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I want to start this morning by just wondering out loud

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if you've ever thought about what I'm about to share.

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In fact, if you were raised in a believing family,

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you were raised on the truth of the Bible,

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it might be something that you've never

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really considered before.

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But think about this, the creator of all things,

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the eternal God of the universe,

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the infinite being who exists outside of time and space,

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and the sovereign over all of human history,

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has uniquely revealed himself in a collection of writings

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bound together in one single book.

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All of that infinite eternal ontology

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divinely transmitted to us in just one book.

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Now the world is full of books,

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and we have a lot of choices out there,

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what we can read, and there's a lot of good reading

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out there, but there is only one special revelation

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of who God is and what his plan is for the world

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and for our lives, only one.

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And in the first 70, 75% of that one book,

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what we call the Old Testament,

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God has given us a series of breadcrumbs

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that help us see how in time and space

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he plans to consummate all things

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and to redeem a people for himself.

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And amazingly, that divine revelation was granted

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to a relatively small ancient near east people called Israel.

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And in it was a series of prophecies built into the text,

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all of which point to a unique individual

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who will someday come to earth and fulfill

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the creator's plan to ransom our sins

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and give us eternal life in his kingdom.

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Now, step back for a moment and think,

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that is a remarkable story.

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That is a wild story, is it not?

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Again, if we grow up in the church,

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sometimes we just take all that for granted.

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That is a remarkable story.

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And once you recognize how remarkable that story is,

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the most important follow-up question is this,

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and you should be asking this question in Christmas week.

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Is it true?

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Is the story true?

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When we started this Advent series three weeks ago,

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I purposely began with the historical context

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of the Christmas story.

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And again, the reason I wanted to start there

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is because we are so familiar with the Christmas story

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that we often overlook it.

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Or worse, we're so familiar with it

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that we start to view it as some type

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of quaint little fable or allegory.

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And if the Christmas story is just a heartwarming fable,

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then we can all choose to believe it or not,

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like Santa, right?

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We can choose to believe it or not.

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It's a completely subjective decision,

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totally up to you, but not binding in any way, shape,

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or form.

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But if the opposite is true,

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if the Christmas story is historically accurate

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and the child in that manger is who the Bible says he is,

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that is the biggest game changer in the history of mankind.

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Isn't that true?

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It's the biggest game changer of all time.

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And it makes a binding demand on your life.

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Now you have to believe it or reject it.

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There is no middle ground option.

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And your eternal destiny hangs in the balance.

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So this Christmas week, we should ask the question,

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is the story true?

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Is the witness to Jesus' birth and life reliable?

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Let me share with you an amazing historical fact.

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And you may have heard some form of this in the past,

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but again, maybe not really considered it.

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In the ancient world, and we look at the New Testament,

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we're talking about the ancient world.

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In the ancient world, written biographies were very rare.

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Written biographies, incredibly rare.

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On occasion, a historical figure would be so full

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of himself that he would tap somebody,

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a biographer to go with him and to write down

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all of his exploits, or sometimes a particular person

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would rise up in a population and decide

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that he was gonna jot down accounts

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of the events of his day.

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But it was very rare.

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And the reason that was rare was unlike today,

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ancient people did not think that writing things down

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was necessary.

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We're a very written culture.

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We want every single detail put down in black and white.

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That was not the ancient world.

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In most parts of the ancient world,

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the oral transmission of historical accounts

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was the norm, that was accepted.

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People passed down stories and historical facts

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from generation to generation, and they kept them

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in families and communities and even nations.

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That's why some of our most famous historical figures

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have very little written about them.

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And again, maybe you haven't considered this before.

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Alexander the Great, one of the most influential men

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in human history, one of the greatest conquerors

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of all time, five sources for his life.

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And that's a high number in the ancient world, five.

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Attila the Hun, two sources for his life.

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Pieced together, cobbled together.

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Take a contemporary figure from the time of Christ,

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Julius Caesar, only four sources for his life.

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This is the man who transformed the Roman Republic

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into the Roman Empire, the greatest empire

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the world has ever seen.

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Four people decided they would sit down

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and write about his life.

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Now those men are great kings and great conquerors,

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men who changed the world, right?

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If they had only a few biographers or a handful

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of biographers, how many sources would you expect

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to write down the history of a wandering Jewish rabbi

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from Galilee?

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You'd expect absolutely zero.

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Zero people to ever write down a biography

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about a man like Jesus, zero.

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And yet, 2,000 years later, the biographies we have

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of Jesus sitting in your lap right now or on your phone

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are the most widely read biographies

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of any man in human history.

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And how do you explain that?

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How do you explain that, that four guys said,

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we'll talk about Julius Caesar, but more than four

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decided to write down the life of this rabbi

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from Galilee.

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Now I sometimes hear critics say or write,

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well we can't know for sure that the biographers

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wrote accurate history about Jesus.

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And my response is, okay, can we know that Plutarch

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was writing accurate history or Cassius Dio

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or Suetonius, can we know that?

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If we apply a consistent historical method

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to our research, yes we can.

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We can start by looking at the manuscripts

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that have survived to this day.

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Look at the volume of them, look at the dating of them,

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look at how they were passed down.

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We can then cross check them against one another.

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We can look at the details of those accounts,

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look at names and places and cultural references.

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And then we can put a shovel into the ground

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and see if archeology bears out those accounts or not.

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We can do that, and we have done that in human history.

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It's not hard if, if, and that's a big if, right,

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you're willing to actually look at the evidence.

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And so those accounts of Alexander and Attila and Caesar

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written down, listen, hundreds of years,

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in some cases more than a thousand years

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after the events they describe.

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Compare that now with the synoptic gospels, including Luke,

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written 20 to 25 years after the life of Christ.

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The epistles of Paul, which also bear witness to his life,

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written down between 16 and 30 years after his death.

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And what about the manuscript evidence?

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For those great men of history,

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the surviving manuscripts that we have

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that have been cobbled together by historians

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are not even ancient at all.

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Take for example, the works of the Roman historian Tacitus,

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great historian.

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He's a contemporary of the apostles,

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and he writes about the first century,

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but the earliest manuscript we have of his writings

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is 11th century.

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And with more time, they become less reliable

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because there's time for errors and variants

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and additions to be made.

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In addition to the time gap, the number,

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the sheer number of surviving manuscripts we have

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for some of these well-known historical figures

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are very few, seven documents here, 12 documents there.

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Scan evidence for lives that every one of us was taught

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was absolutely verified.

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Does anyone really doubt today

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that Alexander conquered the Persian Empire

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in spite of the number of manuscripts we have?

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Does anybody doubt that Julius Caesar conquered Rome

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then marched on Rome and became the dictator there

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in the city of Rome?

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No, in spite of the fact that we have very few

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surviving manuscripts.

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Now, with the New Testament,

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we have not 10th century or 11th century manuscripts,

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we have second century, third century.

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We have entire codices of the New Testament

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from the fourth century on.

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It's remarkable.

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And catch this, between the time of Christ

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and the invention of the printing press,

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scholars have collected not seven copies

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or eight copies or 12 copies,

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but close to 6,000 New Testament manuscripts

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in the Greek language.

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And many more thousand in other ancient languages

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like Coptic or Syriac.

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Guys, the New Testament is the most documented collection

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of writings ever, and it's not even close.

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Now, do the internal details hold up?

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That's a key question.

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Names, places, cultural references.

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Well, let's look at the Christmas story

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as a good model for us.

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Caesar Augustus ruling at the time, check.

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Herod the Great, king of the Jews, ruling at that time,

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check.

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Quirinius, the governor of Syria at that time,

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check.

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Roman census for the purpose of taxation, check.

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Nazareth, a little town in Galilee, check.

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Bethlehem, a little town in Judea, check.

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Bethlehem, the city of David's birth, check.

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Shepherds watching over their sheep in that region, check.

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Feeding troughs found in places where animals are kept,

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check.

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And this morning we're gonna see three important ceremonies

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that are ingrained in Judaism,

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which lend even more cultural credibility to the text.

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So all of the historical and cultural indicators

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in the Christmas story check out.

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Now, has archeology borne it out?

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All across the board, yes, it has.

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Every time we put a spade into the ground in Israel,

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we dig up more biblical evidence.

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It is amazing.

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So by every measurable historical standard,

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there's absolutely no reason to doubt

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that Jesus, son of Mary, was born in Bethlehem

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between four and six BC, as Luke reports.

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And there's no reason to doubt that he was exactly

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who the prophets said he would be

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and who the eyewitnesses to his life testified he was.

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Jesus of Nazareth is, as his biographers identify him,

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the son of the Most High,

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the eternal heir to the Davidic throne,

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Israel's Messiah, and Lord over all.

