Latest / Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago / Simeon: A Man Honored By God | Luke 2:25-35 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

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Simeon: A Man Honored By God | Luke 2:25-35 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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A couple of Sundays ago, while illustrating a point from the
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Book of Revelation, I briefly mentioned a saintly man from the
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Scriptures known as Simeon, that elderly fellow who embraced the
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child Jesus in the temple. And prayfully, as we are
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celebrating the birth of Christ this week, we will devote this
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entire message to that same Simeon.
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We'll be looking more carefully at his account as he appears
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very early in the book of Luke. I became more intrigued about
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him when I realized how virtually every other Bible
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translation introduces him except for the ESV.
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When Mary and Joseph entered the temple precincts in order to
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observe the Law of Moses in dedicating their child, the
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Spirit of God presents Simeon in the following way.
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And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon.
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It's one of the first things or people that Luke tells us in his
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book to behold, as if to say, don't rush past this individual.
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Pay close attention to him. And that is what we will do
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today by the grace of God, because he is an inspiration.
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And I will tell you from the beginning the goal of this
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message for you and I to leave here with a greater sense of a
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love for Christ, to understand through this man what is
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possible for us in our sanctification, in our
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relationship with God. And there are three things, at
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least three things that we can do.
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And observing this man, three things that we can observe #1
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his passion, His passion #2 his peace, and lastly, his prophecy.
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And so we'll begin now in Luke chapter 2, beginning in verse
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25, reading a couple of verses to meditate on Simeon's passion
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as he encounters the child Jesus not too long after his own
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birth. Luke 2, verse 25.
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Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this
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man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of
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Israel. And the Holy Spirit was upon
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him. And it had been revealed to him
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by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen
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the Lord's Christ. Oh, would you pray with me
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briefly, Lord, our prayer is that you would help us see the
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Christ, help us see Christ, make him more real to each of us.
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And may it causing us to know renewed passion, fortified peace
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and worship as we understand this prophecy through the lips
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of this man that you used 2000 years ago.
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We thank you for it. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
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What a description for any man, any woman, righteous and devout.
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Now, why is the Holy Spirit telling us this about Simeon?
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Well #1 because he's going to testify about the destiny of
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this child, the Spirit of God is going to use him to identify
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this child as a long-awaited Messiah.
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And so in order for there to be credibility to his own
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testimony, we learn of his piety.
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He was trustworthy. He was acknowledged as a holy
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man. He was someone that you can
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count on. And so in preparation for what
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he is going to say, we know something about his character.
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But there's something else. The Spirit of God wants us also
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to learn a few things about true righteousness and what devotion
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looks like. And interestingly, righteousness
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and devotion in this context is connected to the inner heart,
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the hidden heart. We're told here that Simeon was
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waiting for the consolation of Israel.
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Waiting means that there was expectation.
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Waiting means that there is desire.
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Simeon desired for the comfort, the consolation, the rest, the
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deliverance of his own people. And this is connected to his
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righteousness. This feeds his devotion.
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So the eyes of this man's heart were ever watchful.
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This man down deep inside, he longed for something.
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He yearned from Messiah. He wanted to see the promises
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fulfilled. He he wanted to be in the
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presence of this King. And that is the thing that is
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highlighted about him. Surely since he was a boy, and
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throughout his years as he studied the Scriptures, this
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longing grew more and more and more.
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And surely as he and his people were living under the growing
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brutality of the Roman oppression, that ache became
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more intense. There are many things that God
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could have said about Simeon, but in his wisdom he brings to
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our attention his consuming passion.
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Why do you think that is? To teach us who God is and what
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God looks for. You see, God considers your
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desires, God takes into account your aspirations, your wishes
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and mine, and He honors US based on what he discovers about them.
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And in the case of Simeon, God gave him the privilege of not
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only seeing the Messiah, but as is common with our God, he he
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gives him more, He lets him hold the Messiah.
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And he says you will not see death until you behold the
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Lord's Christ. Imagine this.
