WEBVTT 00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:09.599 This is our second uh sermon in our Christmas series, which is called Expecting. 00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:15.519 I thought it was just kind of a little bit funny this morning because Brooke was playing the guitar. 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:17.600 You know, Brooke is expecting. 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:25.359 And uh in just a few weeks, and it was just funny that she was playing the guitar off to her side like this because she couldn't play it like this. 00:00:25.600 --> 00:00:27.199 That was beautiful, actually. 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:40.159 Um but this this series is about uh Christmas, but it's really about growing to uh growing in our on our journey of learning how to worship Jesus better and become a better, better worshiper of Jesus. 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:47.039 So we're learning through the songs of the Christmas story how to expect Jesus to speak to us. 00:00:47.600 --> 00:00:55.439 And whether we're in our family in worship uh at home or individual worship in home or a corporate gathering here. 00:00:55.520 --> 00:01:01.200 So last week we learned from Zechariah's song, how we can enter into worship and hear God. 00:01:01.439 --> 00:01:04.079 Zechariah heard the voice of God. 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:11.920 Um and this week we're studying a different, another uh kind of a character that gets overlooked sometimes, but he has a song too. 00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:27.120 His name is Simeon, and he's a man who knew God and he heard the voice of God, and he dedicated himself to the service of God and to the temple and had a lifestyle of worship, and out of that came this song that brought glory to God. 00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:38.000 So if you'll read with me in Luke in chapter 2, starting verse 21, let's read Simeon's song and the story around it. 00:01:39.920 --> 00:01:48.000 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 00:01:48.239 --> 00:02:10.800 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, every male who 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, a pair of turtle doves, or two pigeons, two young pigeons. 00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:31.520 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, 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. 00:02:32.319 --> 00:02:52.159 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 Allah, he took him up in his arms, and he blessed God and said, Lord, now you're letting your servant depart in peace according to your word. 00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:58.719 For my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples. 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:06.800 A light for the revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel. 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:26.879 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him, and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed. 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:35.840 And a sword will pierce through your own soul also, so that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed. 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:47.840 Father, this morning we thank you for your word, and we pray that through your holy son Jesus, the thoughts of all of us would be revealed. 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:53.680 That you would go into the depths of our hearts, the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. 00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:59.520 Let your word divide, and you would speak to us, Lord, as you want to this morning. 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:00.719 In Jesus' name. 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:01.680 Amen. 00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:28.160 Okay, so here in the midst of the Christmas story, we see uh this song rising out of the heart of this servant of God, a man who devoted himself to God, devoted himself to the temple, who leaned in close to Jesus to hear the heartbeat of Jesus, and who even was given a promise by the Holy Spirit. 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:40.319 And you know that's that happens when you're that kind of a person, when you're a person who leans in, who is devoted to the Lord, God gives promises to those people. 00:04:40.720 --> 00:04:42.879 He gives privileges to such a person. 00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:44.879 Even today he does. 00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:51.120 Simeon was a man who knew God in his daily life and even knew him further in his worship in the temple. 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:53.920 So he's not the only one, though, in the story. 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:57.759 If we read a little further, we'd also see that Anna was involved in this. 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:06.319 She didn't have a song, or at least she didn't have a song that Luke recorded for us, but she was just as devoted as Simeon was. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:16.879 And she was a widow, advanced in years, a prophetess, it says, who apparently lived in the temple, it says, and worshiped the Lord with fasting and praying. 00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:23.680 And she also came into the scene at the exact same time that Joseph and Mary brought Jesus in. 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:31.120 Here comes Simeon, here comes Anna, here comes uh the parents of Jesus all into the temple. 