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And if you're gonna toss that out,

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there's not a single shred of ancient history

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that you can believe this morning.

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Grab your Bibles.

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We're going to Luke chapter two.

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Luke chapter two, we're gonna start today at verse 21.

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And so this actually is after the birth of Christ.

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We're gonna look at the days following the birth of Christ

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as we wrap up our Advent series this morning.

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Luke two, verse 21.

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And guys, the big idea of today's message

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is to connect all of the dots concerning

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the identity of this child, from Old Testament to New,

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so that as you go off to celebrate Christmas this week,

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you can have full confidence

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that your trust in him is well-placed.

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That's important, isn't it?

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Especially as we're communicating to our kids

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about the story to be able to have that confidence

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that we trust in the veracity of this story.

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Now, before we dive into the text,

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I want you to consider another interesting thought.

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As a historian, which Luke is,

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there are many things that he could have chosen

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00:12:52,560 --> 00:12:57,140
to report to us about this infancy period of Jesus' life.

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00:12:57,140 --> 00:13:00,880
So he chooses just a couple of important milestones

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in this text, and that makes them very significant.

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So we should search to find out,

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okay, why did Luke think these were so significant,

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and what was his purpose for relating these things to us,

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which I'll give you my theory about later on.

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Verse 21, and when eight days had passed,

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eight days since Jesus' birth, before a circumcision,

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his name was then called Jesus,

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the name given by the angel

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00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:28,520
before he was conceived in the womb.

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So they obediently, as the angel said,

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instructed them, named him Jesus.

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00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:34,840
So let's start this morning

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by just clearing up the whole name issue,

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because this comes up every, at least for me,

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it comes up on my Twitter feed every single year.

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There's some yahoo who has no understanding

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00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,480
of the biblical languages who says,

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00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:51,540
I don't understand why his name sounds so English.

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00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:54,080
Like that doesn't make any sense.

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00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:56,100
Okay, so here we go.

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00:13:56,100 --> 00:13:58,080
So his name, his birth name in Hebrew

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00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:02,340
would have been Yehoshua, or Yeshua for short,

294
00:14:02,340 --> 00:14:05,440
and that translated into the New Testament Greek

295
00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:10,040
becomes what, Yeh-sus, and then transliterated

296
00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:12,760
from the Greek to English becomes Jesus.

297
00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:17,040
So he's not British, he's not American, okay, he's Hebrew,

298
00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:19,240
but it gets transliterated down the line.

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00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:20,460
Are we good on that?

300
00:14:20,460 --> 00:14:22,820
By the way, does that mean we always have to pray

301
00:14:22,820 --> 00:14:24,800
in the name of Yehoshua?

302
00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:26,500
No, we can pray in English,

303
00:14:26,500 --> 00:14:29,180
and God knows exactly who we're talking about.

304
00:14:29,180 --> 00:14:31,840
Okay, we good on that?

305
00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:35,340
All right, let's talk about the three ceremonies

306
00:14:35,340 --> 00:14:36,800
that we're gonna see in this passage,

307
00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:39,440
because again, they lend cultural credibility

308
00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:40,300
to Luke's account.

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00:14:40,300 --> 00:14:41,960
Look back at verse 21.

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00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:43,000
By the way, if you're one of those people

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00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:45,480
that likes to mark up their Bible, and I love that,

312
00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:49,460
whether it's on your phone or it's with the pen on your lap,

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00:14:49,460 --> 00:14:52,360
highlight or underline the word circumcision in verse 21.

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00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:55,720
That is the first requirement, circumcision.

315
00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:58,820
Of course, we know this given to Abraham in Genesis 17,

316
00:14:58,820 --> 00:15:01,840
later commanded in the law of Moses in Leviticus 12,

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00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:05,280
every male child was to be circumcised on the eighth day

318
00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:06,920
after his birth.

319
00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:08,220
And by the way, this would have taken place

320
00:15:08,220 --> 00:15:10,160
wherever the child was,

321
00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:13,840
so Jesus would have been circumcised according to the laws

322
00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:15,640
somewhere in the Bethlehem region.

323
00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:18,880
And then there's a time gap and a change of location

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00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:22,260
between verse 21 and verse 22.

325
00:15:22,260 --> 00:15:25,480
Says verse 22, and when the days for their purification

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00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:28,320
according to the law of Moses were completed,

327
00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:30,460
they brought Jesus up to Jerusalem

328
00:15:30,460 --> 00:15:32,780
to present him to the Lord.

329
00:15:32,780 --> 00:15:35,000
As it is written in the law of the Lord,

330
00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:37,880
every firstborn male that opens the womb

331
00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:40,400
shall be called holy to the Lord.

332
00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:44,480
So this is the second requirement, purification.

333
00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:49,000
Underline that word purification in verse 22.

334
00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:51,880
In Leviticus 12, we're told that a woman

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00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:54,760
was considered unclean for seven days

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00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:56,480
after she gave birth to a child,

337
00:15:56,480 --> 00:15:58,480
and then it says she must quote,

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00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:01,540
continue in the blood of her purification

339
00:16:01,540 --> 00:16:06,360
for 33 more days before she can come into the sanctuary.

340
00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:10,960
So Jesus is eight days old in verse 21.

341
00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:12,440
By the time we get to verse 22,

342
00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:15,220
he is approaching six weeks old.

343
00:16:15,220 --> 00:16:19,200
And on that day, Mary and Joseph bring him to Jerusalem.

344
00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:20,200
They had been in Bethlehem,

345
00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:22,640
which again is only five or six miles away.

346
00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:26,540
They come up to Jerusalem and they bring him to the temple.

347
00:16:26,540 --> 00:16:28,120
And this is the third requirement,

348
00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:33,120
underline the words present him in your Bibles.

349
00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:37,000
This is the presentation of the firstborn son.

350
00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:39,340
And this is given to us in Exodus 13,

351
00:16:39,340 --> 00:16:43,960
and it's given as a reminder of that final plague in Egypt.

352
00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:45,920
Remember when the firstborn sons of Israel

353
00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:49,020
were spared by the angel of death

354
00:16:49,020 --> 00:16:51,440
because of the blood of the Passover lamb?

355
00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,600
Tons of symbolism in that.

356
00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:56,560
They were spared because the firstborn sons of Israel

357
00:16:56,560 --> 00:16:58,560
were spared, the Lord said to them,

358
00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:02,100
they belong to me, set them apart for my service.

359
00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:07,280
So this is what Mary and Joseph are doing here.

360
00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:10,520
Now, not every child was brought to the temple for this,

361
00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,100
but Mary and Joseph, knowing who their child was,

362
00:17:13,100 --> 00:17:14,480
brought him to Jerusalem.

363
00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:16,040
And it's almost as if they're coming to say,

364
00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:19,680
look, we recognize that this child really isn't ours,

365
00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:21,480
and they bring him to the temple,

366
00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:26,480
to the house of his truest father to present him.

367
00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:30,520
And you see then in verse 24 that a sacrifice was required

368
00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:34,140
at the time of this purification, an offering for sin,

369
00:17:34,140 --> 00:17:38,620
which yes, we can remind our Roman Catholic friends,

370
00:17:38,620 --> 00:17:42,240
an offering for sin that was required of Mary.

371
00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:43,980
Yes, Mary was a sinner.

372
00:17:44,900 --> 00:17:46,920
We can say that out loud, okay?

373
00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:50,080
Verse 24, to offer a sacrifice

374
00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:52,840
according to what was said in the law of the Lord,

375
00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:55,240
a pair of turtle doves.

376
00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:57,200
Isn't there a Christmas song about that?

377
00:17:57,200 --> 00:17:58,040
Turtle doves.

378
00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:00,720
Turtle doves or two young pigeons.

379
00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:02,880
Again, another interesting cultural note here

380
00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:04,700
that lines up with history.

381
00:18:04,700 --> 00:18:08,600
Normally a lamb was required for this purification,

382
00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:11,080
but there is in the law in Leviticus 12,

383
00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:12,200
this offering of the poor.

384
00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:14,080
If you could not afford a lamb,

385
00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,920
you could bring two birds like this.

386
00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:19,960
So this tells you something about Mary and Joseph

387
00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:22,200
and how poor they really were.

388
00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:24,040
So stepping back, now why would Luke talk

389
00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:25,040
about these ceremonies?

390
00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:26,900
Why is he bringing all this up?

391
00:18:26,900 --> 00:18:28,000
Well, two reasons, I think.

392
00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:30,280
First of all, he's showing us that yes,

393
00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:34,620
Joseph and Mary were indeed devout and obedient Jews.

394
00:18:34,620 --> 00:18:36,640
Serious about their walk with Yahweh,

395
00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:40,240
seeking to do everything required of them by the law.