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In a moment, we're going to see Simeon's prophecy.
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And here you have a man who is going to bless God while holding
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God. Fascinating, isn't it?
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And I want to convince, I want you to be absolutely persuaded
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today by how God actually looks at your heart and mine.
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And what he finds there will determine reward in this life
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and in the life to come. So here at the infancy of
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Christ, we are introduced to an obscure fellow.
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But now I want us to Fast forward to the death of Christ
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as we are introduced to another uncommon character.
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So we're in the gospel. Luke travel to the Gospel of
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Mark and go to the end of it in chapter 15, Mark 15.
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Look at verse 43 with me. Joseph of Arimathea, A respected
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member of the council who was also himself looking for the
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Kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the
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body of Jesus. I'm sure there are a lot of
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differences between Joseph of Arimathea and the Simeon, but
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you know what I find in my Bible?
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They shared one common desire, the manifestation of the Kingdom
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of God, one near the birth of Christ, one after the death of
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Christ. You know this Joseph impresses
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me because he was an important man in society.
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Matthew tells us he was wealthy, but his position and his
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prosperity did not diminish his longing for God's Kingdom to
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crash into the world and to take over everything, cooling his own
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estates, his own authority. And I just wonder today if there
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are people in this place who are members of great councils or
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maybe you're a part of an exclusive club, or maybe you're
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just wealthy. Can I ask you something?
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What do you strive after? What do you ultimately seek?
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Here's this Joseph, and all we're told about him is that he
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looked for the Kingdom of God, and I see something else.
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He's rewarded for it. And the same way Simeon had the
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opportunity to hold in his hands Messiah, God gave that same
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privilege to Joseph. He came into close proximity to
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Christ, and he had the honor of taking that lifeless body and
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honoring it in the best way he could and ultimately fulfilling
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a part of Isaiah 53. God cares.
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God examines what no one else sees.
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Oh, sure, we can do things, but why do we do them?
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Even good things, even spiritual things, but what do we really
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long for? Let me show you another verse.
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I listen. I really, really want to
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communicate this because it will radically change your
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relationship with Christ. When you understand that he
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looks at the heart, He looks for the heart, You will know where
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to put your focus and your energy as you seek Him and as
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you come to His word. Go to Hebrews Chapter 11 with
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me. Oh, the hall of faith, these
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wonderful men and women that are praised for their trust in God.
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And in there we have many, many golden Nuggets, and I want to
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show you one of them in Hebrews 11, verse 16, Hebrews 11/16
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reads. But as it is, they desire a
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better country, that is, a heavenly one.
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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. You see that word desire there?
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It's only used a total of three times in the New Testament,
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including this instance, and it's actually found in First
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Timothy 31, and you don't have to turn there.
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It's where Paul tells Timothy if one aspires the office of an
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overseer, he desires a noble task.
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The meaning actually in the original is to reach after, to
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grab something. And So what Paul tells Timothy
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is if there's anybody who has such an intense yearning to
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apprehend the position of a pastor or an elder, that's a
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good desire. And the Holy Spirit uses that
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same word here in Hebrews 11/16 to speak of those who desire a
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better country heaven. It's a it's a yearning for
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something to become a reality. Here's what's so astounding
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about this verse. Those who inwardly, inwardly
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reach out for the manifestation of God's government, for his
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return. Those who ache and pine for his
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presence to be more real. What does he say?
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God is not ashamed to be called their God.
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Look at the Word there. Therefore, that connects the
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following thought with the previous one.
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Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God.
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Well, what did He say before? He's talking about those who
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desire a better country. I can't think of a greater
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blessing than that, that God in heaven, with all the myriad of
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angels and all these heavenly creatures, is willingly wanting
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to testify of a child of His. He belongs to me.
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Do you see what he loves? Do you see what she desires?
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More than anything, she sees this world as a wilderness.
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He's a Pilgrim. His heart beats.
