December 18, 2016
We're continuing in a sermon series on Mary story through the Gospel of Luke and this morning we're looking at Luke 2 and let's start walking through that passage this morning as I shared with you. I teach for a Ministry called walk to the Bible. I'm not been very active the past few years, but they're still very generous to me and they send me all of their stuff all the time cuz I'm on their books as one of their teachers and so we're using some of their material just took to do what Their Ministry is all about Walk Through the Bible. They love going verse-by-verse to the passage of scripture and pointing out insides and then we're going to draw some of her own conclusions from from some of the information that kind of studying this passage reveals to us. So beginning and Luke Chapter 2 the past few weeks. We read about Mary hearing from an angel telling her that she's going to give birth to a son though. She's a virgin and in the midst of that amazing announcement Mary had the humility to say may it be to me as you have spoken. I am your servant and then last week we talked about the brain. I think that Mary did was going visit Elizabeth and the comfort of that relationship in those friendships and and being together. But also the boldness of their testimony was part of what we talked about last weekend and after last week after visiting Elizabeth the very familiar traditional passage of scripture follows where Jesus is born the Shepherds come and see this child and they leave praising God for what he has done. And this is what happens immediately after that. It says at that time there was a manager Uso name Simeon, he was a righteous and and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah now. So the Holy Spirit was on Simeon and had promised that he would live to see the Messiah the passage continues move by the spirit. He went into the temple courts where the parents brought in the Child Jesus to do for him. What the cuss? Some of the law required so as good and faithful Jews, Mary and Joseph were bringing baby Jesus into the temple to see to the requirements of the law for a newborn baby, baby. Jesus took him in his arms and praised God saying Sovereign Lord as you have promised you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all Nations a light for Revelation to the Gentiles and Glory of your People Israel. So Simeon recognize that this baby was the Messiah the child's father and mother Joseph and Mary Marvel that what was said about Jesus then send me a blessed them and said to marry his mother. This child is destined to cause the falling and the rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be spoken against so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. Damien declared that Jesus was the Messiah for all nations both Jews and Gentiles that alone could Merit a sermon when you look into the Old Testament one of the consistent misunderstandings of the nation of Israel. That was that God's call was simply upon them to the exclusion of other nations, but throughout the Old Testament God would challenge Israel again and again to profits and do the scriptures and say look I made you my favorite Nation my blessed Nation so that you would be a light to All Nations as we've been sending here see that when he says the Messiah has come and he's going to be a blessing he's going to be the Savior the Messiah for all nations. Some Jews would not have believed that they would have not understood that they would have rejected that holding on to the idea that Israel somehow held some sort of special status with God that made its Superior to all other nations and even today there are some that believe that Israel is some Special to all other nations with Paul says in Romans that the true Israelites is the one who believes in Jesus Christ. Jesus became the way to God no longer ethnicity or national status. And so it's no longer matters think I've got to be in this room light in order to have access to God. I've got to be a ver Lady of yours or Heritage instead. It's will I call upon the name of Jesus for my salvation and Simeon is recognizing that at the very beginning here. Is this child the Messiah and he is the savior of the Messiah for all nations Ponte at name in the original Greek both in the Greek Old Testament and the New Testament means all the ethnics all the peoples. It's a misunderstanding of scripture to somehow think that God favors one ethnicity over another this is what Peter had to learn a next when when this division comes down from him and the conclusion is God shows no favoritism toward men or women because of the rest of this is you or their nationality. Send me a nice showing this truth even at the beginning here in this passage. Think about Isaiah 53 what he's referring to when he talks about Jesus this child being the hope for all nations being the salvation for everyone refers back to Isaiah 53 and I want to read this entire chapter think about this prophecy that came hundreds of years before the birth of Christ and all historians a secular and religious confirm. The reality that this document was written hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. There is no suggestion in historical evidence that somehow this was written later after Jesus came all of the scholars. I'll even the second or Scholars when