396
00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:41,600
And that's important for the story.

397
00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:43,600
I'll explain why later.

398
00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:45,180
And second, Luke wants to remind us

399
00:18:45,180 --> 00:18:48,080
that Jesus was born a Jew.

400
00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:49,440
He was born under the law.

401
00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:53,440
And even in his infancy, he fulfills every aspect

402
00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:55,180
of the law that had to be done.

403
00:18:56,340 --> 00:18:58,560
And so Luke gives us those details

404
00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:00,960
to just solidify that truth, but also to say,

405
00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:05,760
look, this is a historical, cultural, accurate story.

406
00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:09,320
Okay, let's get into the meat of our text for this morning.

407
00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:10,640
Look at verse 25 now.

408
00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:12,680
This is where it gets really, really fun.

409
00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:17,920
And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.

410
00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:20,120
And this man was righteous and devout,

411
00:19:20,120 --> 00:19:23,740
looking for the consolation of Israel.

412
00:19:23,740 --> 00:19:27,160
So here's a man who comes to us seemingly out of nowhere.

413
00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:30,520
We get just 11 verses of information about him.

414
00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:33,440
And basically what we're told is this is an old man

415
00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:36,020
with outstanding character and faith.

416
00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:39,240
You have to love Simeon.

417
00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:40,600
Outstanding character and faith.

418
00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:44,120
He is called righteous by Luke,

419
00:19:44,120 --> 00:19:46,360
meaning that he's walking in a right relationship

420
00:19:46,360 --> 00:19:47,200
with Yahweh.

421
00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:50,040
He's a true believer who's been marked out by God

422
00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:53,720
and saved by God's mercy and grace.

423
00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:56,160
And he's devout, meaning that he does have a love

424
00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:57,120
for God's law.

425
00:19:57,120 --> 00:19:59,400
He's concerned about the things of God.

426
00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:04,040
He's devoted to Yahweh's honor and glory and service.

427
00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:08,200
We would call him an authentic Jew in that day.

428
00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:10,840
Because as Paul's gonna say later in the New Testament,

429
00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:14,740
not all Israel is Israel, correct?

430
00:20:14,740 --> 00:20:18,320
But this man truly knows God and walks with him by faith.

431
00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:20,880
That's why he's described in this way.

432
00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:22,360
And he's a man of hope.

433
00:20:22,360 --> 00:20:25,600
He is patiently waiting and looking for what?

434
00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:28,280
The consolation of his people Israel.

435
00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:30,320
Now what does that mean?

436
00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:32,280
He's looking for the Messiah.

437
00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:34,080
He's looking for the Savior.

438
00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:38,960
He's looking for the consoler, the comforter of Isaiah 40.

439
00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:43,300
His eyes are attentive to watch for him.

440
00:20:43,300 --> 00:20:46,480
He's watching for God to fulfill all the promises

441
00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:49,680
that God has made to Israel through the prophets.

442
00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:52,060
Promises of forgiveness of sin.

443
00:20:52,060 --> 00:20:53,480
Promises of salvation.

444
00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:56,420
Promises to restore the Davidic throne.

445
00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:00,280
I have no doubt that Simeon believed in those things,

446
00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:02,360
that he took God's words seriously,

447
00:21:02,360 --> 00:21:04,200
that he studied the prophets.

448
00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:07,940
And as he did that, it impacted his life.

449
00:21:07,940 --> 00:21:10,480
His heart, his mind, and his actions.

450
00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:13,200
And again, don't forget that at the time Christ comes,

451
00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:15,640
Israel is in a distressed time.

452
00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:16,960
Things are not good in Israel.

453
00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:19,480
The Roman occupation of the land.

454
00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:21,200
You've got a corrupt priesthood.

455
00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:24,760
You've got Pharisees living in this external religiosity.

456
00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:28,480
You have an apostate king ruling in Jerusalem.

457
00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:31,120
And the hearts of the people are far from God.

458
00:21:31,120 --> 00:21:33,920
And I think the worse that things got for Israel,

459
00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:36,400
the more that Simeon's heart must have ached about it.

460
00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:37,920
And the more he must have prayed,

461
00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:42,920
Lord, now come, console your people Israel.

462
00:21:43,380 --> 00:21:44,680
And so Simeon must have thought about

463
00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:47,600
all the Old Testament prophecies during his life.

464
00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:49,600
All the messianic prophecies.

465
00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:51,360
Who would he be?

466
00:21:51,360 --> 00:21:52,960
Who would, what would the Messiah do?

467
00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:56,080
And there's this incredible litany of breadcrumbs

468
00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:58,760
that God left about who the Messiah would be

469
00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:00,240
and what he would come and do.

470
00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:03,720
It's estimated that at least 300 statements

471
00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:06,260
in the Old Testament point forward

472
00:22:06,260 --> 00:22:07,440
to who the Messiah would be.

473
00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:08,840
I'll give you just a few.

474
00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:10,680
And they're remarkable.

475
00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:13,680
His origins would be from eternity past.

476
00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:15,380
That kind of limits it, doesn't it?

477
00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:18,420
He'd be called holy.

478
00:22:18,420 --> 00:22:20,440
He'll be called Lord.

479
00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:22,760
He'll be called the Son of God.

480
00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:25,060
He'll be called the Son of Man.

481
00:22:25,060 --> 00:22:27,320
He'll be called Emmanuel.

482
00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:31,080
He'll be called wonderful counselor and mighty God,

483
00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:34,200
an everlasting father and Prince of Peace.

484
00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:36,800
He'll be born of the seed of a woman,

485
00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:41,800
be descended from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah,

486
00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:43,880
Jesse, and David.

487
00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:49,520
Born of a virgin, born in the town of Bethlehem,

488
00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:51,240
but he would come out of Galilee.

489
00:22:52,380 --> 00:22:55,380
He would heal the blind, the deaf, and the lame.

490
00:22:55,380 --> 00:22:56,880
He would bear the sins of men.

491
00:22:56,880 --> 00:22:59,620
He would be pierced for our transgressions.

492
00:22:59,620 --> 00:23:01,440
He'd be a lamb led to slaughter.

493
00:23:02,580 --> 00:23:05,040
He would come in the name of the Lord,

494
00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:06,400
be a light to the Gentiles,

495
00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:09,280
be rejected and ridiculed by his own.

496
00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:12,280
He would personify the stumbling stone in Israel.

497
00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:16,040
He would humbly ride on a donkey,

498
00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:18,200
be praised as a king,

499
00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:20,200
suddenly appear at the temple,

500
00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:22,160
and be angered that it's not being treated

501
00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:23,580
as a house of prayer.

502
00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:26,880
He'd be betrayed by a friend,

503
00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:29,760
sold for 30 pieces of silver,

504
00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:31,360
forsaken by his disciples,

505
00:23:31,360 --> 00:23:33,840
accused by false witnesses,

506
00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:38,840
beaten and spit upon, remain quiet before his accusers,

507
00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:40,640
his hands and feet pierced,

508
00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:43,540
his garments divided and lots cast for them,

509
00:23:43,540 --> 00:23:46,240
gall and vinegar offered to him,

510
00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:47,700
his bones not broken.

511
00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:51,180
Buried in a rich man's tomb,

512
00:23:51,180 --> 00:23:53,360
his body not subject to decay,

513
00:23:53,360 --> 00:23:56,720
be highly exalted and sit at the right hand of the Father

514
00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:58,920
and receive authority over all things.

515
00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:01,720
Hmm, who could that be?

516
00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:05,280
Did you hear, that was all from the Old Testament, folks.

517
00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:08,560
Who could that be?

518
00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:10,000
Think about that list.

519
00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:11,920
Oh, and don't forget,

520
00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:13,680
and I don't have time to work through all the details

521
00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:17,360
on this, but Daniel's prophecy of the 70 weeks

522
00:24:17,360 --> 00:24:20,600
in Daniel chapter nine absolutely historically

523
00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:21,960
settles the case.

524
00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:24,160
Look at it sometime.

525
00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:25,760
If scripture is true,

526
00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:28,800
if you do the math from that particular passage,

527
00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:32,440
the Messiah had to die sometime in the first century

528
00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:36,360
and obviously before the destruction of the temple

529
00:24:36,360 --> 00:24:37,200
in AD 70.

530
00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:40,160
Otherwise he can't fulfill those prophecies.

531
00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:44,240
And my guess is Simeon knew this.

532
00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:46,920
And so in so many ways he represents

533
00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:48,960
the expectant Jews of that day,

534
00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:52,400
the saved remnant who were trusting in Yahweh,

535
00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:53,960
trusting in his promises,

536
00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:55,520
trusting in those prophecies

537
00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:58,840
and looking forward to the Messiah's arrival.