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For me to become more real, for my promises to be made known,
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for my Kingdom to come. I'm not ashamed to be called
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their God. Behold, one who truly loves me.
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Simeon was such a man. You know, sometimes Christians
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struggle to discern whether their love for the Lord is
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strong enough or greater than their attachments to the things
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of this life. And so they wrest soul.
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And it becomes even more pressing when you encounter
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commands and instructions like do not love the world or the
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things of the world. How do I know if I love the
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world? How do I know if I love Christ
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more? How do I make sense of this?
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How can I measure it? How can I examine myself
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appropriately? Well, I have good news for you,
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because as you look through the Scriptures, you will find
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helpful clues that will determine, for you and me if
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we're willing to receive it, the health of our desires and if
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they are towards the right things.
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Can I give you one helpful clue? Here's one.
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Just listen to it. Psalm 119, verse 97.
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Oh, how I love your law. It is my meditation all the day.
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Where's the clue in that? Let me tell you, you meditate on
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what you love. That's the clue.
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Oh, how I love your law. You know, there are there are
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people who know the Bible, there are people who are willing to
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even adjust their lives to some of the principles of the Bible.
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But it's a whole different thing when you love God's Word and the
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psalmist tells us one way, you know you love it.
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I meditate on it all the time. I take it with me wherever I go.
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I'd love to talk about it with others who also meditate on the
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law. So that's just, that's just one
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nudge among many that shows us where our desires really are,
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what we truly long for, what we're reaching out for.
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This Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel.
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It was a burning passion in his bosom.
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And I am convinced that God saw that in this old man.
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And out of the many, including the scribes and the scholars and
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the theologians, he allowed Simeon to behold Christ at a
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very early point. That's His passion.
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May be our passion. May the Holy Spirit use this
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message to breathe that into our hearts.
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But let's consider His peace. Let's read now His peace, verse
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27 to verse 32. And he came in the Spirit into
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the temple, And when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do
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for him, according to the custom of the law, he took him up in
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his arms and blessed God and said, Lord, now you are letting
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your servant depart in peace according to your word.
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For my eyes have seen your salvation, that you have
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prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation
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to the Gentiles and for glory to your people.
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Israel Simeon and verse 28 took him up in his arms and blessed
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God. One of the ways that you know
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you can bless God is exemplified by this man where you outwardly
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express your gratitude and rehearse the testimonies of the
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Lord. And in this case, Simeon wants
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to declare God's faithfulness. You kept Your word to me, O
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Lord, and that is something that you and I must continually give
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praise to God for that Any promise that He has made to all
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humanity, the promises that He made to the nation of Israel
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through the prophets and the Psalms and the law, and any
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promise that He makes to you as an individual concerning your
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life, know this. He will never waver in His Word.
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He is constant. He is reliable.
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But even before Simeon celebrates God's fidelity, he
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highlights and rejoices in this, the peace he received from God.
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Notice it again here. It says here, Lord, now you are
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letting your servant depart in peace.
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What kind of peace is this? What kind of peace is this that
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allows a man to speak so calmly about his own death?
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I'm ready to die now, Lord. I'm ready to die right at this
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moment. How, what, what kind of
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confidence can a man tap into that allows him to be comforted
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at the thought of his own earthly departure?
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Simeon had it. There is this level of serenity
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that is so rare, and yet he's declaring it.
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He's sharing it out loud. And I think Simeon gives us a
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clue of how we can have it and how we can know it for
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ourselves. You unlock it by what he says in
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verse 30. Look at it again.
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For my eyes have seen your salvation.
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Why am I ready to depart in peace?
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Because my eyes have beheld your salvation.
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And listen, Simeon is not just ready to die because the Lord
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showed him the Lord's Christ. And so, OK, the promise is
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fulfilled. I'm ready to go now.
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It's because Simeon understood the salvation that this child
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would bring to him and to the rest of the world.
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It was a knowledge of the saving work of Christ that gave him
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this kind of peace. And here's the question that
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every single one of us has to ask.
