Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
[00:00:00]
Welcome before we get started I want to ask you to pull out two things that are in your
worship folder, I want to talk about them. You've got the beautiful mess and also an
envelope. First of all I want to talk to you about this card, a beautiful mess, here's
what we're doing. Our goal is to speak about the things that are important especially when
it comes to relationship, marriage, sexuality, and parenting. And so we're, in the New Year
we're gonna do a series titled a beautiful mess and here's what we're hoping. We want
your best questions. What would make you excited to invite your friends, your co-workers, your
family, your neighbors to a series on family, parenting, marriage, singleness, sexuality,
what are the questions they have? Cause we think if you give us your best questions we
will plan the best series. And so what questions do they have? Now here's our goal. Our goal
is to get a 1000 new people coming to our church just because we think this series will
be great because of your great questions. Here some of you did this last week, hundreds
of you gave us your questions here's some of the top questions that you asked. First
of all about marriage, what's the way back after infidelity? How does divorce fit into
it? What does the bible say about that? How do you keep your passion alive in your marriage?
And then forgiveness, forgiveness in marriage, forgiveness with kids just the whole area
of forgiveness. Singles, talked about dating standards, building trust, loneliness, how
to sparkle in dating. Sexuality, your number one questions was, what does the bible say
about homosexuality. And then raising kids. Lots of you talked about the balance between
love and discipline. But the number 1 issue by far was how do you raise teenagers. Which
God only knows, right? But we're bringing in an expert, Doug fields, who as spent 40
years working with teenagers. And so we are gonna have just address it that way. So our
prayer is that you will be excited and that we'll get to see lots of new people.
But more important then just new people come that God's spirit will break loose and that
we'll see healing in families and relationships and we think that that's possible if you give
us the best questions. So will you write your questions down on these cards? Just put it
in the offering box. And then the second thing oh and then last week lots of you joined me
in our bible read for the next year. 1000 of your bought these bibles, they will be
available after he service. If you don't have the money for you there is people that have
given so that you can have one free if that's who you are. We just want to make sure that
you have one. So pick it up and join me in reading through the bible this year. Yes?
Alright it will be fun.
And then lots of you commented about the advent prayers, its helping me on my journey to Christmas
and I'm glad to hear its been helping you. Then this envelope will you pull it out I
want to talk to you about giving. You know what we know is that lots of you in December
are looking back and thinking about how god has blessed you. And we know that because
25% of what we take in as a church is in the month of December. We always come in in December
behind. And this year we came into December 13% behind. Frank talked to you about it last
week. And you know a number of you responded and we went from 13% to 8% behind so that
was really good news. But Christmas is I so much wish that Christmas and our year-end
didn't come at the same time. But it's when you think about giving, you're reflecting
about how God's blessed you and so it's important for us to talk about it. And it's a struggle.
Because literally the 25% of what comes in in December is in the last 3 weeks of December.
So there's this fear faith thing that I go through every year. I mean for 30 years God
has been faithful and amazing. And always brings in what we need. And I'm confident
that God will speak to you. But my fear is that you're not gonna listen. And so I go
through every year. I know I shouldn't but I do. And so you know one of the things I
want to remind you of is that giving really is about the battle for your heart. The reason
that we give is that we acknowledge that God is the giver of every good gift. And a part
of giving is really acknowledging that and being grateful. And saying God you own everything.
But secondly it really aims our heart. Jesus said where you put your money your heart follows.
It seems counter intuitive it seems like it would be the other way. But it's not true.
He says where you put your money your heart goes. And so you have the ability to strategically
aim your heart and lots of you are doing that in this month. Making very important decisions
and you know God just does not want you to acknowledge that you are the giver of every
gift but he wants you participate in the work that he's doing. The church is the hope of
the world. And you know that people turn to the church in a time of crisis first. The
church is the place to help people connect with God and the people of God and their purpose
in life. We build community we build character we build strong marriages. And the same time
we are as a church, the church is suppose to be God's; or really Jesus' hands. Loving
the poor, the needy, and the marginalized and about anywhere form 18-20% goes to meeting
the needs of the poor in our local community and also churches to build leaders to help
the poor. And we take that very seriously. And so if you'd like to know where the money
goes we have a budget in the church office and its managed by a wonderful group of volunteers,
great business people, I don't write checks, no body writes checks, we don't have access
to the money, they watch it and make sure every dollar goes to what is said on that
piece of paper and so if you have concerns you want to know where the church's money
goes, you can see exactly where every penny goes. You can come look at the budget. And
also our philosophy is we manage every dollar like it was the widow's mite. A sacrificial
gift from a very poor person so we take that very seriously. And so want you to know we
do that. And we have a group of volunteers that wanted me to tell you, to remind them,
cause these volunteers give their times. They are happy to take cars that you don't need
anymore and they'll turn it into money and help the poor. Or a motor home or a boat and
its also a great time for appreciated stock.
