0:01 A couple of Sundays ago, while illustrating a point from the book of Revelation, I briefly mentioned a saintly man from the scriptures known as Simeon. That elderly fellow who embraced the child Jesus in the temple. And prayerfully, as we are celebrating the birth of Christ this week, we will devote this entire message to that same Simeon. We will be looking more carefully at his account. As he appears very early in the book of Luke, I became more intrigued about him when I realized how virtually every other bible translation introduces him, except for the ESV.
0:49 When Mary and Joseph entered the temple precincts in order to observe the law of Moses in dedicating their child, the spirit of God presents Simeon in the following way. And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. It's one of the first things or people that Luke tells us in his book to behold. As if to say, don't rush past this individual. Pay close attention to him.
1:30 And that is what we will do today by the grace of God because he is an inspiration. And I will tell you from the beginning the goal of this message. For you and I to leave here with a greater sense of a love for Christ, to understand through this man what is possible for us in our sanctification, in our relationship with God. And there are three things, at least three things that we can do in observing this man. Three things that we can observe.
2:05 Number one, his passion. His passion. Number two, his peace. And lastly, his prophecy. And so we'll begin now in Luke chapter two beginning in verse 25, reading a couple of verses to meditate on Simeon's passion as he encounters the child Jesus not too long after his own birth.
2:35 Luke two verse 25. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. And this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Oh, would you pray with me briefly?
3:05 Lord, our prayer is that you would help us see the Christ. Help us see Christ. Make him more real to each of us, and may it cause in us to know renewed passion, fortified peace, and worship as we understand this prophecy through the lips of this man that you used two thousand years ago. We thank you for it. In Jesus' name we pray.
3:33 Amen. What a description for any man, any woman, righteous and devout. Now why is the Holy Spirit telling us this about Simeon? Well, number one, because he's going to testify about the destiny of this child. The spirit of God is gonna use him to identify this child as a long awaited messiah.
3:59 And so, in order for there to be credibility to his own testimony, we learn of his piety. He was trustworthy. He was acknowledged as a holy man. He was someone that you can count on. And so in preparation for what he is going to say, we know something about his character.
4:20 But there's something else. The spirit of God wants us also to learn a few things about true righteousness and what devotion looks like. And interestingly, righteousness and devotion in this context is connected to the inner heart, the hidden heart. We're we're told here that Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel. Waiting means that there was expectation.
4:53 Waiting means that there is desire. Simeon desired for the comfort, the consolation, the rest, the deliverance of his own people. And this is connected to his righteousness. This feeds his devotion. So the eyes of this man's heart were ever watchful.
5:16 This man down deep inside, he longed for something. He yearned for Messiah. He wanted to see the promises fulfilled. He he wanted to be in the presence of this king. And that is the thing that is highlighted about him.
5:34 Surely, since he was a boy and throughout his years as he studied the scriptures, this longing grew more and more and more. And surely, as he and his people were living under the growing brutality of the Roman oppression, that ache became more intense. There are many things that God could have said about Simeon. But in his wisdom, he brings to our attention his consuming passion. Why do you think that is?
6:05 To teach us who God is and what God looks for. You see, God considers your desires. God takes into account your aspirations, your wishes, and mine, and he honors us based on what he discovers about them. And in the case of Simeon, God gave him the privilege of not only seeing the Messiah, but as is common with our God, he he gives him more. He lets him hold the Messiah.
6:47 And he says, you will not see death until you behold the Lord's Christ. Imagine this. In a moment, we're gonna see Simeon's prophecy. And here you have a man who is going to bless God while holding God. Fascinating, isn't it?
7:06 And I want to convince I want you to be absolutely persuaded today by how God actually looks at your heart and mine. And what he finds there will determine reward in this life and in the life to come. So here at the infancy of Christ, we are introduced to an obscure fellow. But now I want us to fast forward to the death of Christ, as we are introduced to another uncommon character. So we're in the gospel of Luke.
