1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,440 Christmas seems to come so slowly, especially for children, and then be over so quickly, 2 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:08,440 doesn't it? 3 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:14,840 All of that work that you went to preparing food for relatives, cleaning the house, wrapping 4 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:19,240 a few presents, and it's over just in a few minutes. 5 00:00:19,240 --> 00:00:24,780 However, the spirit of Christmas lingers on. 6 00:00:24,780 --> 00:00:31,240 That is the joy of knowing that Christ has come and has brought redemption for us as 7 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:32,240 his people. 8 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:39,560 And so does the sermon series linger on about the spirit of Christmas for one more week. 9 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:44,160 And today we're going to look in the Gospel of Luke to get started. 10 00:00:44,160 --> 00:00:55,360 So look in Luke chapter 2 with me as we think about the joy of Simeon and Anna. 11 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:59,080 Last week you remember we talked about the joy of Mary. 12 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:04,660 Her joy was the joy of serving the will of God. 13 00:01:04,660 --> 00:01:10,040 She said, Be it done to me, Lord, according to your word. 14 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:15,160 She saw herself as a servant of the Lord, and she had great joy in serving the will 15 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:16,160 of God. 16 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,080 We talked about the joy of the angels. 17 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:23,200 Their joy was that of speaking the word of God. 18 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:28,440 God commissioned them to go and to announce the birth of the Savior. 19 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:35,120 And just as they have that joy, so we have the joy of speaking God's word to others. 20 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:41,440 And we talked about the joy of the shepherds, their joy was that of seeing the work of God. 21 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:45,920 They were given insight into what was taking place in that little village nearby that nobody 22 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:53,320 else had, not a single person in the world besides those shepherds and Mary and Joseph. 23 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:56,320 They understood what was taking place. 24 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:01,920 And you and I also have the joy of seeing God at work in our world. 25 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:06,480 And not today as we look at Simeon and Anna, we're going to notice another joy. 26 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:10,760 It is the joy of sharing a walk with God. 27 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:18,720 We're going to pick up the story in verse 21, where it says, When eight days were completed 28 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:26,080 before his circumcision, his name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel 29 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,720 before he was conceived in the womb. 30 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:35,560 And so according to the law of Moses, Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day. 31 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:40,920 And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, that's 32 00:02:40,920 --> 00:02:44,080 another 33 days. 33 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:49,240 So if you add that together, Jesus is now, as we move into the rest of the text, about 34 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,360 six weeks old. 35 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:55,920 He's not laying in a manger yet, folks. 36 00:02:55,920 --> 00:03:01,800 That was probably the first night after that they undoubtedly found some place to stay 37 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:06,440 in Bethlehem, a womb, a home. 38 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:11,560 And it says that when that period of time was up, when Jesus was six weeks old about, 39 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,680 they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 40 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:22,880 As it was written in the law of the Lord, every firstborn male that opens the womb shall 41 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:26,240 be called holy to the Lord. 42 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:31,960 And to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the law of the Lord, a pair of 43 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:38,440 turtle doves or two young pigeons, actually a lamb, was the first thing to be said to 44 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:40,680 be brought for this act of purification. 45 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:46,440 But for those who could not afford it, for those who were poor, there was this alternative. 46 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:54,600 And so it gives us some insight into the social level, the financial level of Mary and Joseph. 47 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,000 They were not wealthy, they were poor. 48 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:02,560 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. 49 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:10,640 And this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel. 50 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:13,880 And the Holy Spirit was upon him. 51 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:19,040 We learn a lot about Simeon in those few words. 52 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:20,400 He was a man who was righteous. 53 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:27,560 It doesn't mean he was sinless, but according to the external, he was a righteous man. 54 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:30,120 People looked at him and counted him that way. 55 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:31,840 He was devout. 56 00:04:31,840 --> 00:04:39,000 The idea is here that he was conscientious inwardly, not only outwardly, but inwardly. 57 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:42,640 He was a man who was careful in his life to please the Lord. 58 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:46,320 He was devoted to the Lord, we might say. 59 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:51,760 Not only that, he was a man who was looking. 60 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:55,080 He was looking for the consolation of Israel. 61 00:04:55,080 --> 00:05:03,400 You'll notice in verse 38, it mentions Anna, whom we'll speak about in a moment, who went 62 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:10,000 to all of those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem, a very similar phrase. 63 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:19,680 There was this anticipation, not only in Simeon and in Anna, but in others who loved the Lord 64 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:25,600 God of Israel, that the Messiah was coming. 