a good earthly father for Baby Jesus? 

How has God rewarded Joseph for his obedience and care for Jesus? 

At the end of your discussion and prayer time, hang the next two ornaments on your Jesse tree as you discuss each one: 1) a Carpenter’s Tool (hammer) to represent Joseph’s hard work (Matthew 13:55), and 2) Wedding Rings to represent Joseph’s marriage to Mary (Matthew 1:20-21).

by Laure Herlinger