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Adoration of The Child Jesus | Pastor Daniel Batarseh · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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  It's almost difficult to stop the worship because it's so
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  powerful today to reflect on the Incarnation of the Son of God.
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  So thankful for the worship, team for the children, for the
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  choir, that will be singing after the message.
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  We're so thankful for all the practice and the prayers that
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  have gone into this to this meeting.
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  And oftentimes the Christmas time service is focused and
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  planned around being Evangelistic.
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  You know, there are people that come to church Come to church
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  only for this time of the year and maybe Easter if they feel
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  like it. But I'm praying that this
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  morning or this afternoon. Rather this service would be a
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  Revival. Not just Evangelistic but it
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  would be a Revival in our hearts and so I praise God that were
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  able to sing around the truth and the the revelation of God
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  becoming a man and what might even encourage you more.
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  This afternoon is that this idea this tradition of the people of
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  God coming together and Focusing on this one aspect of what our
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  God has done and who he is, is not something that the church
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  has developed over the years. No, it's actually something that
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  was expressed and experienced at the actual event.
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  Meaning there are people singing and rejoicing and blessing God
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  right there and then when Christ was made known as a child.
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  And so all we're doing today is what we see in the scriptures
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  all were doing is We are continuing what was exemplified
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  in the Bible that when there are those a certain group there are
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  different individual who had the privilege of understanding that
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  this child is no ordinary Jewish child.
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  He is, in fact, God coming to this world.
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  Oh, they adored him. They adored him.
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  And the purpose of this meeting together is that we would look
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  at one of the Spirit. Led Outburst of adoration
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  concerning a man who was exposed who is given that wonderful
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  opportunity to realize that this is, in fact, the Christ.
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  And so I encourage you today with your Bibles to turn with me
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  to the Gospel of Luke in chapter 2.
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  And since this past Friday, we dedicated our meeting to unpack.
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  The supernatural birth of Jesus Christ.
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  This afternoon, we will look at And consider the Adoration of
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  the Child, Jesus at his dedication. so, as you're there,
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  in the Gospel of Luke, please meet me in verse 20, 22, And we
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  read here in the Gospel of Luke and Luke's telling of the early
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  days of Jesus in verse 22. And when the time came for the
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  purification according to the law of Moses, they being Joseph
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  and Mary brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the
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  Lord as it is written in the law of the Lord.
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  Every male, who first opens the womb Shall be Called, holy to
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  the Lord and to offer a sacrifice according to what is
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  said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young
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  pigeons. Now, there was a man in
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  Jerusalem whose name was Simeon and this man was righteous.
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  And devout waiting for the consolation of Israel.
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  And the Holy Spirit was upon him and had been revealed to him by
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  the holy spirit that he would not see death before he had seen
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  the Lord's Christ and he came in the spirit into the temple.
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  And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus to do for him
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  according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms
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  and blessed. God and said, Lord now you are
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  letting your servant depart in peace according Ting to your
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  word. For my eyes have seen your
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  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
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  People Israel. The first couple of verses of
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  our text today. I have a feeling that a lot of
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  people would be tempted to ignore such details and move on
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  in order to get to the meat of the matter.
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  But when we read, what we see here in verse 22 to verse 24,
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  about the, the legal parents of Jesus, coming into the temple
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  with that child in their arms to perform a specific Duty.
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  We have to be a people that believe that every inclusion in
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  the scripture, Is meant for our instruction and for Revelation
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  every part of the Bible, God waste no ink God wastes, no
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  Pages, God waste, no sections. And as we come to this, we
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  realize that Joseph and Mary want to come to the house of God
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  and it wasn't a spontaneous decision.
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  It wasn't something that they wanted to do like some Christian
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  parents today do after they have a child.
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  We want to dedicate our child to the Lord and they figure out a
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  perfect. I mean they organized it and
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  it's a beautiful celebration. No no no this isn't spontaneous.
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  This is according to the law. This was demanded of them.
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  This was an observance of an ordinance.
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  And this ordinance is found in an unfairly treated book in the
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  Bible, and that's the Book of Leviticus.
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  And in that book, we read that God has given certain ceremonial
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  instructions and certain laws for the Civil Life of the nation
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  of Israel. Which is why many Believers when
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  they attempt to read through the Bible, find very little
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  motivation to pull through and Leviticus but I want to show you
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  today why it's important that you and I cannot afford to miss
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  out on even one part of the Bible because I want you to see
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  just as an example, how we forfeit Revelation when we do
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  that. We forfeit the harmony of the
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  Bible, when we see things connect from one book to the
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  other and then we believe that scripture interprets scripture.