65 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:29,040 He is called here the consolation of Israel. 66 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:33,200 He is named the redemption of Jerusalem. 67 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:40,760 Now, those had particular contexts that were very meaningful to the people of Israel on 68 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:44,560 that day because they were under the heavy oppression of Rome. 69 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:53,000 They were looking for the Messiah of God to come, but their primary understanding of his 70 00:05:53,000 --> 00:06:03,480 coming was that he would encourage and console Israel and redeem Israel from its oppression 71 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:06,160 under Rome. 72 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:13,840 The Simeon was among those faithful people who was looking for the Lord to come. 73 00:06:13,840 --> 00:06:16,400 It says the Holy Spirit was upon him. 74 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:20,280 Now, remember, this is before Pentecost. 75 00:06:20,280 --> 00:06:26,880 In other words, the Holy Spirit was upon Simeon for a particular reason. 76 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:32,200 He did not come upon all believers in the Old Testament. 77 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:38,760 But the Holy Spirit came upon certain people that God chose for certain purposes, Simeon 78 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:39,760 being among them. 79 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:46,000 And now we find out, really I think, why the Holy Spirit was upon him. 80 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:52,440 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had 81 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:58,440 seen the Lord's Christ, the Lord's Messiah, the promised one. 82 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:03,520 And he came in the Spirit into the temple. 83 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:08,560 And when the parents brought in the child, Jesus, to carry out for him the custom of 84 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:18,280 the law, then he, Simeon, took him, Jesus, into his arms, and blessed God and said, Now, 85 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:25,400 Lord, thou dost let thy bond-servant depart in peace according to thy word. 86 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:31,160 For my eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all 87 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:39,080 peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel. 88 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:45,520 And his father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about him. 89 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:49,320 The word amazed here is one of Luke's favorite words. 90 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:52,880 He talks quite a bit about amazement. 91 00:07:52,880 --> 00:08:00,080 He talks about John, or rather, Zechariah and Elizabeth being amazed at the impending 92 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:05,560 birth of John, their son. 93 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:09,840 He talks here about the amazement that Mary and Joseph had. 94 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:15,440 And he will use this term a number of times, perhaps 10 or 11 times in his gospel. 95 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,800 It means they were stunned by it. 96 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:22,320 It comes from a verb that means to be rigid. 97 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:28,080 And the idea is that they were just, you know, when you hear something that just so amazes 98 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:32,080 you, it overcomes you, you don't know what to do, how to respond. 99 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:33,080 That's how Mary and Joseph were. 100 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:39,280 Now there he knew what the angel had said to both of them regarding their son. 101 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:45,440 But what Simeon said was something more and it stunned them. 102 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:53,120 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, behold, this child is appointed 103 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:58,440 for the fall and rise of many in Israel. 104 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:04,320 They'll fall in the sense that when they reject him, they condemn themselves. 105 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:10,360 And their rise, when they believe on him, they're saved from sin. 106 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:20,640 And for a sire, he says, to be opposed, and a sword will pierce even your own soul, to 107 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:26,080 the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed. 108 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:33,660 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Fanuel, of the tribe of Asher. 109 00:09:33,660 --> 00:09:38,800 She was advanced in years, having lived with a husband seven years after her marriage and 110 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:43,360 then as a widow to the age of 84. 111 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:48,920 And she never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. 112 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:56,280 The Herodian temple was surrounded with many rooms, store rooms and other kinds of cubicles 113 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:57,280 and places. 114 00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:04,920 And apparently, Anna was given a place right there in the temple mount where she lived. 115 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:10,760 And she served God in that way through fasting and prayers. 116 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:15,920 And at that very moment, she came up and began giving thanks to God and continued to speak 117 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:23,200 of him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. 118 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:33,320 The joy that I see here in Simeon and Anna is the joy of sharing a walk with God. 119 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:37,400 Both of these individuals have some things in common. 120 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:40,840 First of all, they were both older people. 121 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:46,120 We don't know exactly how old Simeon was, but because of his statement, now I'm ready 122 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:53,560 to die, and he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Christ, we presume that he 123 00:10:53,560 --> 00:10:56,400 was an older man. 124 00:10:56,400 --> 00:11:03,320 And we're given some idea of the age of Anna. 125 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:05,120 The language is a little obscure. 