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Do I have a clear vision like this man concerning what Christ
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has done? More specifically, do I have a
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comprehension of what Christ did in a trusting way?
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Because that will determine the level of peace you enjoy.
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Notice some of the things that Simeon says.
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Again, look at verse 31. What does he say?
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That you have prepared in the presence of all peoples?
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The salvation that he spoke of here.
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He says it was prepared. So Simeon even in this moment,
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understood that God had planned the salvation, that God from
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eternity passed, orchestrated salvation to come to humanity
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through this child. He understood this.
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Look at verse 32. It says that he would be a light
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for revelation to the Gentiles. So Christ was not just going to
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come to save the Jewish people, but the rest of the world.
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How many people understood that in Simeon's day?
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Very few. Even when Christ in the prime of
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his life was teaching it, people didn't get it.
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Simeon did. You're going to break into the
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darkness surrounding Israel. And lastly, look what he says
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here in verse 33 and for glory to your people, Israel.
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So there are many things that Israel can rejoice in concerning
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their history. The Jewish people understand
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that they have been granted the promises, the covenants, the
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law, the prophets. But Simeon says here that the
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greatest glory for them and from them is that the Savior
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descended from the seat of David.
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That would be their greatest glory.
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Here's what's so amazing about this confession.
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Did Simeon come to this understanding because Christ was
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preaching A sermon? No, he could barely walk at this
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time. Before the gospel was understood
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through the lips of the Savior, before he performed any kind of
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miracle, before any parable was expounded, Simeon had a robust
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understanding of the gospel. More than the again, the
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scholars and the theologians of his day, more than those who
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would behold the incomparable power and wisdom of Christ
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throughout his teaching ministry.
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And no doubt his clear perception contributed to his
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remarkable peace. You know, I found something
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about Christians, many things. One of them is this, that those
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who have a grasp of the gospel, those who understand the victory
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that Christ purchased on my behalf, are the same ones who
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tend to speak with the most confidence about death and are
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also the ones who are willing to face it with an otherworldly
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calm. I know Christians like that.
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They talk about death like they talk about sleep.
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You know, Christians like that. Oh, and that was very common
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with the older Christians. And so personally, I'm just
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catching up with some readings with the Puritans and I stumbled
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upon this quote and I thought it would be worth sharing just to
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give you a sample of how some of these minds that really, really
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dug into the Scriptures to know the depths of Christ's work on
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the cross and what he purchased for us, how they spoke and how
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they viewed this thing called death.
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According to the Bible, death is known as the King of terrors.
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But you would think to that these Puritans especially, they
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were like buddies with death. Listen to this from George
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Swinnik quote. He's trying to comfort
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Christians. So quote now is the quote.
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Is it the tearing down of your earthly Tabernacle that troubles
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you? Do you not know that death is
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the worker sent by the Father to pull down this earthly House of
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clay and mortality so that it may be set up anew, infinitely
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more lasting, beautiful and glorious?
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End Quote. Isn't that precious?
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What is he saying? For the Christian, death is his
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servant, and all death is, is once sent by God to disrobe you
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and to remove you of this flesh that has been corrupted and
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bruised and scarred, so that you would be prepared to be clothed
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with something infinitely more glorious and beautiful.
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Who thinks like that? Those who understand what Christ
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has done and what He purchased for us.
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But how did Simeon know all of this?
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How? How did he come to this
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knowledge? We have the answer.
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Maybe you missed it, but did you notice just how much Simeon in
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this brief biography has the Holy Spirit actively working in
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and through him? Go back to verse 25.
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Look at the end of verse 25. And the Holy Spirit was upon
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him, look at verse 26. And it had been revealed to him
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by the Holy Spirit. Look at verse 27.
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And he came in the spirit into the temple.
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And three verses, the Holy Spirit is mentioned, the
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activity of the Holy Spirit is mentioned in connection to this
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man, the Spirit, the Spirit, the Spirit.