But I wanted to read this verse to you especially as you think about giving and as you hold
this envelope. This is what God's word says. Remember this. A farmer who plants only a
few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous
crop. There's the principle so God says so much each of you must decide in your heart
how much to give. He doesn't want you to give reluctantly or response to pressure which
his what I want to do I want to inflict a lot of pressure and make you. But God says
that's offline. For god loves people who give cheerfully. And it's his promise. Then you
will always have what you need and plenty to share with others. God makes this promise.
And I know for some of you you've never given and you don't know, you haven't experienced
a lifetime like I have of God providing, protecting, responding, as I've given God has generously
met every need. You don't know that so you have to take that first to step and it's challenging
to say God if I give what will happen and will I have less. But God has promised that
he has given to you and he will continue to give and he will supply all that you need.
It is his promise.
So let's pray together. Father you are a generous God. And we want to be known as a generous
church not for us, but because you are so generous and the only way people are gonna
see that we see a generous God is if we are generous people. God you do meet every need
that we have and you've given us more. And so in this season when we think a lot about
giving would you talk to us, speak to us and aim our hearts by us aiming our money. We
ask in Jesus name amen.
[00:08:03]
Alright if you would, pull out your outlines. I've very excited about the message that we
have today. We are doing the insiders guide to Christmas. And so today I want to talk
to you about an opportunity that you have that you might miss. All of us have had opportunities
in our life where we missed something that's really important and you go I wish I could
gave that back. Some of them are legendary you know. Some of these you know. In 1961
Decker records turned down the singing group the Beatles. And the person said they're not
very sellable. Imagine that guy wants that back, right? Mars candy, the director the
producer of ET wanted M&M and they said no we don't want to do that so they put in Reese's
Pieces and after that movie Reese's Pieces went up 65% just because of that movie. Probably
should have re-thought that one right? Western Union refused to buy the patent from Alexander
Grand Bell for the telephone. They said there's no future in the phone. I love all the money
they spend for sports, especially, in the football draft. Tom Brady, one of the best
quarterbacks ever, drafted 199th. A lot of people made some mistakes there right? 1954
Elvis Presley was fired by the manager of the Grand Ol' Oprie he said you're not going
to go anywhere son. So you've had misses in your life. Maybe they aren't as big and legendary
as that but you miss big moments. And you go I wish I could have that back. So I want
to talk to you about this season in a huge opportunity that you have. Today we're gonna
look at people who experienced Christmas and why. We are gonna look at people who missed
Christmas this incredible opportunity. Once in a lifetime. They missed Jesus when he was
there. And why. And then we want to talk about how you cannot miss this opportunity of a
lifetime experiences Christmas. Sound good?
Last week what we did, just to bring you up in the context of what we read in Luke 2.
Is we saw that Christmas is kinda messy. And that there shouldn't be a surprise in that.
Even though we're a mess, Christmas is a mess. Cause we asked the question, shouldn't we
as believers mean get it better and shouldn't we understand. And it's kind of a tricky question
because in one sense yeah we understand. And in another sense no, cause they want you always
to remember grace is more amazing then any of us imagine. But we are more broken then
any of us want to admit. You see Christmas is a judgment that's saying you can't fix
yourself. Yourself improvement project is never gonna work. Jesus would not have had
to come from heaven and be human and die on a cross if you could fix yourself. You don't
need just a little help you need the help of a savior so Christmas we celebrate that
we are a mess. And that grace was awesome we're a mess. And so our Christmas' are gonna
be messy because we are messy people. And the first Christmas we saw was a mess. The
time was a mess the people were a mess. And the place where Jesus was born was a mess.
No child was ever born in a stable. They weren't born in managers. That just didn't happen.
It's a brutal place. And so, Mary and Joseph were forgotten by their family and so we saw
all of the pain of that. And it was brutal. So that's the context that we're in and it
brings us up to Luke chapter 2 verse 21. And we're gonna continue on in kinda the Christmas
story. So all of you that brought your bibles, Merry Christmas to you. Blessings upon you.