7:36 Travel to the gospel of Mark and go to the end of it in chapter 15. Mark 15. Look at verse 43 with me. Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God. Took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
8:08 I'm sure there were a lot of differences between Joseph of Arimathea and this Simeon. But you know what I find in my bible? They shared one common desire. The manifestation of the kingdom of God. One near the birth of Christ, one after the death of Christ.
8:26 You know, this Joseph impresses me because he was an important man in society. Matthew tells us he was wealthy. But his position and his prosperity did not diminish his longing for God's kingdom to crash into the world and to take over everything including his own estates, his own authority. And I just wonder today if there are people in this place who are members of great councils or maybe you're a part of an exclusive club or maybe you're just wealthy. Can I ask you something?
8:57 What do you strive after? What do you ultimately seek? Here's this Joseph. And all we're told about him is that he looked for the kingdom of God. And I see something else.
9:11 He's rewarded for it. And the same way Simeon had the opportunity to hold in his hands Messiah, God gave that same privilege to Joseph. He came into close proximity to Christ, and he had the honor of taking that lifeless body and honoring it in the best way he could and ultimately fulfilling a part of Isaiah 53. God cares. God examines what no one else sees.
9:47 Oh, sure. We can do things, but why do we do them? Even good things, even spiritual things, but what do we really long for? Let me show you another verse. I listen.
10:02 I really, really wanna communicate this because it will radically change your relationship with Christ. When you understand that he looks at the heart, he looks for the heart. You will know where to put your focus and your energy as you seek him and as you come to his word. Go to Hebrews chapter 11 with me. Oh, the hall of faith.
10:22 These wonderful men and women that are praised for their trust in God. And in there, we have many many golden nuggets. And I wanna show you one of them in Hebrews 11 verse 16. Hebrews eleven sixteen reads, but as it is, they desire a better country. That is a heavenly one.
10:47 Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God for he has prepared for them a city. You see that word desire there? It's only used a total of three times in the New Testament including this instance. And it's actually found in first Timothy three one. And you don't have to turn there.
11:05 It's where Paul tells Timothy, if one aspires the office of an overseer, he desires a noble task. The meaning actually in the original is to reach after, to grab something. And so what Paul tells Timothy is, if there's anybody who has such an intense yearning to apprehend the position of a pastor or an elder, that's a good desire. And the Holy Spirit uses that same word here in Hebrews eleven sixteen to speak of those who desire a better country. Heaven.
11:48 It's a it's a yearning for something to become a reality. Here's what's so astounding about this verse. Those who inwardly inwardly reach out for the manifestation of God's government, for his return. Those who ache and pine for his presence to be more real. What does he say?
12:13 God is not ashamed to be called their god. Look at the word there, therefore. That connects the following thought with the previous one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their god. Well, what did he say before?
12:27 He's talking about those who desire a better country. I can't think of a greater blessing than that. That God in heaven, with all the myriad of angels and all these heavenly creatures is willingly wanting to testify of a child of his. He belongs to me. Do you see what he loves?
12:49 Do you see what she desires more than anything? She sees this world as a wilderness. He's a pilgrim. His heart beats for me to become more real, for my promises to be made known, for my kingdom to come. I'm not ashamed to be called their God.
13:09 Behold one who truly loves me. Simeon was such a man. You know, sometimes Christians struggle to discern whether their love for the Lord is strong enough or greater than their attachments to the things of this life. And so they wrestle and it becomes even more pressing when you encounter commands and instructions like, do not love the world or the things of the world. How do I know if I love the world?
13:38 How do I know if I love Christ more? How do I make sense of this? How can I measure it? How can I examine myself appropriately? Well, I have good news for you.
13:48 Because as you look through the scriptures, you will find helpful clues that will determine for you and me, if we're willing to receive it, the health of our desires and if they are towards the right things. Can I give you one helpful clue? Here's one. Just listen to it. Psalm one nineteen verse 97.
14:12 Oh, how I love your law. It is my meditation all the day. Where's the clue in that? Let me tell you. You meditate on what you love.
14:25 That's the clue. Oh, how I love your law. You know, there there are people who know the bible. There are people who are willing to even adjust their lives to some of the principles of the bible. But it's a whole different thing when you love God's word.