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:42.240 First of all, I'm really grateful for the seasoned saints of God, older people who are faithful to come to church to serve in the church. 00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:45.360 And um, we have some Annas and Simeons here today. 00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:46.399 You know that? 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:51.360 We've got some really faithful people, and the scripture says to give honor to whom honor is due. 00:05:51.439 --> 00:05:55.279 And so um, we're not gonna call you up, but uh we want to honor you. 00:05:55.439 --> 00:06:05.120 We want to thank you for everything that you do, your service, your faithful service through the years, and you know who you are, and uh if you don't feel old enough, just ignore that. 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:11.839 But if you feel old enough, then we want to honor you. 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:16.240 We thank you for valuing the church, valuing the kingdom of God. 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:21.839 And you know how to worship your Lord with your entire lives, with all of who you are. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:25.279 And so thank you for being dedicated to him and to his church. 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:28.240 But everyone in the story is gathered around the temple. 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:32.959 Everyone in the story had a custom of going to church. 00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:34.800 They attended church. 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:41.600 And so this morning, uh, as because they valued the gathering of the saints together, we're gonna talk about gathering together in worship. 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:48.480 We're gonna talk about worship this morning, but specifically when we gather here in corporate worship together. 00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:54.560 And um, so let's see what the Lord can speak to us out of this verse, this passage concerning that. 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:58.399 So you know that worship, as we said last week, is a revelation. 00:06:58.879 --> 00:07:00.959 It's a response, and it's a relationship. 00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:10.639 God, in his kindness, opens our hearts to see him, opens our eyes to see him in different ways, and that causes response to come from us. 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:15.600 It's a response from our soul, our spirit, our minds, our bodies. 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:24.000 We respond in some way as we see him, and that response eventually it leaks out into our entire life. 00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:25.360 And so it's really a relationship. 00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:29.120 The whole point of it all, of worship, is relationship with God. 00:07:29.279 --> 00:07:29.600 Right? 00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:33.120 And God revealed himself to Simon, to Simeon. 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:43.279 We see him as God revealed himself as a God of purpose because he said he has a mission not only to the Jews, but to the Gentiles. 00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:48.800 And we see that God revealed himself even, he revealed a little secret to Simeon. 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:49.279 Right? 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:53.199 You're not gonna die until you see uh the Christ. 00:07:53.439 --> 00:08:01.920 And the response of Simeon was a lifestyle of worship that he brought into the temple, and um he was moved by the Spirit. 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:06.480 It says, moved by the Spirit, he went to the temple. 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:09.519 So this was his pattern. 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:13.519 His pattern of living was being faithful to attend church. 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:15.040 We could say it that way. 00:08:15.759 --> 00:08:19.600 And his relationship was that he was devoted to God. 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:23.279 So Simeon means the one who hears and obeys. 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:25.120 That's what his word, his name means. 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:26.879 One who hears and obeys. 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:31.120 So when we say that he has a relationship with God, we mean a few things. 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:33.519 First, we mean that he had a walk with God. 00:08:33.759 --> 00:08:47.120 A walk with God, scripture from the beginning of Genesis all the way through the end of the Bible, there's this word in there, walk, which which has uh is application toward our relationship with God. 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:48.240 It's a walk. 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:56.559 It's and a walk is, as you all know, because you walked in here today, is a step and a step and a step, right? 00:08:56.879 --> 00:08:59.440 It is taking steps day by day. 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:06.480 It is making decisions day by day, little decisions on a journey with Christ. 00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:15.679 Little decisions that are that are consistent with your commitment to God, and more than that, consistent grounded in his commitment to you. 00:09:16.159 --> 00:09:19.200 Because he's committed to you, you commit to him. 00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:20.159 That's a walk. 00:09:20.320 --> 00:09:26.799 We take step, step, step, taking steps of obedience, um, honoring the Lord day by day. 00:09:27.039 --> 00:09:28.960 And this is what we see in Simeon. 