WEBVTT 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:07.919 Our sermon text this morning comes from Luke chapter 2, verses 22 to 32. 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:09.679 We'll be reading this morning. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:12.560 You'll find the text printed in your bulletin as well. 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:27.440 Let me first also remind you these cards, these Advent cards, the reason that we printed these up is to pass them on, to invite friends and family and neighbors. 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:32.560 You know, there's an awful lot of people that really don't know the true meaning of Christmas. 00:00:33.439 --> 00:00:34.399 You know that. 00:00:35.840 --> 00:00:47.679 This is a card to just give and invite them to come, to participate in the services with us, that they might find Christ this Christmas. 00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:52.159 This morning we're beginning a new sermon series, Advent series. 00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:56.640 We're looking at the Advent songs of Jesus through the eyes of Luke. 00:00:56.880 --> 00:01:04.079 The songs that Luke records about the Advent, the coming of the Christ. 00:01:05.359 --> 00:01:07.519 Hear God's holy word. 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:19.840 And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord. 00:01:20.079 --> 00:01:29.439 Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord, and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord. 00:01:29.760 --> 00:01:32.959 A pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons. 00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:44.719 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 00:01:44.959 --> 00:01:51.840 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 00:01:52.239 --> 00:02:12.319 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word. 00:02:12.879 --> 00:02:25.039 For my eyes have seen your salvation, that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people, Israel. 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:31.840 This is the reading of God's holy, infallible, inerrant word. 00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:36.400 May the Spirit teach us this morning as we pray to Him. 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:40.159 Spirit of God, open our eyes. 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:51.120 Open our eyes to the truth, Lord, that we might not only understand your truth, but we might desire to live by your truth, to believe your truth. 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:57.120 Spirit, we pray, do your work in us, among us, this morning. 00:02:57.360 --> 00:02:59.520 In Christ's name we pray, amen. 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:09.759 Thinking about Advent, there was a man in the New Testament named Simeon. 00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:12.719 He was thinking about Advent. 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:18.960 The scriptures tell us about this man that he had a long wait. 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:21.599 How long we don't know exactly. 00:03:22.080 --> 00:03:23.759 It's a speculation. 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:26.879 Was he in his 70s, his eighties, older? 00:03:27.280 --> 00:03:36.080 But he was waiting because the Spirit of God had instructed him that Messiah was coming and he would see him. 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:44.879 This morning we're going to talk about that hope, the long wait, the deep hope, and lastly the great divide. 00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:47.199 The long wait. 00:03:47.680 --> 00:04:05.680 Simeon, we're told a godly man, probably a layman, not a priest, a layman who lived a godly life waiting for Messiah to come, a righteous and devout man, indwelt by the Holy Spirit. 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:10.879 This was a special phenomenon for some in the Old Testament, not all. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:14.159 He was indwelt by the Spirit. 00:04:14.319 --> 00:04:16.079 He was led by the Spirit. 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:18.800 He prophesied by the Spirit. 00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:24.000 And on this particular day, he met his Savior. 00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:28.160 He held him in his arms, his Savior. 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:30.240 He blessed his Savior. 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:33.759 And he left a message for all of us. 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:37.519 So why were Joseph and Mary at the temple that particular day? 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:39.040 Luke tells us. 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:40.480 For two reasons. 00:04:40.800 --> 00:04:43.360 For the sacrifice of purification. 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:46.240 It says for their purification. 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:58.959 It says for their purification, which is interesting because it was really the mother's, but there was some kind of corporate solidarity in here. 00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:14.560 And after giving birth to her child, her son Jesus, 40 days later, she would come to the temple and present her son to the Lord after childbirth. 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:18.240 The sacrifice was dependent on what they could afford. 00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:27.120 Most people, it seems, from church history, our understanding of those times, brought a lamb, unless you were poor. 00:05:27.439 --> 00:05:31.439 Then you brought two pigeons, like Mary and Joseph brought. 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:34.480 Two pigeons or two turtle doves. 