126 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:08,040 She was either 84 or she was over 100. 127 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:11,640 It's one way or the other. 128 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:19,360 And so certainly she qualifies for being a senior saint, doesn't she? 129 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:21,080 And not far behind her was the Simeon. 130 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:22,880 So they were both older people. 131 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:25,880 Also, both of them were serving the Lord. 132 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:32,080 What a wonderful example they set for older people to keep on serving the Lord. 133 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:39,000 Now in our culture, we have what we call retirement, and I'm not sure that that's the best thing 134 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:43,160 in the world, but there are certain purposes that it's there. 135 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:48,600 And when we reach retirement, sometimes we have the idea we retire from God's work too. 136 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:52,120 Well, spiritually, there is no retirement in the Bible. 137 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:53,120 It just doesn't fit. 138 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:54,120 It's not there. 139 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,000 God doesn't ever speak about it. 140 00:11:56,000 --> 00:12:00,440 God wants His people to keep their sandals on all the way to the time He calls them home. 141 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:07,320 And here we have a wonderful example for all of us who are getting older that when we are 142 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:12,200 in our elderly years, we want to keep serving the Lord in every way that the Lord would 143 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:14,040 have us do that. 144 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:18,200 We notice thirdly that these were both godly people. 145 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:22,880 We don't have a lot of language about that regarding Anna, but we can just see from what 146 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:23,880 she's doing. 147 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:29,040 And she is a woman who knows what it is to walk with God, and Simeon is a man who knows 148 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:30,760 what it is to walk with God. 149 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:36,880 We often see that because of that, they were directed by the Holy Spirit, both of them. 150 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:42,400 The Spirit of God led Simeon into the temple at that very moment that Joseph and Mary brought 151 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:45,320 Jesus in. 152 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:51,040 And he knew by the voice of the Holy Spirit inside, undoubtedly, this is the one he's 153 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:52,440 been looking for. 154 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:59,160 And likewise, Anna came into the temple just at that moment, not an accident. 155 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:06,320 The Spirit of God led them both, and finally they both recognized the blessing of this 156 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:11,680 child, and they gave thanks to God and spoke of Him. 157 00:13:11,680 --> 00:13:13,880 And they were filled with joy because of it. 158 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:20,680 Joy that came because they shared a walk with God. 159 00:13:20,680 --> 00:13:22,680 The fruit of the Spirit is love. 160 00:13:22,680 --> 00:13:25,680 What's our second one? 161 00:13:25,680 --> 00:13:26,680 Oh yes. 162 00:13:26,680 --> 00:13:35,280 You see, when we walk with God, there is a joy in the heart. 163 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:43,320 That doesn't mean we're going to be jumping up and down like junior hires all day long, 164 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:47,560 filled with that kind of energy. 165 00:13:47,560 --> 00:14:00,680 Joy is a deep subtleness in the heart that overflows with a contentment and a joy before 166 00:14:00,680 --> 00:14:01,680 God. 167 00:14:01,680 --> 00:14:09,680 And it goes right through the hard circumstances of life. 168 00:14:09,680 --> 00:14:15,320 It penetrates the grieving times when we shed tears. 169 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:22,440 Right in the heart of that grief, there's a thread of joy that is maintained. 170 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:23,920 And we see that in these two. 171 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:28,680 There are a lot of things in common, and the thing that joined their hearts together was 172 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:30,720 their joy in their walk with God. 173 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:37,440 You know, to walk with God is to live a life of expectation. 174 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:44,000 Sinu and Anna were among those who were looking for God to do something. 175 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:48,760 So when one walks with God, there is a sense of expectation. 176 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:52,520 There is the sense of, well, what is next? 177 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:54,000 What's God going to do now? 178 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:56,920 What a great way to enter the new year. 179 00:14:56,920 --> 00:15:03,360 To have that sense that God is going to do something in 1996. 180 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:04,360 What's he going to do? 181 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:09,120 I'm going to be looking for what God will do. 182 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:14,680 Walking with God involves a sense of anticipation and expectation. 183 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:21,440 And that's because we walk by faith, not by sight. 184 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:26,040 Faith has to do with expecting God to do something. 185 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:27,800 Something bigger than we are. 186 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:29,880 Something only God can do. 187 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:33,400 Something God sized. 188 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:38,400 We live and walk by faith when we walk with God. 189 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:45,200 Because of that our outlook, we're looking to him, changes our outlook. 190 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:50,160 I notice here at least three evidences of a walk with God in the lives of these two 191 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:51,160 people. 192 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:55,960 In the first place, the providence of God is revealed. 193 00:15:55,960 --> 00:16:02,440 The providence of God is revealed in both what happens to Sinu and Anna. 194 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:07,760 I've already mentioned the fact that Sinu was directed by God into the temple. 