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:40.240 He was full of the Spirit, it says, He was full of the word because when he when he spoke and his prayer and his prophecy to Mary was uh from scripture. 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:43.840 He's quoting the Old Testament even while he's speaking. 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:50.960 So his relationship means that he had a walk with God, but also his relationship means that he attended church. 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:54.240 He went to church regularly, he knew where to find God. 00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:56.320 You can find God among his people. 00:09:56.480 --> 00:10:00.080 His life was grounded in fellowship with other people. 00:10:00.639 --> 00:10:04.080 And also his relationship means that he heard God. 00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:07.840 And he heard God when God was mostly silent. 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:19.039 Because there had been 400 years of silence between the last time a prophet spoke from God and the time that Jesus came was 400 years. 00:10:19.360 --> 00:10:25.200 No official word through a major prophet is recorded there. 00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:28.879 And yet this man was tuned in to the Holy Spirit. 00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:35.279 When there was a famine of the word of God in the land, he still heard the voice of God. 00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:38.480 He heard the promise that was spoken to him. 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:46.080 So Simeon knew the voice of God speaking from the scriptures, and he knew the voice of God speaking to his own heart, his own spirit. 00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:47.440 And he responded. 00:10:47.679 --> 00:10:54.960 He kept the light, the lamp of prophecy burning even when there was no prophecy in the land. 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:58.399 It was almost snuffed out, but it wasn't. 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:01.840 And those who are devoted to God can hear his voice. 00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:04.799 And then he responded to God immediately. 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:06.480 This is interesting. 00:11:06.799 --> 00:11:10.320 God spoke to him and he responded right away. 00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:13.840 As he walked with God, he looked for the fulfillment of that prophecy. 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:19.039 It says he was expecting the consolation of Israel. 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:28.240 So he was expecting, just like we're expecting, he had a promise from God, as all as did all the Jews, that there would be a Messiah who would come, who would save them. 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:35.919 And so he was expecting that prophecy to come to pass, especially because God said, You're not going to die until you see this. 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:38.559 He had a little incentive to go to the temple. 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:43.679 So God moves in timing. 00:11:44.559 --> 00:11:47.120 God has perfect timing for his purposes. 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:53.519 And this is why it's important for us to, when we hear him, to respond immediately. 00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:57.039 Anna came to the temple, Simeon came to the temple. 00:11:57.440 --> 00:12:02.159 Joseph and Mary came to the temple, and there's where this whole story converges. 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:04.799 But they're responding to God. 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:07.919 First time obedience is really important. 00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:08.799 Okay? 00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:18.879 And those of you who have children and you're trying your best to get your kids to obey you the first time, there's this principle of obedience, right? 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:21.679 It's not obedience unless you actually do what's told. 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:31.519 So do what I say, do all that I say, do it when I say it, do it with a happy spirit. 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:34.000 This is this is our goal, okay? 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:35.519 This is what we're going for. 00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:38.879 You don't have doesn't happen immediately, but this is what we're going for. 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:43.840 And we train our children to do this because we want them to also respond to God that way. 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:51.039 When they learn to hear God's voice, they do it completely, immediately with a happy spirit. 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:58.879 So what you're doing in uh in training your children to obedience is you're training them to obey God. 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:04.159 If you don't train them to obedience, you're training them to disobey God. 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:12.720 Because God says to them, the only real commandment that He gives to them is honor your father and mother. 