538
00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:02,440
Because God has always kept this remnant

539
00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:05,680
of true believers in Israel, true Israel.

540
00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:07,920
And Simeon serves sort of as Luke's model

541
00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,400
for that part of the Jewish population

542
00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:11,440
in the first century.

543
00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:15,240
Let's go back to the end of verse 25 now.

544
00:25:16,120 --> 00:25:17,680
Luke adds this important statement.

545
00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:20,480
He says, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

546
00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:21,880
That's interesting, isn't it?

547
00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:25,040
It's so interesting to note how many times

548
00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:27,080
in the opening chapters of Luke's gospel

549
00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:30,560
he talks about the Holy Spirit before Pentecost.

550
00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:32,280
Right?

551
00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:33,600
John the Baptist, while still in the womb,

552
00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:35,120
is said to be filled with the Spirit.

553
00:25:35,120 --> 00:25:35,960
Why?

554
00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:37,920
So later on he will speak divine words

555
00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:40,480
as the forerunner of the Messiah.

556
00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:42,920
Elizabeth is filled with the Spirit

557
00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:45,120
and she declares God's message to Mary.

558
00:25:45,120 --> 00:25:47,520
She says, blessed among women are you Mary

559
00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:49,480
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

560
00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:53,280
Zacharias, her husband, is also filled with the Spirit

561
00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:56,520
and he prophesies the song of Zacharias

562
00:25:56,520 --> 00:25:57,840
in Luke chapter one.

563
00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:00,440
In each of these cases, what we see are examples

564
00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:03,400
of a unique and special work of the Spirit

565
00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:07,680
empowering certain chosen servants to speak God's word

566
00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:10,480
and to confirm the coming of the Messiah.

567
00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:13,360
And now Simeon is added to that list.

568
00:26:13,360 --> 00:26:15,640
The Holy Spirit is upon him

569
00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:17,800
and he's gonna say some amazing things here.

570
00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:21,600
Verse 26 says, and it had been revealed to Simeon

571
00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:24,560
by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death

572
00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:28,200
before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

573
00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:29,880
Now that's a cool gift, isn't it?

574
00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:32,760
I mean, that would be a,

575
00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:34,280
could you imagine getting that promise by the way?

576
00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:36,080
You're not gonna die until Jesus returns.

577
00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:37,600
How cool would that be?

578
00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:41,320
Simeon, it's like God said,

579
00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:43,080
Simeon, I see your love for me.

580
00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:45,640
I see your devotion to my glory,

581
00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:48,480
so I have chosen you for this very unique role

582
00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:50,880
to confirm that the fullness of the time

583
00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:53,680
has come and that the Messiah has arrived.

584
00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:55,680
And so here's my promise to you,

585
00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:57,840
you will see him before you pass away.

586
00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:01,760
Now practically imagine how that plays out in your life.

587
00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:04,160
I mean, you're sick on your,

588
00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:06,040
you're so sick you're on your deathbed,

589
00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:07,560
you're like, I don't have to worry,

590
00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:08,880
Messiah's not arrived yet.

591
00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:13,840
I'm not gonna die, I'm really sick, I'm not gonna die.

592
00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:14,880
Because I haven't seen him yet.

593
00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:16,840
Or you know, you go out and do some really risky,

594
00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:19,240
dangerous thing, I don't have to worry about it.

595
00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:20,240
Messiah hasn't come yet.

596
00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:23,080
Messiah hasn't come yet.

597
00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:24,960
This is the way my little pea brain works,

598
00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:27,600
so excuse me, right?

599
00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:30,200
But seriously, to know that you were living

600
00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:33,400
in Messianic times, that after so many generations

601
00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:36,520
of Jewish anticipation that he was going to arrive

602
00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:38,840
in your lifetime, would that not fill you

603
00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:41,200
with tremendous excitement?

604
00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:44,440
And make you constantly expectant, watching,

605
00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:47,040
to see how God would fulfill that hope

606
00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:49,360
that you have held onto all of these years.

607
00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:52,120
And in the next verse, verse 27,

608
00:27:52,120 --> 00:27:54,480
we're told that the Spirit then directs Simeon

609
00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:57,120
to go to the temple on this very same day

610
00:27:57,120 --> 00:27:59,840
that here come Mary and Joseph with their baby,

611
00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:00,720
to the temple.

612
00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:05,320
Verse 27, and he came in the Spirit into the temple.

613
00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:07,040
Now remember, they're there to do what?

614
00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:10,720
To present Jesus to the Lord and to make this sin offering.

615
00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:11,880
So Mary and Joseph would have come

616
00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:13,720
into the courtyard of the temple,

617
00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:15,640
which is a huge place, by the way,

618
00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:17,400
filled with lots of people,

619
00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:19,720
but the Spirit is gonna orchestrate a meeting

620
00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:20,640
to take place here.

621
00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:24,040
Remember, Joseph and Mary don't know anything about Simeon.

622
00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:27,160
And Simeon has no idea as he comes to the temple that day

623
00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:31,040
that this is the day where he will see the Savior.

624
00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:32,880
He's prompted to go, but he doesn't know

625
00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:34,040
that this is the day.

626
00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:35,880
So they're not expecting to meet each other,

627
00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:38,400
and I sort of picture God in the heavens looking down

628
00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:41,320
and going, oh, here they come, here comes Simeon,

629
00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:43,720
and he makes sure that they're gonna cross paths.

630
00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:44,560
How cool is that?

631
00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:48,000
Now we're not told how the conversation started.

632
00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:49,760
How cool would that be to know,

633
00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:53,120
like how they greeted each other or how this came about?

634
00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:55,360
This is what we're told, back to verse 27.

635
00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:57,720
And when the parents brought in the child Jesus

636
00:28:57,720 --> 00:29:00,800
to carry out for him the custom of the law,

637
00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:04,640
then Simeon took him into his arms.

638
00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:11,280
Can you imagine how he felt in that moment?

639
00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:12,360
When the Spirit said to him,

640
00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:16,520
when the Spirit said to him, Simeon, today's the day,

641
00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:19,840
and that is the one.

642
00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:26,040
Can you imagine the joy as he scooped that baby

643
00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:30,480
out of Mary's arms and held him to his chest?

644
00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:34,320
And as we sing the song, kiss the face of God.

645
00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:39,720
Can you imagine the joy that must have flooded his heart?

646
00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:43,960
This, for Simeon, is the thrill of an old man's life.

647
00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:47,640
A life lived well to the glory of God,

648
00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:49,000
and it's all for this moment.

649
00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:51,880
The consolation of Israel has arrived.

650
00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:56,520
The verse goes on, Simeon blessed God and said,

651
00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:59,320
now, Lord, you are releasing your bond servant

652
00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:04,040
to depart in peace according to your word.

653
00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:07,000
For my eyes have seen your salvation,

654
00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:10,440
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples.

655
00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:13,600
And the language there is so cool, this releasing.

656
00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:16,320
The better way to look at it is being dismissed.

657
00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:20,280
It's the picture of a sentry who has been standing

658
00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:24,040
on the city walls all night long, watching out,

659
00:30:24,040 --> 00:30:26,400
and then the sun comes up,

660
00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:29,360
and he's relieved of his duty.

661
00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:30,280
You can go home.

662
00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:33,080
All is well.

663
00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:34,040
You can go home.

664
00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:36,280
So for Simeon, this baby was God's sunrise,

665
00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:38,280
and now he can die in peace

666
00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:41,800
and enter into the full joy of his salvation.

667
00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:46,360
God has done what he promised to do, and I can go home.

668
00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:48,120
Man.

669
00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:51,000
But before he finishes,

670
00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:54,600
Simeon has a few more prophecies to drop.

671
00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:57,960
First, he refers to the impact

672
00:30:57,960 --> 00:31:00,200
that this child will make on the world in two ways.

673
00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:01,800
So again, he's prophesying.

674
00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:05,080
This is the spirit now speaking through him as a prophet.

675
00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:09,480
Verse 32, a light of revelation to the Gentiles

676
00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:11,320
and the glory of your people Israel.

677
00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:15,560
And his father and mother were amazed at the things

678
00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:16,760
which were being said about him.

679
00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:18,040
I don't know how many times Mary and Joseph

680
00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:20,120
had to be amazed, right?

681
00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:24,200
Oh, the angels, the birth, the shepherds.

682
00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:27,640
I mean, over and over again, they're just amazed at

683
00:31:28,680 --> 00:31:30,680
what God has called them to do.

684
00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:33,240
The redemption of the world in their hands, right?

685
00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:34,120
It's amazing.