00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:36.480 They didn't have much. 00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:40.399 That was the one sacrifice that they brought on that particular day. 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:44.959 Another sacrifice they brought was to redeem their firstborn son. 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:49.040 All firstborn sons were regarded as given to God. 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:53.360 Some of you remember that was in the Old Testament, that was in the book of Leviticus. 00:05:53.600 --> 00:06:00.800 To redeem, because that first child, that firstborn son belonged to the Lord to be given to his service. 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:18.000 But for five shekels, he would take five shekels to the temple and give it in the offering, and that would stand as a sign of redemption that your son, although given to the Lord, was not obligated to go into the temple service of the Lord. 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:20.560 It's ironic, isn't it? 00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:26.160 Our Redeemer was redeemed that day, not for his sin. 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:28.399 He had no sin to be redeemed of. 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:32.720 But he was given to the Father in a special way that day. 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:37.439 Redeemed, the price of redemption, consecrated to God. 00:06:38.879 --> 00:06:40.639 Then we read verse 25. 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:42.959 And there was a man named Simeon. 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:47.759 He was waiting for the consolation of Israel. 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:56.959 We're going to break down that word consolation in a few minutes because that's a really important part of this sermon, this message, what that entails. 00:06:57.680 --> 00:06:59.680 How long was he waiting? 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:05.439 Well, again, it's speculation, but I could easily believe it was for decades. 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:18.879 He was probably near the end of his life, waiting and waiting because God had told him that he was going to see, he was going to meet the Redeemer. 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:21.439 Can you imagine living like that? 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:26.800 Can you imagine living with that expectation, that anticipation? 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:31.040 There was so much mystery shrouded in all this. 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:35.360 So much he didn't know about the Messiah. 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:38.480 But what he knew he believed. 00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:40.879 What he knew he lived by. 00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:44.079 And that's a good reminder for all of us, isn't it? 00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:47.120 Especially when we have so much more than he had. 00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:49.360 We have all the scriptures. 00:07:49.600 --> 00:07:51.519 We have the arrival of the king. 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:53.360 We look back and see that. 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:56.720 He was waiting. 00:07:57.040 --> 00:08:03.920 It'd been 400 years since they had heard from the Word of God, since Scripture had been given. 00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:06.399 That's a long time to wait. 00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:09.519 I mean, go back 400 years in our nation. 00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:13.360 I know 400 years isn't that long if you're from Europe. 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:18.319 But if you're from the United States, 400 years is a long time. 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:24.879 Since the Word of God had been brought through Scripture. 00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:27.360 It was a long time. 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:36.559 And yet it says the Holy Spirit was upon him, revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he saw the Lord's Christ. 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:40.480 Simeon, in fact, waited many years. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:42.159 The world has waited longer. 00:08:42.320 --> 00:08:44.159 The world has waited millennia. 00:08:44.559 --> 00:08:52.320 When is this promise, when do we see the first flicker of that flame of this promise of the coming of the Lord? 00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:59.440 Those of you that were in Aaron's Genesis class, where was it? 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:03.120 Genesis, the third chapter. 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:11.120 Immediately after we messed everything up, and sin came into this world. 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:19.440 God came to our rescue and he made a promise there in Genesis chapter 3, verse 15. 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:24.080 He made a promise that he was not going to leave us in the darkness. 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:27.279 He was not going to leave us spiritually dead. 00:09:27.759 --> 00:09:29.440 His son would come. 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:34.879 From Genesis chapter 3, we have the promise given. 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:37.039 But waiting is hard. 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:41.039 There was the 400 years when the Israelites were in Egypt. 00:09:41.919 --> 00:09:43.120 Think about that. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:50.639 Think about if you were the one that went into Egypt, if you were the one that went from Israel into Egypt. 00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:54.080 How many grands is that? 00:09:55.600 --> 00:10:01.360 Your son, your grandson, your great-grandson, your great-great-grandson. 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:03.440 It goes on. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:06.879 That's a long time to be in bondage. 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:09.840 That's a long time to wait. 00:10:10.879 --> 00:10:14.080 Let me speak to those of you that are waiting this morning. 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:16.879 What is it that you're waiting for? 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:21.200 We wait for all kinds of things, don't we? 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:25.519 Some of us are waiting for surgeries that have been scheduled. 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:28.159 Well, that's a different kind of wait. 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:31.279 But it's on your mind, isn't it? 00:10:31.759 --> 00:10:33.200 It's on your mind. 00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:36.879 That date on your calendar is on your mind. 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:40.480 Some of you have weddings planned. 00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:42.639 That date's on your mind. 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:50.240 Some of you, moms, are waiting to give birth to your child. 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:55.600 Waiting is part of life. 00:10:56.559 --> 00:11:02.080 But there is waiting that is easier and there is waiting that is harder. 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:06.799 This was waiting that was hard. 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:10.320 Lord, when are you going to come? 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:16.399 When are you going to come and make things right in this world of injustice? 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:23.519 When are you going to come and turn the tables on the oppression? 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:27.360 When are you going to pay back evil? 00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:31.519 When will your vengeance be executed? 00:11:33.679 --> 00:11:34.639 Lord, when? 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:38.240 When are you going to redeem me? 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:41.759 When am I going to know my full redemption? 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:48.480 When am I going to know my full deliverance from the things that I still feel bound by in this world? 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:53.360 When you wake up and your body aches. 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:12.399 That's a painful ache, isn't it? 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:14.480 That's a hard wait. 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:16.960 Waiting for reconciliation. 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:19.200 Waiting for reunification. 00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:21.039 Waiting for reunion. 00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:28.960 Waiting to see again the people that we love dearly that we've lost. 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:35.759 This world, this life, is a lot about waiting. 00:12:36.080 --> 00:12:39.279 And we can wait well or not. 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:42.639 Consolation. 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:44.720 Let's talk about that secondly. 00:12:44.879 --> 00:12:48.720 The consolation, this is a very interesting Greek word. 00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:59.679 It comes from the Greek word, the verb parakaleo, which many of you in this church know because we talk about that a lot. 00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:02.240 It's a compound word in the Greek. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:05.679 To call someone to come alongside of you. 00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:08.000 To call. 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:10.799 To call out. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:15.279 So that someone comes alongside of you. 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:21.120 And as the word consolation suggests, when they come, they bring comfort. 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:24.639 That's what this sermon is about, really. 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:28.159 This advent season of hope. 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:32.720 Confident, we're talking about hope this morning. 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:48.879 And as has already been heard from the readings, if you want to understand what the Bible means by hope, confident expectation that what God has promised, He will accomplish. 00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:52.399 Confident expectation. 00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:54.799 Not like we use the word hope. 00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:57.039 I hope it won't rain today. 00:13:57.200 --> 00:13:59.360 Well, good luck with that. 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:07.600 I hope that my boss will give me my time off when we want to go on vacation. 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:12.080 I mean, all these, that's not what the Bible means by the word hope. 00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:26.879 Unfortunately, we are so accustomed to the unbiblical notion of hope that sometimes it really makes it hard for us to understand and dig in our heels to what biblical hope is. 