14:42 And the psalmist tells us one way you know you love it. I meditate on it all the time. I take it with me wherever I go. I love to talk about it with others who also meditate on the law. So that's just that's just one nudge among many that shows us where our desires really are, what we truly long for, what we're reaching out for.
15:05 This simian was waiting for the consolation of Israel. It was a burning passion in his bosom. And I am convinced that God saw that in this old man. And out of the many, including the scribes and the scholars and the theologians, he allowed Simeon to behold Christ at a very early point. That's his passion.
15:34 May it be our passion. May the Holy Spirit use this message to breathe that into our hearts. But let's consider his peace. Let's read now. His peace.
15:50 Verse 27 to verse 32. And he came in the spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the gentiles and for glory to your people, Israel. Simeon, in verse 28, took him up in his arms and blessed God. One of the ways that you know you can bless God is exemplified by this man, where you outwardly express your gratitude and rehearse the testimonies of the Lord.
16:45 And in this case, Simeon wants to declare God's faithfulness. You kept your word to me, oh Lord. And that is something that you and I must continually give praise to God for. That any promise that he has made to all humanity, the promises that he made to the nation of Israel through the prophets and the Psalms and the law, and any promise that he makes to you as an individual concerning your life, know this, he will never waver in his word. He is constant.
17:12 He is reliable. But even before Simeon celebrates God's fidelity, he highlights and rejoices in this, the peace he received from God. Notice it again here. It says here, Lord now you are letting your servant depart in peace. What kind of peace is this?
17:38 What kind of peace is this that allows a man to speak so calmly about his own death? I'm ready to die now, Lord. I'm ready to die right at this moment. How? What what kind of confidence can a man tap into that allows him to be comforted at the thought of his own earthly departure?
18:01 Simeon had it. There is this level of serenity that is so rare, and yet he's declaring it. He's sharing it out loud. And I think Simeon gives us a clue of how we can have it and how we can know it for ourselves. You unlock it by what he says in verse 30.
18:19 Look at it again. For my eyes have seen your salvation. Why am I ready to depart in peace? Because my eyes have beheld your salvation. And listen, Simeon is not just ready to die because the Lord showed him the Lord's Christ.
18:34 And so, okay. The promise is fulfilled. I'm ready to go. No. It's because Simeon understood the salvation that this child would bring to him and to the rest of the world.
18:46 It was a knowledge of the saving work of Christ that gave him this kind of peace. And here's the question that every single one of us has to ask. Do I have a clear vision like this man concerning what Christ has done? More specifically, do I have a comprehension of what Christ did in a trusting way? Because that will determine the level of peace you enjoy.
19:20 Notice some of the things that Simeon says. Again, look at verse 31. What does he say? That you have prepared in the presence of all peoples. The salvation that he spoke of here, he says it was prepared.
19:34 So Simeon, even in this moment understood that God had planned the salvation. That God from eternity past orchestrated salvation to come to humanity through this child. He understood this. Look at verse 32. It says that he would be a light for revelation to the Gentiles.
19:53 So Christ was not just gonna come to save the Jewish people, but the rest of the world. How many people understood that in Simeon's day? Very few. Even when Christ in the prime of his life was teaching it, people didn't get it. Simeon did.
20:10 You're gonna break into the darkness surrounding Israel. And lastly, look what he says here in verse 33, and for glory to your people Israel. So, there are many things that Israel can rejoice in concerning their history. The Jewish people understand that they have been granted the promises, the covenants, the law, the prophets. But Simeon says here that the greatest glory for them and from them is that the savior descended from the seat of David.
20:43 That would be their greatest glory. Here's what's so amazing about this confession. Did Simeon come to this understanding because Christ was preaching a sermon? No. He could barely walk at this time.
20:57 Before the gospel was understood through the lips of the savior, before he performed any kind of miracle, before any parable was expounded, Simeon had a robust understanding of the gospel. More than the again, the scholars and the theologians of his day. More than those who would behold the incomparable power and wisdom of Christ throughout his teaching ministry. And no doubt his clear perception contributed to his remarkable peace. You know, I found something about Christians.