195 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:11,520 He came in the spirit into the temple. 196 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:15,520 And when the parents brought the child Jesus, he took him in his arms. 197 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:17,080 And so he was there. 198 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:22,040 There was the providence of God revealed in this whole thing. 199 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:23,920 And we see the same thing with Anna. 200 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:28,180 She came into the temple at that very moment. 201 00:16:28,180 --> 00:16:29,180 She was there. 202 00:16:29,180 --> 00:16:30,180 She came up. 203 00:16:30,180 --> 00:16:31,180 She saw what was taking place. 204 00:16:31,180 --> 00:16:36,360 And her heart was filled with joy. 205 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:40,880 And you and I, when we walk with God, we'll see the providence of God revealed in our 206 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:43,600 lives too. 207 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,800 We'll see how God just causes things to happen. 208 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:50,640 Not by chance. 209 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:52,080 But by design. 210 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:54,600 Not by coincidence. 211 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:57,240 But by providence. 212 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:01,880 There is no such thing as chance. 213 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:03,680 God is a God of providence. 214 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:05,280 He rules. 215 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:06,280 He directs. 216 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:07,280 He is a shepherd. 217 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:12,280 And when you and I walk with God, we'll be able to see how God is putting things in place 218 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:13,280 in our lives too. 219 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:18,280 Now we may not recognize it at the moment, but later we look back and say, you know, 220 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:23,280 isn't it amazing that I met that person on that day? 221 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:28,280 Isn't it amazing that timing worked out the way that it did? 222 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:29,280 It's not an accident. 223 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:31,280 It's the providence of God. 224 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:36,120 And when you and I walk with God, the providence of God will be revealed to us. 225 00:17:36,120 --> 00:17:38,880 We'll see what God is doing. 226 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:46,400 Secondly, another evidence of a walk with God is that the promises of God are realized. 227 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:48,440 The promises of God are realized. 228 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:54,520 Now God's promises are always valid, but sometimes we're not taking advantage of them. 229 00:17:54,520 --> 00:18:02,920 When we're not walking with God, those promises are not going to be ours in experience. 230 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:07,920 When we walk with God, the promises of God are fulfilled in our lives. 231 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:12,240 And Simeon had a particular promise. 232 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:15,800 He had a life insurance policy. 233 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:19,360 Maybe I should say a life assurance policy. 234 00:18:19,360 --> 00:18:27,120 He wasn't going to die until he had seen the promise of God fulfilled. 235 00:18:27,120 --> 00:18:32,000 And that's what he talks about in this marvelous statement that Luke gives to us. 236 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:38,520 He says, Lord, now I'm ready to go because you have fulfilled your promise. 237 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:43,160 When you and I walk with God, the promises of God are realized in our lives. 238 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:49,280 Let's make 1996, the time when we're going to so walk with God that his promises will 239 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:53,480 be realized in our lives. 240 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:59,080 And then a third evidence of a walk with God is that the program of God is recognized. 241 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:02,120 The program of God is recognized. 242 00:19:02,120 --> 00:19:06,680 I notice that Simeon says to Mary some amazing things regarding this child. 243 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:11,200 They knew that his name was to be called Jesus. 244 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:13,760 He will save his people from their sins. 245 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:17,240 They understood that. 246 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:19,460 But Simeon gives them more information. 247 00:19:19,460 --> 00:19:25,240 It doesn't say here that Simeon is an Old Testament prophet, but he certainly functions 248 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:31,560 as one as he declares these facts about the Lord Jesus Christ. 249 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:38,400 And even the cross death is suggested by what he says to Mary, a sword will pierce even 250 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:43,640 your own soul. 251 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:47,600 And Mary remembered that statement. 252 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:54,000 And that's why Luke has it decades later, because she remembered that statement when 253 00:19:54,000 --> 00:20:00,400 Jesus was on the cross and she stood there at that time or later she reflected that statement 254 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:02,800 from Simeon came back to her. 255 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:07,720 You see, Simeon recognized the program of God. 256 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:09,520 He understood what God was doing. 257 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:15,720 And when you and I walk with God, we also will know something about the program of God. 258 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:18,640 We will recognize what God is doing. 259 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:26,160 Well, as we enter a new year, may we understand the joy of walking with God and may the evidences 260 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:33,280 of walking with God be ours to enjoy in 1996. 261 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:38,360 Now I want us to go back to another text that deals with joy and the spirit of Christmas 262 00:20:38,360 --> 00:20:42,480 and that is in Matthew, the second chapter. 