Luke 2:21-38
1. Jesus is the Present
2. God is always faithful
3. Finish well
21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
This is not one of our points, but we have to address this. Remember Prothrombin, the enzyme produced on the eight day and only on the eight day? The highest amount of this would be produced for the process of circumcision. Jesus was fully man and his family honored the Mosaic law of having their son be a part of this religious and cultural ritual.
POSB notes that - There were three legal ceremonies which Jesus underwent. (first was done locally, the latter two in the Temple)
1. There was the ceremony of circumcision
2.There was the ceremony of purification. This was a ceremony Mary had to go through. After the birth of a boy child a woman was considered unclean for forty days (eighty for a girl child). She could work around the home and engage in normal activities, but she could not take part in religious ceremonies. She was religiously, that is, ceremonially, unclean. After a woman's forty or eighty days were up, she was to make an offering in the temple (Leviticus 12:1-8).
3. There was the ceremony of dedication to the Lord (Luke 2:23; cp. Exodus 13:2, 12, 15; Leviticus 27:6; Numbers 18:15-16). A male child was presented (dedicated) in the temple when the family was close to Jerusalem.
Angels gave names to John the Baptist and to Jesus via the man in both these stories. I find that different. Do you guys remember naming your kids? I remember naming and wondering. I remember that I did not find out the sex of the kids, we wanted to be surprised. I really appreciated that for me. What a day and age we live in, we get to find out before it comes. It’s like know what you are getting for Christmas, however you don’t care, because it’s a blessing anyways.
Jesus Presented in the Temple
22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
1. Jesus is the present. Jesus was the literally the Christmas present at this time. He’s is our everlasting Christmas present. Baby Dedications Jewish style. What a blessing.
Let’s really dive into this and realize that Jesus was the present and he is present in all the things needed to be the fulfillment to us.
Think with me about this. A sin offering for having a baby? No, that’s not what’s being said. Let’s read it together
Lev 12:3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
Lev 12:4 ‘Then she shall remain in the blood of her purification for thirty-three days; she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed.
Lev 12:6 ‘When the days of her purification are completed (7 + 33 days = 40 days), for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting a one year old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering.
Lev 12:7 ‘Then he shall offer it before the LORD and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, whether a male or a female.
Lev 12:8 ‘But if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’” (Lev 12:2, 4, 6, 8-note).
Don’t you find this fascinating that this was done in completeness? Could you imagine living like this now? Aren‘t we thankful for Jesus and what he did to fulfillthe law and give us grace? Ladies, could you imagine doing this every month? What discipline, what devotion to your convictions. If you think about it, it’s quite a beautiful thing to be so faithful. The bummer part of all this, is that something has to die all the time. I think if we actually could see an animal dying for us for our sin, maybe we would think more about the sin we commit. I know I would. This makes Jesus an even a bigger deal to me. Man, how he loves us.
Simeon Sees God’s Salvation
25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:
2. God is always faithful.
He is faithful to console and He is faithful to what he says he will do. There is a matter here that I want to share with you. The consolation of Israel. The consolation is not a prize you get for participating, however that’s kind of the same story. Consolation is literally the act of consoling or making someone feel better. The dictionary defines it like this, “the comfort received by a person after a loss or disappointment”. In a similar way we understand that our situations are bad but we know that
"there was consolation in knowing that others were worse off"
Consolation of Israel in this context refers to the Messiah and the hope that was associated with the Messiah's coming. In other words, consolation was a Person. The "hope" was that He would restore Israel to her prominence among all the nations of the world. The NET Bible translation conveys this thought writing that Simeon was "looking for the restoration of Israel" (Lk 2:25NET) The NET adds that "The restoration of Israel refers to Simeon's hope that the Messiah would come and deliver the nation.
God is faithful to Console us.