they date the original manuscript that we have they all point to hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. And so here's what the prophet Isaiah says talking about. This Messiah. Did you read chapter 52 of Isaiah part of life leading up to this is God is saying Israel has failed and understanding that I called them. Be my nation so that they would be a light to All Nations instead. They've held too tightly to my salvation. They've held it only for themselves and look of disdain on foreigners and somehow made themselves my people so I know what I'm going to have to fix that. I'm going to solve that. There's going to be a messiah he will come and he will fully Implement my will for Humanity and then he continues and Isaiah 53 showing this prophecy about the Messiah. He says his servant speaking on the side God's servant grew up like a tender young plant. He grew up like a root coming out of dry ground. He didn't have any beauty or Majesty that made us noticed him. There wasn't anything special about the way he looked that Drew us to him man look down on him. They didn't accept him. They knew he knew all about sorrow and suffering. He was like someone people turn their faces away from we look down on him. We didn't have any respect for him. He suffered the things we should have suffered. He took on himself the pain that should have been ours but we thought God was punishing him. We thought God was wounding him and making him suffer. But the servant was pierced because we had send he was crushed because we had done what was evil. He was punished to make us whole again. His wounds have healed us. All of us are like sheep. We have wandered away from God all of us at turn to our own way. And the Lord has placed on his servant the sins of all of us. He was beaten down and made to suffer but he didn't open his mouth. He was let away like a sheep to be killed Lambs are silent while their will is being cut off in the same way. He didn't open his mouth. He was arrested and sentenced to death. Then he was taking away. He was cut off from this life. He was punished for the sins of my people who among those who were living at the time could have understood those things. He was given a grave with those who are evil but his body was buried in the Tomb of a rich man. He was killed even though he hadn't harmed anyone. He had never lied to anyone. The Lord says it was my plan to crush him and it caused him to suffer. I made his life a guilt offering to pay for sin, but he will see all of his children after him. In fact, he will continue to live. My plan will be brought about through him after he Supper's he will see the light that leads to life and he will be satisfied my Godly servant will make many people Godly because of what he will accomplish. He will be punished for their sins. So I'll give him a place of honor among those who are great and you will be rewarded just like the others who wins the battle this is because he was willing to give his life as a sacrifice. He was counted among those who have committed crimes took the sins of many people on himself and he gave his life for those who have done. What is wrong.
It is it is easy in our human nature to slip into a false understanding of God where we project onto God our own human nature and we imagine that the way God works. The universe is if you behave properly if you do the right things you will be rewarded and if you misbehave you will be punished but God stepped in the history and flipped all about human thinking on his head and said I will come in the flesh and I will take the punishment. What are the false gospels to get frites today is the Prosperity Gospel that says no no, no don't look at scripture here. Here's the way it works. If you do the right thing God will bless you. Man Humanity can earn their way. So if you say the right words, you believe the right thing you sold the rights fees of your money, then somehow God will bless you. That is a false gospel a turning on its head of the real gospel if anyone loved and honored God it was Jesus Christ and yet his life was not this example of blessing and prosperity and flourishing. Now that side of the coin we can see very clearly as a false gospel. I think but the other side of the coin is also a Prosperity Gospel of sorts this sort of false gospel where we say, you know, what if you if you don't do the right thing God is going to punish you that's how it's going to work. You're going to bury your own sins until we get these teachers who say that tornado that hit the Midwest that was God punishing Sinners that flood that hit New Orleans that was God punishing center. That is just them as much a false gospel as the Prosperity Gospel preachers. Because this insertion not and Isaiah 53 and all throughout the gospel is God stepping into the thinking of humanity of mankind and saying that's not how it's going to work. Instead of me somehow blessing those who are wealthy just going to deal with that false understanding the Disciples of sexual their wealthy and healthy. They must be good with God and Jesus would say that's not the way it works. Well, that guy is sick his life full of hardship. He must have done something wrong. You said that's not how it works. He corrected it again and again, The gospel is that God step into history and said I will take the punishment for sin.