21:29 Many things. One of them is this, that those who have a grasp of the gospel, those who understand the victory that Christ purchased on my behalf are the same ones who tend to speak with the most confidence about death, and are also the ones who are willing to face it with an otherworldly calm. I know Christians like that. They talk about death like they talk about sleep. You know Christians like that.
22:01 Oh, and that was very common with the older Christians. And so personally, I'm just catching up with some readings with the Puritans. And I stumbled upon this quote and I thought it would be worth sharing just to give you a sample of how some of these minds that really, really dug into the scriptures to know the depths of Christ's work on the cross and what he purchased for us, how they spoke and how they viewed this thing called death. According to the Bible, death is known as the king of terrors. But you would think that that these Puritans especially, they were like buddies with death.
22:37 Listen to this from George Swinick. Quote, he's trying to comfort Christians. So quote, now is the quote. Is it the tearing down of your earthly tabernacle that troubles you? Do you not know that death is the worker sent by the father to pull down this earthly house of clay and mortality so that it may be set up anew, infinitely more lasting, beautiful, and glorious?
23:03 End quote. Isn't that precious? What is he saying? For the Christian, death is his servant. And all death is is one sent by God to disrobe you and to remove you of this flesh that has been corrupted and bruised and scarred so that you would be prepared to be clothed with something infinitely more glorious and beautiful.
23:27 Who thinks like that? Those who understand what Christ has done and what he purchased for us. But how did Simeon know all of this? How? How did he come to this knowledge?
23:45 We have the answer. Maybe you missed it, but did you notice just how much Simeon in this brief biography has the Holy Spirit actively working in and through him? Go back to verse 25. Look at the end of verse 25. And the Holy Spirit was upon him.
24:07 Look at verse 26, and it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. Look at verse 27, and he came in the spirit into the temple. In three verses, the Holy Spirit is mentioned. The activity of the Holy Spirit is mentioned in connection to this man. The spirit, the spirit, the spirit.
24:25 I'll tell you how he knew all of this. The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit. So you're here sitting today and you say, oh, brother, if I can only have a week of peace like this, I'm here to tell you can have more than just a week of it. You can have a lifetime of peace.
24:42 And you can have a peace so strong, so potent that even when death knocks on your door, you can say, oh, God's servant is here to prepare me for my eternal abode. Well, how do I get it? Well, Simeon gives us some guidance. You need to know something about what Christ has done for you. The gospel that Christ performed for us.
25:07 You need to know that. Well, how do I know that? You you can't come close to it unless you understand how the Holy Spirit works. So you have to seek the Holy Spirit. You have to be in his presence.
25:21 You have to humble yourself and say, Lord, I with these eyes and with this mind, I might be able to collect some truths, but to know this thing about the gospel in a way that unlocks this kind of calm and confidence, I need your help. And as you seek him and as you wait on him, he'll be faithful to give you more understanding, and through that understanding, more faith, and through that faith, more peace. You know, Simeon, we're not told much about him here, but all that we have might even stir up a holy jealousy in you and me. Specifically, in his relationship with God, I mean, look how sensitive he is to the spirit of God. Look how much the spirit of God does for Simeon.
25:59 I mean, on one day, after he was promised, and we're not told when he was promised that he would see Christ. He was being guided unusually. Was it an audible voice? Was it this force moving him? We don't know.
26:16 But all leading up to that moment, can you imagine the anticipation? Oh, will it be today? You know, Simeon's there preparing his breakfast. Will it be today? Will I see the Messiah this afternoon?
26:25 Will it be tonight? How will I know him? How's the whole is there gonna be a light on him? Are others gonna recognize him? You just imagine the daily excitement and on one morning, it was known.
26:39 And Simeon makes his way there. And what looked like an ordinary young family actually was something extraordinary. In the arms of these parents was the promised Messiah and Simeon saw it. I'm sure we would love the Holy Spirit to lead our lives like that. Right?