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:33.200 Biblical hope is based on the word and the promises of God. 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:37.279 Biblical hope is not based on our feelings. 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:41.519 Biblical hope is not based on our emotions. 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:47.360 It's based on the promises of God. 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:53.759 Isaiah said it so well in chapter 52, verse 9, over 700 years before Christ came. 00:14:54.080 --> 00:15:02.720 Break forth together in singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people. 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:10.960 Now, why does he say that in the past tense when it's 700 years before it happened? 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:13.759 Because it says good is done. 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:15.600 The Lord promised it. 00:15:15.840 --> 00:15:17.759 The Lord was going to see to it. 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:22.080 Break forth together in singing. 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:25.039 You waste places. 00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:30.000 And so Advent is a time of taking reflection. 00:15:30.639 --> 00:15:33.840 What feels like a waste place in my life? 00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:38.720 What feels dry and arid in my life? 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:42.000 Where do I feel unfulfilled? 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:47.679 Isaiah says you can start singing now. 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:50.000 Especially us. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:52.240 Because he did come. 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:56.000 For the Lord has brought comfort to his people. 00:15:56.320 --> 00:16:00.080 This comfort rests in the very promise of God's Son. 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:04.399 This comfort rests in the very work of the Holy Spirit. 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:08.320 As we know, we have two advocates, do we not? 00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:15.360 Our first advocate is Jesus, the one who came to come alongside of us. 00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:23.279 But when Jesus ascended into heaven, he sent another advocate, another, not the same. 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:35.039 He is seated in the heavens with the Father, but he sent another like him, just like him in terms of being fully God. 00:16:36.159 --> 00:16:37.440 This is Advent. 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:45.519 Simeon says, According to your word, my eyes have seen your salvation. 00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:59.600 In the person of Jesus, our paraclete, when the Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that that very child was the Messiah, he thanked God for what this child meant to him personally. 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:10.319 And how can any of us go through Advent without thanking God personally for the Savior He sent you? 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:16.000 There's no other gift on the list, is there, really? 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:19.440 There's no other gift on the list. 00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:23.519 Have you made out your list or you're going to make out your list this Christmas? 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:25.359 Okay, make out your list. 00:17:27.839 --> 00:17:35.200 Between number one and number two is a chasm. 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:40.640 Thank him. 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:41.519 Again. 00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:46.880 Simeon sees more than a baby, he sees a savior. 00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:55.920 And just like Simeon, we need the Holy Spirit to point us back to Jesus, to awaken us to the promises of God anew. 00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:59.039 Are you in the Word of God? 00:17:59.359 --> 00:18:03.359 I've spent the last three months in Jeremiah. 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:06.880 I've never done that before in my life. 00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:18.319 Millie, as you read those verses, my heart just pounded because after three months in Jeremiah, there's a lot of heavy stuff in Jeremiah. 00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:21.599 There's a lot of darkness in Jeremiah. 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:23.759 In Jerusalem at that time. 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:27.200 It was a tough, tough time. 00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:34.079 Not unlike what people in Israel are seeing now, but in some ways worse. 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:36.640 In some ways worse. 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:38.240 Go back and read it. 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:47.279 The promises of God shine the brightest against the backdrop of the reality of living in a sin-cursed world. 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:50.480 Let's not shield our eyes from the darkness. 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:53.599 Let's not run from the darkness. 00:18:55.119 --> 00:19:04.240 The darkness shows us the beauty of Advent when we see it. 00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:10.400 Simeon said, For my eyes have seen your salvation. 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:14.400 And he could say that in living under Roman oppression. 