Episode Transcript
[00:00:03] Speaker A: Freely unified by Jesus to praise his holy name. Stand up and join us now as we make a joyful noise. Unto the Lord.
[00:00:15] Speaker B: The people who are walking in darkness.
Into the darkness has shined a light and on those who were living in.
[00:00:32] Speaker C: Darkness Deep in the darkness has d alive.
He is light and light to all mankind.
Unto us a child is born.
[00:00:54] Speaker D: Unto.
[00:00:55] Speaker C: Us the Son is given and his.
[00:01:01] Speaker D: Name shall be.
[00:01:05] Speaker C: Wonderful Counselor Mighty God everlasting love Unto us.
[00:01:20] Speaker B: All the people who are walking in.
[00:01:24] Speaker C: Darkness into the darkness has shined the.
[00:01:31] Speaker D: Light.
[00:01:33] Speaker C: He is light and life oh.
[00:01:38] Speaker D: Unto us a child is born Unto us the son is given.
[00:01:50] Speaker C: And his.
[00:01:51] Speaker D: Name shall be.
[00:01:54] Speaker C: Wonderful Counselor Mighty God everlasting love.
And the government it shall be upon his shoulders and the government it shall be upon his shoulders and the greatness.
[00:02:25] Speaker B: And peace of his kingdom never ends.
[00:02:35] Speaker C: It never end.
And his name shall be.
[00:03:00] Speaker D: Wonderful Counselor.
[00:03:03] Speaker C: Mighty God Everlasting one.
[00:03:09] Speaker D: Unto us.
[00:03:48] Speaker E: Joy to the world the Lord is come Let earth receive her king.
[00:04:01] Speaker D: Let.
[00:04:02] Speaker E: Every heart prepare him room and heaven and nature sing and heaven and nature sing Heaven and heaven and nature sing we will sing sing sing.
Joy to the world.
We will sing.
To the world the Savior reigns Let men their songs implore While fields and floods Rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy Repeat the sounding joy Repeat, repeat the sounding joy we will sing sing sing.
Joy to the world.
We will sing sing sing.
He rules the world with truth and grace External.
The glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love and wonders of his love and wonders wonders of his love.
[00:06:18] Speaker D: We will sing sing.
Joy to the world.
We will sing sing.
Joyful, joyfully adore God of glory Lord of our sunflow life Flowers before thee Only to the Son of God Joyful, joyfully adore thee God of glory Lord of love Hearts of.
To the son of God we will sing sing.
[00:08:08] Speaker A: Good morning.
[00:08:08] Speaker F: Yes.
[00:08:09] Speaker A: Give God a pr A shout of praise. All right, you can sit down while I give you your announcements for the day. Welcome. So glad all of you are here today.
For those of you who it's your first time here, or maybe it's not your first time, but you're still new. Welcome. We're glad you're here. We would love to connect with you.
There is a connect card in the pew right in front of you that we would love for you to fill out and bring to our guest services right out in the entrance there. And they will have a small gift for you of saying thanks for coming and they will get you connected another way that you can fill out The Connect card is through our Handy Dandy Westgate Chapel app, so that's another way you can do that. For those of you who like to follow along with sermon notes, they are always on the tables when you come in the entrances. All of our ushers and greeters have them for you as well. And the Handy Dandy Westgate Chapel app also has them for you on there to follow along with.
We have two new classes coming up starting January 11th. The first one is called Faith Foundations. The second one is called Formational Home. Both of these are just gonna take a deep dive into God's Word and help you pull out his truth and apply it in your life in very practical ways. If those sound interesting to you, inside your bulletin there's a brochure that gives you the details of that and you guessed it, the Handy Dandy Westgate Chapel app also has this information for you.
The end of the year giving deadline is coming up. That is coming on December 31st.
If you want to bring your gift, you can drop it off in the mailbox in front of the church. If you want to mail it in, that's fine. Just make sure it's postmarked by December 31st. And for those of you who like to give your gift in the form of stocks, please make sure you call the office by tomorrow and keep in mind that the offices are closed December 25th through January 1st.
This year we have three Christmas Eve services. The first one is Tuesday, December 23rd at 7pm the second one is Wednesday, December 24th at 4pm and then the last one is Wednesday, December 24th At 7pm so we have plenty of options for you and your family, friends, family who are coming into town. Anyone you want to invite to have many opportunities to come. And we do have tangible invitations out on the tables in the lobby as well that can be helpful for when you want to invite someone who might need a place to go for their Christmas Eve service. That is all the announcements I have for you today. So before we continue in praise and worship to our holy perfect Creator and Savior, greet each other with a holy hug, holy high five, or a holy fist bump or a holy howdy or whatever holy way you see fit.
[00:10:49] Speaker E: Join as we continue worshiping together.
What kind of king would give up his throne for a man danger?
What kind of God would stump down from heaven to save us?
Lord Jesus, from the cradle in the D came the Savior of the world.
[00:11:20] Speaker D: We cry Holy, Holy.
You are the one and only Emmanuel Son of God, God Jesus here with us.
Amen.
[00:11:41] Speaker E: You came into the world you created.
Oh, what a child. The heavens proclaim what his name is.
[00:11:52] Speaker D: It's Jesus.
From the cradle in the church came the Savior of the world. Cry out to him we cry, holy, Holy.
You are the one and only Emmanuel, Son of God.
Lord Jesus, you are worthy. You're worthy.
We give you all the glory.
Emmanuel, Son of God.
Jesus here with us.
Jesus here with us.
You are holy.
Yes, you are holy.
[00:12:50] Speaker G: Go tell it.
[00:12:53] Speaker D: Go tell it on the mountain.
Over the hills and everywhere. Go tell it on the mountain. Jesus Christ is born.
Go tell it on the mountain.
Over the hills and everywhere. Go tell it on the mountain.
Jesus Christ is born.
Cry, holy, holy.
You are the one and only Emmanuel, Son of God.