27:03 All the time that we would save, the testimonies we would have. But I wanna actually lead you to this other point. Simeon in this chapter is not the only one who gets to experience the revelation that he had. Actually, we read of another elderly person. Look later on in Luke chapter two.
27:22 We read about a woman named Anna who's a prophetess, advancing years. And I want you to see how the scriptures describe her experience of this moment. Because she didn't have the same experience as Simeon, though she had the same revelation as him. Luke two thirty six. Read this with me.
27:38 And there was a prophetess Anna, the daughter of Fanuel of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin and that as a widow until she was 84, she did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour, she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. So like Simeon, Anna's devotion to God is emphasized. She was a spiritual woman.
28:12 You rarely found her outside of the temple courts. She was fasting. She was praying. She was worshiping. And remarkably, she was glued to the house of God even though she had lost her husband.
28:28 You know, pain will either pull you away from God or push you towards him. And this this woman's devotion to the Lord did not wane, even though perhaps her expectations of marriage were not met. But here's what's amazing. Verse 38, read your bible slowly. Notice what it says, and coming up at that very hour.
28:54 Translation, right when Joseph and Mary entered and Simeon saw the child and prophesied, Anna was there and she heard it. And not only did she hear it, but she got so excited that what did she do at the end of verse 38? She began to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. So there was others who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. Don't you appreciate just how careful the bible is with its words?
29:26 We're told about Simeon that he was waiting for what? The consolation of Israel. Consolation meaning comfort, peace. But then when we come here, we read that Anna was testifying to all those who are waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. I don't think that's accidental.
29:47 I think there's a point to be made from this That none of us can know true consolation unless we first know redemption. Redemption is the entryway into consolation and Christ alone can provide that. Simeon is waiting for Israel to be delivered and it's in a person, Christ. It's not just a government. It's not just a set of laws.
30:14 It's in a person, Christ, who redeems. And he can bring consolation to your life. He can bring consolation to this nation. But we would have to humble ourselves and allow him to redeem us. But that's a different point.
30:28 The point that I wanna bring to your attention is how Anna was led by God. It was not like Simeon. Simeon had a direct supernatural GPS. Turn here, turn there, go now, stop, no, not them, yes, over there. I don't know how it was done.
30:43 But then when you read about Anna, who is just as spiritual as Simeon, she just happened to be at the right place at the right time. She was guided by the invisible hand of God. This is what we call it, providence. And I wanna tell you something. If you belong to the Lord, providence will always work in your favor.
31:05 If you love the Lord, you have nothing to fear in this life. And you might want to have these encounters and perhaps visions and all these things, but Anna gives us the more common way we experience God's guidance in our lives. That as you simply obey the Lord, as you walk and as you love him and serve him, he will take ordinary things and make them into an extraordinary story. If you want to know greater testimonies in 2026, be like this woman, be like this man, and give him undivided devotion. There's a passion, but there's a peace, a peace that's granted through revelation, a peace that's granted through a relationship with the Holy Spirit.
31:47 But, oh, we have to end here with his prophecy. We can't just end with this knowledge of his peace. Look at verse 33 down to verse 35. And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. Pause there for a moment.
32:05 How? How did you marvel? You had angelic encounters, the wise men, the shepherds, all that they said, all these experiences, and and you're still marveling? Rightfully so. I pray you and I would never cease to marvel as we learn new things about Christ.
32:32 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed, and a sword will pierce through your own soul also, so that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed. So contrary to the limited understanding of most of the Jews at this time concerning the Messiah and that many Jews still today have, Simeon recognized and explained that although he is the promised one, he will not be widely accepted by his own. That he will be the cause for the fall and the rise of many. The fall speaking of those who would reject him and be condemned as a result. And the rise speaking of the redemption of those who would embrace him and believe on his message.
33:24 And Simeon goes on to prophesy and he turns his attention to Mary to let her know that the opposition that this child will face will be so fierce that it's gonna be like a sword as you see it and hear about it being pierced and driven into the depths of who you are. And that sword will be driven deeper still as this opposition climaxes at the cross of Christ. And so you see a measure of God's kindness through this prophecy and preparing Mary for the future of this child. I find it interesting that he doesn't address Joseph and it could be because Joseph wouldn't live long enough to see it. And so Mary is is hearing all of this and, yes, she's marveling but she's also being warned so that she wouldn't be caught by surprise.
