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Jesus' Arrival, Simeon's Departure · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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I'd like us just for a wee while to turn back to Luke 2 and we'll read again verses 27-32.
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And Simeon 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,
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he took him up in his arms and blessed God saying, Lord, now you're letting your servant depart in peace according to your word.
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For my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
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a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.
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We're all very much looking forward to Christmas Day in just a few days time,
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which is always a very exciting and happy time of year for us.
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And it's a time when we think and remember Jesus' arrival.
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This is the time of year when we go back to the Bible's record of the birth of Jesus.
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And we remember all the amazing things that took place there.
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And there's so much to rejoice in when we think of Jesus' arrival.
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He's come to be the saviour of sinners.
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He's come to fulfil all the promises of God's word.
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And he's come to give hope to all who come to him in faith.
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So there's so much that's wonderful about Jesus' arrival.
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And at Christmas time, that's what we think about.
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We spend a lot of time thinking about Jesus' arrival.
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And that's great and wonderful.
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But what I want us to recognise today is that at this time of year,
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we're thinking about Jesus' arrival.
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And that's good.
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But all of the time, Jesus is thinking about your departure.
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The whole gospel is focused and confronting us with the reality that our lives just now are short.
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And they're all heading towards a departure.
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And that departure is the thing that matters for all of us and especially for Jesus.
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It's brilliant to think about his arrival.
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And we're going to be looking at that today all the time.
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He is thinking about your departure.
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And that's brought before us very powerfully in the account that we read here about Simeon.
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Because as we read these verses, we see Simeon rejoicing at the arrival of Jesus.
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But all of that's tied to Simeon's departure.
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As he says in verse 29,
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Lord, now you're letting your servant depart in peace.
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So today we're thinking about Jesus' arrival, Simeon's departure.
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And all of that, I hope we'll see, is getting us to the heart of what the gospel is about.
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And it's getting us to the heart of stuff that all of us need to think about.
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We're going to look at it under two main headings.
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We're going to look at what Simeon knew.
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And we're going to look at what Simeon didn't know.
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What Simeon knew and what Simeon didn't know.
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So first of all, thinking about what Simeon knew.
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And one of the fascinating things about Simeon, we don't know much about him.
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But one thing that's clear is that he clearly knew more than the people who were around him.
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When you go through the gospels, you see that again and again and again,
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Jesus gets misunderstood by the people who are around him.
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And there's even moments when Mary and Joseph don't quite understand what Jesus has come to do.
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And we saw that as we read through to the end of the chapter when Jesus was 12 years old.
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They didn't understand what Jesus was saying when he said,
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Did you not know that I would be at my father's house?
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Many people misunderstood Jesus back in the New Testament and still today.
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But not Simeon.
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And the words that he speaks in this section reveal to us that he knows more than most about who Jesus is.
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And about why he's come.
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And that shouldn't surprise us at all because verse 25 tells us that the Holy Spirit was upon him.
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And one of the things that the Holy Spirit does when he comes upon us is he opens our eyes to see the truth
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and helps us to understand more about what God wants us to know.
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So Simeon knows more than the people who are around him.
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What was it that he knew?
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Well, I want to highlight five things that we see in these verses.
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Number one, Simeon knew that Israel needed the Christ.
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You see that in verse 26 that it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
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that he did not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
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Now when you hear that word Christ, you should be thinking of the word anointed.
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That's what the word Christ means.
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So you should be thinking the word anointed.
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And when you hear the word anointed in the Bible, you should be thinking of three things.
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You should be thinking of prophet, priest and king.
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These were three key roles in the Old Testament.
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And all of them involved being anointed to these offices.
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So when you hear the word Christ, think anointed.
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When you hear anointed, think prophet, priest and king.
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And the Christ was the one promised in the Old Testament who would come and fulfill these roles.
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And Israel desperately needed that.
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Because they had lost the kingdom centuries earlier.
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When you get towards the end of the Old Testament, that's the culmination of it.
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The kingdom is lost as they're conquered by the Babylonians.
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And now it's no longer the Babylonians who rule them.
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It's the Romans.
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But it's still foreigners.
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Ever since the end of the Old Testament, they'd lost their independence.
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The kingdom had been conquered.
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The prophets had gone silent.
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But Zechariah and Malachi 400 years ago were the final Old Testament prophets.
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For 400 years, nothing.
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Silence.
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And the priesthood was a mess.