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  Do we not? And so we realize that there's a
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  section in The Book of Leviticus that is targeted towards
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  parents. And there's a protocol that they
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  were called to observe once they gave birth to either a boy or a
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  girl. And if it was a boy then those
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  parents have to Faithfully circumcised that boy on the
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  Eighth Day, many people speculate why the eighth day if
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  you want to go the science Rebel scientists believe that the
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  eighth day is the best day concerning bleeding and
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  infection being the Just consequential thing that would
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  occur but if you want to go in the biblical understanding, the
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  number eight means new beginning and we realize that there's new
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  life New Beginning here. But why circumcisions you know
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  what I hope circumcision because number one that thing would be a
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  symbol. It was a marked a national
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  identity of Israel in order for them to be able to rehearse and
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  remember that they have made a covenant with the true and
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  living God that was established with their other Abraham.
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  But secondly circumcision because it was also an
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  illustration. It was a demonstration It was a
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  foreshadowing of the circumcising of the heart.
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  That God would perform at Salvation.
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  And it was in a sense, a cutting away of the flesh, a removal of
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  the flesh. A work, a surgery to be done on
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  the human nature because we've inherited Adam sinned.
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  And so as they would circumcise their sons, it was to foreshadow
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  what God has said many times in the Old Testament, circumcise
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  your hearts Circumciser. Let there be a surgery done on
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  your soul. So, even that act had a
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  spiritual meaning. And as Jesus was coming into the
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  world. He was granted parents that
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  obeyed God. God chose these parents knowing
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  that they would obey God. but after the circumcision, That
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  mother would have to weigh 33 days, aren't you?
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  Glad you're in the New Covenant. 33 days where she could not
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  touch anything. Holy and she cannot enter into
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  the sanctuary of the Lord. And those days were known as the
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  days of purification, she would have to be purified.
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  Why? Because not only was the child
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  in that act of circumcision being told to the parents, and
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  to this nation, that it has a sin nature, but also the mother
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  herself need to be reminded that she needs to be cleansed as
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  well. And so she would be in that
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  state of days of purification. And after those days were
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  completed, turn your Bibles to Leviticus chapter 12.
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  In verse 6. We read in, Leviticus 12, verse
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  6. And when the days of her
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  purifying are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she
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  shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting
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  a lamb, a year old, for a burnt offering, and a pigeon, or a
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  turtle dove for a sin offering. So, at the end of those days,
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  she would have to come and she would have to honor a ceremony
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  that would symbolize her purification.
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  It would Eliza a sin offering there is an atonement for her
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  sin and she would bring this child to dedicate him to the
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  Lord. But it's in verse 8 where we see
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  how this connects with what we just read in Luke verse 8, and
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  if she can't afford a lamb, Then she shall take two turtledoves
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  or two, pigeons one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin
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  offering and the priest shall make atonement for her.
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  And she shall be clean. See what happens when you miss
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  Leviticus What do we read earlier in?
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  Luke Chapter 2, we read that Joseph and Mary came into the
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  temple. And what did they bring?
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  Did they bring a lamb? No.
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  No they brought two. Pigeons.
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  Revealing to us that they were not a wealthy couple, they can
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  only afford the very bare minimum of their offering to the
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  Lord. And you would think that if this
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  child, that's coming to the ceremony to be dedicated to
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  Lord, if this child is really God himself.
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  That there would be something prepared, the greatest offering
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  that you can offer on behalf of this child and the parents that
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  would supervise them in his Humanity.
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  But no God chose to Crown this young couple with the honor to
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  be able to raise the Son of God in his Humanity because our king
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  is not attracted to wealth. And he is not attracted to fame
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  and he's not attracted to Ability what draws the heart of
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  God is a heart of obedience. Is a heart that really Revere's
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  him and loves him and fears him. And God saw this couple and, and
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  he recruited this couple and part.
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  Yes. Because of his Sovereign will
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  but because he saw a couple that were willing to obey even in the
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  smallest of things. This is what draws God's heart.
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  This is more valuable and precious to him than mountains
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  of gold or palaces of pearls or Prestige or pedigree.
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  Just a simple heart that loves his word just a humble hard that
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  honors his commands and God could entrust this couple with
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  the great privilege because he saw in them a willful surrender
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  to the word and that's all he required.
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  Can you visualize it this afternoon?
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  This precious beautiful young virgin.
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  With the Child Jesus press on her chest.
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  Protecting him with whatever strength she had, while her
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  husband was walking on her side with two pigeons in his hands.
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  And all people on that day who might have walked by or seen
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  them would have known. According to the law will,
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  here's a poor couple just trying to do their best to honor God.
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  They couldn't afford a lamb, so they brought to birds.
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  But they did have a lamb. They were the richest people
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  there. He is God in his wisdom in his
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  design, made sure that they would come in with two pigeons
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  because they were holding the Lamb of God.
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  The Lamb of God, who would come and put an end to all the
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  ceremonial laws that could never cleanse the Lamb of God.
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  Who would come in to make one sacrifice that body that was
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  prepared? That would Usher in a New
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  Covenant in which we don't have to rehearse these things, but
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  look back and by faith, connect to that blood and it be applied
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  to us though. They did have a lamb.
