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Luke 2:21-40 "One Day of Worship" · Clifford Baptist

• 0:00
  Welcome to the January 4th sermon from Clifford Baptist Church, 6:35 Fletcher's Level Road in Amherst. Today's scripture is Luke, chapter 2, verses 21 through 40. And the sermon is entitled One Day of Worship, delivered today by Pastor Jeffrey Campbell. If you will take your copy of God's Word, go to Luke chapter number two. What can God do with one day, one encounter, one man, one woman, one church? That's the question we're going to ponder as we start out the New Year together. But I want to tell you about a famous man. His name's Billy Graham. Many of you know his story of growing up on a farm in North Carolina as a teenage boy. The last thing that he was interested in was church or God.
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  He intended a revival because a friend of his invited him to come.
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  And that one night, Billy Graham left church different than he came.
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  He was saved.
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  He was surrendered to the Lord and the call that the Lord had placed on his life.
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  A man that preached to 215 million people, led countless people to the Lord, preached crusades, stood before presidents and kings and nations. And it all can be traced back to one day and one decision.
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  One time that he went to church.
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  What God does on one day is amazing.
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  I can take you back to the time when I got saved and I got saved in the church that I'd been in for years.
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  But that one night was very different.
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  God met me there.
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  And my prayer today is that you have met and encountered God in such a way that he has not only changed your life, but that you life now speaks to his glory.
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  I can't think of any better time to start off a new year together in God's word.
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  To focus on his call to the church and the priority as we serve the Lord together.
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  This year I'm going to ask that we pray together.
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  God, thank you for your love, Lord. Your steadfast love endures forever.
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  Lord, some in this room have understood and received that love.
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  Lord, there are some that are watching and that are in this room that need you, God. I pray Lord, that you will just peel back the film over their eyes and just let them look into your word. Your word is truth.
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  Sanctify our hearts in your truth today. Teach us to love your word. May it bring wisdom and understanding. May it be sweeter than honey that we desire all of our days.
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  As we open it up today, we pray that you lead our study in Jesus name.
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  Amen.
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  Luke chapter number two. We are picking it up about mid chapter. Verse number 21 is where we left off last Week, we'll pick up there.
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  But as we look at these first couple of verses, the title of this message today is this One day of worship. I don't know about you, but I look forward to Sundays.
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  I look forward to Sundays because I've spent time studying and I've spent time with God. And I just want to tell you what God has told me.
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  And I get a couple days a week to do that, but particularly on Sunday mornings. It's where the collective group of believers gathers together. The one thing that we all have in common, and I'm not gonna say all of us, but. But all believers have in common as we gather today is the Lord Jesus Christ.
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  Some of us dress different, we carry different versions of the Bible. We look different, we're different genders. Listen, we are different in so many ways. But the one thing that brings us to church today is our love for Jesus.
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  And as we look at this word today, my prayer is that it will also remind us of God's love for us and how we as the church must continue in the days ahead.
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  Look at God's word. Luke chapter two, starting with verse number 21.
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  And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
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  And when the days of our purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. As it is written in the law of the Lord, every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord and offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord. A pair of turtledoves are two young pigeons.
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  A day of worship we see here is a day of purification and presentation.
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  It's amazing the people that you meet in church.
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  If I go around this room, maybe you're a person in this room. You can sit here and say, I don't know half the people in this church.
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  And you know what the pastor's gonna tell you?
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  It's your job to get to know them.
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  Don't just come Sunday by Sunday saying, I don't know anybody in church, but I'm coming to church and I love church. If you love church, you've got to love the people of the church.
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  And we gotta get to know one another.
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  And we live life together.
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  Church isn't about you do your thing and I do my thing. And we meet on one day and we celebrate our things together. And then you go do your thing and I'll go do my thing and we'll meet again next week.
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  So much of church it's like that, but it's amazing when we think about one day of worship. God gives us one day each week to collectively come together as the people of God and worship.
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  Now, what does this have to do with Jesus coming to the earth? Well, I'm trying to convey that to you.
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  In verse number 21, we are just given a single statement of information that on the eighth day of Jesus life, he was circumcised and he was given his name.
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  So we understand that that name was given by God to the angels who then gave it. And now he holds to that name. On the eighth day is when those children were named. And so we see that John's parents did it. And we see that Mary and Joseph are raising Jesus in accordance with to Levitical law.