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In that period, in between the Old Testament and the New Testament, we call it the intertestamental period,
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there was a whole lot of corruption and chaos in relation to both how Israel's nation was being ruled,
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lots of conflicts, lots of rival family groups.
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And the priesthood had become a mess, full of corruption.
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Different groups were vying for power.
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So by the time Simeon is alive, the kingdom has been lost, the prophets are silent, the priesthood is a mess.
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And Simeon knew that all of that desperately needed to change.
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He knew that Israel desperately needed a prophet to give them God's truth.
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They needed a priest to restore a right relationship with God.
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And they needed a king to rule and defend them.
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They desperately needed God's anointed saviour.
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Simeon knew that they needed the Christ.
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Second thing that Simeon knew was that the saviour was coming soon.
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Simeon knew that the saviour was coming soon.
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This had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.
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And Simeon joins Elizabeth and Zechariah and Mary and Joseph and a few others
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to whom God speaks in order to announce that the saviour is coming.
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So there are a few who know that Jesus is coming.
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And Simeon is one of them.
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And for Simeon, all of that's tied to his departure, as we've been seeing.
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He's been given this promise that he will not see death until he sees the saviour.
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And at long, long last, the moment has come.
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Simeon meets the Christ that he has been waiting for.
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And as his words declare, God has kept his word.
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He's saying that now you're letting your servant depart in peace according to your word.
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Simeon's eyes have seen the saviour.
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Number three, Simeon knew that this Christ was not just for Israel.
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And that's a crucial point to recognise.
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Throughout the whole Old Testament, God's saving purposes have been global.
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It's been for the whole world.
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And the covenant established with Abraham way back in Genesis 12
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came with the promise that through Abraham and through his descendants,
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all the nations of the world are going to be blessed.
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So although Israel is the chosen nation through which God's savings purposes
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are going to be revealed in that Old Testament period,
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it was never intended to be just for Israel.
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It was always a plan of salvation for all people.
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Simeon knew that, but most of the people around him didn't.
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Most of the people around him saw themselves as the favoured nation.
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And everybody else, everyone who was a foreigner, was an enemy.
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Many around Simeon wanted the Christ to come
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and they wanted the Christ to scatter the foreigners.
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But what God actually wanted was for the Christ to gather them.
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Simeon knew that.
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His song speaks beautifully, his words speak beautifully,
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in verse 32, about how this saviour is a light for revelation to the Gentiles.
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And the truth is, that is everything that Israel was always meant to be.
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Israel was always meant to be a light to the nations.
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And this is part of the many ways in which the New Testament reveals
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that Jesus is actually the one who fulfills everything
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that Israel was meant to be in the Old Testament.
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And this is explaining to us why Israel has that special function
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and place in God's redemptive plan.
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In the Old Testament, Israel is functioning as a shadow,
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or as what we would call a type.
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Something that's looking forward and pointing forward to the full reality.
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So in the Old Testament, you have the family nation of Israel,
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and that's functioning as a shadow of the true family of God,
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the church of Jesus Christ.
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Simeon is recognising this,
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that the shadow in the Old Testament is being fulfilled in the New.
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Now, a lot of people have different views on this,
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but my own view and the main view among Reformed churches,
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of which we are part of,
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would say that this is why God's purposes are now not focused
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on the political nation of Israel
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in the same way that they were in the Old Testament.
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And what happens in the Middle East
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is not of prominent eschatological significance
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in the way that some argue it would be,
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because we're saying that the Old Testament, Israel,
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is now fulfilled in the church,
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because the promise was always for the nations.
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God's purposes are now fulfilled through the church,
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where Jew and Gentile are united together,
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one body, one family, fellow citizens,
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as saints and members of the household of God.
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Simeon knew this.
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He saw that the Christ was not just for Israel.
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Number four,
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Simeon knew that conflict lay ahead.
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And you see that when he speaks about,
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in verses 34 and 35,
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he says,
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this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel.
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And this, again,
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is a crucial insight that shows that Simeon knew and understood
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more than the people around him,
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because many people around Simeon expected the Christ
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to cause the rise of Israel
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and the fall of the Romans.
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That was their big hope.
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And so for the people at the time of Simeon,
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that was the big problem.
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The Israel, Jerusalem,
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it's under Roman rule.
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And so the big hope is that the Messiah,
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the Christ is going to come,
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and he's going to cause the nation of Israel to rise again,
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and the Romans are going to fall.
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And we will have our independent state once again.