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:21.440 So we have to hold the standard of obedience to teach them to honor their parents so they're obeying God and that they hear God's voice later on. 00:13:21.919 --> 00:13:29.919 And then Simeon's relationship with God, his being faithful to God, led him to the point where his faith became sight. 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:34.080 He saw and he held the promised Messiah in his arms. 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:36.639 I don't know what that was like. 00:13:36.720 --> 00:13:38.879 It must have been must have been beautiful. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:40.399 Must have been beautiful. 00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:42.799 But he held the promise in his hand. 00:13:42.960 --> 00:13:45.519 We don't always get to hold the promise in our arms. 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:53.600 Sometimes God moves a little different way, or sometimes we're praying for something that's going to come up, come to pass in a time later, you know. 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:57.679 But sometimes we do get to hold the promise of God in our arms. 00:13:58.159 --> 00:13:59.600 And Simeon did. 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:04.879 And as he held the Messiah, his heart just burst out into this song. 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:07.120 And his song tells us a lot about him. 00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:12.000 His song says that he understood that God is in control. 00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:17.039 God is sovereign, he keeps his promise, and that he understood mission. 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:18.480 God has got a big plan. 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:25.919 God is not only concerned with the Jews, but also with all the nations, including us today. 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:30.159 He was praising God, and his praise turned into prophecy. 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:36.879 Remember, last week we talked about, we talked about how as we praise, the voice of God begins sometimes to move prophetically. 00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:38.000 And this is what happened. 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:40.879 He's just focused on God and what God has done. 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:43.759 And then he turns and has this prophecy to Mary. 00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:53.679 He turns to Mary and he says, This child is for the rising and the falling of many in Israel, so that the hearts of many would be revealed. 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:04.399 So, a lifestyle of worship with God, one of the things that happens is God begins to reveal our hearts. 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:14.639 As we love him, he loves us, and he wants to turn our hearts more toward him so that we live the blessed life he wants us to live. 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:16.720 So Simeon was quoting a prophecy here. 00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:26.879 I don't know if you caught that, but he was quoting from Isaiah chapter 8, the Messiah would be a stumbling stone, a rock of offense. 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:32.879 But Isaiah also prophesied that the Messiah was going to be a foundation. 00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:43.919 I lay in Zion, this is in chapter 28, I lay in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:50.799 So the Messiah was going to be a sure foundation and a stone of stumbling. 00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:53.840 Wow, how does that work? 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:55.519 It sounds a little strange to us, doesn't it? 00:15:55.600 --> 00:16:02.159 That the rock that is our foundation is also a stone of stumbling for others. 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:05.039 And it depends on your heart. 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:08.240 The state of your heart. 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:16.159 So I'm I would say 100% sure that everyone here has been offended by a person. 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:17.840 Is that right? 00:16:17.919 --> 00:16:19.120 Is anybody not? 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:21.360 I'm looking. 00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:22.159 Okay. 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:23.759 Never been offended by a person. 00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:24.480 Okay. 00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:25.360 All right. 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:26.000 Okay. 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:28.240 Well, I know that's not true. 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:31.600 Yeah, it's yeah, you have. 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:34.000 But have you been offended by God? 00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:44.399 Have you ever faced a circumstance in your life that you could not reconcile with the concept of a loving and sovereign God? 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:50.720 He's full of love, He's full of, He's in control, and yet this is happening. 00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:53.120 Have you ever been offended by God? 00:16:53.279 --> 00:16:57.120 Have you ever experienced things that have shaken your faith? 00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:01.039 If not, I think maybe you haven't followed very far. 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:04.960 Because this is the way of things. 