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I'll tell you how you knew all of this, the Holy Spirit, the
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Holy Spirit. So you're, you're sitting today
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and you say, oh, brother, if I can only have a week of peace
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like this, I'm here to tell you can have more than just a week
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of it. You can have a lifetime of peace
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and you can have a peace so strong, so potent, that even
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when death knocks on your door, you can say, oh, God's servant
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is here to prepare me for my eternal abode.
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Well, how do I get it? Well, Simeon gives us some
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guidance. You need to know something about
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what Christ has done for you, the gospel that Christ performed
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for us. You need to know that.
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Well, how do I know that you? You can't come close to it
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unless you understand how the Holy Spirit works.
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So you have to seek the Holy Spirit.
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You have to be in his presence. You have to humble yourself and
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say, Lord, I with these eyes and with this mind, I might be able
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to collect some truths. But to know this thing about the
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gospel in a way that unlocks this kind of calm and
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confidence, I need your help. And as you seek him and as you
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wait on him, he'll be faithful to give you more understanding.
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And through that understanding, more faith, and through that
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faith, more peace. You know, Simeon, we're not told
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much about him here, but all that we have might even stir up
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a holy jealousy in you and me, specifically in his relationship
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with God. I mean, look how sensitive he is
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to the Spirit of God. Look how much the Spirit of God
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does for Simeon. I mean, on one day after he was
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promised, and we're not told when he was promised that he
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would see Christ. He was being guided unusually.
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Was it an audible voice? Was it this force moving him?
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We don't know. But all leading up to that
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moment, Can you imagine the anticipation?
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Oh, will it be today? You know, Simeon's there
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preparing his breakfast. Will it be today?
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Will I see the Messiah this afternoon?
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Will it be tonight? How will I know him?
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How is it going to be a light on him?
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Are others going to recognize him?
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You just imagine the daily excitement.
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And on one morning it was known and Simeon makes his way there.
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And what looked like an ordinary young family actually was
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something extraordinary. In the arms of these parents was
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the promised Messiah, and Simeon saw it.
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I'm sure we would love the Holy Spirit to lead our lives like
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that, right? All the time that we would save
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the testimonies we would have. But I want to actually lead you
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to this other point. Simeon in this chapter is not
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the only one who gets to experience the revelation that
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he had. Actually, we read of another
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elderly person. Look, later on in Luke chapter
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2, we read about a woman named Anna who's a prophetess advance
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in years, and I want you to see how the scriptures describe her
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experience of this moment because she didn't have the same
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experience as Simeon, though she had the same revelation as him.
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Luke 236 read this with me and there was a prophetess Anna, the
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daughter of Fanuel of the tribe of Asher.
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She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband
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seven years from when she was a virgin and that as a widow until
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she was 84. She did not depart from the
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Temple, worshipping with fasting and prayer, night and day, and
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coming up at that very hour. She began to give thanks to God
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and to speak of Him, all who are waiting for the redemption of
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Jerusalem. So, like Simeon, Anna's devotion
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to God is emphasized. She was a spiritual woman.
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You rarely found her outside of the temple courts.
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She was fasting, she was praying, she was worshipping,
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and remarkably, she was glued to the House of God even though she
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had lost her husband. You know pain will either pull
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you away from God or push you towards Him.
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And this, this woman's devotion to the Lord did not wane, even
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though perhaps her expectations of marriage we're not met.
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But here's what's amazing, verse 38, Read your Bible slowly.
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Notice what it says. And coming up at that very hour.
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Translation right when Joseph and Mary entered and Simeon saw
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the child and prophesied, Anna was there and she heard it.
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And not only did she hear it, but she got so excited that what
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did she do at the end of verse 38?
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She began to speak of him to all who are waiting for the
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redemption of Jerusalem. So there was others who are
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waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
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Don't you appreciate just how careful the Bible is with its
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words? We're told about Simeon, that he
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was waiting for what? The consolation of Israel,
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consolation meaning comfort, peace.