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  Then in verse number 22. So there's a little time gap between verse number 21 and verse 22. Look at verse 22, it says this. And when the days of purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.
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  Now this did not happen on the eighth day. This happened on the 40th day. So there's a little gap of time there.
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  That's in scripture. But those 40 days of purification are up. And you may say, what are you talking about, Jeffrey? When a woman had a baby, according to Levitical law, you can look it up in Leviticus chapter number 12, she was ceremonially unclean for 40 days.
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  After 40 days, then she was to go to the temple and present an offering, a young lamb.
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  And then that purification would take place in her life.
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  So that's what we read in verse number 22. The days of her purification were up. They're headed to the temple.
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  And we understand this, that Mary is presenting not a lamb, but she's presenting two birds.
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  Now, according to Levitical law, in Leviticus chapter 12, if you did not have a lamb, you could do two turtledoves or two pigeons.
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  And what we see in Scripture is this.
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  Mary and Joseph were not wealthy.
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  They couldn't afford to buy the best lamb and offer it for an offering of purification. They just stuck with the two birds and that would do the job in God's sight. But what we see is Mary and Joseph are not rich by any means. It gives us their social good class. And I'm grateful today that you don't have to wear a suit and that you don't have to have a lot of money. But you can still come to Jesus.
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  And church should not be about necessarily all that we wear and all that we have so long you have Jesus.
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  And so what we see as they make their way to the temple, they're doing it because they are following the Lord's command. They are following the word of God.
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  But I look from Mary's perspective, in the eyes of God, she has just given birth to the Son of God.
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  It is a miraculous thing. She brought the Son of God into the world. And guess what? She is still unclean.
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  She will still have to accept, receive her son as savior.
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  And in the eyes of God, as she makes her journey to that temple, she comes with not only a brand new baby and her husband, she comes with those two birds that will make her clean.
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  For Mary, this was a time that she was considered sinful and unpure. And yet going to the temple, she needed the forgiveness of God on her life.
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  And I want you to understand this. Every time I walk into this place, whether it's empty or whether it's full, here's what your pastor understands. I need the forgiveness of a holy God.
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  And my prayer is that as you come on Sunday mornings, that you realize that not only are you here to worship the Lord, but we need his forgiveness. Not one day a week, but every day of our lives.
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  One day of worship reminds us that we need God's forgiveness. We need his purification over our lives. And it does not come in the form of two birds. It comes in the form of a son of God.
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  What Mary didn't realize, though, she was not carrying a lamb, an animal, she was carrying the lamb of God that would take away the sin of the world.
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  Every week when I come to worship, it reminds me of my need for my holy God, my need for forgiveness.
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  But also we see for Jesus it was a day of presentation.
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  They are bringing Jesus to the temple. And in verse number 23 it says this. Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord as the firstborn son. Mary and Joseph had to redeem their son. They had to pay five shekels to redeem the firstborn son of the family.
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  I'm grateful.
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  I'm grateful that in this one day in church that we're reading about in scripture, we see young family, a young family that's just welcomed a child. They are following God, what God would have them to do. They are seeking his forgiveness. They are coming before the Lord. They are coming for the right reasons.
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  Praise God for young families in church.
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  Listen, I'M going to say this. If your family, I mean, if your child squalls a little bit, it don't bother me.
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  I could get loud every time I hear a child laugh or cry or drag their fingers down the wall of the hallway and I see those fingerprints. Some people get so bent up, mad, and I just say, thank you, Jesus.
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  Thank you, Jesus, that we're in a place where we want our next generation to hear the truth and Jesus and church. We need to continue to support that next generation and teach them the love of Jesus.
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  As families gather, we are not presenting ourselves as perfect people, but we are presenting ourselves as needful people needing a holy God, needing a relationship with Jesus, needing his touch in and on our lives and on our families.
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  What Mary and Joseph were doing is here is our son, God. He is yours.
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  We will raise him like you teach us.
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  As we look around today, what a great reminder that purification and presentation happens every Sunday.
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  Romans 12:1 teaches us this. Present yourselves, present your bodies. A living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to your God, which is your reasonable service.
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  Every time that you enter the sanctuary, you are presenting yourselves before a holy God.
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  Oh, how we need him. Amen.
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  Let's go to church again.
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  Look at verses 25 through 32. Look at the next family we meet at church.
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  And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. And the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Ghost was upon him.
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  And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
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  And he came by the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms and blessed God and said, lord, now let us thou servant, depart in peace according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people. A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of, of thy people Israel.