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:07.759 It's the normal way of things. 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:11.759 Jesus is a sure foundation, but he is also a stumbling stone. 00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:20.640 And sometimes, sometimes God will throw down a little rock, a little stumbling stone to test our hearts. 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:23.519 It's not cruel. 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:26.160 It's wise. 00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:27.440 And it's good. 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:29.599 It's out of the goodness of his heart. 00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:34.079 He wants to reveal our own hearts to ourselves, to us. 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:35.680 He wants us to mature. 00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:40.559 He wants to move us further into his purposes, but it doesn't feel like that when it's happening. 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:44.319 It just feels like I'm offended with God. 00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:56.720 The religious leaders who were opposing Jesus and the common people who heard Jesus gladly were oftentimes in the same crowd as Jesus was talking. 00:17:57.440 --> 00:18:01.200 And one group was deeply offended by his words. 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:07.440 And the other group were filled with hope and joy and wonder at his words. 00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:16.640 And Simeon says, Behold, this child is appointed for the rising and the falling of many in Israel, that the hearts of many would be revealed. 00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:23.519 The word of God divides asunder even the soul and spirit and the thoughts and intents of our hearts. 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:30.400 So I was thinking about that this week, and I thought about the story that Matthew told us in Matthew 15. 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:44.480 Do you remember it was a Canaanite woman, a Syropharenician woman who came to Jesus, and she had a daughter who was being oppressed severely by the devil, and she came to Jesus because she believed Jesus could do something about it. 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:48.160 And she said, Jesus, would you please heal my daughter? 00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:53.279 And Jesus said, I was only sent to the house of Israel. 00:18:54.640 --> 00:19:00.880 And it's not good to take the bread that belongs to the children and give it to the dogs. 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:05.279 Okay, what is he saying? 00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:07.680 Is he calling her a dog? 00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:12.000 Is he being racist, the Jews versus the Gentiles? 00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:13.680 What's he doing here? 00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:14.480 What is that? 00:19:14.640 --> 00:19:21.519 It's like if we if we call people up for prayer at the end of the service, you know, we have a whole line of people, and it's like, okay, we're we're gonna pray for healing. 00:19:21.599 --> 00:19:22.960 Whoever needs healing, come forward. 00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:23.759 And so we're praying. 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:24.799 Oh Lord, thank you. 00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:27.519 Bring your healing completely, Lord. 00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:28.640 We lay hands on this one. 00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:30.000 Would you just please heal this one? 00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:33.759 We come to you and we go, uh, it's not for the dogs. 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:36.000 And we come over here to this next one. 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:41.279 Well, what would you do? 00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:45.599 Well, what you do reveals your heart. 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:48.799 What did she do? 00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:55.440 She said, Yes, but Lord, even the dogs get the crumbs from the table. 00:19:56.480 --> 00:20:00.640 Something falls to the ground, and the dogs get the That. 00:20:01.359 --> 00:20:02.880 And you know what Jesus did? 00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:04.319 This I'm paraphrasing. 00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:04.640 Okay. 00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:06.960 He said, Well done. 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:08.240 Well done. 00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:10.079 I see your heart. 00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:13.359 You stepped past that stone of stumbling. 00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:18.160 You went with your faith over the top of that stumbling stone. 00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:20.880 And what you want, you're gonna get. 00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:23.440 And her daughter was made whole from that hour. 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:24.319 Okay. 00:20:25.279 --> 00:20:27.440 Okay, why does God do this? 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:30.319 Because God knows our hearts. 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:42.000 He knows where we're at, he knows what it takes to get us from here to there, to the next place, to the next level of maturity and knowledge of Him and ability to bless other people. 