Cause you're gonna mark your bible. Especially a couple characters that we're gonna see great
insights. The rest of you are gonna have to wait till the end of the service for a blessing
for you. No blessing for you right now.
So watch this very carefully, on the 8th day when it came time to circumcise the child.
He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had conceived. Now, this
is 8 days after Jesus was born. Where are Mary and Joseph living now? Does not tell
us, do you know what I take from that? No family stood up and helped them. They were
living under this haze and the shame because of the whole story of their life. And even
though this is Joseph, the extended family lives in Bethlehem I think if somebody would
have said come and live with us; we'll be there for you. Their name woulda gotten in
the bible. But you get a sense that the family still doesn't reach out to them. So they're
standing and a very cost at a huge cost to them. And what I want you to see, and we'll
come back to this a number of times. Mary and Joseph it will say through this passage.
They did what the law commanded them they did what God wanted them to do. And what I
want you to see obedience always cost. It cost them something to be obedient. And you're
gonna see this. So Mary and Joseph are staying in the Bethlehem Jerusalem area and it cost
them something. Because they are poor. Joseph doesn't have a job there so he's probably
doing everything he can to get whatever work he can. And they stay on the 8th day.
Now what I'm gonna do on this next part is I'm gonna run through the old testament so
you're gonna see three old testament sacrifices or celebrations that powerfully illustrate
ultimately what Jesus is about. Now what you need to understand in the Old Testament. People
didn't read in the Old Testament and so God would give his people. So you see the loving
heart of God. He would give them ways to act out truths. To live the truths out in a life
lesson. So that it would teach parents and it would teach their kids. So when you see
these they were meant to be acted in a way teach people who couldn't read books. So these
are powerful ways. And this year if you read through the bible with you. You're gonna get
to see all of these things lived out. So it's very exciting. Very exciting that we're gonna
get to do this. So 3 Old Testament celebrations and the first one is circumcision. Pretty
exciting right? And here's where it comes from. So on the 8th day, which is what the
law said they circumcised Jesus. And here's were it came from in Genesis Chapter 12. God
called Abraham and Abraham followed. And God says Abraham you're gonna be the father of
faith. And I'm going to bless you. And I'm gonna give you land. And I'm gonna bless the
whole world through you. And it's a covenant a covenant is a promise that God gave that
is unconditional. He say's I'm gonna give you this promise that I'm gonna bless the
whole world through you. And then he gave a sign. And every time he gave an unconditional
promise he gave them a sign. Remember Noah? He say's I'm never going to destroy the world
again through a flood and I'm gonna give you a sign and the sign was a rainbow. And you
understand fraction of water and how it happens. But God didn't have to make it that way. And
so God it's a promise. And we tall our children. God is never going to destroy the earth again
with water. So God comes to Abraham and he says to Abraham I am going to bless the whole
world through you. And I'm gonna give you a sign of this promise to you. And the sign
was circumcision. To which Abraham said, can I have the rainbow? But it's a powerful thing,
and you get a picture. This is why it's so powerful. Because eventually a son would say,
Dad why am I different then others. And what is this about. And a father would say to a
son cause it was always to teach a lesson. That's a sign that you belong to God. You
are God's loved child. And it is also a sign that God will send a savior, a deliverer,
a rescuer that will bless the whole world. It's a very personal sign and God wanted it
to be personal and it's a sign to you, you are loved. God's gonna bless the whole world.
That's what circumcision is all about. And so they did what the law said.
[00:15:51]
And then they named him Jesus. You know most parents get to choose the name of a child
but Mary and Joseph didn't. This was the name that god choose. And Jesus means God rescues
or God saves. It literally is Yahweh is salvation. And so you would have heard Jesus' name as
Yashuah. Yahweh saves. And the reason it's the name is because we need a savior. We need
somebody to rescue us. So let's go on. You're gonna see 2 more ceremonies that are here.
When the time came for, he's named Jesus, and when the time came for the purification
right, that's one, required by the Law of Moses Mary and Joseph took him to Jerusalem
to present him to the lord. This was 40 days later. And it was written in the law of the
Lord every first-born male was to be consecrated to the Lord. So it happened on the 40th day
so it's about 32 days after this. To offer a sacrifice in keeping what is said in the
law of the lord. A pair of doves or two young pigeons. Now there are two sacrifices here.
Right of purification and then the right of redemption or the first-born. So I want to
explain both of them to you. They are in the Old Testament together, we're gonna read them
together, you'll understand it.
