In the two preceding chapters we have seen four main points related to New Testament service. Such service should be absolutely different from religion, and there should be nothing of human effort. It should be conceived of the Holy Spirit, and it should bring forth Christ. The birth of Christ means the bringing forth of Christ.
In the preceding chapters we have seen only Mary’s side of the birth of Christ, but there is another aspect—the side of Joseph. Mary’s side reveals to us four main points of New Testament service. With Joseph, there are, in addition, two main aspects in bringing forth Christ, the aspects of coordination and guidance. In the New Testament service we need coordination, and we also need guidance. These two things could not be divided or separated.
Mary conceived Christ, but she needed the cooperation from Joseph’s side. In other words, Mary needed Joseph’s coordination. It would have been extremely difficult for Mary to go on without Joseph. Without him, she had no protection, and there were enemies attempting to kill the child conceived by her. Therefore, Mary needed the cooperation and coordination of Joseph in order to obtain protection and receive guidance as to what she should do and where she should go.
Not many of those who study the Bible have realized the need of coordination on Joseph’s side for the birth of Jesus. However, in the New Testament service, coordination is always required. New Testament service is not an individual matter. It is a service of the Body, and therefore a service of coordination.
If you have read the two preceding chapters on the New Testament service, you now may be ready simply to be a virgin, so single and simple to conceive Christ of the Holy Spirit and bring Him forth. This may be so, but you still need Joseph. You should not think that you are so adequately prepared that you need nothing more. Regardless of how wonderful you are, you still need Joseph. The Lord may grant you the favor of conceiving Christ, but the Lord will not grant you the leading and guidance so that you will know where to go and what to do. For this, you need the coordination of Joseph.
Mary conceived Christ, but where was she to deliver Him? She was a resident of Nazareth, but Christ was to be born in Bethlehem. How could this be? As a young virgin living in Nazareth, how could she go to Bethlehem to deliver her child? The prophecy must be fulfilled that Christ was to be born at Bethlehem. Of course, the prophecy that Christ should be called a Nazarene was easily fulfilled, because Mary was living in Nazareth. However, to have Christ born in Bethlehem was not so easy.
I say again, regardless of how wonderful Mary is, she still needs Joseph. Mary is now in Nazareth, but the delivery must be in Bethlehem. How could she accomplish this? The only way is by coordination. It is so interesting to see that after the conceiving of Jesus, everything concerning the birth of Jesus was related to Joseph. Caesar made a decree that all the subjects of the Roman empire must be registered according to their families. This occurred in order to provide for the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem, and it was accomplished through coordination. Without coordination, Mary could not have gone to Bethlehem. Joseph was of the house of David, and the house of David had to be registered at Bethlehem. Therefore, because Mary was related to Joseph, both Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem to be registered according to their house and family. Then, while they were there, the days were fulfilled that the child should be delivered, and Christ was born at Bethlehem. Christ was conceived by Mary in Nazareth, but He was delivered at Bethlehem according to prophecy. How was this accomplished? It could only have been done through Joseph’s coordination.