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But Simeon knew that that's not what's going to happen.
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Simeon knows that the conflict and controversy
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is going to come within the people of Israel.
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It's the fall and rising of many in Israel.
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And in particular,
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conflict is going to come
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among the religious leadership.
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And that's exactly what you see in the Gospels.
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Because it's the religious leaders in Israel,
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they're the ones who resented Jesus.
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They're the ones who opposed him.
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And ultimately,
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they're the ones who crucified him.
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And at the same time,
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they're also the ones that Jesus criticizes most sharply.
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So if you look and you read on in the Gospels,
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Jesus says hardly anything about the Romans.
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And yet he's constantly calling out
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the distorted and damaging mindset
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of the religious leaders within Israel.
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He exposed that hypocrisy.
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And just as Simeon says,
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although they had an outward appearance
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of piety and superiority,
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the true state of their hearts gets exposed.
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You see at the end of 35,
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that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.
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Isn't that what Jesus did?
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He went around and he saw the religious leaders
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and they had all the outward appearance
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of piety and superiority
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and religious conformity.
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Jesus saw straight through it all into their hearts.
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And he exposed their hearts.
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He exposed their hypocrisy.
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And at the same time,
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Jesus would reach to those
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who are at the very bottom of society.
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So he healed the sick.
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He helped the poor.
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He touched the leper.
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He welcomed those who were rejected.
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And he loved those who were despised.
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And so in other words,
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Jesus' ministry would frequently turn
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all of the religious, social,
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and cultural expectations of Israel upside down.
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The rising and falling is not the rise of Israel
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and the fall of the Romans.
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The rising and falling is within Israel.
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Jesus is turning everything upside down.
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He was the friend of tax collectors and sinners.
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He was the one who said that if you want to lead well,
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you've actually got to be a servant.
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You've actually got to be ready to wash one another's feet.
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He says,
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The last shall be first.
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And the first shall be last.
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The powerful who thought they were at the top,
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they were the ones who were in for a fall.
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And the poor and the broken
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and those who'd made a total mess of their lives
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at the bottom,
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they were going to be lifted up.
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So Simeon knew that Israel needed the Christ.
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Simeon knew that the Savior was coming soon.
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Simeon knew that this Christ is not just for Israel.
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Simeon knew that conflict lay ahead.
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And number five,
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Simeon knew that suffering was on its way.
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And that's revealed in what he says to Mary in verse 35.
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A sword will pierce her soul as well.
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And that's exactly what happened.
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The Mary who carried her baby into the temple in chapter two
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would go on to see wave after wave of controversy
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and criticism of her son.
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She'd experience confusion and tension herself
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as she tried to figure out why he'd came
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and what he was going to do.
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And ultimately, she would stand in front of the cross
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and watch him be crucified and die.
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Simeon knew that the days ahead were not going to be easy.
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If the Christ was going to complete his mission,
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then it meant walking down a path
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that inevitably leads to great suffering.
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So, it's amazing what Simeon knew.
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In just a few verses,
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so much is revealed.
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He has a level of understanding that stands out
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from the people who are around him
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and from the other people that you encounter
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as you read through the gospel.
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And what Simeon knew transformed his departure.
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What Simeon knew transformed his departure.
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In other words, he knew he was ready to die.
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Now, now your servant can depart in peace.
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And as we think about all of that,
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it prompts a crucial question.
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Do you know what Simeon knew?
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Do you know what he knew?
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Do you know that you need the Christ as well?
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All of us do.
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All of us need the Christ.
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Actually, what's maybe more accurate to ask
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is that do you know that you need
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the right Christ in your life,
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the true Christ in your life?
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And the reason I ask that,
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because as we were saying,
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that word Christ points to the biblical offices
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of prophet, priest, and king.
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And when you hear phrases like prophet, priest, and king,
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it can sound a wee bit like technical theological language,
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and it can sound a million miles from your own life,
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and it all can seem a wee bit abstract,
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maybe even a bit irrelevant.
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But the truth is, prophet, priest, and king,
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these are describing the three biggest influences
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in your life.
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These are describing the three biggest influences
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in your life, because everybody's got prophets.
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Everyone's got priests.
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Everyone's got a king.
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Some people choose the prophetic voice
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of social media,
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and whatever is being said,
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whatever is being said to you,
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whatever you've been asked to do,
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that's what you're going to do.
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Sometimes it's the prophetic voice
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of a secular ideology,
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or political party,
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or maybe the most powerful one of all
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is simply what other people think.