Here's what it is, there's this giant theme of being clean and unclean. And it was a way
again for people to act out a truth. And what would happen is, during the course of your
life, everyday things, cause here's the question. How can people that are unholy and unrighteous
and unpure come into the presence of God? How is possible for unholy people to have
a relationship with God? So God found a way. It's always God acting. And he say's this
is what you do. Cause through the course of events there will be times when you become
unclean, ceremonial. It's not the same as a sin offering. You know it was wrong; you
did a swan dive into sin. But this just happen in the course of life and having a child going
through birth was a way that you would be ceremonial unclean. But God had a way for
you to become clean. And what you would do is you would go to the temple 40 days after
you gave birth and you would buy a sacrifice and so there were 3 levels of sacrifices because
obedience always? Good some of you got it. Remember the word's cost. And so you want
to say it right there. And so obedience always? [Cost] cost us something to say yes to God
so you would go to the temple and depending on how wealthy you were you bought a sacrifice
and you give it to the priest and the priest would kill the animal what it was a picture
was is this innocent animal dies, sheds its blood, so that you can be made pure. One day
someone will come, God will send a deliverer, a rescuer, and he will give is life so that
you can be pure, you can be righteous, you can be made clean. And that day now is happening
right when Jesus is here. Jesus comes to make us clean, the right of purification. Isn't
that amazing? Clean and unclean. All fulfilled in Jesus.
And then there's the right of the first-born. Every first-born male had to be brought to
the temple and dedicated. And literally what the bible say, and when your children ask
what does this mean, you will say to them boys and girls, watch, watch, watch, listen,
listen, listen, see cause the important lesson, parents would say this is why we do this.
When you dedicate your first-born male son, you will tell your children when we were slaves
in Egypt, we were lost and out of slavery we cried out to God. And God hear our cries
and he delivered us with his mighty strong hand. There were 10 plagues, and the last
plague was the death of the first-born male in every family. But if you followed what
God said. God provided a way. You would take a lamb, bring him into your house on the 14th
day you would slaughter it, you would eat it that night. You would take the blood of
that lamb put it on the doorpost and if you put it on the doorpost and the death angel
would pass over you called the Passover. But you will celebrate every time you have the
birth of a first-born male son cause you'll say this son belongs to God. And you take
him to the temple. And you'd pay for him. You'd actually hand your child to a priest
then you would give them money, because obedience always? Cost. It always cost to say yes. And
then you would buy your child back the same way. God bought us out of the slavery. One
day he will send a savior, a rescuer, who will buy us out of the slavery of sin. Which
is what Jesus does on the cross. We are literally bought. We sold our self cheap to the slavery
of sin. But God buys us back and the biblical word is redeem or redemption to buy out. And
so you're redeeming your first-born son. Just like God will redeem all of us out of sin.
A way to actually act that truth out.
[00:20:46]
Now ok, if you didn't pay attention there's my sweep through the Old Testament. So here's
my point. Mary and Joseph are going through at a very big cost; they're staying in Bethlehem.
No body in their family has stood up for them. Joseph is finding every odd job that he can.
They're rent a room. The live under the shame nobody in their family cares for them and
they are making it on themselves, its been 100 months since an angel has spoken to them.
Its for 11 months everybody spoke behind their back in Nazareth, no body believed them, then
they showed up in Bethlehem. Their family doesn't stand with them. They're alone, they
feel forgotten, they feel overwhelmed. Mary and Joseph are just doing what God has told
them to do. Circumcision then purification, then this right of redemption. And they are
going through what the law taught them to do because that's what God told them to do.
And I think they come to the temple mount which we are gonna read about. And they are
discouraged, they are overwhelmed, it's a long time. You know they are going it's hard.
Just like young parents are with a new child. Nobody supporting them, alone and forgotten.
And they come to the temple. But they don't miss Christmas. And I want you see why. And
here's why.
So here's the important place to understand. The temple is a 25-acre plaza area. Its just
like, the bottom half of our campus is about 25 acres. The temple would be a little bit
smaller then our chapel. It was the most holy place on earth. It was a place of God's presence.
It was 25 acres. And its kinda hardscape except for a few places where there's olive trees.
It's where you see the dome on the rock now. Huge place. It was the center of town. It
was the place where people would come to do all of these festivals like purification and
the sin offering. Lots of people had to come to do spiritual work with God. Then lots of
people just came cause it was a place of business. Lots of people came cause it was the center
of the city. There would be thousands and thousands of people everyday on temple mount
it was a busy place. Things going on. Mary and Joseph are walking up onto the temple
mount. Alone isolated. Beat up, sad, just doing what God had told them to do. And it
was costly. They stayed in Bethlehem. Just working at every job. These offerings and
sacrifices would cost them. But they are doing what God called them to do. And right in that
moment look at what happens. And this is emotional and powerful.