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:54.160 So if there are things in your life this morning that are confusing or causing you to be offended, take a pause and ask God, what is it? 00:20:54.400 --> 00:20:57.599 Is there something in my heart that you need to show me? 00:20:57.759 --> 00:20:59.119 Do I need to change? 00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:03.920 Is there something of my action or my attitude or my thoughts or the way I'm thinking about you? 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:08.079 Or is there something you want to change in me? 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:14.400 Is God getting your attention because there needs to be correction? 00:21:14.559 --> 00:21:15.039 Could be. 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:19.359 Simeon could have been offended because it had been years and years since he had this promise. 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:22.000 He's never seen the Messiah yet. 00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:26.079 And Anna could have been offended because she was a widow. 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:27.359 Her husband died. 00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:29.279 And for many, many years. 00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:31.519 She's by herself. 00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:37.119 She could have been offended, but she came to church. 00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:41.119 And she saw the Savior. 00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:45.119 Offense. 00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:50.480 They were in the temple, they're pushing past their offense, and they're not letting it steal their worship. 00:21:50.559 --> 00:21:52.559 And this is the thing this morning. 00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:57.519 Offenses, it's one of the major things that steal our worship to God. 00:21:58.000 --> 00:22:03.759 We get offended at God or at people, and we let that get in the way of our worship. 00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:06.400 And Satan is a thief of worship. 00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:07.920 He's a thief. 00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:25.279 If you look at the origin of Satan in the scripture, there's some passages in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 that talk about Lucifer, about how he fell, how what he was before, and how he fell. 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:51.440 And apparently, there's a little bit of mystery here, but apparently there's an indication that he was like an anointed archangel that covered the throne of God and was was um part of his job was taking the worship of all creation and reflecting it back down to God until he decided to take a little bit of that for himself. 00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:56.000 He was exalted in his own beauty and in his own eyes, and he he was lifted up. 00:22:56.079 --> 00:23:15.519 And the scripture says, You said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven above the stars of God, I will set my throne on high, I will sit on the mount of the assembly, I will ascend above the heights in the clouds, I will make myself like the most high. 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:20.880 But you are brought down, brought down to hell, to the far reaches of the pit. 00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:26.720 You see, his heart was, I will, I think I deserve a little bit of this credit. 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:28.960 I mean, look at me. 00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:31.759 I'm pretty special. 00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:36.079 I'm an angel over the throne of God. 00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:40.319 So he was lifted up in his beauty. 00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:46.000 He decided to reach out and steal some of that, which was only deservedly goes to God. 00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:48.880 And he wanted to take some for himself. 00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:52.559 And that is the reason that he fell. 00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:56.559 And so that's not that's what he still does. 00:23:56.720 --> 00:23:59.359 He still does this thing trying to steal worship. 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:01.519 He tries to steal our worship now. 00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:06.240 And he has many tactics he tries to do to steal what rightfully belongs to God. 00:24:06.720 --> 00:24:14.240 And remember the story that we read this morning takes place in the temple where we gather together and worship like a church building. 00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:22.000 So, how can we guard ourselves against our worship being stolen when we're together? 00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:27.839 How can we bring an acceptable sacrifice to worship God together? 00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:30.000 I'm glad you asked. 00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:39.519 A lot of people fail to experience the fullness of what God wants them to have in worship because they fail to prepare and bring a sacrifice. 00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:44.240 You know, in the Old Testament, nobody ever came to worship God without bringing something. 00:24:44.400 --> 00:24:46.400 There were offerings they were supposed to bring. 