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  But it was the Lamb of God. and as they came into that place on
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  the surface of the site, most of those people in there could not
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  understand what was occurring, but we see through the
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  scriptures that we have commentary and what was
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  happening. Let me emphasize this again.
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  This afternoon, God in his perfect wisdom selected Mary and
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  Joseph because they were surrendered vessels, that's all
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  it was and you see from his infancy.
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  Jesus Christ wanted to and needed to fulfill the law by
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  willing to go through all of this.
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  Jesus Christ, didn't need to be circumcised, an infant.
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  Like the other Jewish kids had to there was no cleansing
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  needed. There was no sin nature to
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  cover, but Jesus Christ through the surveillance of these
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  parents underwent even that, because even from his infancy he
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  identified with Sinners just like why Jesus Christ got
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  baptized people wonder, it was a baptism of repentance if Christ
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  is perfect. Why did he allow John to baptize
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  him? Well to identify with sinners.
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  Fulfill the law. And the same way you get
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  baptized in order to identify with Christ Christ, got baptized
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  to identify with you. And here he is willing to go
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  undergo circumcision. Willing to go through the
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  ceremonial purification. Why not?
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  Because he needed it. But because he identified with
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  us, he was obeying God perfectly even from those years and God in
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  his wisdom, selected to parents to make it happen.
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  And what's a beautiful here is by this simple.
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  Obedience, Mary. And Joseph are about to meet a
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  man. Are about to face someone who is
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  going to further. Glorify Christ.
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  The simple thing of observance, the simple thing of circumcising
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  and going through the ceremonial law, I'm sure they did not have
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  it in mind that it would lead to this Christ being further,
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  praise and adorned with Glory because that's what's about to
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  happen. And I believe that is for
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  instruction. It is for our instruction today,
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  don't you? Dare minimize, and don't you
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  dare be little small acts of sacrifice and small acts of
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  obedience. You just may be walking into
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  something that will further glorify Christ.
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  As this couple would. And we read here, haven't we in
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  verse 25? That there is a man in Jerusalem
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  whose name was Simeon. And all were told about him, is
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  that he was righteous and devout.
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  What a description for a man. Righteous and devout.
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  Why is God telling us this about this man?
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  Because he would qualify as an appropriate witness about this
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  baby. He would qualify someone who
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  would be able to have authority to say this child is no ordinary
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  child. He's a light to the Gentiles.
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  He's the glory of Israel. And so, this men of good repute
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  would be given the opportunity to testify of this baby and
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  prophesy over this child, and his mother.
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  But more importantly, we're told not just that he was righteous
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  and devout, but he was waiting for the consolation of Israel.
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  I pray that this point would revive you.
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  I pray that this point would shake you out of your
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  lukewarmness. I pray that this point would
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  awaken you from the familiarity of the celebration.
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  Waiting for the consolation of Israel that waiting speaks of
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  expectation and desire. This man Simeon God sought to to
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  write about him out of all the things that he too, could have
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  wrote about him. That there is something in him
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  that consumed them and it was the longing and the waiting for
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  the Messiah to enter in. And to bring restoration to his
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  people, the Solace, the piece, the rest, and I'm sure Simeon in
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  light of the Roman oppression of his day, had a greater ache for
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  the things that he's learned ever since he was a child and
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  the things that he has studied in the Scrolls of the scriptures
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  to come about in his own lifetime.
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  I want to see the Messiah come. This was the beat of his heart.
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  This was his dream in the night. This is a theme of his
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  conversation. The Bible tells us by the
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  spirit, Simeon was a man who are waiting for the consolation of
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  Israel. Why do you think God wrote that
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  for us to know? Why do you think God included
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  this? I believe one reason is because
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  God looks at our desires. He looks at what we desire and
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  he honors US based on what he discovers about them.
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  Because you got many Christians today that are old Covenant
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  Believers that are so focused on the outward that they don't
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  think God can see beyond your bone, and your skin, and your
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  words and your hands and your money.
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  Jesus came not to lighten up the law, he intensified it.
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  You think that your holy because you didn't commit adultery with
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  your body if you've done in your mind, you've already done it in
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  your heart. Oh, you're not a murder, that's
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  why you don't deserve hell. Yeah.
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  You are a murderer. If you've hated your brother and
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  you're angry at him for no reason, God saw this desire.
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  He didn't just see the righteousness and his devotion.
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  He saw his desire. He saw his affections.
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  An impressed. God, it moved God, the Holy
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  Spirit. Included it here about this man.
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  And if you're not convinced today that God sees this and God
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  honors us and God does Things based on this, then go to the
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  gospel of Mark and I want you to see another man and the gospel
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  of Mark chapter 15. Be convinced today of the
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  consistent character of God. And Mark 1543, we read of
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  another man and this man was not at the infant stages of Jesus
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  Christ. This man was at the death of
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  Jesus Christ. And we are told and Mark 1543
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  Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council who was
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  also himself looking for the kingdom of God.