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But then when we come here, we read that Anna was testifying to
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all those who are waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
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I don't think that's accidental. I think there's a point to be
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made from this that none of us can know true consolation unless
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we first know redemption. Redemption is the entryway into
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consolation, and Christ alone can provide that.
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Simeon is waiting for Israel to be delivered, and it's in a
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person, Christ. It's not just a government, it's
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not just a set of laws. It's in a person, Christ, who
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redeems, and he can bring consolation to your life.
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He can bring consolation to this nation.
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But we would have to humble ourselves and allow Him to
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redeem us. But that's a different point.
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The point that I want to bring to your attention is how Anna
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was led by God. It was not like Simeon.
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Simeon had a direct supernatural GPS.
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Turn here, turn there. Go now.
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Stop. No, not them.
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Yes, over there. I don't know how it was done,
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but then when you read about Anna, who is just as spiritual
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as Simeon, she just happened to be at the right place at the
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right time. She was guided by the invisible
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hand of God. This is what we call it,
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Providence. And I want to tell you
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something. If you belong to the Lord,
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Providence will always work in your favor.
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If you love the Lord, you have nothing to fear in this life,
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and you might want to have these encounters and perhaps visions
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and all these things. But Anna gives us the more
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common way we experience God's guidance in our lives, that as
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you simply obey the Lord as you walk and as you love him and
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serve him, he will take ordinary things and make him into an
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extraordinary story. If you want to know greater
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testimonies in 2026, be like this woman, be like this man and
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give him undivided devotion. There's a passion, but there's a
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peace, a peace that's granted through revelation, a peace
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that's granted through a relationship with the Holy
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Spirit. But all we have to end here with
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his prophecy. We can't just end with this
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knowledge of His peace. Look at verse 33 down to verse
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35. And his father and his mother
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marveled at what was said about him.
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Pause there for a moment. How how did you marvel?
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You had angelic encounters, the wise men, the shepherds, all
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that they said, all these experiences and and you're still
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marvelling rightfully so. I pray you and I would never
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cease to marvel as we learn new things about Christ.
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And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, Behold, this
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child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel,
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and for a sign that is opposed. And a sword will Pierce through
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your own soul also, so that the thoughts from many hearts may be
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revealed. So contrary to the limited
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understanding of most of the Jews at this time concerning the
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Messiah, and that many Jews still today have Simeon
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recognized and explained that although He is the promised 1,
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he will not be widely accepted by his own.
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That He will be the cause for the fall and the rise of many.
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The fall Speaking of those who would reject Him and be
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condemned as a result, and the rise Speaking of the redemption
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of those who would embrace Him and believe on His message.
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And Simeon goes on to prophecy. And he turns his attention to
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Mary to let her know that the opposition that this child will
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face will be so fierce that it's going to be like a sword as you
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see it and hear about it being pierced and driven into the
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depths of who you are. And that sword will be driven
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deeper still as this opposition climaxes at the cross of Christ.
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And so you see a measure of God's kindness through this
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prophecy and preparing Mary for the future of this child.
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I find it interesting that he doesn't address Joseph.
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And it could be because Joseph wouldn't live long enough to see
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it. And so Mary is is hearing all of
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this, and yes, she's marvelling, but she's also being warned so
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that she wouldn't be caught by surprise.
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But what Simeon says in the last part deserves our most attention
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for this time. Notice how he ends it in verse
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35 so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.
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What does that mean? Well, in the immediate sense, it
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means that the Incarnate Son of God would expose the true
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motives and intentions of people.
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And we see that in the gospel accounts, do we not?
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Especially with those Pharisees. They could not withstand, they
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they couldn't compress their true nature, their vile
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character in the light of Christ.
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He unmasked them. The truth that He spoke blasted
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away all the veneers and all the falsehood, and their hearts were
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really exposed. But in the broader sense, what
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Simeon says here applies for all time.
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The message of Jesus Christ reveals the very essence of who
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we are as people. When you really understand who
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He is and what He says, our sinful nature is exposed.