686
00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:37,720
Now, neither of the two statements made in verse 32

687
00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:38,600
are new.

688
00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:41,800
Simeon is simply echoing statements

689
00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:44,200
that have been made by the Old Testament prophets,

690
00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:47,080
particularly Isaiah, Zechariah, and the Psalms.

691
00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:49,000
We see these two things.

692
00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:50,200
As the light of the world,

693
00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:52,520
Jesus is going to reveal God not just to the Jews,

694
00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:55,960
but to the entire world, to all the Gentile nations.

695
00:31:56,600 --> 00:31:58,120
And to his people Israel,

696
00:31:58,120 --> 00:32:00,920
Jesus is going to bring a particular type of glory.

697
00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:03,560
Now, this is only his first coming.

698
00:32:03,560 --> 00:32:06,360
He's not gonna bring the glory that fleshly Israel wanted,

699
00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:09,560
which was the political overthrow of Rome,

700
00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:10,680
power and might.

701
00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:14,520
In his first coming, Jesus is gonna bring

702
00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:17,320
to righteous Israel, true Israel,

703
00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:19,880
the very things that Luke will tell us

704
00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:21,800
later on in Luke chapter four

705
00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:25,000
that Jesus will talk about as he reads the Isaiah scroll

706
00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:26,920
in the synagogue of Nazareth.

707
00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:28,760
This is what Jesus is gonna bring.

708
00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:32,200
Here's what he talks about as he reads the Isaiah scroll.

709
00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:34,760
To preach the gospel to the poor in spirit.

710
00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:39,240
To proclaim release to those who are in captivity to sin.

711
00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:43,080
To give sight to those who are spiritually blind.

712
00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:46,040
And to set free all who are oppressed by wickedness.

713
00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:49,800
That is the glory that is coming to Israel

714
00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:51,240
in Jesus' first coming.

715
00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:54,040
Now, there'd be more in his second coming, of course,

716
00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:55,560
but that's what he was bringing.

717
00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:58,600
For those in Israel who had eyes to see and ears to hear,

718
00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:01,480
true Israel, that's what he was bringing.

719
00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:04,920
Now, up to this point,

720
00:33:07,320 --> 00:33:09,160
in actually the entire Christmas story,

721
00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:11,400
everything that has been said about the Christ child

722
00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:13,480
has been super positive, right?

723
00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:15,560
Messiah, savior, Davidic king,

724
00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,600
save his people from their sins, all positive.

725
00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:23,600
But now, Simeon unveils the dark side to the story.

726
00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:25,360
A dark side to the good news.

727
00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:26,880
By the way, also not new.

728
00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:30,000
These are things the Old Testament prophets had talked about.

729
00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:33,680
Prophecies of rejection and suffering and death.

730
00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:35,280
So he's just summarizing

731
00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:36,640
what the prophets had already declared.

732
00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:38,080
Verse 34 says this.

733
00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:41,280
And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,

734
00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:44,880
behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rise

735
00:33:44,880 --> 00:33:46,080
of many in Israel.

736
00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:48,480
And for a sign to be opposed.

737
00:33:49,600 --> 00:33:53,040
And a sword will pierce even your own soul.

738
00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:54,240
Mary.

739
00:33:54,240 --> 00:33:57,840
To the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.

740
00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:03,280
Again, Simeon is aware of just how sinful Israel is

741
00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:05,760
in his day, the corruption, right?

742
00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:09,520
The sin in all across the nation.

743
00:34:09,520 --> 00:34:13,040
And with the spirit upon him, he can foresee

744
00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:16,240
that even the Messiah, even Israel's own Messiah

745
00:34:16,240 --> 00:34:17,280
will not be welcomed.

746
00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:20,720
And will face stiff opposition.

747
00:34:20,720 --> 00:34:22,720
And he knew what the prophets of old had already said.

748
00:34:22,720 --> 00:34:25,200
How Isaiah spoke of a stone to strike

749
00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:26,960
and a rock to stumble over.

750
00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:29,840
How God's servant would be despised and forsaken.

751
00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:32,880
A man of sorrows acquainted with grief.

752
00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:37,040
And see how Simeon speaks of many hearts being revealed

753
00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:41,120
by this child and saying, look, because of who this child

754
00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:44,400
will grow up to be, hearts are gonna be revealed

755
00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:47,120
and many will fall and many will rise.

756
00:34:47,120 --> 00:34:48,880
He will divide people.

757
00:34:48,880 --> 00:34:51,280
By the way, he's still dividing people today, isn't he?

758
00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:54,560
And it's so interesting then to see how this plays out

759
00:34:54,560 --> 00:34:55,680
in the gospels.

760
00:34:55,680 --> 00:34:58,240
Two thieves on crosses.

761
00:34:58,240 --> 00:35:01,040
One believes, one blasphemes.

762
00:35:02,240 --> 00:35:06,240
Great denials, Peter repents, Judas despairs

763
00:35:06,240 --> 00:35:07,440
and hangs himself.

764
00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:09,840
Some will rise and some will fall.

765
00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:12,240
The humble and the poor in spirit will rise.

766
00:35:12,240 --> 00:35:14,480
The self-righteous and the proud will fall.

767
00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:16,720
Salvation for some, judgment for others,

768
00:35:16,720 --> 00:35:20,240
all based on the person and works of that child

769
00:35:20,240 --> 00:35:22,240
lying in Simeon's arms.

770
00:35:23,120 --> 00:35:23,920
Amazing.

771
00:35:24,800 --> 00:35:28,800
And then there's the warning to Mary and perhaps this came

772
00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:32,480
because Simeon recognizes the amazement on the faces

773
00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:34,560
of Mary and Joseph in that moment.

774
00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:36,560
But with the spirit upon him,

775
00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:39,360
Simeon turns to Mary in particular.

776
00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:40,560
This is so interesting.

777
00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:45,040
And he looks at this teenage mother who must turn to Mary

778
00:35:45,040 --> 00:35:47,920
this teenage mother who must just be overwhelmed

779
00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:50,160
by all of what's happening.

780
00:35:50,160 --> 00:35:52,480
And with compassion and grief he says,

781
00:35:53,440 --> 00:35:54,640
my dear girl,

782
00:35:57,200 --> 00:35:59,200
because of this beautiful child,

783
00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:02,240
a sword is going to pierce your soul.

784
00:36:04,480 --> 00:36:06,640
Notice by the way he doesn't address Joseph.

785
00:36:08,120 --> 00:36:09,680
And I can't say this for sure,

786
00:36:09,680 --> 00:36:12,040
but maybe again by the spirit he understood

787
00:36:12,040 --> 00:36:14,560
that Joseph was not gonna live long enough

788
00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:18,480
to see Jesus' adult ministry to be a witness to his death.

789
00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:20,960
But he does know that about Mary.

790
00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:23,760
I think this much is clear.

791
00:36:23,760 --> 00:36:26,880
God's word through Simeon was designed to prepare

792
00:36:27,840 --> 00:36:30,720
Mary for the grief that she was gonna have to walk through.

793
00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:33,520
So it wouldn't be a surprise to her later on.

794
00:36:33,520 --> 00:36:34,880
She could look back at this and say,

795
00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:37,360
oh, I remember that day in the temple courts.

796
00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:38,960
The prophet told me.

797
00:36:40,240 --> 00:36:41,840
The rejection of her son.

798
00:36:41,840 --> 00:36:42,960
Imagine moms.

799
00:36:42,960 --> 00:36:45,040
Moms, moms, imagine.

800
00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:47,520
The rejection of your son.

801
00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:50,720
The immense suffering he would endure

802
00:36:50,720 --> 00:36:53,120
at the hands of the most wicked men.

803
00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:56,320
The spectacle of his death,

804
00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:58,960
having to watch him being nailed to a cross.

805
00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:00,720
The agony of burying your child.

806
00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:03,920
It was important for Mary to know

807
00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:06,480
that mothering Messiah was not gonna be easy.

808
00:37:07,840 --> 00:37:09,520
Not all sweetness and light.

809
00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:10,720
A great privilege, yes,

810
00:37:10,720 --> 00:37:12,160
but also a great burden.

811
00:37:16,480 --> 00:37:19,840
And Simeon disappears from the record.

812
00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:23,840
Now, let's look at the last few verses.

813
00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:24,960
Look at verse 36.

814
00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:31,760
And there was a prophetess, Anna,

815
00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:35,520
the daughter of Fenuel, of the tribe of Asher.

816
00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:39,040
Again, more little details that Luke gives us

817
00:37:39,040 --> 00:37:41,840
to tell us this is a real human being in history.