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:18.799 He could say that living under the cruel King Herod. 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:23.279 He could say that living with an exorbitant tax structure. 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:28.160 I mean, he was dealing with a lot of hard things in his own lifetime. 00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:33.119 But he says, My eyes have seen the Savior as he's holding this baby. 00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:35.119 Everything is right. 00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:40.640 In holding the Savior, in holding to the Savior, everything is right. 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:47.680 No one is saved simply by the birth of Jesus, however. 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:51.519 And that's the message we need to get out this Christmas, friends. 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:57.440 Nobody is saved simply by the birth of Jesus. 00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:00.400 A lot of your friends believe that. 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:14.880 A lot of your friends believe that Christmas is about all of us being saved together by whatever, and those who profess to be Christians would say, because Jesus came, of course, we're saved. 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:15.519 No. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:20.720 Where is our hope found? 00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:23.359 In the promises of God Himself. 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:26.000 Our hope is anchor in the past. 00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:28.400 Jesus came as a baby. 00:20:28.559 --> 00:20:31.039 Jesus lived the perfect life. 00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:33.920 Jesus died the death that we deserved. 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:36.640 Jesus was raised from the dead. 00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:39.200 We have hope in the past. 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:44.960 We have hope in the future that He promised that He's going to come back again on the clouds. 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:51.680 My grandson and I were having this conversation just yesterday. 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:54.880 Does that mean it's going to be cloudy when he comes back? 00:20:56.160 --> 00:20:57.599 Not necessarily. 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:03.839 I've seen on some beautiful sunshine days, I've seen some clouds up there, but he's going to come back on the clouds. 00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:11.119 And your hope is going to be firmly fixed when you see that. 00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:16.880 But as we look back, as we look forward, how does that help us live today in the present? 00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:21.839 If it doesn't, you're not thinking. 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:30.319 You look back to what he did, you look forward to what he promised he will do, and you will find hope. 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:35.440 You will find hope today, no matter what kind of dark things you face. 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:42.160 Consolation for all peoples, he said. 00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:55.039 Luke is the one of the four apostles, uh, evangelists who is who is wanting to, you know, the light is coming for all nations, all peoples, not just Israel. 00:21:56.160 --> 00:21:59.440 That means for us in this room. 00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:04.400 Consolation for all peoples. 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:07.759 So I have a question for you this morning. 00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:13.920 Who or what are you calling to your side to make it through life? 00:22:14.880 --> 00:22:19.680 Through the stresses of your life, through the darkness of your life. 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:22.880 Where are you finding your comfort? 00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:25.839 This past week. 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:28.799 Take a day. 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:31.200 Take a problem. 00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:34.640 Take a challenge. 00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:43.920 Who or what are we calling to our side to get us through? 00:22:44.400 --> 00:22:46.480 To give us comfort. 00:22:50.240 --> 00:23:01.440 It's widely known that in this month in particular, many people are going to call a bottle of liquor to their side to get them through. 00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:11.039 Many people are going to use a piece of plastic to get them through. 00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:18.960 I mean, why call on the God of all comfort when you've got all that power and a little credit card? 00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:22.960 To try to make you feel better. 00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:39.119 You see, there's all kinds of things that we have at our disposal as we look and feel the emptiness inside, as we feel the hopelessness, as we struggle against the hopelessness. 00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:42.319 Who are you going to call? 00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:44.960 Who are you going to call upon? 00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:48.480 Simeon gives us the answer. 00:23:49.599 --> 00:24:01.680 You call along your side, the Messiah, the one who came, the one who bled, the one who sacrificed, the one who was resurrected from the dead, and he sent his spirit. 