Hello my friends Michael Yousaf here with leading the way and I want to wish you the joyest of Christmas.

The Apostle Paul said that when Jesus Christ came into the world, God the Father blessed us with every spiritual blessings in the heavenly places,

including peace. May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Thank you for taking time during the special season to listen to leading the way,

with pastor and the author of more than 50 books, Dr. Michael Youssef.

People across the world are pausing to celebrate Christmas this weekend.

Others who may not grasp the deep meaning of the Advent gather with family and friends for a time of food and fun.

Up next on this episode of Leading the Way audio,

Dr. Yousef invites you to look at Christmas through a different lens.

You'll see how Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus,

offers a picture of God's love, mercy, and grace. Here now is Dr. Michael Yousaf to begin today's

very special leading the way. Joseph played a role, a vital role in the life of the Messiah, the Son of God, the eternal Son of God.

We have very little information about Joseph in the scriptures, in the gospel writers.

There are a couple of references about Joseph in the writing of the Jewish

historian, Josephus. In fact, the Gospel of Mark doesn't even mention Joseph. And yet, as you will

see in a minute, there are some wonderful things, amazing things that we can learn from Joseph, the adopted father of the Lord Jesus

Christ. You see, culturally and historically, we know that Joseph probably was around 16 years old

at that time, because that's when boys got married and he was engaged to the Virgin Mary

who most likely she was 14 years old at the time that they were engaged. Back then in the Jewish

culture, girls got engaged right after they had their first menstrual cycle. Even though Jesus was virgin-born, son of God,

and yet many people identified him at that time.

Now, I want to transport you 2,000 years.

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