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That as you go through your life,
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like what you wear,
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what phone you have,
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what you ask for for Christmas,
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what you hope to achieve
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in the next year of your life,
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it all actually comes back
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to a fear of what other people think.
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If so, that's the prophet in your life.
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It's telling you what you need to do.
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And it can be such a powerful voice.
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People also constantly choose priests,
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but when we choose the wrong priest,
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it just means that you've been asked
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to sacrifice the wrong thing.
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And so the priest of
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get to the top of your career
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is going to get you to sacrifice time
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with your family,
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because you just need to spend
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a few more hours at work,
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and just need to make sure
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that you get this done,
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and better days will be ahead.
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Right now, there's no time
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to spend with the kids.
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The priest of pornography
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is going to tell you
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to sacrifice your personal purity.
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Just have another look.
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The priest of more money
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is going to tell you
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to sacrifice your contentment,
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because no matter how much we get,
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it's never enough.
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We choose the wrong priests,
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and it means we sacrifice
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the wrong thing.
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And people choose the wrong king,
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because all of the time
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we allow ourselves to be ruled
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by money,
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or by our possessions,
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by our success,
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by people's opinions,
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or by anxieties.
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And these kings will rule over you,
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but they will never defend you.
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Instead, they leave you exposed.
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We desperately need
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the real Christ.
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We desperately need Jesus
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as the prophet, priest, and king
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in our lives.
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Do you know that he's actually come?
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Now maybe you say,
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of course I do.
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I know that he was born
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2,000 years ago in Bethlehem.
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I've known that my whole life.
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It's not actually what I mean.
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Do you know that he's actually
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come here today to meet you?
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Do you know that that's why
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he's brought you here?
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To meet with him.
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To hear his voice.
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Do you know, like Simeon knew,
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that he is for everyone?
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Now for Simeon,
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the big division
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was Jew and Gentile.
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We don't struggle
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with that same question
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in the same way.
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We struggle with
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a different question.
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We think,
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yes, Jesus is for everyone,
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except for those
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who aren't really good enough.
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Except for those
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who've messed up too much,
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made too many mistakes.
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I don't know enough.
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That I'm different
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to everybody else.
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but
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you've got to know
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that he's come for everyone.
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That no one's excluded.
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No matter what your story,
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no matter what your circumstances are,
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he has come for everyone.
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He's come for you.
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And do you know
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that everyone
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will either rise
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or fall before him?
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Everyone will either
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rise or fall
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before him.
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That's ultimately
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where history
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is going to take us.
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And either
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we will
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exalt ourselves
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and reject him
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and push Jesus away,
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or we'll bow down
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before him
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and trust him.
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If we do the first,
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if we reject him,
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we'll fall.
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If we bow down
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before him
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and trust him,
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we will rise.
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If
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we're trusting him,
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then it's safe
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to depart.
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If we reject him,
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then it's not.
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And do you know
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that the agony
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of his death
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is the key
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to eternal life?
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The sword
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that pierced
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Mary's soul
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and the cross
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that crushed
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Jesus
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in agony,
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that cross
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is actually
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the key
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to our salvation.
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it's through
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that cross
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that we're saved.
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And
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this is,
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again,
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where we come back to,
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this is what we
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absolutely have to
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think about so much,
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because you might think,
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yeah,
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I know that.
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But
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the big,
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big question
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is,
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do you know it
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as in,
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not just like,
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I'm aware of it,
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I'm aware that Jesus
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died and rose again,
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and I'm aware of it.
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that's just to be aware
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of it,
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but to know it
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is to know that
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that was for me,
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and it's my only hope.
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And a lot of people,
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you'll struggle with the question,
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am I really a Christian?
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Am I really a Christian?
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And we apply all sorts
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of criteria
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to that question
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where we think,
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well,
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I don't know enough,
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I haven't changed enough,
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I'm not in the same category
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as other people.
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All of that's the wrong question
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to ask.
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Are you a Christian?
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How do you know the answer
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to that question?
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Well,
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look at the cross
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and tell me what you're seeing.
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And if you're looking
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at the cross
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and you're thinking,
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that is my only hope,
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then
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if you can say that
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you're a Christian,
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that's what it means
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to trust in Jesus,
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to say that cross
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is my only hope.
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There's loads I don't know,
25:11
there's loads I need to learn,
25:13
and there's loads
25:14
that I wish was different,
25:15
but I know
25:16
that I need Jesus
25:17
and he's my only hope.