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  To courage and went to pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
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  Oh, here's another man. A man who is perhaps different
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  age different class. Different opportunities,
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  different accomplishments. One thing in common with Simeon,
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  they both long for the kingdom of God.
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  They both longed for see this man.
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  Are you a member of some important Council this
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  afternoon? Are you someone special?
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  Do you have you have letters after your name?
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  Welcome. You have great.
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  Great digits in your bank account.
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  Welcome, we're told in Matthew that this man was rich welcome,
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  but I want to ask you today. Does your position distract you.
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  There's your wealth fog, your interpretation of life.
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  This man had position this man had wealth this man had respect,
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  but this man, the eyes of his heart were set on the kingdom.
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  He longed for it, he yearned for it, he desired it and I see
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  Simeon, when Jesus was six weeks old and we read that he was able
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  to hold the Messiah. And I see Joseph.
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  At the prime of this messiah's life slain holding his body.
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  And even given the privilege of fulfilling that prophecy in
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  Isaiah, where the grave of this Messiah would be shared with a
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  rich man's tomb. I see it here.
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  I see that God saw two men and he saw their affections, he saw
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  their passions, and he honored them.
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  To come so close to his son to hold such great reward and
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  responsibility for this son. Maybe you're not convinced,
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  maybe you're not convinced, maybe, maybe we got to do more
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  to get out of the mechanical Christianity, that plagues
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  America this afternoon. So let's do it in the book of
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  Hebrews chapter 11, we read something quite amazing about
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  how God views desires and in Hebrews 11 16 and not Hall of
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  Faith. After speaking about the
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  Patriarchs, we read in verse 16 of Hebrews 11 But as it is, they
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  desire a better country. They desire a better country.
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  That is a Heavenly one. Therefore not pause.
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  Pause. Therefore whenever you see the
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  word therefore, ask the question.
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  What is there for there for What is therefore, therefore, and
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  therefore, as there as what we just heard, as a result of what
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  we just heard that because certain men had a desire for a
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  Heavenly country. Desire does not say desire.
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  Desire. The same word used and First
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  Timothy 3:1 where it says, if any one aspires to be an
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  overseer, he desires a noble task, it's a desire.
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  So intense that you want to see it come to reality that you want
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  to see it. Manifests the same word, the
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  same way. A man who desires to be an
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  elder, who desires to be a pastor.
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  Who desires to fulfill that same word?
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  These people had another Faith, you believe in heaven.
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  Wonderful. You believe that you're going to
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  heaven, great. It's not talking about faith,
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  it's talking about longing. Yearning.
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  Are you treading lightly in this world brothers and sisters?
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  Are you treading lightly? They desire a better country.
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  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for, he has
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  prepared for them a city. Based on desire.
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  Based on affection, based on passion God, who sees what our
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  desires are set on when he sees his children, who desire, his
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  kingdom to come his rule to be known his dwelling to be with,
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  man. He says, I'm not ashamed to be
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  called their God. Can you imagine a greater gift
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  than that? That in the presence of Angel
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  host and Heavenly Creatures that if you were to see them, you
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  would probably melt out of fear. He can say, I'm not ashamed to
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  be called his God. I'm not embarrassed to be called
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  her God. So desire alone magnetizes God
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  in a certain way, this shows that he's personal, this shows
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  that he's real. This shows that he actually
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  cares about what you feel and what you think and what you
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  desire, and what you dream about oh that God would find in us a
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  desire for a Heavenly country. Oh, that God would be able to
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  save Maranatha Bible Church? I am not ashamed to be
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  associated with this church, because they desire is not
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  wonderful. It's nothing to do with
• 25:16
  performance. Nothing to do with how great of
• 25:20
  a minister you are, how powerful your preaching is.
• 25:22
  No one simple thing. That Woos his heart, your
• 25:25
  desire. This man.
• 25:30
  Simeon had a desire. He waited for the consolation of
• 25:34
  Israel. And then we are told That the
• 25:38
  Holy Spirit had revealed to him. I mean, this is a unique
• 25:43
  privilege, the Holy Spirit had revealed to him.
• 25:46
  That he was not going to die until he would see the Messiah.
• 25:53
  Now I can't imagine how this altered his life, we're not told
• 25:57
  when the Holy Spirit told him this but even if it was a week
• 26:01
  before I'm sure that week look different from every other week.
• 26:07
  Can you imagine what it would be like?
• 26:08
  This is what you longed for your whole life.
• 26:11
  This is what you desired. As early as you can even imagine
• 26:18
  and all for sudden, somehow some way the Holy Spirit reveals to
• 26:21
  Simeon audibly, we don't know how Simeon.
• 26:26
  You will not die. Until you see the Messiah.
• 26:34
  What do those mornings look like?
• 26:36
  As he woke up in his bed? Is it today?
• 26:38
  Lord is it today? Well, I see him today.
• 26:43
  Will he enter in today? Will you were to me be fulfilled
• 26:45
  today. When will it come?