It says now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon who was righteous and devout. He's
an outsider, he has no official title, he's just a guy who loves God. And he was waiting
for the constellation of Israel. The comfort of God. For God to fulfill all his promises
that he's made all through the Old Testament. And the Holy Spirit was upon him. And he had
been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he saw the Lord's
messiah. The savior. This Yaweshua. The messiah is the Hebrew word is Christ is the Greek
word. And so he's moved by the spirit, he went to the temple courts and when the parents
were bringing the child to do for him what was the custom of the law required. It says
Simeon took him, Jesus, in his arms and praised God. Now here's the question I want to ask
you. How do you think Simeon got Jesus in his arms? You think a stranger just walks
up to a first time mom with a one-month-old child and says I've been lead by the Holy
Spirit and can I have your kid for a second? Come on yes or no, you giving your kid over?
I guarantee you; you're not giving your kid over. I remember when we had our first son,
he was just about a month old, and we were walking down on the peninsula this guy took
an interest in the son. And go oh that's a brand new baby can I see him, and they are
trying to grab him and Laurie's trying to move away and finally she goes wham and kicks
him really hard. Goes back off and I had to jump in between them. Moms do not hand their
kid over. So how did Jesus get in Simeon's hands? Because when you read the bible god
just invites you to use your imagination with what you have and its pretty obvious. I'll
tell you how I think it goes. This is Kenton in the white space.
[00:25:07]
I think that Simeon walks up to Mary and Joseph lead by God and he says you know I don't want
to interrupt you and I know you're doing some things but can I tell you my story? He says
you know. This is my story. All my life I've been longing to see God do what he promised.
All through the Old Testament he promised that he would deliver, he would rescue and
save. And this world is a broken place. There is hatred and oppression and we are oppressed
and people are oppressed and there is sadness but God promised that he would love us he
would rescue us and not just us but the whole world. And that he'd ultimately send a rescuer
a savior that would stop the oppression. Stop the injustice. And there's one thing I want
in my whole life that I want to see God's messiah. I want to see the one who's gonna
come and rescue them. And I know this might sound crazy. I know it sounds crazy. But God
told me that I would get to see him before I die. And I'm old. I'm very old. You're gonna
in this story. But you know what I was lead here today and I don't know why. But I saw
you and I was lead towards you and I'm not sure what it is maybe you know somebody or
maybe you are somebody but I'm but this is the one passion of my life. But that's my
story and he kinda just stops right there. And I think after he tells his story. I think
Joseph tells his story. And Joseph says, you know it's amazing what you said. Because about
10 11 months ago an angle showed up to Mary and he says you're gonna give birth to a son
its gonna be conceived by the Holy Spirit and he's gonna be the son of God. And I personally
didn't even believe it when it happened so when I an angel had to show up to me and say
don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife because its true what she says is true and
you are to name him Jesus which means Yashewa or God saves. God is your salvation. And he
says it's been hard. I think they are overwhelmed because nobody's believed us and we even showed
up in Bethlehem and there wasn't any room and we have to give birth to him in a stable
but shepherds showed up because an angel showed up to them and said I bring you good news
of great joy for all the people born to you in this town of David. He's a savior and he
is Christ. Greek word messiah, the Lord. And we're just coming up here to do what the law
tells us. And I think that Simeon breaks into tears. Cause you know the one thing I know
old people cry more. And I think he does. And I think he breaks into tears at this point.
And he says. You know all my life all I wanted to do is see God save, I wanted to see God
rescue. I wanted to see God do what he promised to do. And I have Simeon's heart, I connect
with this. Because it's what I want it's what you want. Don't you want to see your friends
be saved, and rescued, and understand that the broken relationship they have with God
can be healed. Don't you want to see fathers love their children, and fathers love their
wives? And so that families are the way that they should because that's what Jesus does
in a people's life. And he brings purpose and meaning. And I want to see Jesus and I
want to see Jesus bring purpose and meaning to people lives that are lost and they don't
even know why they are here. And I want to see Jesus because it promises that when Jesus
returns the second time that he will destroy all oppression and injustice and he will destroy
hatred and he will destroy wars. And when we get to see Jesus there won't even be any
more wars, or sadness, or disease, there won't be any more cancer, there won't be anymore
battered children. No more lost children. There will be no more souls tortured by addiction
and we'll want to see Jesus. Don't you want to see Jesus? And I think somehow Simeon captures
that in tears and he's going, oh my gosh. And he's look at a baby. And he believes.