Oh, Jesus, you are, are worthy. You're worthy.
We give you all the glory.
Emmanuel, Son of God. Go tell it on the mountain.
Go tell it on the mountain.
Over the hills and everywhere. Go tell on the mountain.
[00:14:07] Speaker C: The mountain.
[00:14:09] Speaker D: Jesus Christ is born.
[00:14:37] Speaker E: Emmanuel, son of God.
Jesus here with us.
[00:14:47] Speaker D: Amen.
Amen.
[00:14:52] Speaker H: God, we thank you so much. That you, being all powerful, Almighty Creator of the universe.
You long for relationship with us.
And over time, God, over the years, your people have turned away. Even we turn away.
[00:15:12] Speaker D: We.
[00:15:12] Speaker H: We default to pride and other things that we think will fill us. But God, you do not relent in your pursuit of us. And I thank you so much that. That you became a baby. And you came and you walked among us. And now we get the gift of your Holy Spirit. You truly are Emmanuel, God with us.
I pray that you'll receive all our praise and glory today. As worship you.
[00:15:50] Speaker E: In the beginning you spoke. There was light.
Your word formed creation.
Your breath gave us life.
We walked in the garden.
It brought you how you love to be with us.
We were fully alive.
You have always been.
You will always be.
Amen.
You will.
[00:16:40] Speaker B: Our fellowship broken then as we were deceived.
The joy of the go was now out of reach.
But you chose to pursue us.
You longed for us still.
You did not forsake us.
And you never will.
[00:17:15] Speaker C: You have always been.
[00:17:19] Speaker B: You will always be.
[00:17:31] Speaker E: The pillar of fire.
[00:17:35] Speaker D: That led through the night.
[00:17:39] Speaker E: The cloud of your glory no one could deny.
[00:17:48] Speaker D: We built you a sandal.
But you wanted more.
You longed for a people that could be called yours.
You have always been.
You will always be.
Emmanuel.
[00:18:22] Speaker B: And then in the s.
The Word became flesh.
Our God dwelt among us.
You gave us your best.
[00:18:39] Speaker D: You offered communion.
You gave up your life.
You rose up in victory and heal the divine.
You have always been.
You will always be.
He made you well.
He made you well.
He met you well.
The day is to come.
You will be breathing.
Your dream of communion is finally for we'll see a new heaven, we'll walk a new.
And you will be us, Lord, and we will be your.
You have always been.
You will always be.
Name.
God. You are here.
[00:20:50] Speaker B: You're with and within us.
You love to be near, filled with your spirit, a promise of love.
[00:21:08] Speaker D: A.
[00:21:08] Speaker B: Blessed assurance of what is to come.
[00:21:18] Speaker C: You have always been.
[00:21:22] Speaker B: You will always, always be.
Amen.
[00:21:40] Speaker D: Amen.
[00:21:44] Speaker F: You may be seated.
God is good, isn't he? He's so good.
He is so, so good. And as we.
Just a moment. Not yet, but in just a moment, we're going to take our morning offering. Before we do, I wanted to say again a thank you to you. We have been participating, leading into this Christmas season in a ministry that we.
[00:22:06] Speaker G: Have done for a number of years called Bless a Child.
[00:22:09] Speaker F: And Bless a Child is where we.
[00:22:11] Speaker G: Help to purchase gifts for children at our daughter church, that neighborhood church whose.
[00:22:17] Speaker F: Families may not be able to provide gifts, but it helps us or I'm.
[00:22:23] Speaker G: Sorry, it helps that neighborhood church have.
[00:22:25] Speaker F: Impact in their community and also have the opportunity to share the good news of the gospel.
[00:22:29] Speaker G: And this year, as we participated in Bless a Child, we also coupled in some families from Door elementary where we have developed a partnership in our community and so got the news this morning that not only did we bring in all of the funds and all of the presents for we need for the families at that neighborhood church, but also far and above what they thought would come in for all of the families.
[00:22:53] Speaker F: At Dorrit elementary that had need and.
[00:22:55] Speaker G: So super excited about that. And I want to say thank you for your generosity in the way that.
[00:23:03] Speaker F: You love like you are enabling that.
[00:23:05] Speaker G: Neighborhood church to have such an impact.
[00:23:07] Speaker F: In the lives of families through your generous gifts.
[00:23:10] Speaker G: And not only that, you may not realize in your generosity, even with Door.
[00:23:16] Speaker F: Elementary, the influence that you are allowing.
[00:23:19] Speaker G: Our church family to have there for.
[00:23:21] Speaker F: The sake of the gospel.
[00:23:23] Speaker G: This last week, I got a phone.
[00:23:25] Speaker F: Call kind of last minute from the counselor over at Door elementary saying, hey.
[00:23:31] Speaker G: We want to recognize Westgate Chapel at.
[00:23:33] Speaker F: Our Springfield school board meeting this week for all of the generosity and ways.
[00:23:38] Speaker G: That you have been caring for us. And so I got to go with Chad Boyers, our resident drummer and elder. And we this they just thanked us for the number of you that go.
[00:23:50] Speaker F: And serve in the school helping with.
[00:23:53] Speaker G: Reading and things in the classroom to.
[00:23:56] Speaker F: Your generosity in giving gifts And I also received there a just a card that I want to read to you from the principal at door. And these are the words that she said, this is for you.
Dear Westgate Chapel, Merry Christmas.
[00:24:12] Speaker G: Words feel small next to the gratitude.
[00:24:14] Speaker F: In my heart for all of you and all you have done for our school this year.
[00:24:19] Speaker G: You've been the most incredible support a.
[00:24:21] Speaker F: School could ever hope for. A true blessing and steady anchor in our community.
[00:24:26] Speaker G: Thank you for the tireless volunteers, the generous donations, the beautiful homemade quilts and.
[00:24:32] Speaker F: The comfort to so many.
[00:24:34] Speaker G: Your countless supplies have brightened our classrooms.
