Living in the Image of God M04S20

God called Mary-Joseph to a ministry of parenting the Messiah through pregnancy, childhood care, and transition to adulthood. Mary was called as Mother of the Messiah and Joseph to lead the ministry as the earthly father of the Messiah. As overall leader, Joseph received family-care instructions: such as the escape to Egypt, return to Israel several years later, and redirection to Galilee instead of Judea. Their interactions in the events illustrate unity in parenting through honor and support for family leadership. Further, their unity and purpose in parenting showed through annual trips to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover; which provided opportunity for the child to develop community sensitivity, as he mingled and interacted freely with friends and relations during the celebrations and long trek to and from the festival. The study indicates that God calls every husband-wife union to a parenting ministry and provides them family-care instructions: such as seeking unity in parenting through honor and support for family leadership; teaching same to the children through their observation of parents; and exposing the children to community sensitivity by honoring customs and practices important to their people in fulfilling God’s purpose for the community, similar to the Festival of the Passover in the case of Jesus.

This study is the second of two segments on the Mary-Joseph ministry as earthly parents of the Messiah, in continuation of the bible study series on understanding the individual responsibility regarding family leadership. The series is based on bible examples of husband-wife interactions and relationships: including the Shunammite couple; Adam and Eve; Abraham-Sarah; Isaac-Rebekah; and Mary-Joseph, the parents of the Messiah.