00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:07.839 You call along the Holy Spirit to come to your side, to make the promises of God like they're new. 00:24:08.960 --> 00:24:19.359 Do you know it's possible that this could be an advent, this could be a Christmas season like you've not had in many, many years, I say to you, Christian. 00:24:19.920 --> 00:24:20.960 How could that be? 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:22.559 I celebrate Christmas every year. 00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:24.079 I celebrate Avant every year. 00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:25.359 How could that be? 00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:32.400 You call upon the Holy Spirit to show you where your hope really is misplaced. 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:40.960 You call the Holy Spirit alongside to show you where you're really calling out for hope and for comfort. 00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:47.440 Invite him in and let him take you right to the promise of God. 00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:50.000 Let him take you to the Messiah. 00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:57.200 And you will find new hope and you will find new strength and you will find new joy. 00:24:58.160 --> 00:25:02.640 Maybe for some of us, more than we've had in a long time at Christmas. 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:04.960 This is the power of the gospel. 00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:10.400 Hope is an anchor. 00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:14.480 You've been on a boat. 00:25:14.880 --> 00:25:18.799 Many times I've been on a boat in the middle of a lake. 00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:26.000 And you throw that anchor over, and you don't have to worry about your boat drifting. 00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:30.960 You don't have to worry about crashing into the rocks. 00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:34.720 Hope is an anchor. 00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:42.000 Hope is not like some balloon that you take outside and let go, and there it goes. 00:25:43.200 --> 00:25:44.400 That's not hope. 00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:47.599 Simeon knew that. 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:48.799 Do we? 00:25:49.680 --> 00:25:51.039 Which brings me to the last point. 00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:55.279 The last point, the verses are not printed in the text, but let me read them if your Bibles are open. 00:25:55.440 --> 00:26:20.559 After Simeon was done with his prophecy, with this song, where he said, Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people. 00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:24.400 After he said that, he looked Mary in the eye. 00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:27.599 Can you just understand what's going on here? 00:26:27.839 --> 00:26:31.200 He looks, this old man looks Mary in the eye. 00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:34.160 And he said this. 00:26:34.720 --> 00:26:43.440 He said to Mary, his mother, Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed. 00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:52.799 And a sword will pierce through your own soul also, so that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed. 00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:59.519 This is the great divide Simeon is prophesying. 00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:04.319 A sword will pass through your soul, Mary. 00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:09.119 Right now you're filled with joy as you're holding your firstborn baby. 00:27:09.279 --> 00:27:10.559 You're at the temple. 00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:12.960 You're hearing the blessing of Simeon. 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:16.000 You've already heard the blessing of the angels. 00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:20.559 But there's pain waiting for you, Mary. 00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:26.799 The word that's used in the Greek is not a little sword, it's a big sword. 00:27:27.759 --> 00:27:30.240 It's a big fighting sword. 00:27:30.880 --> 00:27:32.960 Will pierce your heart. 00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:37.279 And Mary might have thought, well, what? 00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:42.880 Man, why are we talking about this? 00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:45.039 I want to talk about that. 00:27:45.920 --> 00:27:48.559 Simeon says, No. 00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:55.759 Your son is going to be born to suffer for many. 00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:59.039 And you are going to suffer along with him. 00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:01.279 We know when that happened. 00:28:01.599 --> 00:28:09.599 We know when that sword thrust through Mary's heart on the day that she watched her son crucified on the Roman cross. 00:28:10.240 --> 00:28:16.240 We know she understood exactly what that prophecy was about. 00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:20.400 A sword will pass through your soul also, Mary. 00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:22.960 The rising in the falling. 00:28:25.119 --> 00:28:30.799 Every person in this world is a fulfillment of this prophecy. 00:28:31.599 --> 00:28:32.799 You too. 00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:37.759 You will either rise with Jesus or you will fall. 00:28:39.039 --> 00:28:41.279 You will fall because of Jesus. 00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:43.200 There's no exceptions. 00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:45.359 That's what Simeon's saying. 