[00:24:37] Speaker F: And eased the burden on our families.
I want to thank you personally, personally for the prayer that you have lifted up and provide for our school. Your kindness is truly amazing and I am so blessed to partner with Westgate Chapel and Church family.
You are through your love in being, the tangible love of Jesus Christ are enabling us to have an incredible witness in our community. And so to you I say thank you as I say thank you for generously giving of your time and of your resources because it is enabling us to carry out our vision of an intentionally sharing God's love with our neighbors. And so let's go to prayer and give thanks to God for what he is doing as we surrender our hearts to him.
Father, we thank you for this morning and we give all praise and glory and honor to you. I thank you Father for the way in which you have so generously provided for us and that Father, you and.
[00:25:34] Speaker G: Enable us to care well for other.
[00:25:36] Speaker F: People in our community.
Father, I thank you for the ministry of that neighborhood church.
[00:25:43] Speaker G: Lord, I just pray that you would.
[00:25:44] Speaker F: Take all of the gifts that were gathered and given for Christmas and that Father, you would use that to expand their reach in that community with the gospel. That families would experience the love and kindness of that church and that Father, they would be drawn to, to your son Jesus Christ. I pray the same for our relationship at Door Elementary.
Thank you Lord for allowing us the opportunity to just have influence and to share your love with others. And our deepest prayer is that God, when they come to a place or a point, these families of recognizing their need for you, that they would have a place like here to turn. And so Lord, continue to expand our reach and our influence.
And most of all, God, we pray that you would receive glory because Father, you are doing it all through us. We love you and Father, we give back to you in our offerings today. Again thankful for how you have provided for us, recognizing God that all we have comes from you. And it is our joy to be A part of what you are doing in this world. And so we ask that you would multiply our gifts so that more people would know. Your son, Jesus Christ, we love you. And it's in his name that we pray. Amen.
We're going to take our offering this morning. And so if you grab the offering buckets that are here on the center aisles, we'll just pass them out and across.
If you're new here with us again, in the balcony, they're up in the corners, and you can pass those in.
And we'll continue to worship through the taking of our offering for just a few moments.
[00:27:16] Speaker D: Sam.
[00:27:46] Speaker F: Well, you will have to forgive me if I see you in the hallway.
[00:27:49] Speaker G: And I go the other way.
[00:27:50] Speaker F: It's not because you smell.
It's because I got this yuck that is going around. And it's been kind of a yucky evening last night.
[00:28:00] Speaker G: Not feeling the best.
[00:28:02] Speaker F: So bear with me and my voice this morning as we travel through God's word together today.
[00:28:10] Speaker G: But in spite of not feeling the best this morning, I will tell you that there's been a lot of joy in my house over this past week. Many of you know that last Sunday my son got engaged. And I'm very, very excited about that.
Garrett and Jordan, congratulations.
[00:28:30] Speaker F: It was such a special time for our families and for the Foley family.
[00:28:35] Speaker G: We're excited about that.
I want to tell you that Garrett and Jordan, it's been four and a half years.
[00:28:42] Speaker D: Ish.
[00:28:42] Speaker G: Dating. Right. Four and a half years that Jordan.
[00:28:45] Speaker F: Has been pleading with me to be a sermon illustration.
[00:28:48] Speaker G: And so today is her moment. It is her day.
I have waited because I gotta make sure she's gonna stick around before I subject her to the fire. So, you know, with Jordan. When I first met Jordan, she came into our house. Her bubbly personality and full of excitement and confidence. Confidence. And I thought to myself, this confidence is a little scary. To me, she seems a little too confident now. If it had been a guy dating my daughter, I would have just pulled out my gun and started cleaning it like the message would have got. But I didn't think that would be appropriate for Jordan. Although I hear that Garrett got the treatment at her house, so. But. So we decided to do something different. We took Jordan with our family to one of the county fairs, and I made her take a picture here with her head sticking through a tombstone.
I thought it was a rather subtle clue about who was the boss, but look at how happy she was doing it, too. I find it so funny. Such a great memory for Us. But honestly, it has been such a great week.
[00:29:48] Speaker F: Exciting to see your kids growing up, serving the Lord, finding a spouse that loves the Lord, future spouse that loves the Lord as well. And, you know, it's been fun. It's been a very joyous time.
[00:30:01] Speaker G: But I've also found that not everybody.
[00:30:04] Speaker F: Feels the same joy at Christmas season. Deneen Silvernail, our elementary director here at Westgate, shared this story with me that.
[00:30:14] Speaker G: Over these last couple weeks, she was out shopping with her husband, Chuck, and she was in an aisle gathering a whole bunch of candy into her arms. And she started making her way down the aisle to her cart where her husband was. But in between her and the cart was this little old lady who had white hair, really beautiful, white boots on.
[00:30:36] Speaker F: And a white coat.
[00:30:37] Speaker G: And she just stopped and she looked.
[00:30:39] Speaker F: At her and she smiled and she said, merry Christmas.
[00:30:42] Speaker G: And this little lady looked up at.
[00:30:44] Speaker F: Her and said, shut up.
[00:30:49] Speaker G: You're stupid.
Now, I hear that some of you are horrified.
Some of you are like, why did you just say that in front of my kids? Sorry.
But at the same time, like, Deneen told me, like, she couldn't help but just burst out laughing.
And Chuck is sitting there laughing. They could not believe in this moment.
By the way, one guess as to where she was shopping. If it's too hard, let me give you multiple choice. It was either Walmart, Walmart, Walmart, or all of the above.
[00:31:22] Speaker F: So, of course.
[00:31:25] Speaker G: So in all seriousness, you know, it.
[00:31:28] Speaker F: Seems easy in our world to lose our joy.
[00:31:33] Speaker G: You know, we taught. We've been in a series together that is entitled, as you'll see here on.