• 26:47
  Is it now? God left them in that
• 26:51
  spontaneous state, but assured by one thing, this man was not
• 26:55
  going to die. Even if all of Hell came against
• 26:57
  him, even if Rome came against him, he was not going to die
• 27:03
  until he saw the Messiah and one day, something happens,
• 27:07
  something marvelous he wakes up. And there's a strange sense of
• 27:12
  the leading of God in an unusual way.
• 27:16
  And there is the sense in which he had to go to the temple and
• 27:20
  God's leading was so perfect. That every step, every
• 27:24
  Interruption on the way, whatever took place was
• 27:28
  perfectly orchestrated by the spirit of God for him to arrive
• 27:33
  at the moment, where he would see Mary and Joseph with the
• 27:36
  Messiah in their arms. I read that this morning and I
• 27:41
  thought to myself, Lord, won't you just lead me like that?
• 27:46
  All the experiences. I would know the time that I
• 27:48
  would save the energy, all these things that could be reserved
• 27:51
  that you can just speak to me. So clearly and tell me, get up
• 27:55
  and go stop, no, yes, maybe, no, I need it, I want it.
• 27:59
  Why just Simeon. I'm sure there's an innocent.
• 28:04
  See about that. That God honors.
• 28:07
  But I'm also refreshed to know here that there is another
• 28:10
  person in the same Temple. Who did not have the same
• 28:16
  experience as Simian leading up to this moment but she did have
• 28:21
  the same blessing of realizing the Messiah.
• 28:25
  Another woman, older woman, her name is Anna.
• 28:28
  We're often familiar with henna, but this is Anna.
• 28:31
  Another Prophet s. She's found in the same chapter
• 28:34
  here and all were told about Anna, is that she was a
• 28:38
  prophetess, she was a widow, she only had seven With her husband
• 28:44
  before her husband died. Tragedy.
• 28:48
  Heartbreaking. And we are told here in Luke 237
• 28:52
  about Anna. and then, as a widow, until she was 84, She did
• 28:59
  not depart from the temple worshiping with fasting and
• 29:02
  prayer night and day. I love that because I see a
• 29:06
  woman who experienced the tragedy early in her marriage.
• 29:10
  She lost the love of her life. And I'm sure that shattered, her
• 29:14
  dreams and her hopes of living long and old with her husband.
• 29:20
  And yet this woman. Did not have bitterness in her
• 29:24
  heart against God did not walk away from the house of God.
• 29:29
  Did not say this prayer thing doesn't work when I prayed for
• 29:32
  my husband while he was sick. God didn't hear me?
• 29:35
  No, she devoted herself more to God.
• 29:39
  She came to the house of God daily and she prayed and she
• 29:42
  fasted, and she was a worshipper and elderly woman.
• 29:47
  Not a princess, not a queen, not a beauty.
• 29:51
  Pageant winner and elderly woman who, lost her husband who just
• 29:56
  devoted herself to the house of God even more After a tragedy.
• 30:03
  And she comes here and she worships God.
• 30:07
  And there's an interesting phrase in verse 38 and coming up
• 30:12
  at that very hour. She began to give thanks to God
• 30:17
  and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the Redemption
• 30:20
  of Jerusalem. Did you see the phrase?
• 30:23
  And coming up at that very hour, the King James would say at that
• 30:28
  instance. What are you seeing there?
• 30:33
  Not wasted words. My brother and my sister what
• 30:36
  you are seeing there is the Providence of God.
• 30:42
  Simeon was led by the spirit to go to the temple, in a very
• 30:45
  Supernatural real and Rahway. Anna was led to the temple.
• 30:52
  By Providence, just another day, going to the temple.
• 30:58
  Just another day to go worship my God, just another day to
• 31:00
  pray. Just another day too fast.
• 31:03
  But on this day it would be an extraordinary day.
• 31:08
  She came up at that very moment where Simeon and that couple met
• 31:13
  and we're Simeon. Grab that child and praise God,
• 31:16
  and prophesied over him. And guess who was there to hear
• 31:19
  all about it, Anna? Maybe that doesn't move you but
• 31:26
  be encouraged to know that this is how God often leads his
• 31:28
  people. Do you want God's Providence to
• 31:32
  be in favor of your life in the New Year?
• 31:34
  Can I encourage you to do something be devout?
• 31:40
  Be serious, about the things of God.
• 31:43
  Be consistent in your walk with Christ.
• 31:46
  You want Providence in your favor, love him, no matter what
• 31:49
  he takes from you. Serve him.
• 31:52
  No matter who doesn't serve him? Don't let disappointment in
• 31:56
  life. Don't let heartache, don't let
• 31:58
  betrayal, don't let things in life make you waver, I believe,
• 32:03
  and we can debate it over lunch. I believe that.
• 32:06
  God honored, Anna, because Anna honored, God, call me
• 32:10
  legalistic. All you want.