25:19
that's what makes you
25:22
a Christian.
25:25
And that's what I want you
25:26
to ask yourself
25:27
and think about.
25:28
Do you know
25:29
what Simeon knew?
25:36
There's also, however,
25:37
stuff that Simeon didn't know,
25:39
and this will be very quick.
25:41
I just want to suggest
25:42
three things
25:42
that Simeon didn't know.
25:44
The first two,
25:45
I'm pretty sure
25:46
he didn't know them.
25:47
The third one,
25:48
he definitely didn't know.
25:50
Number one,
25:51
I don't think Simeon knew
25:52
just how bad
25:53
the suffering would be.
25:55
So he knew
25:55
that conflict lay ahead,
25:58
but
25:58
I don't think he knew
26:01
just how severe
26:03
that was going to be.
26:05
we know more than he did.
26:09
because we can read
26:13
of how Jesus
26:13
was betrayed
26:14
by one of those
26:15
who was closest to him.
26:16
We can read
26:17
of Jesus' sweat
26:18
falling to the ground
26:19
like drops of blood
26:19
as he prayed
26:20
in the Garden of Gethsemane.
26:22
We can read
26:22
of the crown of thorns
26:23
pressed into his head
26:25
and blood
26:25
ran down his feet.
26:27
We can read
26:27
of a whip
26:27
scourging his back.
26:29
We can read
26:29
of him being hit
26:30
and spat upon
26:31
and mocked.
26:32
We can read
26:33
of him
26:33
being nailed to a cross,
26:35
hung to die
26:36
as slowly
26:37
and as agonisingly
26:38
as possible.
26:39
We can read
26:39
of him crying out,
26:40
my God, my God,
26:41
why have you forsaken me?
26:43
We know way more
26:44
than Simeon knew.
26:49
But we don't know it all.
26:53
Because the cross
26:54
took Jesus
26:55
to the very depths
26:56
of physical pain
26:58
and spiritual agony.
27:00
On the cross
27:00
he took everything
27:01
that our sin deserves.
27:03
Every ounce
27:04
of God's righteous wrath,
27:06
his holy wrath,
27:06
poured out upon him.
27:08
All the agony
27:09
of an eternity
27:10
in hell
27:10
experienced by Christ
27:11
as he hung
27:12
in the darkness.
27:14
The agony,
27:14
the sorrow,
27:15
the emptiness,
27:16
the distress,
27:17
the darkness,
27:18
the horror.
27:19
We don't know
27:20
what that was like.
27:22
And it's beyond
27:23
what we can describe.
27:25
We don't know
27:26
what it was like.
27:30
We just know
27:31
who it was for.
27:32
It was for you.
27:41
Second thing
27:42
that Simeon didn't know
27:43
is that I don't think
27:43
he knew just how big
27:45
this baby was going to be.
27:46
Now I don't mean
27:47
in terms of weight.
27:48
I mean in terms
27:49
of importance.
27:50
So he knew
27:50
that this baby
27:51
was the one
27:51
that they'd been waiting for
27:52
and longing for
27:53
and praying for.
27:54
He knew it was the Christ
27:55
but I'm not sure
27:56
that he knew
27:56
that as he held this baby
27:57
he was holding God
27:58
the Son himself.
27:59
And I'm not sure
28:01
that he knew
28:02
that this baby
28:03
would grow
28:04
to be the image
28:05
of the invisible God
28:06
the radiance of his glory
28:07
the exact imprint
28:08
of his nature
28:09
and the one
28:09
through whom
28:10
all things were created
28:11
the one who upholds
28:13
the universe
28:13
by the word
28:14
of his power.
28:15
I'm not sure he knew
28:16
that this baby
28:17
would grow to be
28:17
the man who would come
28:18
and inaugurate
28:19
God's kingdom
28:20
who would build
28:21
the church of Jesus Christ
28:22
and that the lives
28:23
of millions
28:24
and millions
28:25
and millions
28:26
of people
28:26
would be utterly
28:27
transformed
28:28
by everything
28:29
that this child
28:30
would accomplish.
28:31
And I don't think
28:32
that Simeon knew
28:33
that 2,000 years
28:34
after Luke 2
28:35
3,700 miles away
28:37
there would be people
28:38
gathering in Stornoway
28:39
so that the first thing
28:41
that we do
28:41
as a new week begins
28:42
is to meet
28:44
in Jesus' name
28:45
and to worship him
28:46
and praise him
28:47
for everything
28:48
that he has done.
