So how goes it with your GIFTS. You got those Christmas presents all wrapped up and under the tree, or do you still have a few of them to get?
Well if you are like Leanne and I , every year we say to “GET DONE EARLY”
SHOPS = MAD HOUSE. Even queues at the toilets. The walk ways in the malls just don’t seem wide enough etc etc
CUM only relatively quiet store in the whole of Cresta.
IN 336 A.D., THE FIRST RECORDED CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS ON
DECEMBER 25 TOOK PLACE IN ROME. But the tradition of gift giving goes back
even further than this = WISEMEN
During a school play near London, three six-year-old boys acted out the role of the wise men. As they presented their gifts at the nativity scene, each boy stepped forward and stated what they were offering to Christ. The first held out his arms and said, “Gold.” The second boy knelt down and said, “Myrrh.” The last boy stepped forward and declared, “Frank sent this.”
But Christmas is mostly about WAITING. THE ANTICIPATION. We wait for it the whole year don’t we? When it comes we make comments like “I cant believe its that time of the year again.”
ADVANCE
When we are kids we wait for Santa to come. We couldn’tt wait for him to arrive. Letters are written to him from thousands of children asking for those gifts.
These letters can be quite amusing. But once the letters are in, the waiting begins.
I think the biggest LET DOWN IS BOXING DAY. So much work, so many gifts and planning and Christmas lunches and and and and on the 26th its all over. The waiting is all over for another year.
THIS MORNING THOUGH I WANT TO CHAT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ANOTHER
KIND OF WAITING AND PREPARATION. NOT THE GIFTS OR THE LUNCHES
OR THE CRACKERS OR THE TREE.
TURN WHILE I TALK TO LUKE 2
Can you imagine the kind OF PREPARATION AND WAITING THAT WENT ON
JUST BEFORE CHRIST WAS BORN? THERE WAS A WHOLE NATION WAITING
FOR HIM.
Two people in particular were waiting. They don’t often get mentioned, so I thought we could look at them today.
ADVANCE
The first is Simeon: Luke 2:25 (WAITING)
ADVANCE
The second is Anna Luke 2:38 (LOOKING FORWARD)
Luke uses a Greek word of anticipation that identifies them as waiting with expectation for the coming of the Messiah, or Savior. It literally means that they were “alert to His appearance, and ready to welcome Him.”
Lets first take a brief look at SIMEON.
Luke 2:25. “Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon Him.” Simeon was righteous before people, and he was devout in His relationship with God.
He longed to see the Messiah so much that God even made a promise to him.
READ LUKE 2:26
Things WEREN’T GOING REAL WELL FOR THE NATION OF ISRAEL:
They HADN’T HEARD FROM GOD for many years and were under Roman rule.
They had LOST THEIR POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE.
Were LIVING IN FEAR OF THE CAPABLE, CRAFTY, AND CRUEL KING HEROD.
Many were WONDERING IF THE MESSIAH WOULD EVER COME.
The Jews NEEDED COMFORT and Simeon’s expectation FOCUSED ON THE
COMFORT THAT CHRIST WOULD BRING. Among Jews of Simeon’s day one of the
popular TITLES OF MESSIAH WAS COMFORTER.
It strikes me that THE DESIRE TO BE COMFORTED IS A UNIVERSAL HUMAN
NEED. We all struggle with LONELINESS, EMPTINESS, INSECURITY, EVEN
DESPERATION. IN FACT, THE CHRISTMAS SEASON IS ONE OF THE MAJOR
CRISIS TIMES OF THE YEAR FOR DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE.
So here WAS MAN LONGING FOR CHRIST. When he finally looked at the baby
Jesus, now about 6 weeks old, he knew that God’s promise had been kept. HERE WAS
IMMANUEL, “GOD WITH US,” TO MAKE EVERYTHING RIGHT, TO PROVIDE
SIGNIFICANCE BY HIS PRESENCE, AND TO ELIMINATE REJECTION, FEAR,
AND LONELINESS. TO BRING COMFORT
WHEN YOU THINK SIMEON KNOW HE WAS LOOKING FOR COMFORT
LETS LOOK AT ANNA
Here was a woman WAITING FOR FORGIVENESS.
After her husband had died, she had dedicated herself to fasting and praying in the
temple. In fact, the Bible says that she never left the temple ¬ but worshipped day and
night.
She was looking forward to the same person as Simeon was, but with a different
orientation. Instead of looking for comfort, ANNA WAS LOOKING FOR
FORGIVENESS.
IN VERSE 38 Luke uses the word redemption. Take a look at verse 38: “Coming up to
them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who
were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”
When Anna saw Jesus, SHE GAVE THANKS TO GOD AND SPOKE OF HIM TO
ALL WHO WERE WAITING FOR REDEMPTION. HERE, AT LAST, WAS THE
ONE WHO WOULD SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.
Jesus Provides What We Need
Friends, when Jesus came, HE PROVIDED THE VERY THINGS THAT SIMEON
AND ANNA WERE WAITING FOR -- GOD’S COMFORT AND HIS
FORGIVENESS.
TWO AREAS – OUTER HARM – COMFORT
- INNER TURMOIL - FORGIVENESS
Let me ask you a question. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR THIS CHRISTMAS? Whatever it is, Jesus can give it to you.