That just unraveled Oliver human thinking of either side of that extreme of saying either will will will get punished for doing the wrong thing by God or will get rewarded for doing the right thing by God. God is saying you know what neither one of those are going to get you reconciled to me. It is so much deeper so much more challenging that I will take upon the burden myself. And I because it requires to righteousness and Purity and there's no one all have sinned fall says in Romans 3 and so someone who was righteous and pure had to come and pay the price. We could never pay the price ourself. Until Christ came and paid the price. That's What Christmas announced as we saying earlier Jesus Lord at thy birth when we sing that We're opening the door to all of this. It's not just sweet baby Jesus. It's Jesus Lord at thy birth. Jesus the one who came to save and to rescue In this passage City and continues these thoughts. Here's the part. I left out that he said to Mary he says look this child is destined to cause the falling and rising of Midian is real because of their pride because I wanted to say I'm an Israelite or I'll find my own way to God instead. They have to humility and say my only hope is you not my lineage not my Heritage not my own self discipline or behavior. My only hope is in God and some Will succeed in having that humility some will will see the truth and father for God's and some because their own Pride will keep him at arm's distance. So this child is destined to cause many because the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be spoken against So that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed and then here's what I left off. And he says this to marry and a sword will pierce your own soul, too.
I don't believe that these verses get preached on. Let's during the Christmas season. Do they? They're just a breath away from the passages. We preach over and over again about the baby being born wrapped in swaddling clothes. All the animals are just cooling the baby. Jesus makes no crying or songs. Tell us. But the reality is very different it is this harsh reality that baby Jesus Lord at thy birth. He's come to redeem. And Mary in these Christmas narratives and Luke get that message from Simeon the prophet not only is Jesus going to be controversial. It's not going to be a simple. Hey, I'm here to save everybody and everybody. That's all that's great. We're all in instead. It's going to be controversial. Not only Jesus. He says for Mary. Her own soul will be pierced to? Simeon blessed Mary and Joseph and also made a somber prediction Simeon Warren Mary Warren that marries blessing would bring great personal pain. I don't think I could get a TV show and succeed as a television preacher. Could I if I was preaching the Full Gospel?
If you'll just accept Jesus now, it would include it will include great personal pain in your life. Call the 800 number. I'm not calling back. I change the channel. If we preach the truth. That is the greatest All Forever. You get eternal life something you could never manage on your own but it does require the giving of your own life to God.
Some people say no. No, I want something for nothing. That's what I want. Simeon told the truth to marry in the somber prediction that her blessing would bring great personal pain. Do you think Mary ever forgot that prediction from Simeon? I don't think she did and I think we forget it. We isolate the Christmas story. Don't we we make it a Christmas card with the baby. That doesn't cry. Look I got two babies. Babies cry will can I get a testimony brother? Do babies cry? Yes. His room is next to the he knows that babies. Cry all babies. Cry young moms in here. Can I get a testimony do babies cry if they cry wait, we isolate the Christmas story and we artificially sanitize it and say all well, isn't that a beautiful Christmas card? Like I said, just a breath away from that image is sentience and a merry you need to know. This child is going to be Messiah for all nations. And your soul will be pierced. I suspect she never forgot that. I mean if an angel comes to you and says you're going to have a job that's going to save the world. You never forget that and then up. Another Prophet says by the way, he is going to save the world just like the angel told you but your soul your very heart is going to be pure like with a sword. I think you said you don't forget that. We forget it. Sometimes when we look to the gospel cuz we isolate the Christmas store, but I suspect when she was protecting her son from when they had to flee Nazareth and get out of Jerusalem and Bethlehem when it happened I bet she was thinking is this is this the piercing of my soul that we have to run and hide that might that I have to protect my son's life from The Kinks when she lost her son in the temple and Luke Chapter 2. Do you think there was a moment when she thought is this is I mean it is he gone already, never going to see him again Joseph Mercy Ann. I thought he was with you. We've got to find them for me it is this it is this what the angel man with one angel said my phone if I never going to see my guess is this Young Jeezy 12 years old that I never see him again. You know, she had to ponder those things scripture even tells us that she treasured and Ponder these things up in her heart when she saw his own Hometown reject him and say isn't this guy who's prophesying but he's the Lord's Messiah, isn't he? Just Mary and Joseph son? And I spent the crowd comes to him to take him and throw him off the cliff to his death. You thinking that moment she thought is listed. Are they going to cast my son off the cliff? Is this going to be the end of this the warning? the angel gave me
hearing his definition of family in Luke 8
they come to see Jesus. He's successfully healing and preaching and a crowd has gathered and they come and say that's my son. Let me see. Let me see who and Jesus said your mother is here. Your brothers are here and Jesus says who is my mother. and my brother
what time are you thinking that moment?