818
00:37:43,120 --> 00:37:44,640
She was advanced in years

819
00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:46,400
and had lived with her husband seven years

820
00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:47,680
after her marriage,

821
00:37:47,680 --> 00:37:50,240
and then as a widow to the age of 84.

822
00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:53,360
She never left the temple serving night and day

823
00:37:53,360 --> 00:37:55,520
with fastings and with prayer.

824
00:37:57,280 --> 00:37:58,720
One interesting person

825
00:37:59,920 --> 00:38:02,160
that Luke introduces to us here.

826
00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:04,160
One of only two people in the world

827
00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:06,240
that were called prophetess earlier.

828
00:38:06,240 --> 00:38:08,720
One of only a few women in all of scripture

829
00:38:08,720 --> 00:38:10,080
who were called prophetess.

830
00:38:11,760 --> 00:38:13,120
Only a few women in all of scripture

831
00:38:13,120 --> 00:38:14,000
were called prophetess,

832
00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:15,840
meaning she was uniquely chosen

833
00:38:15,840 --> 00:38:17,680
at unique times in history

834
00:38:17,680 --> 00:38:20,400
to declare a particular word of truth

835
00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:22,480
from the Lord to people.

836
00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:25,200
Not a teacher, not one with authority,

837
00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:27,600
just one who delivers the word of the Lord

838
00:38:27,600 --> 00:38:28,560
to God's people.

839
00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:30,960
84 years old.

840
00:38:31,760 --> 00:38:33,920
Very old in the ancient world, guys.

841
00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:35,120
That's the story of that day.

842
00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:38,480
And imagine all that she had seen in her lifetime.

843
00:38:39,520 --> 00:38:40,960
If you do the math on her life,

844
00:38:42,240 --> 00:38:46,160
she's born somewhere close to 90 BC,

845
00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:49,920
which means that she had lived under the rule

846
00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:51,920
of the final Hasmonean kings

847
00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:54,320
when Israel was an independent kingdom.

848
00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:56,720
When she was in her 20s

849
00:38:56,720 --> 00:38:58,080
is when the Roman legions

850
00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:00,000
would have marched into the land

851
00:39:00,560 --> 00:39:03,120
slaughtering Jews and taking away their freedom.

852
00:39:03,120 --> 00:39:03,920
Imagine all that.

853
00:39:05,120 --> 00:39:06,720
Great trauma in her life.

854
00:39:08,480 --> 00:39:10,240
How much devastation did she witness?

855
00:39:10,240 --> 00:39:12,480
Did she have loved ones die in battle

856
00:39:12,480 --> 00:39:13,280
defending Israel?

857
00:39:13,280 --> 00:39:14,000
We don't know.

858
00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:16,640
But most of her life was lived as a widow.

859
00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:18,400
She only had seven years with her husband

860
00:39:18,400 --> 00:39:20,400
before he was taken away.

861
00:39:20,400 --> 00:39:22,480
So as a widow in that culture,

862
00:39:22,480 --> 00:39:24,800
she lived a life of hardship and suffering.

863
00:39:25,600 --> 00:39:27,600
And for some reason that is known to her

864
00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:28,560
and to the Lord,

865
00:39:28,560 --> 00:39:30,080
she chose not to remarry.

866
00:39:30,080 --> 00:39:33,280
She chose not to seek after bearing children,

867
00:39:33,280 --> 00:39:35,360
which was so highly valued in that culture.

868
00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:39,040
And she could have grown bitter towards God

869
00:39:39,040 --> 00:39:40,240
based on her circumstances.

870
00:39:40,240 --> 00:39:41,840
She could have complained about all of it.

871
00:39:41,840 --> 00:39:43,840
She could have said, Lord, I'm so lonely.

872
00:39:44,560 --> 00:39:47,440
But instead, Anna took refuge under God's wing.

873
00:39:48,560 --> 00:39:51,680
And she let her trials and her difficulties

874
00:39:51,680 --> 00:39:54,080
drive her into deeper devotion to God,

875
00:39:54,080 --> 00:39:55,360
not away from God.

876
00:39:55,360 --> 00:39:56,480
And we can learn from that.

877
00:39:56,480 --> 00:39:58,560
So she devoted herself to serving Yahweh

878
00:39:58,560 --> 00:40:00,000
daily in the temple,

879
00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:02,160
praying, fasting, praying some more,

880
00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:03,920
always seeking the Lord's face,

881
00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:06,320
living a life of constant self-denial

882
00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:07,520
and self-sacrifice.

883
00:40:08,960 --> 00:40:09,760
And like Simeon,

884
00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:11,280
she must have been acutely aware

885
00:40:11,280 --> 00:40:13,840
of how sinful Israel was at the time.

886
00:40:13,840 --> 00:40:16,000
And she also was looking forward

887
00:40:16,000 --> 00:40:17,920
to the hope of the Messiah.

888
00:40:18,560 --> 00:40:19,440
And every day in the temple,

889
00:40:19,440 --> 00:40:20,880
day after day after day,

890
00:40:21,760 --> 00:40:23,600
which by the way sounds pretty boring

891
00:40:23,600 --> 00:40:24,800
to modern people like me.

892
00:40:24,800 --> 00:40:27,360
It's pretty boring to modern people like us

893
00:40:27,360 --> 00:40:28,640
doing the same thing every day.

894
00:40:28,640 --> 00:40:31,600
In fact, as I was thinking about this last night,

895
00:40:31,600 --> 00:40:33,120
if we were to meet her today,

896
00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:35,760
far too many Christians would say,

897
00:40:35,760 --> 00:40:36,960
oh, she's wasting her life.

898
00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:39,760
She's not very useful.

899
00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:42,800
Far too many Christians would look at her

900
00:40:42,800 --> 00:40:43,840
and go, ah, she's a bit odd.

901
00:40:45,440 --> 00:40:48,640
Maybe too devoted to God for my taste.

902
00:40:50,160 --> 00:40:51,600
My guess is the Sadducees

903
00:40:51,600 --> 00:40:52,640
and the temple officials

904
00:40:52,640 --> 00:40:54,240
thought she was a nuisance.

905
00:40:54,240 --> 00:40:55,760
Ah, it's that woman again.

906
00:40:55,760 --> 00:40:57,280
Every day just praying.

907
00:40:59,200 --> 00:41:01,200
But what a role God has for her.

908
00:41:02,240 --> 00:41:04,400
Now, come on, Luke.

909
00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:06,240
We're not given details here.

910
00:41:07,280 --> 00:41:08,640
Do you get frustrated by Luke sometimes?

911
00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:09,600
Give me more.

912
00:41:09,600 --> 00:41:10,640
I have questions.

913
00:41:10,640 --> 00:41:12,640
We're not told about the encounter

914
00:41:12,640 --> 00:41:13,840
that she has here

915
00:41:13,840 --> 00:41:16,400
with Joseph and Mary and Jesus, right?

916
00:41:17,040 --> 00:41:18,160
But it says in verse 38,

917
00:41:18,160 --> 00:41:19,040
at that very moment,

918
00:41:19,040 --> 00:41:20,400
meaning at the same time

919
00:41:20,400 --> 00:41:23,440
that Simeon is holding the baby in his arms,

920
00:41:23,440 --> 00:41:26,400
Anna comes up and began giving thanks to God

921
00:41:28,080 --> 00:41:29,440
and continued to speak at him

922
00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:30,720
to all those who were looking

923
00:41:30,720 --> 00:41:32,240
for the redemption of Jerusalem.

924
00:41:34,640 --> 00:41:37,520
That's all we get about this godly woman.

925
00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:39,760
But the spirit prompts Anna,

926
00:41:39,760 --> 00:41:41,040
again, she's already at the temple.

927
00:41:41,040 --> 00:41:42,320
She's there every day.

928
00:41:42,320 --> 00:41:43,600
But now the spirit directs her

929
00:41:43,600 --> 00:41:45,520
to move towards this young couple

930
00:41:45,520 --> 00:41:46,160
and their baby.

931
00:41:46,160 --> 00:41:47,200
She doesn't know them.

932
00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:49,760
It's likely she knew Simeon.

933
00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:51,840
He would have been a regular

934
00:41:51,840 --> 00:41:53,040
at the temple as well.

935
00:41:53,040 --> 00:41:54,800
She moves towards them by the spirit

936
00:41:55,840 --> 00:41:57,600
and she recognizes who the child is.

937
00:41:59,040 --> 00:42:00,880
And she hears Simeon prophesy.

938
00:42:02,080 --> 00:42:03,680
And in Luke's Just the Facts way,

939
00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:04,960
simply right,

940
00:42:04,960 --> 00:42:06,800
she began praising and thanking the Lord.

941
00:42:06,800 --> 00:42:08,240
That's probably a great understatement,

942
00:42:08,240 --> 00:42:08,640
by the way.