00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:49.920 Some will receive Jesus, some will reject him. 00:28:50.880 --> 00:28:55.200 The word rising is the word that's used in the New Testament for resurrection. 00:28:56.559 --> 00:29:04.000 If you receive him, if you rest in him, if you find your righteousness in him, one day your body will be resurrected from the grave with him. 00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:07.759 Jesus is the great divider. 00:29:08.559 --> 00:29:12.079 We don't hear that much about that much in Christmas time, do we? 00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:16.480 I've yet to buy that Christmas card. 00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:20.799 Jesus is the great divider. 00:29:22.960 --> 00:29:28.400 Jesus said in Matthew chapter 10, verse 34, I have not come to bring peace but a sword. 00:29:28.880 --> 00:29:30.640 Did you know that's in the Bible? 00:29:32.559 --> 00:29:35.279 People say, well, I thought Christmas is about him bringing peace. 00:29:35.440 --> 00:29:38.079 Well, it is, but it's not only that. 00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:41.200 He said, I came to bring a sword. 00:29:41.839 --> 00:29:43.599 I came to divide. 00:29:46.319 --> 00:29:52.240 That doesn't sound very timely to our narratives in this day and age. 00:29:52.960 --> 00:29:55.839 Jesus is extremely polarizing. 00:29:57.039 --> 00:30:02.160 We will either worship him or we will cast him out. 00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:03.759 We will reject him. 00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:08.319 There is no such thing as neutrality with Jesus Christ. 00:30:09.119 --> 00:30:11.359 Many people today believe that there is. 00:30:11.599 --> 00:30:14.240 Many people believe that you can have a foot in each camp. 00:30:14.400 --> 00:30:18.319 Many people believe that they're Christians just because Jesus was born. 00:30:19.519 --> 00:30:23.599 This is the season that we need to preach the gospel. 00:30:23.920 --> 00:30:27.039 This is the season that we need to proclaim the gospel. 00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:29.119 We need to witness the gospel. 00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:38.319 Tim Keller said the manger at Christmas means that if you live like Jesus, there will not be rooms for you in many inns. 00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:41.839 Think about that. 00:30:45.440 --> 00:30:52.880 What most people truly understand, when most people truly understand the real Jesus, they are scandalized. 00:30:53.119 --> 00:30:54.640 They stumble over him. 00:30:55.759 --> 00:30:56.720 Repent. 00:30:57.279 --> 00:30:58.720 Repent of what? 00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:00.960 What sins? 00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:05.200 I didn't nail him to the cross. 00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:07.599 And so it goes. 00:31:08.640 --> 00:31:10.640 Jesus is the great divide. 00:31:12.079 --> 00:31:15.200 What is going to be your response to Jesus? 00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:19.039 Will you rise or will you fall at the second coming? 00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:26.160 Will I rise or will I fall at the second coming? 00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:32.079 What God will do with us for all eternity depends on what we will do with Jesus right now. 00:31:34.559 --> 00:31:34.880 J.C. 00:31:35.039 --> 00:31:39.599 Ryle said this years ago. 00:31:39.839 --> 00:31:45.119 There are thousands of men and women who go to churches and chapels every Sunday and call themselves Christians. 00:31:45.279 --> 00:31:47.519 Their names are in the church membership roles. 00:31:47.599 --> 00:31:49.119 They were married in Christian churches. 00:31:49.279 --> 00:31:51.279 They were buried in Christian churches. 00:31:51.599 --> 00:31:55.599 But they've never seen any fight in their faith. 00:31:57.359 --> 00:32:01.119 No exertion, no conflict, no self-denial, no warring. 00:32:01.279 --> 00:32:03.599 They know nothing about the real Christianity. 00:32:03.759 --> 00:32:05.680 It's not the Christianity of the Bible. 00:32:05.839 --> 00:32:10.240 It's not the religion which the Lord Jesus founded and his apostles preached. 00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:14.240 True Christianity has a sword for every Christian. 00:32:15.039 --> 00:32:19.599 I think we see it captured in the New Testament, James chapter 1, verse 2. 00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:21.359 Consider it all joy. 00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:23.119 When what? 00:32:24.480 --> 00:32:28.079 You face various trials of all kinds. 00:32:29.279 --> 00:32:34.240 Consider it all joy when you are privileged to suffer for the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:40.640 We're not going to suffer, many of us aren't going to suffer in the ways that people in the early church suffered. 00:32:41.920 --> 00:32:48.799 But we're all very aware today of just how intolerant Christianity is purported to be. 00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:54.559 Are you living in fear of the claims of Christ? 00:32:54.880 --> 00:32:59.440 Are you hesitant to let people know whose side you are on? 00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:05.599 Do you not speak up when the Holy Spirit is saying, speak up? 00:33:06.559 --> 00:33:08.319 Do you just keep quiet? 00:33:08.799 --> 00:33:12.480 Because you know the winds, the political winds today. 00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:15.039 There's a sword for every Christian. 00:33:15.200 --> 00:33:16.480 It wasn't just for Mary. 00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:21.279 It was for Mary in a particular way, but there's a sword for you, and there's a sword for me. 00:33:22.720 --> 00:33:28.400 Jesus himself lost his peace at the cross, did he not? 00:33:29.279 --> 00:33:30.720 So we will not. 00:33:34.720 --> 00:33:36.559