263 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:53,240 I don't have time to read the full context of the coming of the Magi. 264 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:58,640 You remember that they were directed by a star to seek the King of the Jews and they 265 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:04,920 came to Jerusalem, which was the capital city of the Jews and they asked, where is he who 266 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:07,720 has been born King of the Jews? 267 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:13,600 Because they didn't say born to become the King of the Jews, they said he's right now 268 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:16,960 the King of the Jews. 269 00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:19,520 And that certainly was a threat to Herod. 270 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:25,160 Herod had ruled since 37 BC. 271 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:30,360 Actually he was appointed in 40 BC, but there were several years when power was being consolidated 272 00:21:30,360 --> 00:21:36,880 and his power was secure beginning in 37 BC. 273 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:42,960 Herod was a very shrewd man, he was a brilliant man. 274 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:48,560 Herod was a man who planned Caesarea by the sea. 275 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:57,720 Either he or some of his people were brilliant engineers in how they built that port that 276 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:02,760 is north of Tel Aviv in modern Israel. 277 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:08,480 He built fantastic structures throughout Israel. 278 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:17,440 He built Masada, that fortress that is on top of this peak along the Dead Sea, right 279 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:23,960 beside a trade route to protect it, but also to be a place where he could hide if anybody 280 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:24,960 was to seek him. 281 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:29,540 He built what's called a Herodium, where they think he was buried, but they've never found 282 00:22:29,540 --> 00:22:31,680 anything in the evidence of that. 283 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:33,800 It may still be there hidden somewhere. 284 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:37,000 The Herodium was one of his castles. 285 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:44,440 And he built or rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem, so we speak of Herod's temple. 286 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:48,180 It was a Jewish temple that Herod built for them. 287 00:22:48,180 --> 00:22:53,880 He poured vast sums of money to see that temple restored and rebuilt in Jerusalem, and that's 288 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:58,800 the temple that Jesus ministered in in his lifetime. 289 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:03,080 The Herod was also a man who was vicious and cruel. 290 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:07,240 And as he got older, he got more vicious, more paranoid. 291 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:13,360 He killed his own wife, Nehomni, his favorite wife. 292 00:23:13,360 --> 00:23:23,440 He killed his two sons, whom he was afraid would follow him on the throne, his own sons. 293 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:28,480 He built palaces all over the place as well as these sanctuaries where he might flee if 294 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:32,960 anyone were to try to kill him. 295 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:37,440 And so he was a man who was paranoid, and that leads us to his mindset here near his 296 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:42,380 death in 4 BC. 297 00:23:42,380 --> 00:23:45,040 He is now diseased. 298 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:49,400 He is dying, and he recognizes that. 299 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:50,600 He's angry about that. 300 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:55,400 He doesn't want anyone to follow him on the throne. 301 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:59,920 He is so angry about dying that he says, the day that I die, I want you to kill. 302 00:23:59,920 --> 00:24:01,920 And he named hundreds of Jewish leaders. 303 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:03,800 He said, I want you to kill them. 304 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:04,800 And they did. 305 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:12,480 So that the nation of Israel would mourn that day because he knew otherwise they would rejoice 306 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:16,320 that he had died. 307 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:21,560 And so it's in that context that these people arrive from the east, the Nagi. 308 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:22,560 Now who are the Nagi? 309 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:25,760 Well, as you know, the scripture doesn't say there were three of them. 310 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:27,760 It doesn't say they were kings. 311 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:29,960 It calls them Nagi. 312 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:34,200 The Nagi were probably Babylonian priests. 313 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:35,200 They were pagans. 314 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:39,040 They were Gentiles. 315 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:44,720 They were as close to scientists as there were scientists in that day. 316 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:47,640 They leaned heavily upon astrology. 317 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:53,520 They watched the heavens, the things that would happen in the heavens, to give them 318 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:55,480 signs. 319 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:56,920 And something happened in the heavens. 320 00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:03,920 A star was there, some sort of a phenomenon that they were not used to. 321 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:05,880 We don't know exactly what it was. 322 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:11,440 Some say it could have been a conjunction of planets or a supernova or lots of other 323 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:14,800 ideas, but we really don't know what it was. 324 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:23,400 But whatever it was, it was an indication to them that a king had been born in Israel. 325 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:31,920 It probably had to do with the signs of the zodiac and those signs as they apply to kings 326 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:34,200 and to nations. 327 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:40,120 And in those signs, they read this information that the king of the Jews had been born. 328 00:25:40,120 --> 00:25:45,720 And so they come asking for him, and Herod was of course threatened. 329 00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:51,480 And he asks the Jewish leaders, where is this child to be born? 330 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:54,720 And they respond, Bethlehem. 