28:50
Simeon didn't know
28:50
all that.
28:51
We know more
28:52
than he did.
28:53
We can look
28:53
at the rest
28:54
of the New Testament.
28:55
We can look
28:55
at 2,000 years
28:56
of church history.
28:56
We can look
28:57
at the church
28:58
across the world
28:59
today
28:59
and we can look
29:00
at our lives
29:01
and say
29:01
Jesus has done
29:03
amazing,
29:04
amazing things.
29:06
We know way more
29:07
than Simeon knew
29:08
but we don't know
29:10
it all
29:10
because Jesus
29:12
is continuing
29:13
to do his mighty work
29:14
and we don't know
29:15
yet who's going
29:16
to be sitting
29:16
in these pews
29:17
in a year's time.
29:18
We don't know yet
29:19
who's going
29:20
to be brought
29:20
to faith
29:21
as the Holy Spirit
29:21
works in this town.
29:23
We don't know
29:25
how the church
29:25
is going to be built
29:26
in years to come
29:27
but Jesus
29:29
is going to do it.
29:31
He's going to
29:31
continue his work.
29:33
There's so much
29:34
more to come.
29:36
That's why
29:36
we should be
29:36
so excited
29:37
about all
29:38
that Jesus
29:39
is still doing
29:40
and that he will do.
29:42
So I don't think
29:43
that Simeon knew
29:43
how bad the suffering
29:44
would be
29:45
and I don't think
29:46
he knew how big
29:47
and significant
29:47
this child would be
29:48
but thirdly
29:49
when it comes
29:51
to Simeon's
29:52
departure
29:52
I am absolutely
29:54
certain
29:54
that Simeon
29:57
had no idea
29:58
just how amazing
30:01
it would be.
30:05
Simeon says
30:06
so beautifully
30:07
now I can depart
30:09
in peace.
30:10
He's ready to die.
30:13
He's ready for eternity.
30:15
He's ready to depart
30:17
but at that moment
30:18
as he speaks
30:19
those words
30:20
he has no idea
30:22
just how amazing
30:24
the destination
30:26
is going to be.
30:29
And that's maybe
30:31
something that we
30:31
just don't speak
30:33
about enough.
30:34
The fact that
30:35
the future promised
30:36
for the Lord's people
30:38
the new creation
30:40
the new heavens
30:41
and the new earth
30:41
is just amazing.
30:46
And we should think
30:47
and speak about it
30:48
more because
30:48
the Bible reveals
30:50
a lot to us
30:51
about it.
30:52
It speaks to us
30:53
of a place
30:54
of majestic glory.
30:57
Revelation 21
30:58
speaks of
30:59
the glory of the Lord
31:00
in the new Jerusalem
31:01
in the new creation.
31:03
It's radiance
31:03
like a most rare jewel
31:05
like jasper
31:06
clear as crystal.
31:07
You imagine
31:08
the most beautiful
31:09
stunning
31:10
glimmering sights
31:11
you've seen.
31:12
That's a picture
31:13
of the glory
31:15
awaiting us.
31:17
It's a place
31:17
of astounding beauty.
31:19
Revelation 21
31:20
again
31:20
the wall of the city
31:21
was built
31:22
a jasper
31:23
the city
31:23
was pure gold
31:24
like clear glass.
31:25
The fountains
31:26
of the walls
31:26
of the city
31:27
were adorned
31:27
with every kind
31:28
of jewel.
31:29
The first was jasper
31:30
second sapphire
31:30
third agate
31:31
fourth emerald
31:32
the fifth onyx
31:33
sixth carnelian
31:33
seventh chrysolite
31:34
eighth beryl
31:35
ninth topaz
31:36
tenth chrysoprace
31:37
eleventh jacinth
31:38
twelfth amethyst
31:39
amethyst
31:40
stunning
31:40
absolutely
31:41
stunning.
31:45
It's also a place
31:46
of magnificent
31:48
togetherness
31:49
that there
31:53
there is a
31:54
great multitude
31:55
that no one
31:57
could number
31:57
from every nation
31:59
all tribes
32:00
people
32:00
languages
32:01
standing before
32:02
the throne
32:02
together.