• 32:14
  This woman was devout and God saw this woman and he Allowed by
• 32:18
  his, providential leading to have an exposure that the priest
• 32:22
  in the same Temple did not have. That the high priest did not
• 32:27
  have. if you desire to God's Providence, Give him your
• 32:34
  undivided devotion and watch him lead your life in spectacular
• 32:39
  ways. What's amazing about Simeon
• 32:44
  here? Is that by the Holy Spirit?
• 32:49
  He was led. And he comes here and let's read
• 32:52
  it. One more time and verse 27, he
• 32:55
  came in the spirit into the temple, and when the parents
• 32:58
  brought in the Child Jesus to do for him according to the custom
• 33:01
  of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed.
• 33:05
  God and said, can you imagine it?
• 33:07
  Simeon is blessing God while he's holding God, what a
• 33:09
  thought. Simeon is worshiping God while
• 33:14
  he's holding God. Behold the humility of God.
• 33:20
  Behold The Wonder of this moment.
• 33:23
  And we see here that he was able to bless God, that was his first
• 33:28
  response is first. Reaction was to worship.
• 33:30
  God was to worship. I pray that you came this
• 33:33
  afternoon to worship, God to worship God, and let of the
• 33:36
  Revelation, that he became a little baby.
• 33:40
  And guess what? If you're here today?
• 33:42
  Because it's Christmas and you have to be here, And because
• 33:47
  it's tradition and that's what traditionalist do.
• 33:51
  But you're not here. Because you're moved by the
• 33:54
  revelation of what Christ has done.
• 33:57
  Then I want to encourage you today that what you need is what
• 33:59
  Simeon had and that was the Holy Spirit controlling his mind and
• 34:02
  his heart. That's what you need and that's
• 34:05
  what I need. Every time this heart is able to
• 34:09
  grow cold and doll with any truth concerning Christ.
• 34:13
  Even as Incarnation, I need the Holy Spirit to fall upon me
• 34:17
  afresh. Because he was able to bless
• 34:21
  God. And this is one of the most
• 34:23
  incredible things because he declares one of the most
• 34:25
  complete Prophecies of Christ before he even became a man,
• 34:29
  think about this before Christ, uttered one Miracle before, he
• 34:33
  uttered one Parable before he done one miraculous Supernatural
• 34:37
  thing before before any sermon he heard.
• 34:43
  He understood the gospel and its completion.
• 34:47
  He understood the work in the extent of what Christ would do.
• 34:52
  He had a revelation and an insight to the work of Jesus
• 34:55
  Christ that no average Jew had that no priest?
• 34:59
  Had that no Rabbi had because what what Simeon had in this
• 35:04
  moment is what you and I need every single day and that's the
• 35:07
  leading work of the spirit. The Holy Spirit was his teacher.
• 35:12
  The Holy Spirit was the one who opened his mind and his eyes to
• 35:15
  Christ. It is.
• 35:16
  No wonder that the holy spirit is known as the gift of God.
• 35:22
  What talk about gifts today? You want to gift?
• 35:25
  Ask for a greater feeling of the Holy Spirit.
• 35:28
  Because I'm going to tell you today, doesn't matter what
• 35:30
  Seminary you go to doesn't matter what preachers, you sit
• 35:33
  under it doesn't matter how many books you buy and how many
• 35:36
  highlighters you go through those books unless you have the
• 35:39
  Holy Spirit, you will be nothing but a traditionalist void of
• 35:44
  True. Praise and void of true
• 35:45
  revelation. Because with Simeon hot in this
• 35:50
  moment and the temple. Is what many people fail to have
• 35:54
  in that. Very same Temple.
• 35:56
  He saw what other people could not see because he had what they
• 35:59
  did not have the enabling work of the spirit of God.
• 36:04
  So, the Holy Spirit reveals this to him.
• 36:07
  And now he begins to open his mouth after He blesses.
• 36:09
  God, he took him up in his arms and blessed, God and said, 29.
• 36:14
  Lord. Now you are letting your servant
• 36:16
  depart in peace. According to your word.
• 36:19
  This man holding this child. I don't know if he looked up.
• 36:23
  I don't know if you looked into the eyes of that little baby.
• 36:27
  But he began as the first thing out of his mouth To Boldly
• 36:32
  declare the faithfulness of God. That's what he said.
• 36:36
  The first thing he was able to say is God keeps his word. no
• 36:42
  matter if it's declared to the whole human race, Or even if it
• 36:47
  was promises concerning one, people group through the Psalms
• 36:50
  through the prophets, through the law or even if he promises
• 36:54
  one man about a thing concerning his own life.
• 36:58
  God keeps his word. You said it Lord and it came to
• 37:03
  past here is your promise for Israel, here is the light for
• 37:08
  the Gentiles and here is your goodness and your faithfulness
• 37:11
  to me, I can now die. I can now die.
• 37:17
  He is faithful. He's perfect.
• 37:21
  He never never disappoints. He's wonderful.
• 37:26
  His character is immovable. He is trustworthy.