34:11 But what Simeon says in the last part deserves our most attention for this time. Notice how he ends it in verse 35, so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed. What does that mean? Well, in the immediate sense, it means that the incarnate Son of God would expose the true motives and intentions of people. And we see that in the gospel accounts, do we not?
34:37 Especially with those Pharisees. They could not withstand. They they couldn't compress their true nature, their vile character in the light of Christ. He unmasked them. The truth that he spoke blasted away all the veneers and all the falsehood and their hearts were really exposed.
34:59 But in the broader sense, what Simeon says here applies for all time. The message of Jesus Christ reveals the very essence of who we are as people. When you really understand who he is and what he says, our sinful nature is exposed. In fact, no one describes the human condition more accurately than Jesus Christ of Nazareth. No psychologist, no philosopher, no religious leader comes close to how Christ assesses and diagnoses humanity's foundational problem and greatest need.
35:44 And I know of some people whose journey with Christ started because they read or heard the beatitudes, for example. Just the beatitudes was enough for millions, I'm sure, throughout the ages to bend their knee in humility and acknowledge that they are sinners in need of a savior. Think about it. Christ saying things like you have heard it was said that you shall not murder and that to murder and be a murderer is to be liable for judgment. But I say to you, if anyone is angry with his brother, he is liable to judgment.
36:21 You have heard it was said, you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that if anyone looks at a woman with lustful intent, has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Inescapable scrutiny. A standard so high no one dare be able to stare at the face of this teacher and say, I I pass. He will reveal the hearts of many, and he's still doing it today.
36:52 And this is what it means for us, especially for the person who might be sitting here and is not a follower of Jesus Christ. You have to understand that when you understand who Christ is, you will discover who you are. And what you will discover about yourself in the light of his moral beauty and majesty is humbling if you're willing to accept it. That you were not as good as you thought. You're not as righteous as you believe.
37:21 And you're actually so below the standard that God presents to us and sets against all of us as a moral lawgiver of the universe. Now you're doomed as am I. But Christ is not just the revealer of hearts. This is the best part. He's the only one who can transform them.
37:48 Christ doesn't reveal hearts to shame people. You find that in the gospels. Christ doesn't expose men in order to embarrass them or to condemn them. He removes all the veils that we set up, all the fig leaves that we've sown to try to cover ourselves, to show us just how wounded, just how rebellious, just how sick we are. He's the great physician that does not shy away from giving you the accurate diagnosis of your condition.
38:25 In order for you to say, I I need to be healed. I need to be forgiven. I have a great debt that needs to be paid. And Luke who's telling us a story about Simeon, his passion, his peace, his prophecy, like most of the other gospel accounts, spends more time focusing on Jesus' ministry leading up to his redemption on the cross. And when you continue from this point on, you learn something, you learn many things about the heart of Christ.
39:02 Let me give you one example before we close. The same Jesus who Simeon says would reveal the thoughts of many hearts shows us just how tender he is, though he is blazing in purity and holiness. He's gentle and lowly. Even to this day after years of reading the bible, there's one account of Jesus' healing power that never ceases to fail to move me to tears. I don't care where I am, when I'm reading it, it it does something to me.
39:35 It's when Jesus is there and this man, this leper runs to him out of nowhere. And it says he falls to the ground and he begs him, Lord, if you are willing you can make me clean. Like every time I read that it just If you just knew what a leper had to go through, how he was ostracized. He lost his family. He was rejected.
39:56 He was a walking red flag. Nobody would come near like, the years of not knowing human touch. Being despised. Rotting somewhere in the outskirts of the city. And yet, he hears about this Christ and he finds him one day and he runs him in desperation.
40:15 He says, oh, if you can, you can make me clean. And when you read about in Luke chapter five, before Jesus even says anything, it says that he reaches out and he touches him. And then he says, I will be clean. I'm sure that when Christ initially extended his hand and touched that man, there was a gasp for any onlookers. You wouldn't dare touch a leper.