There's no special treatment. Don't part the crowd. Usher them up here where I put my Mary right here and put my arm around her everybody. This is my mom. She's awesome world's greatest Mom. Honestly, you guys got good mom's mind the world's greatest. I didn't happen. Instead he says who is my mother and my brother the one who hears the word of God and obeys it that's my mother and my brother. I suspect time and time again. She thought about that piercing of her soul.
maybe most of all and John 19 when she witnessed Jesus Agony on the cross.
Again doesn't feel like much for Christmas sermons.
I'm about you, but my heart breaks when my kid is sick.
I see him in pain. Any parents ever pray the prayer Lord if it could just beat me that sick. ever see that ever see your child in the hospital or if it could do it Lord. Just let it be me. I don't need to suffer that way three years old. I don't know what's going on. Media parent is prayed that prayer. So Mary has to watch her baby boy. drug to the Cross ridiculed and stripped and crucified
This is the moment. This is the piercing of my soul. This is what say me and talk about that. This would be my lot.
1 Bible author suggests that Mary was Jesus first and best disciple you know, I thought about that and I thought I've never thought about that before.
The more I thought about it the more I thought that might be absolutely true.
From the very beginning she submitted when the angel said you're going to have a child even though you're a virgin. This child will save the world. I said I don't understand exactly how that's going to happen. But may it be to me as you have said I am your servant. When Sammy and makes this prophecy about her own soul, being pierced and all the other words of the Angel. She Treasures these words were told Ponder's them in their heart.
You know, we're not told in Luke 8 when she's afraid to find family that she goes in there and get them by the ears as what do you mean? I'm not your mother you mean these aren't your brother. We are good Jewish Family Family is everything come out here right now. it said chicks apps
I'm watching him on the cross. She accepted. What was going on? It may be true that she was his first and best disciple. Yeah, I'll talk about the language won't will close with with these suggestions of what do you get the guy who has everything if we're back on a Christmas theme and we're saying what do we give God you'll he has everything except there's one thing he doesn't have he doesn't have full rein in our hearts. He's giving us free will he's given up sovereignty our own little sovereignty during this lifetime where we can make our own decision. And so the one gift that we can give God that he truly doesn't have is the fullness of herself. So when we think about these passages in these things we can give Jesus his way in your life. That's one of the best gift you can give to him I think about John Chapter 2, and I've never thought about this passage this way until the suggested this week and some of my study and John Chapter 2 story where Jesus turns the water to wine. And there's that moment where Mary comes to Jesus and says hey there when out of wine do something and Jesus says to her. What is this to me woman? I mean, it's really kind of odd Moma. You can't think why would he And what author suggested this was a moment in which Jesus was saying? I'm not under your Authority. It's not my time yet. I'll do things the way I'm going to do them, even though as a good Jewish mother and a good Jewish woman. She was anxious about everything. Is it Jesus fix this? This problem but then what did she say instead of saying Jesus fix this her next words are to the servants do whatever he tells you to do. I'm on Arthur said was that the moment when she was? growing as a disciple
the mother the first of the Sun Mother quits being the one who knows how to fix that problem. And it's Dad says. The service do whatever he says.
Jesus makes wine make such great wine that the people say this is unusual cuz usually it's the bad one. That's bought out late. You giving us the best wine at the end. We're told that that was the first miracle performed for his disciples to see. To give Jesus his way in your life, whatever he says to do do it. Invite Jesus to redefine family for you. That's controversial. But we talked about that passage. I think in North America, especially in Kentucky and Appalachia the same as it is in Tennessee where I grew up family is a very significant and strong thing.
matter fact much of my life as a pastor family has been more important for me for say last scene in the life of the church that family has trumped Jesus many many times. If you ever seen that in the life of the church, you ever seen a church split by last name?
right Are the Johnsons I don't like the way this was done. And so all of the Johnsons are going to leave their mad. If that doesn't get fixed. You need to go talk to that Smith's, you know, they are not. I mean the all of the whole family they've got together. They're all right.