And says this is God's salvation. This baby is God's deliverer. And in tears he's going
I can't believe it. And in tears he says could I hold him? What do you think she says now?
I think that's how he got to hold Jesus. And other then Mary and Joseph it's the only other
person we know that got to hold Jesus. The only other name. He gets to hold Jesus because
he says I want God to bring the good into my world, to my neighborhood, to my friend.
The good that God had promised. And now he's holding Jesus in his arms. Look at the monster
faith that this guy has. He's looking at a baby and he sees God's salvation. And he knows
he will not live to see it. But he just bust out in praise. Look at what he says.
[00:30:57]
He took him into his arms saying Sovereign lord as you have promised now you can dismiss
your servant in peace. See only old people say things like that. I can die happy now
right? For my eyes have seen your salvation. Affirms the name Jesus. Which you have prepared
in the site of all nations. It's not just for Israel. Its for all nations, all ethnic
groups, world wide savior. And a light in this dark world you brought a light that's
a revelation to the gentiles. And it's the glory to your people Israel. And the child's
father and mother marvel about what was said about him. Because they came up, they were
beat up, they were tired, they were overwhelmed, and they marvel at what he says because he
says look at this. And they don't miss Christmas because he intersect them at this moment where
they're just going through and doing what God told them to do. And then he goes on and
he says what we all know is true about Jesus. And Simeon blessed them. He blesses both Mary
and Joseph. And he says to them this child is destined to cause the falling and rising
of many Israel. And to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of
many hearts will be revealed. He's saying you know what, this Jesus is gonna be the
great dividing line of all humanity. There's gonna be some people that look at Jesus and
go I don't need a savior, don't need a rescue. Got it, I can manage it all on my own. And
it's gonna lead to my own destruction. And there will be others that see Jesus and say
I can't do it. I can't fix myself. I can't purify myself. I can't save myself. I can't
redeem myself out of the brokenness of my own life and only God. Only Jesus can. And
he did it through the cross. And they're gonna bow, they're gonna humble themselves before
Jesus and in doing that they are gonna save their own life. And it's true. Is there a
more divisive person that's ever lived then Jesus? You bring up Jesus even today in any
conversation you are gonna get a reaction. People are gonna go, don't need him. Don't
give me the lonely savior the only exclusive. That's a nice teacher but not savior. Or you're
gonna get people that go he is my savior! He is my God. He is the dividing line of history
And then he turns to Mary and say's a sword will pierce your own souls to. And I think
that I think that this was encouragement that Mary needed because in the future years she's
gonna see Jesus be rejected in Nazareth. Gonna see him be rejected by the religious leaders,
go to the cross. And he's saying this is gonna be painful. Mary knows. And so he is just
busting out in this story and he is overwhelmed.
And right at that moment another old person comes into the story. So here's good news
for all of us that are old. And he says, and Anna the daughter of Pennul, the tribe of
Asher. She was. She's very old. She had lived with her husband 7 years. Girls got married
say at 13 so 7 years puts her at 20. And after her marriage her husband died and so she is
a widow. And the Greek says she's a widow for 84 year or she's 84 years old I can't
tell. So she's either a 104 or 84 but either way she is seriously old. And look at what
it says about her. She is a warrior princess. She never left the temple but worshiped night
and day. From 20 on up to 84 however old she is. Everyday she's at the temple and she is
worshiping and fasting and praying. And she was a profit it says. And coming up to them
at that very moment she gives thanks to God. And she spoke about the child who are looking
forward to the redemption of Israel. Here she is, her's what we know, woman were second-class
citizen in this day. And widows had no rights. Mean they were totally exposed. If you did
not support them and give to them they would die. No one listened to a widow. And here
it is this outsider is the one that sees it. She's a widow, but she's a profit. She speaks
God's word. She prays every day, she worships, she's there. And she is telling everyone about
the redemption, that God is gonna buy us back out of sin. And she comes up in that moment
and she just busts into praise. And she's thanking God for what he does. And she's overwhelmed.
And how many people responded to Anna? A whole lot of no one. It doesn't say. I mean she
proclaims it.