[00:31:37] Speaker F: The screen, the Perfect Gift. And we've been talking about the perfect gift of hope that we have in Jesus. And we've been talking about the perfect gift of peace last week that God gives us in any situation.
[00:31:48] Speaker G: And this morning, we're gonna take a.
[00:31:50] Speaker F: Look at this incredible gift of joy that we have that truly comes from our salvation. Because the perfect gift of God's joy.
[00:31:58] Speaker G: Is honestly one that should never be.
[00:32:01] Speaker F: Lost or stolen from us in any circumstance.
[00:32:06] Speaker G: And as we'll see, the reason for this is because it finds its foundation in Christ and in his salvation.
And so this morning, I want to take you to a passage of scripture that jumps beyond the Christmas story. Is that allowed? Can we do that before Christmas? Maybe, maybe not. But we're going to jump beyond the Christmas story to the time where Mary.
[00:32:29] Speaker F: And Joseph are taking Jesus to be.
[00:32:31] Speaker G: Dedicated at the temple.
[00:32:33] Speaker F: And so if you have your Bibles.
[00:32:34] Speaker G: I want you to Turn with me.
[00:32:34] Speaker F: To Luke chapter two. And we're going to begin reading together verses 22 through 26.
And what we see first is here is that this gift of incredible joy is promised to God's people.
It's promised especially to a man that is in this passage. His name is Simeon. Let's read it together.
[00:32:58] Speaker G: It says, when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they being Mary and Joseph, brought him, Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. As it is written in the law of the Lord, every male who first.
[00:33:15] Speaker F: Opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord.
[00:33:19] Speaker G: And they came to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, a pair of.
[00:33:24] Speaker F: Turtledoves or two young pigeons.
[00:33:27] Speaker G: Now, there was a man in Jerusalem.
[00:33:29] Speaker F: Whose name was Simeon.
[00:33:31] Speaker G: 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.
[00:33:48] Speaker F: The Lord's Christ, in other words, until he had seen the Messiah.
[00:33:53] Speaker G: What we understand is that as we read this passage that Jesus has been born. And it would have been this would have taken place place about 40 days after his birth as he was being taken to be dedicated in the temple. Mary would have been considered unclean for seven days following the birth. And then after that point of seven days, there was a 33 day period where she would have to wait before she herself could go to the temple for purification rituals.
And so the passage also tells us that when they come to for the purification for the dedication of Jesus, that they would also be giving a sacrifice there. And this sacrifice is significant, at least in our understanding of Jesus family. It says that as they came that.
[00:34:41] Speaker F: They would give a pair of turtledoves.
[00:34:44] Speaker G: Or two young pigeons.
[00:34:46] Speaker F: Normally the sacrifice would be that of a lamb.
[00:34:48] Speaker G: But this was an exception made in the law of Moses specifically for families of meager means that didn't have enough.
[00:34:55] Speaker F: To get a lamb.
[00:34:57] Speaker G: And what it actually does is it.
[00:34:58] Speaker F: Shows us the righteousness of Jesus family.
[00:35:02] Speaker G: As they go and they continue to follow what is prescribed in the law, even with him in bringing him to the Lord.
And what we're introduced to as they come to this point in the temple is this man by the name of Simeon. Now notice that when Luke writes about about him, he doesn't talk about him with any title. It doesn't appear that he is a priest. It doesn't appear that he holds any official function within the temple complex. But what it does do, rather than giving a title, is it highlights, and Luke highlights his character. He highlights his character by emphasizing that Simeon was a righteous and a devout man. Now we're going to come back to that in just a moment. But he was righteous and devout. But it also says that he was waiting for the consolation of Israel.
When we look at the word consolation in the Greek, it's the Greek word paraklesis and it means to comfort or encouragement, comfort or encouragement. In other words, the consolation of Israel was that long awaited comfort that they were looking for, that God would send, send a Savior, that he would send a Messiah to save and to rescue them from their enemies. It tells us that Simeon is this righteous and devout man who is waiting for the moment when the Messiah would come.
And what we understand from this reading letter A is that Simeon represents faithful waiting.
Faithful waiting.
Some people, as we'll see in just a moment, would have have lost heart in the length of time that the Israelites were waiting for the Messiah to come. The truth is, is that there were many in Israel who had lost heart, who had lost focus on the promise that had been made. But the passage tells us that Simeon remained faithful to God, that he was righteous, he was devout and waiting for the consolation of Israel. But not only does he represent faithful waiting for, but letter B, he also represents joyous expectation.
Now, when I say joyous expectation, you know exactly what I mean. It's like a kid who on the days leading up to Christmas cannot contain themselves because they know the presents are coming. And there is that eagerness to get underneath the tree and begin to unwrap and see what is there. Or maybe for those of you who have finished school and like I did this last year, and you're looking forward to that moment where you walk at graduation and you can say, never again, right?
It is one of the most exhilarating feelings. And there was this joyous expectation I had in the months leading up to that moment. It could be as you're waiting for your wedding day, it could be visitors from family that you haven't seen in years. But you're anticipating, you're waiting.
This is what it describes about Simeon, that he represents faithful waiting, but joyful expectation.
As he waits. Look at the verse. It says that it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
[00:38:14] Speaker F: Again.
[00:38:14] Speaker G: That word Christ meaning Messiah, if you can only imagine what that must have.
[00:38:19] Speaker F: Been, been like for Simeon.
[00:38:21] Speaker G: Simeon being a man that was full of The Holy Spirit having it be revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he himself had been chosen, that his eyes would see the long awaited Messiah of Israel, the Savior that was come. Can you only imagine the excitement we have over presence under a tree? What it would be like to know that the Savior of the world is coming and you will see him with your very eyes. He lived each day joyously waiting for the promise of Messiah to come.
But in the context of this, we can't forget what it was that Simeon.
[00:39:01] Speaker F: Was living through as he waited.
It had been 400 years of silence since the close of the Old Testament.
[00:39:11] Speaker G: Since the prophets had last prophesied about.