Can any of you IDENTIFY WITH SIMEON THIS MORNING? Some of you are really hurting right now. You feel lonely, empty, afraid, and maxed out. Do you need some comfort? Some consoling? Do you need a fresh sense of God’s presence? If so, you can find what you’re looking for in Jesus. He came to console us right where we’re at.
Or, do you IDENTIFY MORE WITH ANNA? Are you plagued with guilt this Christmas because of something you’ve done or the way you’ve been living? Do you feel like you’re trapped in a pattern of sin that you can’t break out of? If you need forgiveness, Jesus can give it to you today. I can think of no better time than Christmas to do just that.
Action Steps – How?
There are three action steps from this passage that will help you experience God’s comfort and forgiveness this Christmas.
Remember the screen that was up when you came in here this morning?
ADVANCE
Christmas 3M
1 -- Become a Marveler
ADVANCE
#1: Become a marveler. When Joseph and Mary tried to process everything that was happening, Luke 2:33 says that they marveled at what was said about Jesus. According to the dictionary, TO BECOME A MARVELER IS TO BE FILLED WITH WONDER, ASTONISHMENT, AND SURPRISE.
Are you a marveler this Christmas?
Are you too caught up in the busyness and stress of the season?
Have you been running around because of the Holidays, or are you taking the time to make Christmas a “holy” day?
Has Christmas become too predictable, too familiar?
Have you heard the Christmas story so much that it no longer astonishes you?
Actually, this can be a dangerous time of the year for us. Our annual celebration of Christmas can IMMUNIZE US TO ITS REALITY. WE HEAR JUST ENOUGH OF THE STORY each year to inoculate us against the real thing, so that we NEVER REALLY CATCH TRUE CHRISTMAS FEVER.
Here’s an idea that may help you recapture the marvel of Christmas. PICK ONE OF THE
CHRISTMAS CHARACTERS AND PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SANDALS.
IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE TO WITNESS THE CHRISTMAS
STORY FIRST HAND. GO AHEAD; PICK ONE -- MARY, JOSEPH, THE
SHEPHERDS, SIMEON, ANNA, OR THE WISE MEN.
2 -- Become a Mover
ADVANCE
Take a look at verse 27: “Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.”
Now drop down to verse 38: “Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God...”
Both Simeon and Anna were movers. When THE HOLY SPIRIT PROMPTED THEM TO MOVE, THEY DIDN’T SIT STILL. I wonder what would have happened if they had not responded? Actually, every one of the Christmas characters responded to the Spirit’s leading ¬ with the exception of Herod:
Mary was ready to move when she said to the angel, “May it be to me as you have said.” (Luke 2:38)
Joseph demonstrated that he was a mover when he woke up from his dream and “...did what the angel of the Lord had commanded and took Mary home as his wife.” (Matthew 1:24)
The Shepherds were movers as well when they said, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened...” (Luke 2:15)
Friend, NO PURPOSE, NO MEANING? WHEN GOD PROMPTS YOU TO DO SOMETHING, THEN YOU NEED TO DO IT.
It might mean salvation for some of you.
It might mean full surrender to what some have been saying for many years.
Or, maybe the Spirit wants you to be more involved in serving people.
Do you sense Him asking you to do something this morning?
Are you a mover? Are you willing to move? Don’t procrastinate when God prompts you to do something -- you may miss out on a miracle this Christmas.
Simeons Christmas Greeting sticks out here:
I’m struck by what Simeon told Mary in verse 34. It must have taken her breath away. “THIS CHILD IS DESTINED TO CAUSE THE FALLING AND RISING OF MANY IN ISRAEL AND TO BE A SIGN THAT WILL SPOKEN AGAINST…”
IS NOT SAYING, “MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.”
Here’s the truth. Christmas asks you to do one of two things.
Since Jesus has entered the world, He has divided the human race. Jesus will cause the falling and rising of many. BECAUSE OF WHO JESUS IS AND WHAT HE CAME TO DO, HE FORCES PEOPLE TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT HIM.
The Bible uses powerful imagery ¬ Jesus is either a rock that you build your life upon (that’s the sense of rising) or he’s the rock that you stumble over (that’s the meaning of falling).
This Christmas Jesus is calling each of us to a moral decision ¬ based upon our willingness to move and respond, we will either rise or fall.
3 -- Become a Messenger
ADVANCE
As we work at BECOMING MARVELERS, WE CAN’T HELP BUT BECOME MOVERS.
That leads us to the final action step from this passage -- BECOME A MESSENGER.
Notice verse 38 again: “...she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”
Do you have family and friends who’ve been caught up in preparations for Christmas?
Maybe their anticipation and longings really REPRESENT AN INNER SEARCH FOR COMFORT AND FORGIVENESS -- those things that only the Messiah can provide.
GOD WANTS EACH ONE OF US TO BECOME MESSENGERS OF THE CHRISTMAS STORY.
Conclusion
Let me wrap this up. As you and I become marvelers, the wonder of Christmas will astonish us.
Then, as we become movers, our needs for comfort and forgiveness will be met.
And, as we take our role as messengers seriously, we’ll be in position to introduce others to the Christ of Christmas -- so that they in turn can find what they have been waiting for.
Friends, in a nutshell, Christmas is a marvelous, moving, message! How can we not find what we’ve been looking for? And, how can we keep quiet about it? Once you have the Son, you have everything.