And so look at the people who find Christmas. Two old people Anna because she is this warrior
princess holding onto God's word. Worshiping God. Praying everyday. Looking forward. God
do what you promised. God do what you promised. Would you redeem? Would you save? Would you
buy us out? And then Simeon, Simeon a guy who's righteous and devout. He's an outsider,
but here's a guy who's longing saying God would you do what you promised. Would you
bring peace? Would you bring love? Would you rescue? And would you save? And do you know
what I love? That Mary and Joseph find Christmas. And how is it that they find Christmas? Because
they are doing what God said. And obedience always costs. And here it cost them a lot.
Here they are plowing through, young parents, overwhelmed. No body standing with them. They
are coming up to the temple to do these incredible celebrations that are written about in the
old testament and they've kinda lost it and just before it happens, Simeon comes up and
he blesses them and loves them. And talks about who their child is. And Anna jumps into
it to.
[00:35:56]
And you know all week I've been emotional about this passage. And here's why. Because
in my life I have had Simeon's in my life. People who in the most difficult most challenging
moments in my life when I wasn't sure, I didn't understand I was kinda loosing it. There were
people who said, you know what they said. Look to Jesus. Look at what Jesus is doing.
And they would remind me that god is a deliver. God is a rescuer. In this dark world God has
brought a great light. And it is Jesus and they would go I want to see Jesus. Let's just
focus on who Jesus is. And though there is hatred and hostility and there is brokenness
in the world. Jesus is working on that. He's bringing light into this dark world and he's
rescuing and he's saving and he's delivering. And we aren't hopeless. Because he is the
one who changes people's live. And he's changing people's lives.
I have had awesome Simeon's and you know where I found them? Same place they found them.
Temple's the most holy place but he only places like it today would be a church. So they found
it in a church and it's where I found it. I found it in a church. People like you. And
you know what I'm emotional for a second reason, because I want to be a Simeon. I'm an older
person now. I'm old. So all of you that are my age or older you get to be with me. Your
old. So I pronounce you old. And what is it that you know that people who are not old
don't know? What is it that all you old people know? You know that god is good. You know
that God is good all the time. You know that God is loving. You know that the only hope
that we have is Jesus. And that while there is all this stuff at Christmas that Jesus
really is the meaning behind the whole season. And the only hope that we have, really the
only hope. And what I want to do is I want to be a Simeon to my family, I want to be
a Simeon to you, I want to be a Simeon to people in my life that are lost and confused
and say. In this world it is dark, I get it there is hatred and jealousy and oppression.
But Jesus has come into the world to bring love and comfort and hope. I want people who
are far from God who are lost and they don't even understand the purpose of their life.
I want them to be reconnected with God through Jesus. Because I want them to see Jesus. I
want them to see Jesus so that their families are reunited. They can be the kind of husbands
they are called to be. They can be loving husbands. They can love their children. Because
that's what Jesus does to men. He changes them, radically, changes them. I want to be
the person who directs them towards Jesus. Who makes them believe in Jesus? I want them
to see Jesus. I want to be the person who sees Jesus in the most difficult moments of
life. And for those of you that are younger going through the motions. And I get obedience
is costly I get it. And some of you are loosing the way and going why do I do this, why do
I do it. Why should I stick by this stuff why should I stand by the door. Why should
I do just what God said? I want to be the person that comes to you in that moment and
say because you know what God is doing right now. He is saving, he is rescuing. And following
him is the only way to live. And it's worth it. It's worth it because I know it's worth
it. And I know that you don't know it's worth it. Cause you've lived just a few years, but
its worth it. I know that. And all of you that are old you know it to. And I'll tell
you we're the ones that are gonna help our families find Christmas. We're the ones that
are gonna help our church find Christmas. We're the ones that are gonna make sure that
Christmas happens, because we're the ones that stand up and say I'm gonna be an Anna.
I'm gonna be a Simeon.
Now there are people who miss Christmas in this story. And I'm just gonna skip over them
real quick, because it's an awesome warning. Because it happens. Who are the people that
are not named that are in the story? The priests, and the crowd. Is that amazing? The priests
are people who miss Christmas. The priests. Here's a person who's doing circumcision.
Only a priest would do it. Celebrating that god loves his people and God, God is gonna
save his people. And literally he is holding Jesus the savior. Misses it. Doesn't even
know. Cause he's busy doing religious stuff. The priests one during purification, the other
one had to hold Jesus, because he actually took Jesus and then brought him back, you
know cause God would buy us out of sin. These important things. Neither one of them saw
it why? They were busy doing good things. They were busy doing religious things. They
were busy in the moment and they didn't see it. Because the story was familiar to them
and they missed the wonder of what happen. They missed it. And then the crowd. The crowd
misses it. Here's Simeon crying out. Anna goes and tells everybody. But they miss it.