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  Point number two. A day in worship is a day of preparation. A day of preparation also in the temple, that day, in church, that day was a man named Simeon. The only time that we encounter or that we are introduced to this man on the pages of Scripture. And what we see here is he is a just, righteous and devout man. He's waiting for the consolation of Israel. What does that mean? Here's what it means. He's looking for the one that's going to bring comfort or counsel to the people of Israel. But there's something amazing about this old man.
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  He's led by the Holy Spirit.
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  We got to be careful now.
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  In Baptist churches, that scares us to death.
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  We don't really know what to do with that. We don't know what it is. We don't know how to explain it. Here's what we know. He's God, but it's real.
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  And when we understand that the Holy Spirit leads godly people, it's amazing what the Holy Spirit can do in our lives.
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  The promise that this old man holds onto is this. The Holy Spirit promised him this, that he would not die until he seen the Messiah.
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  Imagine living your life like that.
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  Some of you would be wide open and others would be reserved. But here's what he's doing. He's living his life looking for Jesus.
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  He's living his life waiting for that encounter. Because he knows I'm not going to die until I see this Messiah.
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  And it's amazing what he does. As he is Holy Spirit led. He begins to sing a song.
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  Now look, listen to me. Church. We ought to sing songs in church too.
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  And it's okay if you're like me that consider yourself someone that is not able to sing.
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  Whoever sits beside me up here, I apologize to them in advance.
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  But I'm going to sing because God has given me a song to sing.
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  And you should sing because God has given you a song to sing.
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  You don't have to be up here by yourself, but you can be amongst the people of God, singing the praises to our God.
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  Your lips should move to the music of the song that God puts in your heart, whether you think you can or not.
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  What does that song say?
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  That song says this.
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  My eyes have seen your salvation.
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  My eyes have seen your salvation.
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  When we understand what that really means, here's what Simeon is saying. He is saying, my eyes have beheld that which I've waited my whole life for. Not only are my eyes on him, but my arms are now around him. I am holding the Savior of the world.
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  If you are a believer in church today, you can sing that same song.
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  The presence of the Holy Spirit. You have a hold on God Almighty. God's presence is with you.
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  The second part of that song for all people.
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  As Simeon takes him up in his arms, he says, my eyes have seen thy salvation which thou has prepared for the face of all people. In verse number 31, we understand that this Savior is a special little boy. But he is going to begin in Israel. That's where ministry will take place. But this little baby will Change the world and his relationship will be available to all people.
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  He's a light to Gentiles and to Israel.
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  That light would reveal exactly who Christ was to people that were not in Israel, the Gentile people.
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  But he would also bring glory to those that were in Israel. But the last part of that song is in verse 20, number 29. I'm going to back up. The last part that I want to focus on is this. He says, now let us thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word, God. I've lived my life in the temple looking for Jesus.
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  Now I've seen him.
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  And he says, it's okay, you can take me home.
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  This is an old man's heart.
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  And this old man says this God, you have fulfilled your promise and your purpose in this old and faithful man. I'm at peace with death and I'm ready to meet you.
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  The peace that Simeon has with Jesus and with death shows us the peace that only Jesus can bring in our life.
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  But I want you to see a man who is led by the Holy Spirit to come to the temple to meet this child, to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, to proclaim his light and salvation for all people. As we are getting ready for Sunday morning, has there ever been a time that you said, I don't really feel like going to church today?
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  Be honest.
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  We can all nod our heads, can't we?
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  I really don't feel it today.
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  It's not that I'm sick, but I just don't feel like doing it today.
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  Simeon's heart went to church every week looking. Because guess what?
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  The Christ child may be there.
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  The Christ may come and I may miss him if I miss church.
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  Have you ever thought about that, what you would miss if you miss church?
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  It's more than the Bible study. I'm grateful for the word of God.
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  I would miss my family.
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  If I go a week without church, you can really just mark that week off the calendar because it's not going to be worth 2 cents to me.
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  Oh, that we had a heart like Simeon that looked and longed for Jesus. So much so that you look for him every day in all the places that. That you went. Simeon teaches us this. You should be ready to meet Jesus before you meet Jesus.
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  It's a day of preparation.
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  When you get up on Sunday mornings, is it just throw the clothes on and the makeup on and get in the car and get to some Sundays. I know parents. We were there. It's all you can do just to get the kids dressed and get there. Check that Off. We made it right.