• 37:30
  He is your stability in mine. And we see that Simeon declares
• 37:35
  that but notice also that Simeon even expresses his Readiness to
• 37:39
  depart in peace. I'm ready to go.
• 37:42
  I'm ready to go. I'm ready to go because I've
• 37:47
  seen the Messiah. I have seen your salvation.
• 37:50
  You can call me home. Now God I believe that this
• 37:55
  verse hints at the satisfaction that Jesus brings into a life.
• 38:03
  Simeon here receives a, a glimpse of the Messiah.
• 38:07
  He's not going to see the restoration of the nation of
• 38:10
  Israel. He's not going to see the
• 38:12
  Revival among the Gentiles. I would come in and bow before
• 38:15
  this Messiah. All he is seen, is a glimpse of
• 38:19
  the Salvation of God and it's so moved his heart.
• 38:23
  It's so filled his soul that he is essentially saying, life has
• 38:28
  nothing more to give to me. I'm ready to go.
• 38:34
  I wonder if that's what you feel about your relationship with
• 38:36
  Christ. Take Christ away, there's no
• 38:41
  life to live. Give me Christ.
• 38:45
  And I have all. This man is saying, I've seen
• 38:49
  Christ. I've seen the Salvation.
• 38:51
  I'm ready to go into Glory. I'm so blessed.
• 38:55
  I am so filled with hope and joy, and peace that I'm ready to
• 39:00
  depart now, Because I want you to be reminded Christmas.
• 39:07
  Is not just about Jesus. Life is about Jesus.
• 39:11
  The theme of Our Song is Jesus. The theme of our Salvation is
• 39:16
  Jesus. The theme of Heaven is Jesus.
• 39:19
  The theme of your satisfaction is Jesus.
• 39:23
  Nothing else. And if it is anything else, I
• 39:27
  pity you this afternoon because all I see is a desperate man.
• 39:31
  A desperate woman drinking at a filthy water because you're
• 39:34
  going to a broken cistern that's promising.
• 39:37
  You something that will never ever ever satisfy.
• 39:41
  This man was So Satisfied. I just decide of the infancy of
• 39:44
  the Messiah that he said, take my life because I have now lived
• 39:48
  I have now lived and the psalmist said, whom have I in
• 39:52
  heaven but you and there is nothing on Earth.
• 39:55
  I desire besides you he's the theme in heaven.
• 39:57
  He's anathema Earth. You Heaven is about you.
• 40:01
  Earth is about you. The person just the person of
• 40:06
  Jesus Christ. Let me say it again.
• 40:09
  He was not rejoicing here because he saw something
• 40:12
  happened. No, no.
• 40:13
  Just the person of Jesus alone, satisfied.
• 40:19
  Is that true for you Christian? Where are your desires this
• 40:23
  afternoon? Are you bored right now?
• 40:29
  Is this not moving you? What are your plans for the new
• 40:34
  year that is Christ? Included there?
• 40:36
  Or did you get your fire insurance and you're going to
• 40:38
  heaven? This man's Simeon, bless God.
• 40:43
  Bless God to the degree that he says.
• 40:45
  You can kill me now and I can welcome death with a smile.
• 40:49
  Because I'm So Satisfied With This Moment.
• 40:55
  And because Simian has this revelation.
• 41:01
  The parents, the legal parents of Jesus are going to react in a
• 41:04
  way but just for the sake of seeing in a verse 31 he goes on
• 41:08
  to say that you have prepared in the presence of All Peoples, a
• 41:11
  light for Revelation to the Gentiles and for Glory to your
• 41:14
  People, Israel, there's the gospel.
• 41:17
  Jesus, own disciples. How to go through.
• 41:21
  So much to understand. The fact that Gentiles can be
• 41:25
  saved, they had to have Council meetings about it.
• 41:29
  And yet Simeon In This Moment, understood it, he saw it, he
• 41:32
  knew it because the Holy Spirit does that he heals your
• 41:35
  thinking? He does such an incredible
• 41:37
  Supernatural thing in US. We celebrate the fact that the
• 41:42
  Holy Spirit can make nothing into something.
• 41:45
  He can bring God and do some weaving work into a random
• 41:50
  woman. Create flesh.
• 41:52
  They're not interfering with the Divine element of who God is.
• 41:56
  But the miracle doesn't stop there in the Incarnation.
• 41:58
  God, the Holy Spirit can do a work in you.
• 42:01
  He can do a work in me, he can create something in us, he can
• 42:05
  change us, he can heal us, he can renew us.
• 42:11
  And I want you to see the reaction of these parents and
• 42:14
  verse 33. And his father and his mother
• 42:19
  marveled at what was said about him.
• 42:25
  They marveled. They were an all.
• 42:28
  They were stunned. May be stunned by the fact that
• 42:32
  this random man. Is saying such things about
• 42:36
  their boy, because their reaction here, interjects and
• 42:40
  simeon's about to go on to prophesy, which we're not going
• 42:44
  to touch this afternoon. I just want to park right here
• 42:47
  as we close with this application.