40:46 You would be richly unclean. You would be in danger of being contaminated surely in Christ without hesitation. He doesn't even flinch. He doesn't step back. He steps forward.
41:00 And he touches the man and he heals him. So many things to learn from that. Let me give you just one main thought. What others would not dare embrace, what others would not dare interact with, Christ does. There is no pollution.
41:15 There is no filth. There is no disease. More importantly, in the spiritual sense that Christ is not willing to touch and heal. Because you might be sitting here and say, okay. He's the revealer of hearts.
41:27 Brother, you don't know what my heart produces. The idols that it creates and the perversion that it likes to nibble on from time to time. In fact, I'm struggling while you're preaching with the things in my heart. Let me tell you something. This is the same Christ who touches lepers, and he's willing to touch and heal you.
41:50 He's not intimidated by you. He understands our sin, but he doesn't recoil. He doesn't reconsider. In his great love, he enters into our world, this dark world, this evil world so that he can make the payment necessary to wash you. And it was a great payment to cleanse you.
42:16 To me, yes, you. You. The one that others would not dare have anything to do with, perhaps. This gives me so much hope, man. You gotta believe it for those in your family that are the black sheep.
42:29 You gotta believe it for your nephews, your nieces. You gotta believe it for your parents. You gotta believe it for your spouse. You gotta believe that no matter how dark and evil and corrupt they may be, that Christ can heal them. This is the Christmas message.
42:42 This is the Christmas message. The Christmas message is not us huddling around the scene of a baby that doesn't talk and it's just cute that No. No. No. No.
42:50 This is the message of redemption. That's what Christmas is about. And I'm here to offer it to you, not because I have anything to give you, but because this book promises us redemption. And Simeon tells us about it in this prophecy. I wonder today if your heart has been more exposed than ever under the preaching of his word.
43:11 I wonder if today you feel more convicted than you ever have. Well, if you're sitting there in conviction, be comforted that this Christ who pulls the sheets of our excuses and our lies and our justifications doesn't do it so that he can find you in a place naked and afraid, he does it so that he can clothe you with his own righteousness after he heals that heart of yours. Would you let him? What's holding you back? What about this is bad news?
43:48 What about this makes you hesitate? What about this makes you afraid? What has your sin done for you except bring pain to your life? What has being the the master of your own fate produced for you other than disappointment? Surrender.
44:07 Give up. What does repentance really mean? It really just means give up. Stop. Fall at his feet.
44:16 Crown him as Lord, and he will transform your life. If you doubt it, then understand what the Christmas message is. He didn't have to come, but he did come with one goal in mind. Yes, to bring glory to himself. We know that.
44:37 But also in his great love to draw you to himself for all of eternity. And I pray that today, you would put your hand in his hand and know true life. Let's pray. Low, we know that no one would be able to do what Simeon had the privilege of doing, that is holding in his arms the child Jesus. But Lord, your word does tell us that we can embrace you in another way, the embrace of faith.
45:33 And we pray that this afternoon that the gift of salvation would be opened by some, maybe even one today, that they would realize by the help of your Holy Spirit the great salvation that you've prepared for them, that you offer to the entire world. And that you are not just the revealer of hearts, you are the healer of those broken, shattered hearts. Today, Lord, for those who have been saved, we pray that you would help us grow in our passion for what matters the most. That we, like Simeon, would be reaching out inwardly for the things above, for your promises, your presence to be more real in our lives. And, Lord, we pray even for those who may not have peace, who may be even entering into this holiday season worried that they will not enjoy it because of circumstances like Anna's, where family members will not be there like they were in previous years, where loneliness will become more of a reality.
46:41 Lord, we pray for your peace to be our portion for the rest of this year. And not just the rest of this year, but the rest of our lives even as we approach our own death, we can say, Lord, now your servant can depart in peace for we have seen your salvation. In Jesus' name we pray these things. Amen. Let's worship the living Christ who loves us so deeply.