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  But what if we woke up and said, God, today I need to meet you in this place.
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  I'm going to be a messenger, a minister for you. God, use me in some way today.
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  Oh, that we would be prepared. When we come to the place of worship.
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  There's another part of this that we're going to read. Verses 33 through 35.
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  Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary, his mother, behold, this child is set for the fall and the rising again of many in Israel. And for a sign which shall be spoken against, yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also, and the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
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  It's a day of revelation as Mary and Joseph entrust their child to this old man.
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  He sings a song and he prophesies what will happen in this child's life.
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  Remember this. Mary has already had an encounter with an angel.
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  And she pondered there.
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  She met with Elizabeth and pondered there.
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  She met with the shepherds and pondered there. And now Simeon's word. Guess what? She's sitting back just thinking, what in the world is this man saying?
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  I've got to process these things.
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  And what he says is this, that the child was going to be. Many will fall and many will rise because of this child.
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  I view this as words of warning, not words of worship.
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  Some people view it as words of worship that you'll rise up and you'll sit down before the Lord, that you will worship, you'll stand and you'll bow down. That could be one interpretation, but I view it as a word of warning that Jesus will be a stumbling block.
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  It doesn't say for a couple of people. The Bible doesn't say a couple of people are going to stumble over Jesus. Many, many will stumble, but many will also rise.
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  And I believe when we come to worship, Jesus should not be a stumbling block for you and I. It is a place where we come and we can worship him. But there are going to be people who hear the name of Jesus and you are associated with that. And then you're going to be pushed out of their lives.
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  You've got to be okay with that.
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  Jesus will be a stumbling block.
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  Many will speak against him.
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  Mary, you gonna hear some things about your son that you ain't gonna like.
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  Now, I see some of your mother hens there. If that's my boy, you know you ain't gonna talk about my boy like that.
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  No. Remember, Mary's processing and what this old man says that, Mary, there are gonna be people that speak against him. You're gonna hear horrib.
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  There are going to be accusations and hatred and attacks. And people are going to turn their back on that boy.
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  Mary, you will be hurt as people attack the name of Jesus.
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  She would watch her son be accused and mistreated and condemned and crucified.
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  She would watch her son die. Mary, oh, Mary, your soul will be pierced.
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  Following Jesus, your soul may be pierced.
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  It's going to hurt.
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  It's not always going to be the roads, the paved walkway. It should hurt if you follow Jesus.
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  But also the thoughts of many are going to be revealed. And verse number 35 says that Jesus life, his death and resurrection are going to reveal the hearts of many.
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  They're going to rise and fall. There will be light and darkness. There's going to be love and hate. But here's the truth. Jesus will reveal what's in your heart.
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  For Joseph and Mary, the trip to the temple was a day of revelation. But maybe today God wants to reveal some things to you about your trip to church.
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  Maybe he wants to reveal something about your heart and your soul today as you sit in this place of worship.
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  Every time we come together, it should reveal who we truly are under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
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  And if there are things that don't belong, as that comes to light, as it is revealed, we must make those changes.
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  Look at verses 36 through 38 we introduce to somebody else in church.
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  And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanel, of the tribe of Asur. She was of a great age and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity. And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
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  And she, coming in that instant, gave thanks likewise unto the Lord and spake of him to all them that look for the redemption in Jerusalem.
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  The day of worship should be a day of redemption.
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  A day of redemption.
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  We are introduced to this other older servant. Her name is Anna.
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  She is introduced as a prophetess. And she is introduced as an older woman that was married for seven years and then her husband died and she never remarried.
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  The number that is given in scripture is 84. Four score and four is 84. That is likely her age.
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  84 years old. Can I ask you a question? How many of you in this room, man or woman, are older? 84 or older? Raise your hand real quick. Wave at me. Praise God.
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  Praise God. Any in the balcony?
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  If Any made it to the balcony. Praise God, we might have witnessed a miracle. Today.
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  We understand that Anna lived her life in the temple. Let me ask you a question. Does Clifford Baptist Church have some older ladies, older men that live here?
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  Absolutely.
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  Absolutely.
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  This church could not be what it is without the older saints. But Anna, she comes and simply gives thanks for this little one recognizing that he is not just an ordinary baby.
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  Anyone that was looking for the promised Messiah. Anna was quick to point out, this is the hope. This is the one that we have waited for. This is the one that we have waited for on our redemption.
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  Anna points to the baby.
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  This baby.