[00:39:14] Speaker F: A Savior who would come. 400 years that Israel waited.
And as I mentioned, many people even in Israel, losing heart, losing focus on this Messiah who would come.
[00:39:29] Speaker G: And not only had it been 400 years of silence, but in these 400 years Israel had never truly been restored to their strength and power and position.
[00:39:39] Speaker F: As a nation that would self govern itself.
[00:39:42] Speaker G: After the Israelites had been taken off.
[00:39:45] Speaker F: Into exile, whether that was with Assyria.
[00:39:48] Speaker G: Or Babylon, they were brought back into.
[00:39:50] Speaker F: The land by the Persian Empire.
[00:39:52] Speaker G: And the Persian Empire was generally considered pretty good. They gave them religious and civil freedom, they gave them a number of great things, but they did have to pay taxes. They were under the hand of the Persian Empire.
Next would be the Greek Empire and under Alexander the Great again it was generally good. They had religious and civil freedom. But then when the Greek Empire shifted itself and the Syrian Greeks or the Seleucids were the ones that were in power, it became a whole different story.
The people of God were put under forced religious assimilation. They were no longer allowed to just do their own thing religiously. They had to assimilate into this other culture.
Specific practices of the Jews, like practicing the Sabbath were banned. They desecrated the temple, and even more.
[00:40:44] Speaker F: They would kill anyone who opposed them.
[00:40:47] Speaker G: In other words, it was a point in Israel's history in this 400 years of silence where they were living again under this heavy hand of oppression. And then comes along after, after a one year Hasmonean rule, Rome itself would come and Rome would levy heavy taxes. If you didn't follow what Rome wanted to a t, they would enforce it with brutal, brutal violence seen through crucifixion.
And they had God's people had no political control.
Not only that, on top of it, religiously they were surrounded by a Roman religion that worshiped many different gods. And they put their temples all around them. Everywhere that they lived.
They would also Rome controlled the high priesthood within Judaism. They could literally pull out a high priest and insert another one in that was more favorable to Rome. Emperor worship was a large thing.
Can you imagine what it must have been like to be the people of God waiting for. For the consolation to come for the Messiah who would one day free them from all of their oppressors? With all of these things that were happening and the heavy hand of these other nations not allowing them to rule themselves, would you have been able to keep your joy in the midst of it?
Would you have been able to keep your hope?
If anyone, as we read this story, would have had the right to have their joy ripped from them, it would be a person like Simeon, a common, everyday Jewish citizen who is under this heavy oppression, remembering that God had promised, but no idea when that promise would be fulfilled. But what we learn about Simeon, letter C in your notes is this is that Simeon is a reminder to us that joy is not rooted in circumstance, but it is in the hopes of God's promise.
Simeon is a reminder to us that joy is not rooted in circumstance, but.
[00:42:47] Speaker F: In the hope of God's promises.
[00:42:50] Speaker G: Think about all of the things in our own lives that rob us of our joy. Unstable world events, uncertain economic times, dislike of things that are happening in our country, broken relationships, bad news related to health, aging or struggling parents, work schedule situations mean people in Walmart, literally. The list could go on and on and on.
[00:43:16] Speaker F: So many things that can rob us of our joy.
What is it, though, that kept Simeon from losing heart?
What is it that kept him as a man who was not only righteous and devout, but who waited on the Lord with such joy?
Simeon's secret is revealed in those words that are said about him, where it doesn't talk about his title, but it talks about his character.
It says that he was righteous and that he was devout.
Those words are so significant because it helps us to understand the depth of his character. He was righteous. He was a man who wanted to do what was right in the eyes of God.
[00:43:56] Speaker G: He pursued in his own life who.
[00:43:58] Speaker F: Holiness that would be pleasing to God.
It also tells us that Simeon was devout. And the Greek word here for devout means to be cautious or that he was careful in his reverence.
[00:44:13] Speaker G: If I can boil that down to.
[00:44:15] Speaker F: You just a little bit, what it tells us about Simeon is that he had a right view of who God was and a right view of who he was.
See that corrective view of God, that God is the one who is all powerful and in control, and that he has made promises to his people that.
[00:44:32] Speaker G: He intends to fulfill that correct view of God is what led him to.
[00:44:37] Speaker F: Live a righteous life, where he put God first in all things.
What enabled Simeon to be a man who would have joy even amidst difficult circumstances in life. It said he was righteous and devout and put God first. And this enabled him to then and trust in God's promises. He believed with all of his heart that God would do exactly what he said he was going to do.
[00:45:04] Speaker G: And I want to ask you this.
[00:45:05] Speaker F: Question this morning for reflection, whether it.
[00:45:08] Speaker G: Be this morning in our service or later this week.
[00:45:11] Speaker F: Are you waiting for Jesus with confidence and joy or with impatience and doubt?
[00:45:20] Speaker G: I find it so interesting as we read through this passage because. Because here's Simeon and the nation of Israel who have been waiting for the moment that the Messiah would come. They had no idea when it would come. And now here is the moment Jesus has come.
How exhilarating that must have been. And in the same way we in.
[00:45:37] Speaker F: The church age today wait for the return of our Savior.
[00:45:41] Speaker G: Amen. We wait for the day when he will come again, because he has promised that he will come again. And so we wait for that moment of his second coming where he will come and make everything right that is wrong in this world, where he will take all sin and all evil and all brokenness and all sadness and the things that feel like they wreck our lives and they will be done forever. And so we have this incredible hope that we have just we wait in the same way that God's people waited then.
And I would say to you this.
[00:46:13] Speaker F: Morning, if you find yourself struggling with.
[00:46:16] Speaker G: Having confidence and joy in your waiting, if you find yourself in a place.
[00:46:20] Speaker F: Of impatience or doubt, then what? I would ask yourself this question. What piece of the secret is missing for you?
Because the confident joy that Simeon experienced came from the fact that he put God first in all things and knew that he could trust in God promises.