331 00:25:54,720 --> 00:26:00,640 And so Herod then says secretly called the Nagi and asked between them the time the star 332 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:01,640 appeared. 333 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:04,080 You know why. 334 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:07,960 He wanted to know how old this child was. 335 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:12,960 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, go and make careful search for the child. 336 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:16,080 He will do my work for me. 337 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:22,160 And when you found him, report to me that I may come and worship him. 338 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:23,160 Worship him. 339 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:28,400 And having heard the king, they went their way and lo, the star which they had seen in 340 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:30,200 the east went on before them. 341 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:36,000 Now, this is what makes it so difficult to identify what this star was. 342 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:39,440 Because in some way, this star again appeared. 343 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:45,400 And so there are some who say that this star they saw was actually the Shekinah, the glory 344 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:47,440 of God. 345 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:52,200 And that they saw it again in the sky and that it then rested over the place where this 346 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:53,200 child was. 347 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:55,160 And that's exactly what it says in verse 9. 348 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:59,400 It says, when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 349 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,260 And so we have the spirit of joy again. 350 00:27:02,260 --> 00:27:07,200 When they came into the house, we're just saying a wonderful hymn. 351 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:10,960 It said that they came to the manger, the crude manger. 352 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:13,080 They didn't come to the manger at all. 353 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:17,960 They came to a house and they saw the child with Mary his mother and they fell down and 354 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:19,440 worshiped him. 355 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:23,160 And opening their treasures, they presented to him gifts of gold and frankincense and 356 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:24,160 myrrh. 357 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:28,480 And having been warned by God in a dream, not returned to Herod, they departed for their 358 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:31,000 own country by another way. 359 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:39,160 Probably going south from Bethlehem and across the Dead Sea area back up to Parthia or to 360 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:42,160 Babylon. 361 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:46,680 Now the cause for their inquiry was this star. 362 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:51,360 The byproduct of the inquiry was it caused a lot of consternation in Jerusalem. 363 00:27:51,360 --> 00:27:54,720 It upset Herod especially. 364 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:59,680 And the crisis of it all seemed to be that they got to Jerusalem and they didn't know 365 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:02,360 how to go from there. 366 00:28:02,360 --> 00:28:05,840 But then God gave them more direction. 367 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:12,000 And with great joy, they came to where Jesus the child was and they worshiped him. 368 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:15,120 They worshiped him. 369 00:28:15,120 --> 00:28:22,280 In her most recent newsletter, Elizabeth Elliott shares a little poem that was sent to her, 370 00:28:22,280 --> 00:28:27,160 it looks like 44 years ago, by an aunt. 371 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:31,360 The source of this is unknown, I quoted from her newsletter. 372 00:28:31,360 --> 00:28:36,680 The simply says, it's entitled, The Nativity. 373 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:40,560 Out of the dusk, a promise. 374 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:44,560 Out of the dark, a star. 375 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:48,880 Out of the world, a maiden. 376 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:57,140 Out of the night afar, resounds the angels' message, which shepherds heard them sing. 377 00:28:57,140 --> 00:29:00,520 Out of the dawn, redemption. 378 00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:04,640 And into the world, a king. 379 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:12,800 The wise men, these Magi, recognized that this one was the king of the Jews. 380 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:22,120 Now we see some parallels here between the Magi and the searchers of all the ages. 381 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:31,040 In the first place, whenever a person truly seeks after the truth of God, that search 382 00:29:31,040 --> 00:29:34,440 is the result of God's work in his heart. 383 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:36,040 You mark it down. 384 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:41,280 The Bible says there is none that seeks after God. 385 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:47,040 There is none righteous, no, not one. 386 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:54,240 And there are people who seek after spiritual truth or ideas, but they go to other sources. 387 00:29:54,240 --> 00:30:02,000 When someone seeks after God, the true God, it is because God has done some stirring and 388 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:05,800 some directing in that heart. 389 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:11,520 Jesus said, all that the Father gives me will come to me. 390 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:22,000 You see, the Father is stirring the heart before the heart knows what it is to believe. 391 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:27,960 So when a searcher begins his search, it is because God has done something in that heart 392 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:33,640 by his grace, and he had done that with his Magi. 393 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:41,320 Secondly, searchers may find that their search will trouble other people. 394 00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:44,120 I don't know what the Magi expected when they got to Jerusalem. 395 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:48,120 Maybe they thought that everybody would have known the King of the Jews had been born. 396 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:52,160 But when they got there, they caused a problem. 