Maybe it will maybe it's not so different in Jewish culture where family was everything. And Mary comes to see Jesus like I said in and instead of saying my mom's here, my brothers are here instead. He says who is my mother who is my brother those who hear the word of the Lord and obey?
what might it do for your following of Christ if your closest is deepest relationships were with people who followed Christ with all that they have
If the very first person you called in a crisis was a fellow believer and if you're blessed that might be your mom or your dad or your brother or your sister didn't exclude family. But you made sure. Family for you began with those who hear the word of the Lord and Obey it. Now we've quit preaching to go in the middle and have we I mean, let's just be honest. It's just us there's nobody else here. Okay. Think about it. How many times have you seen Christians leave the faith marry an unbeliever leave their marriage because of the influence of family that were not disciples.
I've seen all my life.
So if you give Jesus his way in your life, it might include something as significant as it did for Mary letting Jesus redefine family in your life fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Now we talk about the Holy Spirit a lot and it seems mysterious anybody. Give me an amen.
I don't know when I have it is it those tingles on the back of my neck that I get every now and then during a certain worship song was that the Holy Spirit just brushed by me and that only happens once every few months I have in my life is just just a passing glance with the Holy Spirit. How do I get more of it? I mean, I don't want to I don't want to go off the deep end and start saying what you've got it you don't you got it you if you don't start judging and and you got to get the special gift of the Holy Spirit as I was thinking about this week. I thought of something again several times this week there were moments when I went. How come I haven't thought of this before The passage in Matthew 18. Jesus says look, I'm leaving right and John he says look I'm leaving but I'm sending to you one who will come alongside the holy spirit will come alongside you and encourage you will bring conviction when you need conviction encouragement when you need encouragement, and then a Matthew 18 He says Whenever two or three of you are gathered together, I am present. Now this is just a stepping into the area of interpretation. Okay, so everything else I said absolutely authoritatively true.
But I'll ponder I wonder could it be that we short-circuit the holy spirit's work in our life because we live such isolated Christian Life. Sometimes we buy into the narrative that says, it's me and Jesus is my personal Savior My Personal Jesus my personal salvation. When Jesus says you want to know my presence which he describes and John as the Holy Spirit you want to fellowship with the Holy Spirit when two or more of you are gathered together in my name, I will be present. So if I never get together with Brothers and Sisters in Christ to pray to study the Bible in a close intimate way, am I blocking the Holy Spirit from being fully in my life? If I just go to church and leave if I just read my Bible alone and read am I am I really forfeiting a lot of activity of the Holy Spirit In My Life.
I think fellowshipping the holy spirit means fellowshipping with Brothers and Sisters in Christ in Jesus name praying together opening the word together serving others in his name and his Spirit together. I think the spirit that's that's what the spirit pours fuel on those fires when you're with a brother or sister in Christ in your opening the Bible and you're saying I want to understand this cuz I want to go bad the spirit is there with you when you're praying with one another because your heart is heavy for the sake of another and you'll see we got to pray for this person is breaking my heart what's going on? I got to come here. Let me pray the Holy Spirit is there when you're serving others in the spirit of Christ because he's moving your heart and you do it no matter what will the other person cares for your service or not with a thank you or not. You're doing it because of Christ in you than the holy spirit is there. And to all but I think we make it more mysterious than perhaps Jesus did when he said I'm leaving but don't fear I'll be with you. I'll send the spirit for encouragement conviction Whenever two or three are gathered together. I'll be there with you. And then lastly take and give comfort. I mean our prayer time at the beginning just reminded us of the fact that the holiday season does not exempt us from hardship. Is Merrifield for many of us it reminds us of the loss of loved ones or the loss of a marriage? Or maybe we're going to the lost right now. It's right smack-dab in the middle of this Christmas season scripture tells us in 2nd Corinthians 3 about God's nature. He says praise be to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of compassion and the God of All Comfort who comforts Us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the Comfort we ourselves received from God. God's nature, is that compassion and when we're suffering went when Christmas brings depression or sad memories instead of Joy or loaning us instead of family. Jesus invites us to turn to him. To allow him to comfort us to lean on him reject all the false thinking that all if I was only good enough, I wouldn't have this loneliness or tragedy in my life. That is false gospel. If someone is putting the bird on your shoulder that somehow it was sin that cause your relative to get cancer or that friend or loved one that was injured in a tornado or what but somehow they were part of God's judgments. That is blasphemy.