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  This is the reason I've come and this is the reason I've served. And this is what my hope has been waiting on for 84 years of my life.
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  She knows pain, she knows loneliness, she knows loss, but she knows hope and she knows Jesus.
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  And that's what fuels her at 84 years old, her love for her God.
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  This woman's life was devoted to the temple and to the Lord. And the day of redemption had come. Jesus birth assured that in that day God allowed her to point out to others, this is the one that we've waited for.
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  I Love verse number 38, it says this, it says, and she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord and spake of him to all them that looked for the redemption of Jerusalem.
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  Anybody that was looking for redemption, she pointed the way.
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  At her age.
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  Absolutely.
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  The beginning of this sermon I was thankful for the young families.
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  But I'll stand at this pulpit today and say this.
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  We cannot do ministry without senior saints.
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  You're never too old are things that are too bad that you can't look to Jesus as your hope. And you can spend out the rest of your days living and longing to meet Jesus.
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  What better way to serve him than with the people of God?
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  And so Today we understand Dr. Luke's heart.
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  Remember, Luke is a doctor, as he writes. And Dr. Luke's heart was for those that were a little bit older. We've seen Elizabeth and Zacharias and Simeon and Anna and this is what Dr. Luke shows us. There is an older generation that is still vital to the work and the commitment and the prayer and leading others to Jesus.
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  It takes multi generation to introduce people to Jesus and to point the way.
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  If you told me my church is full of young families, I'd be excited, but I would not be content.
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  If you told me my church was full of a bunch of old people, I'd say praise God. I got some saints. In here, I can do something with these old people. They're faithful. But I wouldn't be content if you told me a church that has young families and older people and they come together and they worship Jesus together. I tell you, that's exactly where I was want to serve.
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  Look around church.
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  This is where we are to serve Jesus.
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  Not just with the young people, not just with the old people. We are to mix it up and point people to Jesus.
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  There's one more point. I know my time's coming close.
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  Look at verse 38 through. Excuse me, 39 and 40.
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  And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned unto Galilee and to their own city of Nazareth.
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  And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
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  A day of worship should be a day of cultivation.
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  Jesus grew not only in size, not only in age, but spirit.
• 33:47
  Here's something crazy in Scripture.
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  We're going to leave Jesus around 40 days old next week. When you come back, he's going to be 12 years old.
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  It almost goes that fast. When you have a young one, it almost goes that fast.
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  Here's all we know about Jesus childhood.
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  He grew.
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  He not only grew up in age, but the Bible says in verse number 40 that child grew and he waxed strong in spirit and he was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him.
• 34:23
  As I think about a day of worship, it's not just a day to come and take it all in.
• 34:30
  Listen, if I came to church just to be a receiver, I'd leave here a poor man every day.
• 34:36
  But if I'm a giver and a receiver, oh, man, it's amazing what God can do.
• 34:43
  If you show up to church saying, I want to serve my Lord and I want to pour into others, it's amazing how God will use you. Here is your pastor's belief.
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  Now, you can write it down, you can quote it, you can put it on social media, you can do whatever you want to with this.
• 34:59
  I believe every Christian should be being poured into and then pouring into somebody else.
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  That's how you grow.
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  You don't grow just by coming to church, sitting down for an hour, going home, that may help you. But you don't get what you need to grow in the Lord.
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  And what I mean, somebody says, pastor Jeffrey, what is your vision for 2026?
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  It's boiled down to three words on the front of your bulletin. I don't have mine with you, with me, there's a little There's a little sentence there that tells you kind of what our vision is. That we want to point people to Jesus Christ. But basically, there are three words. How do you do that?
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  The first one is no.
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  The second one is growing. And the third one is go.
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  If you wanted me to give you a vision for the new year, here's the vision number one, that people come to Clifford Baptist Church and they can come to know the Lord through the teaching and leading. It's not our job to save people. That's God's job. But it's our job to teach people and to instruct where they can come to know the Lord.
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  People should know Jesus that come to Clifford Baptist Church.
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  We need to know Him. We should want to know who he is. The second thing, we should want to grow and church. I'm guilty here.
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  I'm guilty of pouring, but not being poured into.
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  So tomorrow, I've set up a meeting with a couple of guys that are going to pour into me, and I'm going to pour into them.
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  But we've got to grow.
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  You've got to grow. I've got to grow. It's not just y' all gotta grow. No, I need to grow.