397 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:59,240 They caused a problem ultimately for a lot of people in Bethlehem, too. 398 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:03,560 And there are people today who are searching because God has stirred their hearts, who 399 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:08,160 in the midst of that search find out that that search will trouble other people. 400 00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:16,200 For as they begin to speak about their search for God, or to speak about the fact they found 401 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:24,120 him, it will upset some family members who will not understand. 402 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:28,840 And mom or dad will reply, well, you've always been a Christian. 403 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:32,440 What do you mean you've been saved? 404 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:38,760 Well, you were baptized when you were a little baby. 405 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:45,560 How can you say that you want to be baptized now as an adult? 406 00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:49,720 Whenever anyone searches after God, there will be those who will be upset about it. 407 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:54,080 Maybe people at work who don't like the change they see. 408 00:31:54,080 --> 00:32:01,960 It brings discomfort, in other words, conviction to the atheist scene. 409 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:10,720 Because now there's somebody there who doesn't fit in, and it troubles them. 410 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:16,680 It is not unusual when someone is searching after God, and when they find God, that there 411 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:18,920 are those who are troubled by that. 412 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:25,760 The third observation I make is this, that God will not stop giving direction as long 413 00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:30,560 as the heart of the searcher desires more. 414 00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:35,800 God will continue to give direction until that person comes to Christ. 415 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:39,880 I do believe that the heathen of the world who have never heard the gospel are lost in 416 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:46,160 their sin, but I also believe this, that if there be one out there somewhere who desires 417 00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:50,360 to hear the truth, and remember he will do that because God has stirred his heart, but 418 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:58,360 if there be one out there who desires to hear the truth, God will get the truth to him. 419 00:32:58,360 --> 00:33:04,040 The fourth observation I make is that the end of the search is Jesus Christ. 420 00:33:04,040 --> 00:33:10,120 And if today you are searching for some spiritual reality, you are looking for something more 421 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:14,400 to life than you have known in the past, if you're looking for some fulfillment, some 422 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:21,160 relief from your sin and guilt, the end of your search is Jesus Christ. 423 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:27,320 He is the one you're searching for, and you may come to him today in faith and receive 424 00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:32,720 him and find what your heart has longed for these years. 425 00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:41,760 The final observation I make is that finding him will create great joy, and it will demand 426 00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:46,440 of you your very best. 427 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:51,440 The Magi were filled with joy that they found the child that they had been looking for, 428 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:54,880 and they brought to him their richest gifts. 429 00:33:54,880 --> 00:34:00,200 And so when you come to Jesus Christ, your heart too will be filled with joy, knowing 430 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:10,860 him that he will demand of you your best because he deserves to be Lord of your life. 431 00:34:10,860 --> 00:34:19,160 The joy of the Magi is the joy of savoring the worship of God. 432 00:34:19,160 --> 00:34:20,760 Savoring the worship of God. 433 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:24,840 They had experienced it for themselves. 434 00:34:24,840 --> 00:34:29,920 Their hearts were drawn, and God brought them to the place where they could worship him. 435 00:34:29,920 --> 00:34:34,280 I hope that 1996 will be that for you and for me. 436 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:40,920 A year when we will not only walk with God, but we will savor the worship of God. 437 00:34:40,920 --> 00:34:48,120 We will understand what a blessed thing it is to know him and to offer him our very best. 438 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:55,080 Whether it be in our private worship with God sometime during the day, or it be our 439 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:58,040 corporate worship when we come together, we will long for that. 440 00:34:58,040 --> 00:35:03,600 We will look forward to those opportunities to be in his presence. 441 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:08,920 And being in his presence will give him our very best. 442 00:35:08,920 --> 00:35:09,920 The spirit of Christmas. 443 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:14,000 Now there were other attitudes that were part of Christmas too. 444 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:18,920 There was Herod's hostility, that's part of the Christmas scene. 445 00:35:18,920 --> 00:35:24,080 Yet today, there are those who are hostile toward God. 446 00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:31,040 I heard this morning on the radio of the Butterfly McQueen, this black actress who was in Gone 447 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:36,280 with the Wind, and who made that famous statement, and I can't even remember it right now, but 448 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:37,280 it's so famous. 449 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:44,520 She had a real squeaky voice, if you've ever seen the film, Miss Charlotte. 450 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:47,520 Miss Charlotte, isn't that it? 451 00:35:47,520 --> 00:35:49,520 What is it? 452 00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:51,640 Miss Scarlet. 453 00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:53,840 Miss Scarlet. 454 00:35:53,840 --> 00:35:54,840 She died. 455 00:35:54,840 --> 00:35:59,800 And this morning in the news they announced that she left a big portion of her estate 456 00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:01,960 to the Freedom from Religion Foundation. 457 00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:06,400 All her life she's been an atheist. 458 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:13,040 She knows better now, but all her life she's been an atheist. 459 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:18,360 You see there are people who are hostile toward God, yet today, like Herod was hostile, that's 460 00:36:18,360 --> 00:36:19,960 part of Christmas. 