Jesus bore the consequences of our sins That's why we celebrate him. I'm not saying he's not real. I'm not saying consequences aren't real I'm saying Jesus stepped in front of the consequences and tuck them on our behalf. And so we celebrate this little babies that came. To go to the cross.
even in the midst of wrong loneliness or treasure paint Jesus offers Grace And even if you could orchestrating your mind, well this loneliness or this hardship or this pain that I'm going through is my fault.
that very moment of recognition can they come to repentance that ushers Jesus comfort and presence right alongside you Lord Jesus I messed up I'm a loan through my own sin. I'm hurting through my own failures. And Jesus says that's good enough for me. You're forgiven.
You've repented you've acknowledged.
so if you're hurting this Christmas
take comfort from Jesus. Let him give you his compassion and his grace and his forgiveness receive it. Some of us keep trying to figure out some way to earn it on our own or to keep it arms link so we can still keep our pride intact the truth is we all need the Lord. everyone of us I'm about to worship team to come forward now. And not only God's plan is not only for you to take and receive that comfort. But to be changed because of that comfort so that you can become someone who gives Comfort to God.
Sometimes we we short-circuit the ministry that God wants to do with us in the future because we don't let him minister to us in the present.
Because God wants to comfort you. He wants to be come alongside. You always Spirit wants to come alongside you. to assure you of your forgiveness and your righteousness before God because of the blood of Christ not because of anything you've done scripture says but because of his blood we can be assured of our own righteousness. He wants to come alongside and assure us of that. He wants to comfort us when we're in pain when we feel all alone. He wants to be our companion at that time.
And one day as we received the Comfort he gives us he wants us to be able to give it to another.
Don't you don't you love it when somebody has a need that you can meet? Let me think about that. That's part of who God created us to be a veces tu says he created us ahead of time for these great works to be these works of art on his behalf so that we would do these good works. He planned for us and these works of art they talk about the pigeons to are the things that he's done in our life and our heart and so as God has taught us about forgiveness or Comfort or prayer or leaning on him. He's turning us into this work of art and he's doing it for these works that are prepared ahead of time for a soldier's this moment where somebody says, you know, I really need to understand this or really need somebody to help me in this way and said, let me go face. I can do that. I'm good at that. And we can be used by God and then don't you love it when somebody ask when it when the need fits your strength? Right, if we desperately said look we got we've got we got somebody we got a young boy who didn't have any support in his life any family and his heart is to wrestle and we need somebody who would teach him a little bit about wrestling Morgan how that make you feel. Yeah, I can do that. That's that's a gift in this that I have. It's one of my strengths and if you've got money isn't a great thing when you got money and there's a need and you can just write a check for that need it a wonderful thing. Any money can be a tremendous blessing. Sometimes we paint this picture that somehow having money and of itself is bad. It's the Love of Money about other things. That's bad. But having money, it's a wonderful thing when you sent here by the missionary our family needs and you can just say hey, let me pay for that. Is that a wonderful thing? Until God wants you to let him to minister to you. Right now in the present because in the future he can use that to minister to others.
We're all at that moment where we have to start by admitting that we need him. Does we sing this song If you have a decision your life if you've never made that fundamental decisions that God I need you then come to me. I'd love to pray with you about that decision. I'll be in the back you can find me back there. You got a prayer concern or request. I'll be folks in the front and the back that you can come and pray with as we all stand and sing this song and just remind ourselves of the truth and confess the truth to God that we need him, please stand.