32:04
all the time
32:07
in our lives
32:08
just now
32:08
we experience
32:09
the agony
32:10
of separation
32:10
the promise
32:11
of our future
32:12
is a place
32:12
of unbreakable
32:14
togetherness
32:15
it's a place
32:16
of perfect healing
32:17
he'll wipe
32:18
away every tear
32:19
from your eyes
32:20
death shall be
32:21
no more
32:22
neither shall there
32:23
be mourning
32:23
nor crying
32:24
nor pain
32:25
anymore
32:26
it's a place
32:26
of unspoiled
32:27
holiness
32:28
a place of
32:28
thrilling worship
32:29
where the
32:30
volume
32:31
of praise
32:33
is going to be
32:33
incredible
32:34
as we lift
32:36
up our voices
32:37
to praise
32:37
Jesus
32:38
and it's
32:39
going to be
32:39
a place
32:39
of unending
32:41
love
32:41
that nothing
32:42
can separate
32:43
you from
32:44
Romans 8 38
32:45
neither life
32:46
nor death
32:46
nor angels
32:47
nor rulers
32:47
nor things
32:48
present
32:48
nor things
32:49
to come
32:49
nor powers
32:50
nor height
32:50
nor depth
32:50
nor anything
32:51
else
32:51
in all creation
32:52
will be able
32:53
to separate us
32:54
from the love
32:54
of God
32:54
in Christ
32:55
Jesus
32:56
our Lord
32:56
and everything
32:57
good and
32:58
precious and
32:59
wonderful
32:59
that we
32:59
experience in
33:00
this life
33:00
everything good
33:01
and precious
33:01
that you
33:01
experience this
33:02
week
33:02
this week
33:03
will be a
33:03
great week
33:04
for so many
33:05
of us
33:05
everything that's
33:06
good and
33:06
precious and
33:07
wonderful is
33:07
a glimpse
33:08
it's a glimpse
33:12
of what God
33:13
is preparing
33:14
for his people
33:16
Simeon was
33:18
about to depart
33:19
he did not
33:20
know just how
33:22
amazing the
33:22
destination was
33:23
going to be
33:23
he knows
33:25
now
33:25
he knows
33:30
now
33:30
and for us
33:35
we cannot
33:36
stretch our
33:37
minds far
33:38
enough
33:38
to imagine
33:40
the peace
33:41
and the joy
33:42
and the security
33:43
and the beauty
33:45
and wonder
33:45
of what God
33:47
has prepared
33:48
for those
33:48
who love him
33:49
we can't
33:50
stretch our
33:50
minds far
33:51
enough
33:51
to imagine
33:52
that
33:52
but if you're
33:53
trusting in
33:53
Jesus you're
33:54
going to
33:54
find out
33:55
you're going
33:58
to find
33:58
out
33:59
and as we
34:02
close
34:02
surely
34:04
surely
34:06
that's the
34:08
departure
34:08
that everyone
34:10
here wants
34:10
to have
34:11
surely that's
34:15
the departure
34:15
that you want
34:16
that's the
34:17
departure that
34:18
Jesus came
34:19
to give
34:19
you
34:20
we're
34:22
thinking about
34:22
his arrival
34:23
he's thinking
34:25
about your
34:25
departure
34:26
and he's
34:28
holding out
34:29
the offer
34:29
to all of
34:30
us
34:30
that if we
34:32
trust in
34:32
him that
34:32
departure
34:33
will be
34:36
unspeakably
34:38
amazing
34:39
but all
34:43
of this
34:43
comes back
34:44
to what we
34:44
said to
34:45
the kids
34:46
there's
34:49
an
34:50
inescapable
34:51
connection
34:51
between
34:53
going
34:54
and
34:56
knowing
34:56
if that's
35:00
the departure
35:01
that we
35:03
want
35:03
if that's
35:06
the destination
35:07
where we
35:09
want to
35:09
go
35:09
Jesus is
35:12
the saviour
35:13
that all
35:15
of us
35:15
need to
35:16
know
35:16
I hope
35:19
that every
35:20
single person
35:21
in here
35:21
can take
35:23
Simeon's
35:23
words to
35:24
be their
35:24
own
35:24
that I
35:27