00:24:46.640 --> 00:24:50.160 So they brought the offering that was prescribed. 00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:54.720 They brought it the best they could afford. 00:24:55.119 --> 00:24:58.319 Sometimes you have provisions for people who are poorer. 00:24:58.480 --> 00:25:01.680 You can bring this or you can bring this, whichever one you can do. 00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:07.680 And so they're bringing whatever's specifically prescribed, the best they can afford. 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:12.720 Like David said, I will not offer to God something that costs me nothing. 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:14.559 This is the attitude of a worshiper. 00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:16.559 I want to bring something. 00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:19.359 How can we worship him in that same spirit? 00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:21.039 How can we have that attitude? 00:25:21.119 --> 00:25:22.319 I want to bring something to God. 00:25:22.480 --> 00:25:27.759 For all that God has done for me, I will come not only to receive, I will come to give. 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:30.480 I'll bring something, bring a sacrifice. 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:37.279 Now, we know we don't bring a sacrifice to God, excuse me, to be right with God. 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:39.839 There's already a sacrifice for that. 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:49.279 It's Jesus Christ, the righteous one, who was offered for us the perfect sacrifice that makes us acceptable to God. 00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:52.960 So we don't come with a sacrifice so that God would accept us. 00:25:53.279 --> 00:26:00.079 We come because God has already accepted us in Christ, and we bring something out of a pure heart of motivation, of love. 00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:06.559 So, but you but we are called upon to bring something when we come to worship. 00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:15.039 So I want to give you some practical steps this morning about how to prepare yourself, how to bring a sacrifice when we're worshiping together. 00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:15.440 Okay. 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:17.519 So I may try to make it easy for you. 00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:19.680 So I made it into an acronym acronym. 00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:27.279 And it's in the letters spell out the word prime, P-R-I-M-E, prime, as if you were going to prime your praise pump. 00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:27.680 Okay. 00:26:27.839 --> 00:26:31.039 So we're going to prime our praise pump this morning or learn how to do it. 00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:32.400 You know what a pump is, right? 00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:35.759 You remember the old, is anybody anybody used an old pump? 00:26:35.839 --> 00:26:37.519 I mean, now we just turn the faucet on, right? 00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:39.200 This is like that's not really much. 00:26:39.440 --> 00:26:50.079 But but it, you know, if you have a pump and a well and there's there's water under the ground and you got to get it up, and you have to prime the pump a few pumps so the water comes up. 00:26:50.160 --> 00:26:52.480 Then the water's there and it's ready and it's flowing, right? 00:26:52.640 --> 00:26:55.279 But you got to do a little bit of work to get that water up here. 00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:58.720 Okay, so we're gonna talk about priming your praise pump this morning. 00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:01.519 So P is for prepare. 00:27:02.480 --> 00:27:03.279 Prepare. 00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:10.480 Now it says of Simeon, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devoted. 00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:12.559 Devoted or devout. 00:27:12.880 --> 00:27:13.920 He was devout. 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:20.799 So that means if you're devoted to something, it means you, your, you, your life revolves around that something. 00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:22.640 Whatever it is. 00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:30.400 There's some people who are so devoted to their own hobby, whatever the hobby is, that like their whole life is focused on that. 00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:38.000 All of their time, all of their energy, much of their money, it's poured into whatever they're devoted to. 00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:40.160 He was devoted to God. 00:27:41.119 --> 00:27:47.680 He was not just coming to the temple out of habit, he brought his habit to the temple. 00:27:48.880 --> 00:27:50.240 Okay, that's that's good. 00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:52.160 You guys, yeah, I'll leave that up there a minute. 00:27:52.240 --> 00:27:53.519 Maybe you want to take a picture of that. 00:27:53.680 --> 00:27:54.240 That's good. 00:27:54.480 --> 00:28:02.079 He wasn't coming to church out of habit, he was bringing his habit to the temple. 00:28:02.400 --> 00:28:05.839 He came by the spirit into the temple. 00:28:06.079 --> 00:28:10.720 He was doing, he, what he already was, he brought there. 00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:18.400 He didn't come there to get the spirit, he lived in the spirit and he came to the temple. 00:28:18.640 --> 00:28:20.480 That's that's called preparing. 