I. No man that we read of in Scripture was so highly favoured as St. Joseph, in respect of being constantly near the person of our Saviour. From Christ's birth to His own death, which was at least more than twelve years, and very likely a good deal longer, Joseph was the entrusted guardian of our Lord, the minister of God, especially called and raised up to watch over that holiest childhood and youth, and to protect His blessed mother. Judging from God's ordinary dealings, we cannot but suppose that he must have been, more than almost any one, prepared and made meet for God's Kingdom, who was permitted for so long a time to exercise a ministry so near to God Himself.
II. The life and death of the nursing father of Jesus Christ teaches us this lesson never to put by God's warnings, but to act on them, in dutiful faith, immediately; even as Joseph, being raised from sleep, lost no time, but at once did as the Angel of the Lord had bidden him. Had he doubted and delayed, he would have forfeited the blessing, the great blessing, of abiding continually with Christ. Let us, then, lose no time, but at once begin to practise the holy purposes which the Spirit of God may have put into our hearts, and which our good angel is waiting to encourage. There is no time like the time present.
Plain Sermons by Contributors to "Tracts for the Times,"vol. viii., p. 285; see also J. Keble, Sermons for Christmas and Epiphany,p. 149.
References: Matthew 1:25. Expositor,2nd series, vol. ii., p. 198; G. Gilfillan, Alpha and Omega,vol. ii., p. 270; J. Keble, Sermons for Christmas and Epiphany,p. 189. Matthew 1; Matthew 2 E. Gibson, Expositor,2nd series, vol. iii., p. 116. Matthew 2 H. J. Wilmot-Buxton, Sunday Sermonettes for a Year,p. 22.