your servant
35:28
can depart
35:30
in peace
35:30
Amen
35:33
let's pray
35:34
Lord Jesus
35:42
we just
35:42
thank you
35:43
so so
35:44
much for
35:44
everything that
35:45
you've done
35:45
for us
35:46
we thank you
35:46
for your
35:47
arrival
35:47
for everything
35:48
that it
35:48
means
35:49
for everything
35:49
that it
35:49
accomplished
35:50
for everything
35:51
that you
35:52
have changed
35:52
for us
35:53
and we
35:55
thank you
35:56
that in
35:56
your
35:56
arrival
35:57
you were
35:59
thinking
36:00
about our
36:01
departure
36:01
we thank you
36:04
that you
36:04
have opened
36:05
up a way
36:05
for life
36:07
for all
36:08
who come
36:09
to you
36:09
and so
36:11
we pray
36:11
that every
36:12
single one
36:12
of us
36:12
would look
36:13
to you
36:14
trust in
36:15
you
36:15
and follow
36:16
you
36:16
help us
36:18
and guide
36:19
us
36:19
and thank
36:20
you for
36:20
everything
36:21
Amen
36:23
we're going
36:26
to close
36:27
singing from
36:27
Psalm 4
36:28
in the
36:28
Sing
36:29
Psalms
36:29
version
36:29
and that's
36:34
on page
36:34
4
36:34
and we'll
36:40
sing
36:40
verses 3
36:41
to 8
36:41
know that
36:42
the Lord
36:42
has set
36:43
apart
36:43
the godly
36:44
as his
36:44
own
36:44
the Lord
36:45
will hear
36:46
me when
36:46
I call
36:46
and my
36:48
request
36:48
make known
36:49
and down
36:50
to the
36:50
end
36:50
I will
36:52
lie down
36:53
and sleep
36:53
in peace
36:54
my heart
36:55
will rest
36:56
secure
36:56
for you
36:57
alone
36:57
oh gracious
36:58
Lord
36:58
will keep
36:59
me
36:59
safe
37:00
and sure
37:00
3 to 8
37:02
to God's
37:02
praise
37:03
know that
37:08
the Lord
37:11
has set
37:13
apart
37:15
the
37:16
godly
37:19
as
37:21
his
37:22
own
37:23
the
37:24
Lord
37:26
will
37:27
hear
37:29
me
37:29
when
37:30
I
37:32
hope
37:33
and
37:34
thy
37:36
request
37:37
may
37:39
know
37:41
in
37:43
anger
37:45
do not
37:48
pray
37:49
God's
37:50
law
37:51
consider
37:53
and be
37:56
still
37:57
still
37:59
is it
38:03
a
38:04
righteous
38:05
sacrifice
38:10
and
38:11
wait
38:13
upon
38:14
his
38:16
will
38:18
oh
38:20
who
38:20
can
38:22
show
38:23
!
38:25
any
38:26
earth
38:27
I
38:29
hear
38:30
so
38:31
many
38:32
say
38:34
O
38:36
Lord
38:38
shine
38:40
on
38:41
us
38:42
with
38:43
your
38:44
light
38:46
show
38:47
us
38:48
your
38:49
face
38:50
face
38:51
I
38:52
pray
38:53
you
38:56
filled
38:57
my
38:58
heart
39:00
with
39:01
greater
39:02
joy
39:04
than
39:06
others
39:07
may
39:08
have
39:09
found
39:10
as
39:11
they
39:12
rejoice
39:13
!
39:14
that
39:15
harvest
39:17
when
39:18
green
39:19
white
39:20
above
39:21
will
39:22
lie
39:23
and
39:24
sleep
39:25
in
39:26
peace
39:27
my
39:28
heart
39:29
will
39:30
in
39:31
peace
39:32
heart
39:33
will
39:34
lie
39:35
down
39:36
sleep
39:37
in
39:38
and
39:39
sleep
39:40
peace
39:41
my
39:43
heart
39:44
will
39:45
rest
39:46
secure
39:48
for
39:49
you
39:51
alone
39:53
O
39:55
Lord
39:56
will
39:57
keep me
39:59
safe
40:00
and
40:01
true
40:02
after the
40:09
benediction
40:11
the main
40:12
door
40:13
as you step
40:14
week may the
40:15
grace of our
40:16
Lord Jesus
40:17
Christ and the
40:18
love of God and
40:19
the fellowship of
40:20
the Holy Spirit be
40:21
with you all
40:22
Amen
40:32
up
40:34
up
40:35
up
40:36
!
40:35
up
40:40
up
40:41
up
40:42
up
40:43
up
40:45
!
40:46
up
40:47
up
40:48
up
40:49
up
40:50
up
40:51
up
40:52
!
40:51
up
40:52
up
40:53
!
40:52
up
40:53
!