Why? Cause they are busy with seasonal activities. Jesus is a baby. No body expected that, so
who's gonna believe it's a baby. They didn't need a savior. They're going I'm not sure
I really need saving. I got it. I got this. I can handle all the problems. Also these
people missed Christmas.
Eve services. I can do all sorts of good things, but you can miss Jesus doing good things.
And the priest did. Or because the story, that's my danger, what's your danger? Maybe
cause the story is just so familiar. Or maybe it's just the busyness of the season. You
got a lot to do. There's parties to go to. Gifts to by. You got to plan. You know year-end
so you got to do all of that in addition to the work that you're doing. And maybe you're
gonna do a family vacation. You got things to do. You're just busy. And you're just trying
to smash Jesus in with Christmas and everything else. But he's everything. He's everything
cause he's gonna be in a different place doing something that you didn't expect. Why is it
that you're going to miss Christmas?
But you know what I love about this story? No body finds Christmas by themselves. Simeon
didn't it wasn't him by himself. It wasn't Ana by herself. It wasn't Mary or Joseph by
themselves. Zachariah, shepherds, I mean everybody depended on somebody else. And what I love
it's a beautiful picture of what a church is. We are a partnership of generations. And
you don't have to find Christmas on yourself. It's not you walking the beach and just going
alone with God. I'll find it, I'll find it. You know a lot of it is we're here to help
each other. And we have to help each other to find it. So for those of us that are old.
Are you gonna be the ones that say I'm gonna make sure it happens for these people that
I love? May family, the people in my church, the people in my life group. Because the passion
in my heart is I want to see Jesus. And I'm not gonna let the people in my life miss Jesus
during this season. Into this dark world there has come a great light. He continues to transform
if people see Jesus and they see what Jesus is working. I mean there can be reconnected
they can be reconnected to their families. They can find their purpose that they long
for in life. Jesus is everything. And when we get overwhelmed by the hostility, the brokenness,
and the killings that go on. We say but Jesus one day, he's gonna come and he's gonna make
things right. And things in this world is gonna be the way that it should be because
older generation you got say that's what I'm gonna be. Because I think that for lots of
right? Trying to get it right, get the gifts, pull it together, and you know you are tired,
and you think you will never not be tired. And we get it. But you know what we know?
We know Jesus is the reason. We know that God is good all the time. We know that faithful
obedience counts and it matters. And it's important for you to do it. And yes obedience
costs its gonna cost you something to follow God. If it doesn't cost you anything you are
not following god. But it's worth it. It is worth it. You will be, when you are in the
right place, God will show up.
[00:45:03]
You know what I love in a Christmas story, we didn't talk about it. But Elizabeth and
Zachariah who I guess say they are 60-40 somewhere in there. God shows up in a way. And they
had a dream that they never thought would happen. And their story and Christmas is God
are you know those young professionals say they're 30-45, you know how they found Christmas?
They weren't afraid to take time off form their work to go find it. You know the angel
showed up and they said hey good news, great joy. Now Go! And they weren't afraid to go
find Jesus. Take some time off cause they go this is the most important thing. And maybe
some of you need to be a shepherd where you go you know hat I can't just breath through
this I need to take some moments and I need to find Jesus but ultimately the good news
is you don't just have to do it on your own. You can find it with God's people. So my question
to you is this. What would it take this year for you to experience Christmas? What are
the things that might cause you to miss it? You're busy, activity, you're doing lots of
good things. So many good things that you're missing the best thing. What would it take
for you to experience Christmas?
[00:46:24]
Would you bow your heads and close your eyes? Just take a moment to talk to your heavenly
father and would you ask him that question. Say, Father God what would it take for me
to see Jesus in this season? To experience Jesus, to know Jesus, to see what Jesus is
doing? What would it take? What changes would you need to make? Course corrections? And
then secondly, will you say this to your heavenly father. Will you say this Christmas I need
Jesus. I need to see Jesus. I need to see his salvation, his deliverance, his love,
his comfort. God promises so many incredibly great things. God I want to see you do what
you said you would do. Would you bring your healing? Would you bring reconciliation? Would
want to see Jesus. Would you ask your heavenly father right now? God would you let me see
Jesus this Christmas?
[00:47:44] End Audio