943
00:42:10,080 --> 00:42:11,120
But she doesn't stop there.

944
00:42:11,120 --> 00:42:13,120
Then she becomes a megaphone

945
00:42:13,120 --> 00:42:14,000
for the good news, right?

946
00:42:14,000 --> 00:42:16,000
She scurries all over the temple courts

947
00:42:16,000 --> 00:42:17,600
looking for people like her,

948
00:42:17,600 --> 00:42:18,640
true Israel,

949
00:42:18,640 --> 00:42:20,880
those who are actually trusting

950
00:42:20,880 --> 00:42:21,840
in God's word,

951
00:42:21,840 --> 00:42:22,960
looking for the Messiah,

952
00:42:23,520 --> 00:42:25,360
the redemption of Jerusalem

953
00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:26,640
and telling them the good news.

954
00:42:27,520 --> 00:42:30,960
Today, the Messiah has arrived.

955
00:42:30,960 --> 00:42:31,680
What a moment.

956
00:42:32,480 --> 00:42:35,360
Guys, imagine this decades

957
00:42:35,360 --> 00:42:38,160
and decades and decades of prayer

958
00:42:39,920 --> 00:42:42,160
asking the Lord to come

959
00:42:42,160 --> 00:42:43,360
and rescue her people.

960
00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:45,200
And like Simeon,

961
00:42:45,200 --> 00:42:46,560
she has finally seen it

962
00:42:46,560 --> 00:42:49,920
with her old tired eyes at 84.

963
00:42:51,040 --> 00:42:52,240
A long life of trial

964
00:42:52,960 --> 00:42:54,560
and suffering and devotion to God

965
00:42:55,680 --> 00:42:59,440
worth it for this one moment.

966
00:43:02,720 --> 00:43:03,840
And what a grace that the Lord

967
00:43:03,840 --> 00:43:05,440
was pleased to use Anna

968
00:43:05,440 --> 00:43:07,040
as a testimony to his son,

969
00:43:07,040 --> 00:43:08,320
a woman of all things.

970
00:43:10,240 --> 00:43:11,440
Because women in that culture

971
00:43:11,440 --> 00:43:12,160
were not even allowed

972
00:43:12,160 --> 00:43:13,200
to testify in court.

973
00:43:13,200 --> 00:43:14,880
They weren't trustworthy.

974
00:43:14,880 --> 00:43:16,080
They were not worthy of being,

975
00:43:16,080 --> 00:43:17,120
the culture said.

976
00:43:18,240 --> 00:43:19,600
But it turns out that Anna

977
00:43:19,600 --> 00:43:21,440
is wiser and more godly

978
00:43:21,440 --> 00:43:22,480
than any Pharisee,

979
00:43:22,480 --> 00:43:23,840
any Sadducee,

980
00:43:23,840 --> 00:43:25,840
any scribe in the temple that day.

981
00:43:27,280 --> 00:43:28,480
Anna's story teaches us

982
00:43:28,480 --> 00:43:29,600
so much about patience

983
00:43:29,600 --> 00:43:30,560
and about hope

984
00:43:30,560 --> 00:43:32,080
and the truth that no matter

985
00:43:32,080 --> 00:43:34,080
how much we lose

986
00:43:34,560 --> 00:43:36,080
down here on the earth,

987
00:43:37,120 --> 00:43:38,720
seeing Christ is enough.

988
00:43:40,480 --> 00:43:41,520
Do you believe that?

989
00:43:42,480 --> 00:43:43,600
No matter how much

990
00:43:43,600 --> 00:43:45,040
we lose during our days

991
00:43:45,040 --> 00:43:46,000
on the earth,

992
00:43:46,000 --> 00:43:47,520
having Christ is enough.

993
00:43:51,600 --> 00:43:52,560
All right, I gotta wrap up.

994
00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:54,880
So let me say this again,

995
00:43:54,880 --> 00:43:56,320
Luke had many choices

996
00:43:56,320 --> 00:43:57,760
on what to include

997
00:43:57,760 --> 00:43:59,440
about the early days

998
00:43:59,440 --> 00:44:00,400
of Jesus' life

999
00:44:00,400 --> 00:44:02,400
and he chooses Simeon and Anna.

1000
00:44:03,360 --> 00:44:04,640
And it's so beautiful.

1001
00:44:04,640 --> 00:44:05,840
Listen, humanly speaking,

1002
00:44:05,840 --> 00:44:07,120
they're not impressive people.

1003
00:44:09,200 --> 00:44:10,720
Like Mary and like Joseph

1004
00:44:10,720 --> 00:44:11,520
and like the shepherds,

1005
00:44:11,520 --> 00:44:13,200
they're not people of position.

1006
00:44:13,200 --> 00:44:14,800
They're not people of power.

1007
00:44:14,800 --> 00:44:16,400
They're not the type of people

1008
00:44:16,400 --> 00:44:19,120
that historians usually choose

1009
00:44:19,840 --> 00:44:21,680
to lend credibility to an account.

1010
00:44:22,800 --> 00:44:23,760
But God sees them.

1011
00:44:26,240 --> 00:44:27,440
Let that be an encouragement

1012
00:44:28,880 --> 00:44:30,080
to you and I today.

1013
00:44:30,080 --> 00:44:31,040
God sees them.

1014
00:44:32,080 --> 00:44:33,280
He sees their devotion

1015
00:44:33,280 --> 00:44:34,800
and He sees their faithfulness.

1016
00:44:35,280 --> 00:44:36,720
He hears every prayer

1017
00:44:37,760 --> 00:44:39,120
and He takes note of the tears

1018
00:44:39,120 --> 00:44:39,920
in their eyes.

1019
00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:42,320
And in the kingdom to come,

1020
00:44:42,320 --> 00:44:43,520
their reward is great.

1021
00:44:47,040 --> 00:44:47,840
And let me come back

1022
00:44:47,840 --> 00:44:50,160
to what I see as Luke's purpose

1023
00:44:50,480 --> 00:44:52,240
in this part of the Christmas story.

1024
00:44:52,240 --> 00:44:52,720
Two things.

1025
00:44:52,720 --> 00:44:53,680
First of all,

1026
00:44:53,680 --> 00:44:54,720
Luke understood something

1027
00:44:54,720 --> 00:44:55,680
about the ancient world,

1028
00:44:55,680 --> 00:44:57,520
especially his Jewish audience.

1029
00:44:58,400 --> 00:44:59,760
And this is a biblical principle

1030
00:44:59,760 --> 00:45:01,520
that every fact has to be confirmed

1031
00:45:01,520 --> 00:45:03,200
by two or three witnesses.

1032
00:45:04,160 --> 00:45:04,720
He knew that.

1033
00:45:05,600 --> 00:45:06,800
And so he gives to us

1034
00:45:07,600 --> 00:45:08,400
Mary and Joseph

1035
00:45:08,400 --> 00:45:11,760
as one witness to the birth of Christ.

1036
00:45:12,560 --> 00:45:13,680
And then he adds to them

1037
00:45:14,480 --> 00:45:16,960
Simeon and Anna, three witnesses

1038
00:45:17,680 --> 00:45:18,800
to confirm every fact

1039
00:45:18,800 --> 00:45:20,640
about who this child is.

1040
00:45:21,520 --> 00:45:22,960
Now, obviously, we have this long list

1041
00:45:22,960 --> 00:45:24,400
of Old Testament prophecies

1042
00:45:24,400 --> 00:45:25,440
pointing forward to Christ.

1043
00:45:25,440 --> 00:45:27,120
But then Luke adds on top of it.

1044
00:45:27,120 --> 00:45:28,320
Okay, we've got all this,

1045
00:45:28,320 --> 00:45:29,520
but let me give you three more

1046
00:45:31,280 --> 00:45:32,880
who see the birth of this child

1047
00:45:32,880 --> 00:45:35,680
and say this is the Lord's Messiah.

1048
00:45:36,240 --> 00:45:38,000
And I think this is why it's so critical.

1049
00:45:38,000 --> 00:45:39,600
For us to recognize how godly

1050
00:45:39,600 --> 00:45:41,120
these four individuals are.

1051
00:45:41,120 --> 00:45:43,200
Mary, Joseph, Simeon, Anna.

1052
00:45:43,200 --> 00:45:44,400
They are the best of Israel.

1053
00:45:46,080 --> 00:45:47,360
As godly as you could be

1054
00:45:47,360 --> 00:45:48,960
in the land at that time.

1055
00:45:48,960 --> 00:45:50,320
They're credible sources.

1056
00:45:50,320 --> 00:45:51,200
And Luke says, look,

1057
00:45:52,160 --> 00:45:53,360
eyewitness accounts.