Now, as we continue, we see the ultimate gift is revealed finally to Simeon.
[00:46:47] Speaker G: In Luke, chapter 2, verses 27 through 32.
[00:46:50] Speaker F: Go ahead and read it with me here on the screen.
[00:46:53] Speaker G: It says that he came in the.
[00:46:55] Speaker F: Spirit into the temple.
[00:46:57] Speaker G: 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.
As I read this, and I look as Mary and Joseph come with Jesus into the temple complex, doing what a good righteous Jew would do, following the commands of the law, they encounter Simeon. And the first thing I notice about Simeon in his heart as he encounters Jesus and the Holy Spirit reveals this moment to him. Letter A is that Simeon knew God had not forgotten nor neglected his promise.
He took it to the bank. It literally tells us that Simeon takes Jesus up in his arms, 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.
Simeon was a man who had waited, remembering all of the promises of God, that one day he would send a Savior. In Genesis chapter 3, verse 15, which was looked at at the beginning of this series, he would have remembered that after Adam and Eve had sinned against God and God is addressing the curse on the serpent, that he would make a promise that one day he would crush the head of that serpent, that he would put an end to Satan's own rule and reign over this world and the evil and brokenness that it brings upon us. He would have remembered the words of Abraham in Genesis chapter 12, where Abraham was given a covenant to remind him that one day a savior would come through his line. That would be a blessing to the whole world.
No doubt he would have remembered Moses interactions with the Lord in Deuteronomy chapter 18, where again a future a savior is promised. No doubt he would have recalled David, King David, who was promised an everlasting dynasty with a descendant whose kingdom would never come to an end. In 2nd Samuel 7, as we looked at together last week in Isaiah 7, 9, he would have remembered the promises that were made by God through Isaiah to Judah and ultimately to Israel, that one day he would send a Savior and that Savior would come and set all things right. Multiple prophets prophesying the same message throughout the Old Testament until the close of the Old Testament in Malachi 3 1, where again, the promise is made.
You see, Simeon has felt the pain of living in a broken world.
He knew the pain of what that felt like.
But he's now overwhelmed with incredible peace because he says, salvation has come.
And the gift, letter B, the gift God was giving, would shock Jewish sensitivity.
He was excited. The moment had come. But what that moment was and what this gift of joy, this gift of salvation was, would have completely shocked all Jews. I want to ask you this question. Have you ever gotten a gift, you know, that maybe it was at Christmas time or a birthday, and you thought.
[00:50:24] Speaker F: To yourself, well, that's interesting, right?
[00:50:27] Speaker G: Where they give you a gift and.
[00:50:28] Speaker F: You'Re not quite sure why you got.
[00:50:30] Speaker G: It or what it.
You know, when I first got married to Rochelle, first Christmas, I was warned by her and her family that her grandma, who we affectionately call Mimi, often when she would open a gift, it was something. If it was something she didn't like.
[00:50:44] Speaker F: She would say, well, that's interesting.
[00:50:48] Speaker G: And so it was kind of a cue, you know, you were watching for. And I remember going to that first Christmas at her parents house and thinking, okay, I've got to watch out for this, especially for the gifts that we would give to her.
And so as the gift giving was taking place, I was excited because here I am in a new family. It meant I got more gifts for Christmas than I'd ever had before. Loved that. And it came time for Mimi to give me her gift to me. And so I was opening up her gift. And as I opened it up, this is what I got on the screen. A shabby chic key holder.
Now, I don't even know what shabby.
[00:51:23] Speaker F: Chicago chic is, but this is what I got.
[00:51:26] Speaker G: And I remember, like actually looking over at her and saying, I'm sorry, did I accidentally open Rachelle's present? And she said, no, what's yours is hers and what's hers is yours.
And what I realized is it wasn't a gift for me. It was a gift for Rachelle through me.
[00:51:46] Speaker F: And so my response was very simple. That's interesting.
[00:51:51] Speaker G: And I did get an immediate side eye from her. It was rather invigorating.
[00:51:57] Speaker F: Here's the deal. It was not what I was expecting.
What Simeon says next about the gift of the Messiah would have completely confounded everyone, including Mary and Joseph.
What he said next was not what they were expecting.
He says this.
[00:52:16] Speaker G: You'll see it on the screen.
[00:52:17] Speaker F: 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. Walk through this with me.
[00:52:31] Speaker G: Let's unfold it.
[00:52:32] Speaker F: As he says it, he begins by.
[00:52:34] Speaker G: Saying, and Chelsea, oh, good, you did it. You went right up to the first one. My eyes have seen your see.
[00:52:40] Speaker F: Salvation.
[00:52:41] Speaker G: Salvation. The Jews would have heard that and been like, yes, the Messiah is our Savior. He's our deliverer. He's finally going to come and set the record straight. He's going to come and he's going to crush Rome and all of our enemies, and we are going to reign forever in a time of perpetual peace. Reign Ourselves.
So that sounds great.
My eyes have seen your salvation. But the next part, that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples.
[00:53:08] Speaker D: Huh?
[00:53:09] Speaker F: Interesting.
[00:53:09] Speaker G: They could still jive with that. Of course he's doing this. The Savior is coming and everyone seeing it. The angels pronounced it to shepherds in the field. The shepherds ran and found Mary and Joseph. When they saw Jesus, they ran to tell everyone. Everyone's going to know that the Savior has come and that Israel is finally going to take control of their future. Because the Messiah has come, right?
[00:53:35] Speaker F: Maybe not right.
Because the next phrase would completely change their understanding of what was being said and would shock Jewish minds.
The salvation prepared in the presence of all peoples was a light for revelation to the Gentiles and then for glory to your people, Israel. Wait a second.
[00:53:59] Speaker G: What do you mean that this gift of the Messiah is for the Gentiles? The Gentiles?