461 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:21,400 We recognize that. 462 00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:26,560 Perhaps the saddest attitude that's a part of the spirit of Christmas is the spirit that 463 00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:32,000 was in Jerusalem, which is basically indifference and ignorance. 464 00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:34,360 They don't know. 465 00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:36,680 They didn't care. 466 00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:46,160 Two great phrases in late 20th century America, I don't know and I don't care. 467 00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:48,320 And people are that way toward Jesus Christ. 468 00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:49,320 How sad. 469 00:36:49,320 --> 00:36:51,840 But that too is a part of the spirit of Christmas. 470 00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:58,040 But I want to close with one thought as we head into 1996 regarding joy, and to do that 471 00:36:58,040 --> 00:37:05,560 I'd like you to go with me to Romans chapter 5, but we just look at one quick thought. 472 00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:13,840 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus 473 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:14,840 Christ. 474 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:15,840 That's our first blessing. 475 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:22,360 Through whom we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace, where in we stand, 476 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:24,360 that's our second blessing. 477 00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:31,120 And our third blessing is we exhort or we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 478 00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:36,560 Folks, as we head into 1996. 479 00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:44,600 Let us rejoice, for the word exalt means to rejoice exuberantly and confidently. 480 00:37:44,600 --> 00:37:48,640 Let us rejoice that we're headed for the glory of God. 481 00:37:48,640 --> 00:37:53,560 I don't know what 96 is going to hold, but I know that ultimately it's going to work 482 00:37:53,560 --> 00:37:54,840 out to the glory of God. 483 00:37:54,840 --> 00:38:01,280 And I know that someday, someday the glory of God is going to be realized in the return 484 00:38:01,280 --> 00:38:03,800 of the Lord Jesus Christ. 485 00:38:03,800 --> 00:38:04,800 He's coming back. 486 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:09,760 This Jesus that we've talked about coming and being born in Bethlehem is going to return 487 00:38:09,760 --> 00:38:10,760 to the earth. 488 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:15,160 So I want to close with a poem that was given to me. 489 00:38:15,160 --> 00:38:21,120 It's actually, and somebody's built and boarded work a couple of weeks ago and she passed 490 00:38:21,120 --> 00:38:22,600 along a copy to me. 491 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:27,280 You may recognize the idea behind it. 492 00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:34,800 It was the night before Jesus came and all through the house, not a creature was praying, 493 00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:36,640 not one in the house. 494 00:38:36,640 --> 00:38:42,280 The Bibles were laying on the shelf without care in hopes that Jesus would not come there. 495 00:38:42,280 --> 00:38:48,120 The children were dressing to crawl on the bed, not once over kneeling or bowing ahead. 496 00:38:48,120 --> 00:38:55,560 The mom in a rocker with baby on her lap was watching the late show while I took a nap. 497 00:38:55,560 --> 00:39:01,120 When out of the east there arose such a clatter, I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter. 498 00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:06,160 Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. 499 00:39:06,160 --> 00:39:11,800 When not to my wondering eyes should appear but angels proclaiming that Jesus was here. 500 00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:18,040 With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray, I knew in a moment this must be 501 00:39:18,040 --> 00:39:19,040 the day. 502 00:39:19,040 --> 00:39:22,480 The light of his face made me cover my head. 503 00:39:22,480 --> 00:39:26,000 It was Jesus returning just like he said. 504 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:32,080 And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth, I cried when I saw him in spite of 505 00:39:32,080 --> 00:39:34,120 myself. 506 00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:38,980 In the book of life which he held in his hand was written the name of every saved man. 507 00:39:38,980 --> 00:39:45,760 He spoke not a word as he searched for my name when he said, it's not here. 508 00:39:45,760 --> 00:39:47,900 My head hung in shame. 509 00:39:47,900 --> 00:39:53,880 The people whose names had been written with love he gathered to take to his father above. 510 00:39:53,880 --> 00:39:58,280 With those who were ready he rose without sound while all the rest were left standing 511 00:39:58,280 --> 00:39:59,720 around. 512 00:39:59,720 --> 00:40:02,700 I fell to my knees but it was too late. 513 00:40:02,700 --> 00:40:07,320 I had waited too long and thus sealed my fate. 514 00:40:07,320 --> 00:40:13,560 I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight, oh if only I had been ready tonight. 515 00:40:13,560 --> 00:40:19,920 In the words of this poem the meaning is clear, the coming of Jesus is drawing near. 516 00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:25,880 There's only one life and when comes the last call we'll find that the Bible was true after 517 00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:26,880 all. 518 00:40:26,880 --> 00:40:31,880 My friend, Jesus Christ is coming soon. 519 00:40:31,880 --> 00:40:37,240 I hope that this poem, which isn't great theology necessarily, but which certainly communicates 520 00:40:37,240 --> 00:40:43,680 the truth will not be something that you'll remember and regret, that if you don't know 521 00:40:43,680 --> 00:40:50,440 him, you're not ready for his coming, but you will make yourself ready today by trusting 522 00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:51,440 him. 523 00:40:51,440 --> 00:40:54,440 Let's pray. 524 00:40:54,440 --> 00:41:07,440 Father, when Jesus comes I pray that all of us will be ready and that we will be glad 525 00:41:07,440 --> 00:41:13,120 we have served him well, that we have walked with him and known that joy and worshiped 526 00:41:13,120 --> 00:41:16,880 him and known that joy. 527 00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:27,280 We rejoice today in the hope of the glory of God in the return of the Lord Jesus. 528 00:41:27,280 --> 00:41:34,320 Until that time that he comes, whether it be this afternoon or it be beyond our own 529 00:41:34,320 --> 00:41:43,960 lifetimes, I pray that we will be watching and like Anna and like Simeon we'll be looking 530 00:41:43,960 --> 00:41:49,440 with eager anticipation for the coming of Christ. 531 00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:54,000 In his name I pray, amen. 532 00:41:54,000 --> 00:42:14,200 I'd like you to take your hymnal and turn with me to 441, a hymnal I think is...