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  And how do we do that? You do that by coming along and sitting in small groups and Sunday school classes and men's classes and women's classes. Walking life with the people of God.
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  You say, jeffrey, that takes time. I know, but the last thing that I want to do is stand before the Lord and say, lord, I got saved, but I wasted the rest of my life.
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  Here's my question about growing.
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  How are you being poured into?
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  How are you getting what you need from Jesus? If you say, jeffrey, I said, under your teaching, I'm gonna say thank you, but that's not enough.
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  One hour a week will not grow you. It may even stunt your growth because you think it's good enough.
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  Who's pouring into your church?
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  As we see from scripture, Jesus grew in spirit and in wisdom. And we must be doing the same thing.
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  The third word is go, Know, grow, go.
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  Once you know him, and once you're growing, then you need to go for him. You need to be serving Jesus Christ in some capacity. And I believe the greatest way to serve the Lord is through the local church.
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  The local church. I listen to a lot of great preaching. I listen to First Baptist of Atlanta, but I'm not a member of that church. I don't serve with those people. I just know the pastor by name. I don't even know the pastor.
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  But when you get in the trenches beside people and you say, this is where I'm weak, here's what scripture says about it. It's amazing how you become stronger.
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  So as you are praying for your New Year, pray these three words. Lord, I know you, Lord, I want to grow in you. And Lord, how can I go for you? Teach me those things this year.
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  It's amazing what God will do.
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  Alright, that's the sermon for the day.
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  We think of these words, Purification.
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  Hold on. Don't zip yet. Just stay still.
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  Do you come to church seeking forgiveness?
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  My prayer is yes.
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  Do you come to church as a living sacrifice, presenting yourself holy before God?
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  Do you come in preparation, see God at work, trying to see him work through your life and wanting God to work through your life? God, prepare my heart before I even step foot on the property?
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  Do you come in revelation knowing who God is, but seeking him for who he is?
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  Do you come in redemption, able to appoint others toward? This is the reason. This is why I am the way I am.
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  Jesus changed my life.
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  Do you come to church for cultivation, to grow?
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  Not to grow just in size or in age, but in the Lord, that He can do his work through you?
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  I asked the question I did at the beginning. How important is one day?
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  How important is today?
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  Maybe this message has opened your eyes in a way that one has never opened your eyes before.
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  It's a day that is holy that we set aside to come and worship God with the people of God.
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  I look back at Mary and Joseph. They were coming, presenting an offering, desiring cleanliness and forgiveness. That's the way they came.
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  I look at Simeon and Anna. They were faithful people with sight, waiting, wanting to see Jesus. And they left that day, rejoicing.
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  Can we present ourselves a living sacrifice before God?
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  Maybe today is just an ordinary day for you.
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  You got up, you got dressed. You came to church to hear this guy preach.
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  You came to church because it's the right thing to do, and it is the right thing to do.
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  But you came to church knowing you need something more, something else.
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  That something else could be Jesus if you don't have a relationship with him.
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  And my prayer today is that through God's word, you see Jesus coming to the earth, desiring that relationship for his people.
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  Maybe you're older, like Anna or Simeon, and you're looking and you've waited for such a time as this. And now's the time that you move to ministry.
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  My prayer today is that God will guide your heart and the rest of your days. That we will give our days to him in worship.
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  One day of worship can change your life. If Jesus is in control, let's give him that time. Father. God, thank you for this time today.
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  I thank you for each one that has come today, Lord. It is not by accident, but Lord, you have each person here according to your will, Lord. And I thank you for that and these moments.
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  God, I pray that you will show our hearts how serious being in church is.
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  How serious knowing you as Savior is. How serious of growing in you and going for you is to the Kingdom's work.
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  Oh God, I pray, Lord, that you will open our hearts and our eyes to the generations that are surrounding us. Those that have been saints and that have been serving for years upon years.
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  God, I pray for for wisdom and knowledge to be shared to the younger generation.
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  Oh God, give that younger generation time and energy for you, God. That is my prayer.
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  God. We'll be careful as we meet week by week this year to give you the praise and glory and honor for what you do through your people who assemble in a building.
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  But the people are the church.
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  God, make us your church.
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  Make us hungry for your word.
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  Make us hungry for people to know you.
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  Make us hungry to point others to Jesus.
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  Oh God, use your people. I pray in Jesus name.
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  Clifford Baptist Church invites you to join us for worship every Sunday morning at 11am for more information about our our church, please call our church office at 434-94-605 55.