We hate Gentiles. Jews don't like Gentiles, right? He's our Messiah. He came for us, let alone. It was rare in any genre of ancient literature to see Jews and Gentiles placed in positive opposition to each other, let alone to see Gentiles mentioned before Israel would have been confounding and incredibly offensive to many people.
But here, what Simeon reminds them is a truth that had been promised throughout the whole of Scripture that the Savior of the world wasn't coming just to restore national Israel, but he was coming for all people of all time.
Letter C. Jesus had come not to save his people from their enemies, their.
[00:54:50] Speaker F: Earthly enemies enemies, but to save them from their sin.
[00:54:54] Speaker G: And the Holy Spirit, it tells us, revealed this to Simeon, the greater plan of salvation.
You see, Jesus didn't come just to bring blessing on Israel, but to fulfill a much greater purpose that had been.
[00:55:10] Speaker F: Prophesied about from the very beginning of time.
I want to ask you this question this morning.
Have we. We embrace Jesus not just as a personal blessing to our life, but as God's global rescue plan.
There are too many people in the church at large today and too many people in our world that see Jesus and see Christianity as just what Jesus can do for me.
Can Jesus come and take away my sorrow and my sadness?
[00:55:43] Speaker G: If I give my heart and my life to him, then maybe some great things will happen in my life and.
[00:55:47] Speaker F: I won't have to go through difficulty. Sometimes we see Jesus and we see.
[00:55:52] Speaker G: God as nothing more than our personal genie in a bottle because we have this mentality that says, he's here for my personal blessing.
[00:56:02] Speaker F: But here's the deal.
Jesus came for so much more than just to remove Israel's difficulties.
Actually, Israel's difficulties wouldn't be fully removed. Moved because Jesus came to address the biggest issue in our lives that brought brokenness into this world from the very beginning. And that is our sin.
Have we embraced Jesus not just as a personal blessing, but as God's global rescue plan?
Is Jesus to you so much more than what you can get out of him to make your earthly life better?
Or do you worship him and follow him every moment and every day of your life because you recognize that he has given you the answer for your greatest issue and for all of eternity?
Jesus had come for a much greater purpose.
And Simeon begins to reveal that as the gift is offered. Luke, chapter 2, verses 33 through 35.
He continues talking to Mary and Joseph and he says these words. It says these words. His father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. Mary and Joseph could not believe what they were hearing.
[00:57:20] Speaker D: Wow.
[00:57:22] Speaker F: Jesus has come not just for the Jews, but for all people.
And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his 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 of many hearts may be revealed in this moment. What is revealed to Mary and Joseph is the true gift of joy and salvation.
Essentially what Simeon reminds us is this letter A For some people, the gift of Jesus is an overwhelming blessing that captures and transforms hearts.
[00:58:13] Speaker G: This child Jesus is appointed for the.
[00:58:16] Speaker F: Rising of many in Israel.
[00:58:18] Speaker G: That there are many people who when they understand who Jesus is and what he is doing done for them as the Son of God who has come to bring salvation that will answer our eternity problem. We'll find incredible joy and incredible blessing in their lives because of it. Maybe you have a similar story as I do that as if I have walked with God in my own life. I have found incredible joy, incredible joy in Jesus because in the moments as I go through this life and this broken I recognize how God is walking with me. I recognize how he is providing me with peace, but even more, how he provides me with eternal hope. A recognition that when this world falls apart that one day I will be with him forever. And the only reason that can be is because of what Jesus accomplished for me on a cross. And so in my life is I recognize all that Jesus means and has done for me. I find incredible joy that causes me to pursue him with all of my heart.
But Simeon says it's not going to.
[00:59:21] Speaker F: Be that way for everyone, because let her be.
[00:59:24] Speaker G: For some, the gift of Jesus is.
[00:59:26] Speaker F: A stumbling block to their own selfish desires.
There are some who will say in our own world today, if Jesus won't remove all the bad in my life, then why would I follow him?
[00:59:40] Speaker G: If I have to give up certain.
[00:59:41] Speaker F: Things in my life that I enjoy, why would I follow him?
I want nothing to do with him.
For many in Israel, this was the same case. Jesus didn't fit their narrative of what they wanted.
They wanted a savior, but they wanted a savior that would just fix their earthly problems at the expense of what God was trying to do to fix their eternal problem.
Thus, Simeon prophesied that Jesus would be rejected by many in the same way that he is today.
Because our eyes have become so focused on finding joy and satisfaction in this world that we can't trust in the promises of God.
And it continues that Jesus would be rejected by many. Letter C. He reveals this to Mary. Simeon prophesies that Mary's heart would be shattered as part of God's redemptive plan.
What does he say?
He says, 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, the Holy Spirit opened up Simeon's eyes to see and to know that ultimately Jesus would give up his life to pay the penalty for our sin, to bring reconciliation between God and a sinful world.
And this is the greatest act of love that would ever be seen. But it would come at an incredible cost.
But what he wanted Mary and Joseph and others to understand is this truth. Letter D. That the gift of salvation exposes hearts and demands a response.
His last words.
He says that all of this will happen so that the thoughts from many hearts would be revealed.
The gift of salvation exposes hearts. It exposes where you're seeking to find your joy.
Too often I find that in this world, we're trying to find our joy in the broken things of this world. And it's broken systems and material things and in people that fail us.
Not accepting the fact that this world is always going to be broken and always let us down.
[01:02:05] Speaker G: It's the reason that we at times.
[01:02:07] Speaker F: Have such a hard time finding joy is because we're trying to find it in the wrong things that were never.
[01:02:13] Speaker G: Meant to give us joy.
Because joy was never intended to be from this world. We have a distorted understanding.
You see, what I want you to understand is this.
[01:02:26] Speaker F: Is that joy.
[01:02:27] Speaker G: You can write this down.
[01:02:28] Speaker F: Joy is not the absence of pain, difficulty or suffering.
This is what we want to think, right?
[01:02:36] Speaker G: I can only be joyful if all.
[01:02:37] Speaker F: The bad is gone.