• 42:51
  They see, they hear and they Marvel.
• 42:55
  Can I ask you something? Is this the first time that
• 42:58
  they've heard something about this son?
• 43:02
  Is this the first time that they receive Revelation?
• 43:05
  No. No, they've received Angelic
• 43:08
  visitation. No, no Joseph has received
• 43:12
  dreams. Shepherd's have come to announce
• 43:17
  something of this birth. This is not the first time that
• 43:22
  they heard about, who this baby is and what this baby will
• 43:25
  accomplish. But you know what, they still
• 43:28
  marveled. Are you marveling today or is
• 43:31
  this all familiar to you? You got used to, right?
• 43:39
  It's just common knowledge now, right?
• 43:42
  Another year, another Christmas service.
• 43:46
  Another sermon. Maybe this time.
• 43:47
  We'll cry. Maybe he'll move us.
• 43:49
  Emotionally. Maybe the worship will be
• 43:51
  better. I just have one question for you
• 43:54
  today. Do you still Marvel?
• 43:59
  Are you still in awe? This couple who had already seen
• 44:05
  so much up to this point, could still lose their breath.
• 44:09
  Could still lose. Their sleep could still worship
• 44:11
  and, and give God glory, even though this is not the first
• 44:16
  time they heard it. That's why I'm saying this today
• 44:21
  because of what I said earlier, in the announcements, my prayer
• 44:24
  for this morning service or this afternoon, rather is that we
• 44:27
  would be revived. Into the new year.
• 44:34
  I don't want to be able to hear a message about it and I'm sure
• 44:37
  there is a responsibility upon the preacher to be filled with
• 44:40
  the Holy Spirit and to expound on the text as a man who is
• 44:45
  connected to God. I'm sure of that because some
• 44:47
  people can talk about the gospel as though they're reading an
• 44:50
  obituary. But there's still yet something
• 44:55
  on our part. There's still an indicator of
• 44:57
  the sensitivity of our hearts when we can still hear about
• 45:02
  this and many things about who God is and be moved and still
• 45:06
  Marvel and leave here and not immediately think what am I
• 45:10
  going to eat? But at least be impressed.
• 45:15
  At least be touched at least be stirred.
• 45:22
  They marveled. Because Simian preached, a
• 45:26
  sermon that lasted 13 seconds. and I want to tell you today,
• 45:34
  that if you've lost, I'm not concerned, if you can't go to
• 45:38
  your favorite restaurant anymore, I'm not concerned if
• 45:42
  you lost the privilege of going on for vacations a year, instead
• 45:46
  of one, Did you lose your Marvel?
• 45:53
  Did you lose your Wonder? Did you lose your?
• 45:58
  Aw, that's more concerning to me as a brother in Christ than what
• 46:04
  we are being stripped from in America.
• 46:09
  And my prayer again. Is that God by the Holy Spirit?
• 46:13
  Can do a work like he did in this couple at work Beyond this
• 46:18
  or work that we read later on about Mary when she hurts her
• 46:20
  and things. It says she treasured these
• 46:22
  things in her heart. Do you think that happens after
• 46:25
  Sunday morning messages? Do we treasure what?
• 46:29
  We heard in our heart that we meditate on it, we discuss it or
• 46:31
  just She treasured them in her heart.
• 46:36
  She relished she digested. She contemplated The mother of
• 46:43
  the Lord Jesus Christ and his Humanity.
• 46:47
  And so, that's what I'm leaving you with today.
• 46:50
  Ask God to cause you to Marvel again.
• 46:53
  Because only he can do it, this poor preacher can only go so
• 46:56
  far. My stammering lips can only
• 47:00
  suggest so much, but there is one who can impress you and move
• 47:04
  you and reveal things to you and he's called the gift of God.
• 47:09
  The Holy Spirit, can we ask him to help us today?
• 47:12
  And can ask the choir to join us?
• 47:39
  Before we sing, let's pray and ask God to help us Lord.
• 47:43
  We thank you for this afternoon where you've gathered us
• 47:46
  together. And we ask Lord that, you would
• 47:49
  renew that sense of wonder. Lord.
• 47:53
  We admit that our hearts are capable of being hardened, even
• 47:58
  in a setting like this that we can be unmoved unchanged, but we
• 48:03
  ask that you would rescue us. That you would rescue us even
• 48:08
  though if it's something that we've heard over and over again,
• 48:10
  that it would never fail to revive us.
• 48:13
  Lord, we leave that to you. What we have we have done in
• 48:17
  this moment. We've done prayerfully but we
• 48:19
  trust in your sovereignty. Only, you can touch and save
• 48:23
  souls. In this place.
• 48:25
  Only, you can revive a heart that has been calloused.
• 48:30
  And so we now worship you asking that even in this moment, even
• 48:34
  in this brief moment as we close, you would make an
• 48:37
  impression on our hearts and Jesus name, we pray.
• 48:41
  Amen.