00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:27.920 That's called your lifestyle day by day makes you into the person that you are, and you bring that person into church. 00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:30.640 And together, it's powerful when you do that. 00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:33.359 He was already ready before he came. 00:28:33.599 --> 00:28:35.119 So, how can we prepare? 00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:38.240 All week long, stay in an attitude of worship. 00:28:39.359 --> 00:28:42.000 Play some worship music during the day. 00:28:42.160 --> 00:28:43.359 Worship the Lord. 00:28:43.519 --> 00:28:47.119 Um, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:49.839 Be sensitive to the mind of the Lord. 00:28:50.000 --> 00:28:51.200 Walk with God. 00:28:52.559 --> 00:28:57.039 And this way you come into the service with an idea of what God is already speaking. 00:28:57.839 --> 00:29:05.200 You'll never get the most out of your Sunday corporate worship experience if you're not living day by day in worship. 00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:10.559 So, and can I ask you, can I ask you to adjust your schedule? 00:29:11.440 --> 00:29:17.839 I know a lot of us are here on time, a lot of us can't be, a lot of us have you know kids, it's kind of hard to get here, those kind of things. 00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:19.759 But you can adjust your schedule. 00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:23.599 I mean, there's there's grace, but but you can adjust your schedule. 00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:29.759 Some of us go to bed really late on a Saturday night because there's some kind of ballgame on or something. 00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:30.640 I don't know. 00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:49.599 And we get up really late Sunday morning, and like, oh my gosh, we're running through the shower, we're grabbing something to eat or not eat, just grab a cup of coffee or something, and maybe get the kids together and like in the car, and you're driving slightly over the speed limit to get here, and you get here and you're a little bit late, so you gotta park up there, and then you gotta walk in. 00:29:49.759 --> 00:30:01.759 You slide in the back door back here, uh, and the during the third song of worship, and yeah, and then you're okay. 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:04.799 Oh, what is this I'm feeling? 00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:07.599 Oh, yeah, it's the presence of God. 00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:09.200 I felt this last week. 00:30:09.359 --> 00:30:11.279 I remember last week, last Sunday. 00:30:11.359 --> 00:30:11.920 This is so good. 00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:12.880 Oh, it's over now. 00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:13.680 It's over. 00:30:13.839 --> 00:30:15.359 The last song is over. 00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:18.640 Oh, you what if you came early? 00:30:19.039 --> 00:30:21.759 I'm just uh it's just a little suggestion. 00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:23.359 What if you came early? 00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:38.319 So I was talking to my son-in-law Evan, who's from Ghana this week, and he said he was because he was an usher in a church there, and in the churches in the villages in Ghana, what they'll do is when the worship starts, they lock the door. 00:30:40.799 --> 00:30:44.480 And if you come late, you you have you're outside. 00:30:44.960 --> 00:30:46.160 You're standing outside. 00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:55.440 Now, when it's over, because they don't want anybody to like distract in worship, and then the worship is over, they'll unlock the door, you can come in and hear the preaching, but you have to stand outside. 00:30:55.599 --> 00:30:57.039 It's a little bit awkward. 00:30:58.160 --> 00:31:02.640 So we're gonna institute policy next week. 00:31:04.319 --> 00:31:07.599 I think if it's good enough for Africa, it's good for here, man. 00:31:07.839 --> 00:31:13.759 So it's gonna be our little counter's gonna go five, four, three, two, one, click. 00:31:14.559 --> 00:31:18.160 And if you're not in, you're out. 00:31:18.400 --> 00:31:23.759 And you have to be out there in the cold, and then after the worship's over, we'll we might let you in. 00:31:23.839 --> 00:31:24.960 No, we're not gonna do that. 00:31:25.119 --> 00:31:28.640 We we're not gonna do that, but what if you came early? 00:31:28.799 --> 00:31:30.559 That's all I'm really saying. 00:31:31.039 --> 00:31:33.119 What if you came early and ready? 00:31:33.359 --> 00:31:35.839 What if you brought your habit to the temple? 00:31:36.400 --> 00:31:43.039 Once you're prepared, your whole sacrifice is already prepared, your mind is in the spirit before you come. 00:31:44.160 --> 00:31:45.920 What if you live it all week long? 00:31:46.400 --> 00:31:48.880 What if you're accustomed to it when you walk in? 00:31:49.039 --> 00:31:50.880 Yeah, there's no culture shock. 00:31:51.039 --> 00:31:52.319 This is what preparing does. 00:31:52.400 --> 00:31:56.240 It saves you, prevents us from Sunday morning culture shock. 00:31:56.960 --> 00:31:58.640 Oh, oh, this is the spirit of God. 00:31:58.720 --> 00:31:59.680 This is the presence of God. 00:31:59.759 --> 00:32:00.640 I love it. 00:32:00.880 --> 00:32:02.960 You can have that all week long, by the way. 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:07.599 It keeps culture shock from stealing our worship. 00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:08.319 Okay, P. 00:32:08.480 --> 00:32:09.920 R is for repent. 00:32:10.400 --> 00:32:10.960 Repent. 00:32:11.119 --> 00:32:13.039 It's now again, it says of Simeon. 00:32:13.119 --> 00:32:15.839