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In fact, no one describes the human condition more accurately
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than Jesus Christ of Nazareth. No psychologist, no philosopher,
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no religious leader comes close to how Christ assesses and
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diagnosis humanity's foundational problem and
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greatest need. And I know of some people whose
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journey with Christ started because they read or heard the
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Beatitudes, for example. Just the Beatitudes was enough
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for millions, I'm sure, throughout the ages to bend
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their knee in humility and acknowledge that they are
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sinners in need of a Savior. Think about it.
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Christ saying things like you've heard it was said that you shall
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not murder and that to murder and be a murderer is to be
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liable for judgement. But I say to you, if anyone is
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angry with his brother, he is liable to judgement.
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You've heard it was said you shall not commit adultery.
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But I say to you that if anyone looks at a woman with lustful
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intent, has already committed adultery with her in his heart,
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inescapable scrutiny. A standard so high no one dare
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be able to stare at the face of this teacher and say, I pass.
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He will reveal the hearts of many.
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And he's still doing it today. And this is what it means for
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us, especially for the person who might be sitting here and is
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not a follower of Jesus Christ. You have to understand that when
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you understand who Christ is, you will discover who you are
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and what you will discover about yourself.
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And the light of his moral beauty and majesty is humbling
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if you're willing to accept it, that you were not as good as you
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thought. You're not as righteous as you
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believe, and you're actually so below the standard that God
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presents to us and sets against all of us as a moral lawgiver of
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the universe, that you're doomed, as am I.
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But Christ is not just the revealer of hearts.
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This is the best part. He's the only one who can
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transform them. Christ doesn't reveal hearts to
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shame people. You find that in the Gospels.
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Christ doesn't expose men in order to embarrass them or to
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condemn them. He removes all the veils that we
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set up, all the fig leaves that we've sown to try to cover
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ourselves, to show us just how wounded, just how rebellious,
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just how sick we are. He's the great physician that
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does not shy away from giving you the accurate diagnosis of
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your condition. In order for you to say I need
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to be healed, I need to be forgiven, I have a great debt
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that needs to be paid. And Luke, who's telling us a
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story about Simeon, his passion, his peace, his prophecy, like
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most of the other Gospel accounts, spends more time
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focusing on Jesus's ministry leading up to his redemption on
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the cross. And when you continue from this
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point on, you learn something. You learn many things about the
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heart of Christ. Let me give you one example
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before we close. The same Jesus who Simeon says
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would reveal the thoughts of many hearts shows us just how
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tender he is. Though he is blazing in purity
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and holiness, it's gentle and lowly.
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Even to this day. After years of reading the
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Bible, there's one account of Jesus healing power that never
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ceases to fail to move me to tears.
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I don't care where I am, when I'm reading it, it it does
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something to me. It's when Jesus is there and
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this man, this leper runs to him out of nowhere and it says he
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falls to the ground and he begs him, Lord, if you are willing,
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you can make me clean. Like every time I read that it
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just if you just knew what a leper had to go through, how he
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was ostracized, he lost his family, he was rejected.
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He was a walking red flag. Nobody would come near the years
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of not knowing human judge being despised, rotting somewhere in
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the outskirts of the city. And yet he hears about this
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Christ and he finds him one day and he runs them in desperation
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and he says, oh, if you can, you can make me clean.
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And when you read about it in Luke chapter 5, before Jesus
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even says anything, he says that he reaches out and he touches
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him, and then he says, I will be clean.
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I'm sure that when Christ initially extended his hand and
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touched that man, there was a gasp for any onlookers.
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You wouldn't dare touch a leper. You would be richly unclean.
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You would be in danger of being contaminated.
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Surely in Christ, without hesitation, he doesn't even
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flinch. He doesn't step back.
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He steps forward and he touches the man and he heals him.
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So many things to learn from that.
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Let me give you just one main thought.