1058
00:45:54,640 --> 00:45:55,760
This is a true story.

1059
00:45:57,360 --> 00:45:58,640
And then the second observation,

1060
00:45:58,640 --> 00:46:00,000
I find it interesting.

1061
00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:01,360
And I could be off base here.

1062
00:46:01,360 --> 00:46:02,640
Adam will tell me later if I'm wrong.

1063
00:46:03,520 --> 00:46:04,560
I find it interesting

1064
00:46:04,560 --> 00:46:08,000
that Joseph and Mary are so young

1065
00:46:08,000 --> 00:46:09,520
and Simeon and Anna are described

1066
00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:10,320
as being so old.

1067
00:46:12,320 --> 00:46:13,920
And I don't think that's a coincidence.

1068
00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:16,480
I think the picture Luke is drawing for us is this.

1069
00:46:16,480 --> 00:46:19,200
With the arrival of Jesus at his first coming,

1070
00:46:19,200 --> 00:46:20,720
there's a transition taking place.

1071
00:46:23,920 --> 00:46:26,480
This ushers in a massive change to the world.

1072
00:46:26,480 --> 00:46:28,160
And especially in Israel.

1073
00:46:28,160 --> 00:46:29,920
The era of the law and the prophets

1074
00:46:29,920 --> 00:46:31,120
is passing away.

1075
00:46:31,120 --> 00:46:32,720
The old covenant is giving way

1076
00:46:32,720 --> 00:46:34,240
to the promised new covenant.

1077
00:46:34,240 --> 00:46:37,120
And this older generation of Simeon and Anna

1078
00:46:37,120 --> 00:46:38,240
are also passing away.

1079
00:46:38,240 --> 00:46:40,720
They're making room for a new generation in Israel

1080
00:46:40,720 --> 00:46:43,120
who will bear witness to the coming of the kingdom

1081
00:46:43,120 --> 00:46:45,120
and the person of Jesus Christ.

1082
00:46:47,280 --> 00:46:48,880
Now, I'm not saying that Jesus came

1083
00:46:48,880 --> 00:46:50,320
to abolish the law and the prophets.

1084
00:46:50,320 --> 00:46:51,040
He didn't.

1085
00:46:51,040 --> 00:46:52,960
But they find their fulfillment in him.

1086
00:46:52,960 --> 00:46:54,160
They all point to him.

1087
00:46:54,800 --> 00:46:56,400
So there's no doubt that a transition

1088
00:46:56,400 --> 00:46:58,240
was happening with the birth of Christ.

1089
00:46:58,240 --> 00:47:00,000
And all who are part of true Israel,

1090
00:47:01,120 --> 00:47:01,600
guess what?

1091
00:47:01,600 --> 00:47:04,800
They welcomed him and then they went off to glory.

1092
00:47:05,440 --> 00:47:08,000
Satisfied that Christ is enough.

1093
00:47:09,040 --> 00:47:10,240
I think that's part of the story

1094
00:47:10,240 --> 00:47:11,680
that Luke is telling us here.

1095
00:47:12,800 --> 00:47:14,160
So there you have it, friends.

1096
00:47:15,680 --> 00:47:17,520
All the evidence lies before you.

1097
00:47:19,440 --> 00:47:24,000
Luke writes reliable history.

1098
00:47:24,960 --> 00:47:26,240
This is a true account.

1099
00:47:28,080 --> 00:47:29,920
The manuscript evidence is overwhelming.

1100
00:47:29,920 --> 00:47:33,120
The names, the places, the cultural points are accurate.

1101
00:47:33,120 --> 00:47:34,880
Archaeology bears it out.

1102
00:47:34,880 --> 00:47:37,520
You have a huge list of prophetic statements

1103
00:47:37,520 --> 00:47:39,200
pointing to this one man.

1104
00:47:39,200 --> 00:47:43,440
Things so specific it cannot possibly mean any other person.

1105
00:47:44,000 --> 00:47:47,840
Even the timing can only apply to his coming.

1106
00:47:49,760 --> 00:47:51,200
And then you have the prophetic statements

1107
00:47:51,200 --> 00:47:52,320
declared over his birth.

1108
00:47:52,320 --> 00:47:53,760
Eyewitness accounts.

1109
00:47:53,760 --> 00:47:57,360
Every step of the way, the author of scripture

1110
00:47:57,360 --> 00:48:00,960
has given you a confirmed and verified account.

1111
00:48:00,960 --> 00:48:04,160
So who else are you looking for?

1112
00:48:08,560 --> 00:48:09,200
Who else?

1113
00:48:09,200 --> 00:48:12,000
If you don't know Christ this morning,

1114
00:48:12,000 --> 00:48:14,080
who are you waiting for?

1115
00:48:15,280 --> 00:48:17,040
What more evidence do you need?

1116
00:48:17,040 --> 00:48:18,320
Who else could it be?

1117
00:48:20,640 --> 00:48:24,560
So bow your knee today to Jesus of Nazareth,

1118
00:48:24,560 --> 00:48:28,560
son of Mary, son of God, Emmanuel, God with us,

1119
00:48:28,560 --> 00:48:33,200
God made flesh, Messiah, Christ, Savior and King.

1120
00:48:34,640 --> 00:48:36,400
Born for you and born for me,

1121
00:48:36,400 --> 00:48:38,960
crucified for the forgiveness of our sins

1122
00:48:38,960 --> 00:48:43,040
and raised to life so that we too might live forever.

1123
00:48:43,680 --> 00:48:45,840
That's why we say this morning, joy to the world

1124
00:48:47,120 --> 00:48:49,040
and glory to God in the highest, amen?

1125
00:48:49,040 --> 00:48:49,840
Amen.

1126
00:48:49,840 --> 00:48:54,640
Let's bow our heads.

1127
00:48:59,680 --> 00:49:01,280
Oh Lord, we are so grateful.

1128
00:49:02,960 --> 00:49:05,440
Grateful Lord that you not only have sent your son

1129
00:49:06,560 --> 00:49:10,240
in your eternal divine plan to consummate all things in him,

1130
00:49:10,800 --> 00:49:13,840
to send your son to take on flesh,

1131
00:49:14,960 --> 00:49:17,840
to condescend to this level for our sake, Lord,

1132
00:49:17,840 --> 00:49:20,400
to die on a cross, to be raised to life

1133
00:49:21,680 --> 00:49:24,400
so that you might be glorified in us and in our lives

1134
00:49:24,960 --> 00:49:26,320
and we might live with you forever.

1135
00:49:26,320 --> 00:49:28,960
What a story, Lord, but you've gone even further

1136
00:49:28,960 --> 00:49:30,800
to give us this amazing book,

1137
00:49:31,920 --> 00:49:34,320
this amazing collection of writings

1138
00:49:35,440 --> 00:49:38,000
over so many years written by so many people

1139
00:49:38,800 --> 00:49:41,040
but so tightly connected to one another

1140
00:49:41,040 --> 00:49:42,960
with all of the breadcrumbs, Lord,

1141
00:49:42,960 --> 00:49:45,440
pointing towards this one person,

1142
00:49:45,440 --> 00:49:47,440
this glorious divine person

1143
00:49:47,920 --> 00:49:49,520
and you've showed it to us, Lord,

1144
00:49:49,520 --> 00:49:52,480
and you have fulfilled the principle of two or three

1145
00:49:52,480 --> 00:49:54,640
witnesses, so many more witnesses, Lord.

1146
00:49:55,840 --> 00:49:58,160
And so this morning we say thank you for all of that,

1147
00:49:58,720 --> 00:50:01,440
that we can be in this place together today

1148
00:50:01,440 --> 00:50:03,040
and we can worship your name

1149
00:50:03,520 --> 00:50:05,520
and we can praise you for Jesus Christ,

1150
00:50:06,320 --> 00:50:08,320
born in that manger, born for us,

1151
00:50:08,720 --> 00:50:11,280
born to die so that we might live.

1152
00:50:12,320 --> 00:50:14,560
What a story, God, what a story.

1153
00:50:14,560 --> 00:50:16,160
What a story you have given us.

1154
00:50:17,120 --> 00:50:21,040
As we sing a few more songs this morning, God,

1155
00:50:21,040 --> 00:50:23,760
will you just seal those truths in our hearts and our minds

1156
00:50:23,760 --> 00:50:25,520
so that we just cannot help

1157
00:50:25,520 --> 00:50:27,920
but burst out in praise of your name.

1158
00:50:28,480 --> 00:50:30,080
Help us to do that this morning, Lord,

1159
00:50:30,640 --> 00:50:32,320
for your glory, we pray.

1160
00:50:32,320 --> 00:50:44,960
Amen.