THOUGHT - Notice God's perfect timing with the phrase when the parents brought in the child, reflecting His absolute sovereign control of the timing of these seemingly random events (with God there are NO random or chance events!) -- the Spirit brings Simeon into the Temple the very time Joseph and Mary bring Jesus into the Temple! Why are we so fearful of keeping in step with the Spirit (Gal 5:25NIV+)? After all, He desires only our ultimate good and God's great glory!
God was faithful again to bring Simeon at the perfect time.
What a revelation of God being faithful. I see this scene like from the Lion King, when Mufasa holds up baby Simba as he dedicates and he blesses him. Maybe the Lion King stole this from the account of Jesus right here. Could be.
I would imagine that Simeon was probably full of tears of joy and was just so happy in ways that maybe he had never experienced. He is holding the Lord’s Christ. You know that the Lord Jesus Christ is not his name like Joel Cane or Mark Macias or Mary Lee, it’s a title.
Lord =he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord
Christ= Christ = "anointed"A. Christ was, and is, the Messiah, the Son of GodB. anointed
Jesus is the chosen anointed Savior of the World. Could you imagine with me, I mean I get goose bumps thinking about this and thinking about how humbled how this Godly man must have felt. Holding the anointed savior of the world in your hands. Your feeble hands are holding the keys to all life now and forever. Let’s look at what fell from his lips.
God is faithful
29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation 31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, 32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
Simeon knows the Spirit, is led by the Spirit and the Word and speaks forth a prophetic truth for eternity. This is a Seismic word quake of shockwaves that we are still being shaken from.
Don’t ever forget that peace floods the soul when God rules the Heart. This man is ready for His Heavenly promotion.
Are you ready for your heavenly promotion?
Here are some other last words of some amazing saints
Dwight L. MOODY (1837-1899) "I see earth receding; heaven is opening. God is calling me."
DAVID BRAINERD, whose intercessory prayer life and remarkable work among the American Indians still inspire the Lord's people. Just before he died, Brainerd was heard to whisper: "He will come; and will not tarry. I shall soon be in glory; soon be with God and His angels."
What will your last words be?
God is faithful.
33 [h]And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Jesus, shows us the sin we need to be forgiven from. Simeon also knows that Jesus will die and will break his mother’s heart. It’s a real sad truth that I pray none of us ever have to go through. If you have, I’m Sorry. Love strongly and love intently my family. We are not promised tomorrow.
Anna Bears Witness to the Redeemer
36 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; 37 and this woman was a widow [i]of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And coming in that instant she gave thanks to [j]the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
3. Finish well
Well what do you say. This woman loved the Lord with all her heart, mind and soul.
Can I give you a few more?
I heard a story of a Chinese Christian who was moved with compassion when his countrymen were taken to work as coolies in South African mines. In order to be able to witness to these men, this prominent old man sold himself to the mining company to work as a coolie for five years. He died there, still a slave, but not until he had won more than 200 men to Jesus Christ. He was truly a living sacrifice for the Lord.
In the mid-seventeenth century, a well-known Englishman was captured by Algerian pirates and made a slave too. While in slavery, he started a church. When his brother arranged his release, he refused his freedom, having vowed to remain a slave until he died in order to continue serving the church he started. Today a sign in an Algerian church bears his name. He too, was a living sacrifice for Christ.
On one of the old Roman coins was the figure of an ox, standing between a plow and an altar, with the inscription, "Ready for either." That is the attitude of the sold-out Christian who presents his body as a living sacrifice. He is ready for service and sacrifice. Are you ready and willing to live your life for the Lord Jesus Christ? How dedicated are you to the Lord? How close do you want to be to Him?
These are real people with real conviction who finished well. Do you want to finish well?
We want to live lives fully lived don’t we, like the title of the message.
Jesus is always the present given to us and he is always present with us. Please remind yourself of that as much as you need to in your daily gift of life.
And as we ponder finishing well, are you finishing well? What is it that you need to let God change in you? Finish well.
Comments