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What others would not dare embrace, what others would not
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dare interact with, Christ does. There is no pollution, There is
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no filth, there is no disease. More importantly, in the
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spiritual sense, that Christ is not willing to touch and heal
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because you might be sitting here and saying, OK, He's the
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revealer of hearts. Brother, you don't know what my
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heart produces, the idols that it creates, and the perversion
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that it likes to nibble on from time to time.
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In fact, I'm struggling while you're preaching with the things
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in my heart. Let me tell you something.
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This is the same Christ who touches lepers and He's willing
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to touch and heal you. He's not intimidated by you.
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He understands our sin, but he doesn't recoil.
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He doesn't reconsider. In his great love, he enters
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into our world, this Dark World, this evil world, so that he can
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make the payment necessary to wash you.
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And it was a great payment to cleanse you.
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Me. Yes, you.
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You, the one that others would not dare have anything to do
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with, perhaps. This gives me so much hope, man.
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You got to believe it for those in your family that are the
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black sheep. You got to believe it for your
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nephews, your nieces. You got to believe it for your
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parents. You got to believe it for your
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spouse. You got to believe that no
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matter how dark and evil and corrupt they may be, that Christ
42:39
can heal them. This is the Christmas message.
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This is the Christmas message. The Christmas message is not us
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huddling around the scene of a baby that doesn't talk.
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And it's just cute that no, no, no, no.
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This is the message of redemption.
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That's what Christmas is about. And I'm here to offer it to you,
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not because I have anything to give you, but because this book
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promises us redemption and Simeon tells us about it in this
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prophecy. I wonder today if your heart has
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been more exposed than ever under the preaching of His Word.
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I wonder if today you feel more convicted than you ever have.
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Well, if you're sitting there in conviction, be comforted that
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this Christ who pulls the sheets of our excuses and our lies and
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our justifications, doesn't do it so that He can find you in a
43:31
place naked and afraid. He does it so that He can clothe
43:35
you with His own righteousness after He heals that heart of
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yours. Would you let Him?
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What's holding you back? What about this is bad news?
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What about this makes you hesitate?
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What about this makes you afraid?
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What is your sin done for you except bring pain to your life?
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What does being the the master of your own fate produce for you
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other than disappointment? Surrender.
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Give up? What does repentance really
44:09
mean? Really just means give up, stop,
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fall at His feet, crown Him as Lord and He will transform your
44:20
life. If you doubt it then understand
44:27
what the Christmas message is. He didn't have to come, but he
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did come with one goal in mind. Yes, to bring glory to Himself.
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We know that, but also in His great love to draw you to
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Himself for all of eternity and I pray that today you would put
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your hand in his hand and no true life.
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Let's pray low.
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We know that no one would be able to do what Simeon had the
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privilege of doing. That is holding in his arms the
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child Jesus the Lord. Your word does tell us that we
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can embrace you in another way, the embrace of faith.
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And we pray that this afternoon that the gift of salvation would
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be opened by some, maybe even 1 today, that they would realize
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by the help of your Holy Spirit, the great salvation that you've
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prepared for them that you offer to the entire world.
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And that you are not just the revealer of hearts.
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You are the healer of those broken, shattered hearts.
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Today, Lord, for those who have been saved, we pray that you
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would help us grow in our passion for what matters the
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most, that we, like Simeon, would be reaching out inwardly
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for the things above, for your promises, Your presence to be
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more real in our lives. And Lord, we pray even for those
46:25
who may not have peace, who may be even entering into this
46:28
holiday season worried that they will not enjoy it because of
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circumstances like Anna's, where family members will not be there
46:37
like they were in previous years, where loneliness will
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become more of a reality. Lord, we pray for your peace to
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be our portion for the rest of this year, and not just the rest
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of this year but the rest of our lives.
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Even as we approach our own death, we can say, Lord now your
46:54
servant can depart in peace for we have seen your salvation.
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In Jesus name we pray these things, Amen.
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Let's worship the living Christ who loves us so deeply.