BLESSED BE GOD OUR FATHER’S CONFIRMATION OF HIS PROMISE FULFILLED IN JESUS
For some of us, New Year’s Resolutions are a thing of the past. Instead of making resolutions, we make doctors’ appointments - an important one of these being that annual physical which checks out every part of us from head to toe, plus an extensive profile of the blood that flows through our veins.
Medical Science has come a long way in our lifetime!
Two thousand years ago, in the absence of modern technology, doctors relied on their own investigations and research for diagnosing illnesses and for prescribing treatments. One such doctor was Luke, author of the gospel that bears his name – a disciple whose unique distinction it was to be the only non-Jewish New Testament writer.
If an honest inquirer wished to authenticate the events surrounding Jesus’ miraculous birth, what better source would there be than a medical doctor who was experienced in the science of research? As someone said: “A minister sees persons at their best; a lawyer sees persons at their worst; but a doctor sees persons as they are.”
Luke saw persons as they were and loved them all”. Thus, for Gentiles, there can be no better book on The Birth and Life of Christ than the one Luke wrote!
In his introduction to the Gospel, Dr. Luke said to his inquirer Theophilus: “I made up my mind to carry out a careful investigation of all these things from the beginning and to write to you an orderly account.” So:
Luke proceeded to tell about a Son promised . . . a Son prophesied . . . the birth of a Son foretold to Mary . . . miracle birth of John the forerunner . . . divine confirmation to Zacharias of the role of his and Elizabeth’s son John . . . divine confirmation to Joseph of his role as father of Jesus . . . Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem . . . announcement by angels to shepherds . . . discovery by the shepherds of Mary and Joseph “and the Babe lying in a manger” . . . joyful shepherds spreading the message conveyed to them about this child . . . the amazement of all who heard it . . . everybody glorifying and praising God!
As if his authentication of events surrounding the birth of Jesus needed yet another piece of major evidence to clinch his argument, Dr. Luke then focused on God’s confirmation of His promise fulfilled in Jesus -- attested to by Simeon when Mary and Joseph carried Jesus to the Temple for his ceremonial consecration - Luke 2:21-24 . . .
Strange old ceremonies! Yet, a reminder to Christians that Jesus was a Jew, as were of course his parents Mary and Joseph – of the strictest Jewish upbringing! Within the context of that tradition of observing Jewish laws, Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day after birth and was given the name Jesus. Thirty-one days later, Jesus was carried to the Temple by his parents for the family’s observance of two Jewish rituals: after-birth purification of the mother and the formal presentation of the firstborn son to God.
Both rituals prescribed by God highlight the value God places on the birth of children! “A child is not given outright to parents but only lent by God”. Let me tweak that saying a little bit: “Of all God’s gifts, there is none for which we shall be so answerable as the gift of a child!”
Within the context of doing what people ordinarily do, the Spirit of God moved in and through their situation to set the stage for God’s confirmation of His Promise Fulfilled in Jesus. The Spirit brought together Baby Jesus, his parents, and two elderly folks who, like so many others, had waited and prayed for a long time for the coming of the promised Messiah – Luke 2:25-35 . . .
Blessed be God our Father’s confirmation of His promise fulfilled in Jesus!
Simeon stands as a testimony to the usefulness of righteous, God-fearing, Spirit-led “saints” whose top priority at the beginning, during, at the end of any year is: to be where God wants them to be, and to do what God wants them to do.
“Waiting” is a big part of everyone’s life . . . “with expectation” is better . . . “looking forward to” is a positive expression of hope. What greater blessing do we have to “look forward to” than the actual realization of a promise guaranteed by the Spirit of God.
Simeon beheld “the Lord’s Christ” before he died - as promised! News flash: Believers in Christ will behold the Lord’s Christ after we die - as promised!
“Moved by the Spirit”, Simeon met the Holy Family in the Temple Court – not by accident or mere coincidence! Neither was your first encounter with Jesus . . . ! Nor when you and I see Him face to face in the hereafter! God’s Spirit is moving in and through our situations and circumstances to fulfill His promise! Because of God’s confirmation of His promise fulfilled in Jesus, we look forward with Hope – as did Simeon!
Folks: Expect to be blessed in the coming year . . . in the life to come! How do we know this to be true – whether it’s next year or the next life?
Spiritual truth comes as a revelation from the Holy Spirit of God!
Knowing that I am not smart enough to figure it out for myself, my aim for the new year and for the rest of my days on this earth must be to let the Holy Spirit lead me . . . Earlier in my Christian pilgrimage, I thought of my life as being “under construction”. Now I think of myself as being “under the direction” of the Spirit of God. Led by the Spirit, Simeon saw the face of God. For him, that moment was an affirmation! For all the rest of us, it was a confirmation!
Jesus was only six weeks old at the time, but Simeon looked in His face and saw God’s salvation. Whereupon Simeon was moved by the Spirit to speak a very important truth to Mary and Joseph – the same truth that the angel had spoken to the shepherds: “I bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all people”.
Shall be for all people! Sang Simeon: “For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared for all people – a light to the Gentiles, glory to Israel!”
Then came that startling but sobering prophetic pronouncement from the lips of a righteous servant of God to the blessed mother of Jesus: “This child is set for the fall and the rising of many.”
Salvation for all is why Jesus came. How people respond to the Savior will determine their destiny. Some will receive His message, repent, accept Him as the Messiah - and they will be saved. Some will stumble over His message, refuse to believe in Him, reject God’s salvation - and they will fall . . . out of favor with God and thereby condemn themselves to eternal separation from God.
How hurtful it will be (is) to hear and see people oppose the Gospel! Hurtful in the sense that “they” will be shown for who and what they really are – deniers and defiers of the Lord God their Maker and His commandments . . . liars and deceivers intent on discrediting all believers in Christ and bent on destroying the Christian way of truth and righteousness . . . doers of evil rather than good. Which would pierce the heart of the Savior and be like a sword thrust into the heart of His mother – and, yes, like a sword thrust into the hearts of those who care about them and pray for them.
Good News for the end of this year . . . beginning of a New Year . . . for all who wish to turn from the hopelessness the world offers to the eternal hope God offers --- God’s promise of salvation has been fulfilled in Christ Jesus who invites whosoever will to repent of sin, receive Him as Savior, and resolve to live for Him as Lord! Confirmed by Luke!
In the game of football, if a call by an official is disputed, the previous play is reviewed, from all angles, via a taped video of the disputed play. After further review, it is announced by the referee that the call is either “overturned”, “stands”, or “is confirmed” - the latter meaning that there is in fact indisputable evidence that the call was right.
When Luke was questioned about the accuracy of the gospel story, he investigated the accounts passed along by those who witnessed the events. Like an objective referee, the doctor reviewed every aspect of the story, from all angles – and thereby confirmed the story of Jesus.
The Story has been told . . . The long-awaited Savior has come . . . His birth, life, message, death, burial, resurrection and ascension have all been confirmed! “These events were confirmed and written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God and that, by believing, you might have life in His Name.”
Every person, individually, must decide what he or she will do with Jesus - accept Him as Savior or reject Him as a fraud. My Decision determines My Destiny. My Decision to accept Christ is to rise . . . My Decision to reject Christ is to fall . . . My Prayer for everyone is: Accept Christ by faith and rise with me to be with God! Amen.