Well, that wasn't true for Simeon.
[01:02:41] Speaker G: He lived his entire life under the heavy hand of Rome. It was painfully difficult. And yet he loved, lived in joyful expectation of the day that Messiah would come.
And in the same way that we live our lives today. Joy is not the absence of pain, difficulty or suffering. We experience it all to a great degree.
And yet we can wait joyfully in expectation that one day the Savior of the world will come again and restore all things.
Joy is not the act, absence of pain, difficulty or suffering. Rather, joy is a deep, enduring state of contentment that is rooted in the person of Christ, faith in his promise of redemption, and that is produced and sustained by the Holy Spirit.
Paul says these words in Romans chapter 8.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
You know what he's saying?
Think about the suffering. Think about the things that rob you of your joy in this world as you try to find your joy and happiness and fulfillment in these broken things.
They don't even compare to what God has for you in eternity.
He is providing and has provided something that is beyond imagination.
And that glory will be revealed to us, he says, for the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit. We groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Our hope is in the work of Jesus Christ. And it is the thing that gives us incredible joy in this life, no matter what brokenness we face.
And I want to acknowledge this morning that I know that there are many who walked into this room today who have been wearing a mask.
[01:05:16] Speaker F: You come into church on Christmas Sunday.
[01:05:20] Speaker G: Putting on the face that everything is.
[01:05:21] Speaker F: Great and everything is okay, but if.
[01:05:25] Speaker G: You'D allow the real you to be.
[01:05:26] Speaker F: Seen, you would confess that not everything's okay.
Actually, there are some things going on in your life that are hard.
Maybe, just maybe, you've been allowing them to rob you of your joy rather than turning to Jesus.
You've Been trying to find any other way to fix it, medicating it with other things, looking to other people for the answers.
Maybe even your avenue has been to just simply try to ignore it and wrestling alone with your discontent.
This morning, as we read the words of Scripture and understand the gift of joy and salvation that we have been given in Jesus Christ, I want to give you the opportunity to invite Jesus into that space with you.
Would you bow your heads and close your eyes with me?
Yes. I'm skipping the last question. It doesn't matter.
But if you just bow your heads and close your eyes with me.
How many of you in this room have been allowing your circumstances to rob you of the joy of the Lord?
Would you, just as our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed, would you just quietly raise your hand in confirmation and saying, God, I just confess this before you now.
I've been letting my joy be robbed by circumstances.
You might even be sitting here today and you go, you know what? I feel like I've been doing good in this area. But there are people in your own life that you know, that you can see that their circumstances are robbing them of their joy because they're not turning their hearts to the Lord and finding their joy and finding their hope and finding their peace in Him.
I want to take just a moment to pray over you and invite you to pray over each other.
[01:07:32] Speaker G: Father, we.
[01:07:32] Speaker F: We come before you this morning. We just acknowledge that it is so easy to take our eyes off of you and to put them onto our situations, to things that are hard, scary, painful places in our lives where there is deep hurt.
And they rob us of our joy because we keep our eyes fixed on the problem and not on you.
God, this morning I want to pray for every individual in this room.
I want to ask God that you would remind us that our joy is not dependent on those circumstances, but it's dependent on. On the hope that we have in your son, Jesus Christ, and what he has accomplished on our behalf, giving us the joy of our salvation that reminds us that there is a future time where you will come again and set all things right.
Teach us, Father, to wait with joyous expectation even in the midst of our trial and our suffering.
Lord James tells us to consider it pure joy when we face trials of many kinds, because we know that the testing of our faith develops perseverance, and perseverance must finish its work so that we would be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. We acknowledge, God, that you sometimes allow these moments in our lives because there are ways in which you are also transforming us and teaching us to trust you and refocusing our hearts and our eyes on you. God, I pray that in those moments, just as James says, that you would teach us to have joy. Because we know that the God who has created all things and is in control of all things and who always fulfills his promises, is in control of our lives in that help us to find, find our hope, our peace and our joy as we continue to keep our heads bowed. I also want to acknowledge this morning that maybe you're here today and you have never found this joy in your life that I've been talking about. Because you've never made the decision to say yes to follow Jesus.
And maybe as you sit here, God has been revealing to you that he has always been the answer that you have been looking for.
And today you sense it. You hear him quietly speaking to your heart. And you know that today is the day to choose to follow Him.
I want to invite you to make that decision this morning. To surrender your heart and your life to Jesus.
To receive the joy that comes from his salvation that is promised for all of eternity.
If that's a decision that you want to make today, I. I just invite you in the place where you are, quietly pray in your heart these words. Father, I thank you for the gift of Jesus.
I thank you that you sent Jesus into this world to die on a cross to pay the penalty for my sin.
Today I declare that I believe in Jesus.
I believe that he died for my sin today. God, I ask you to forgive me of my sin.
And I commit to surrender my heart and my life to you. I want to follow you.
And so God, as you come into my life, I pray that you will continue to grow me and to teach me what it truly means to follow you with all of my heart. For all you of.
[01:11:21] Speaker D: Of my life.
[01:11:22] Speaker F: I love you, Jesus. Thank you for the gift of salvation.
In Jesus name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer this morning, I want to invite you to do one of two things.
One, there's a small card that's in the pew in front of you and it says I said yes to Jesus. If that's a decision you made, I would love the opportunity just to reach out and to journey with you as you begin this relationship. It just asks to write your name and to check a box and I think give an email address at the close of our service, you can come up. We have prayer team members that are here. They can receive that card from you. We have our giving boxes in the back, you can drop it in there. I will get those.
[01:12:01] Speaker G: I would love to just follow up.
[01:12:02] Speaker F: With you, but can I encourage you with a second step?
[01:12:05] Speaker G: We love to celebrate what God is doing in your life.
[01:12:07] Speaker F: And our prayer team members here also have brand new, really incredible steps as well as devotional materials that they would love to give you as a gift as you begin this journey with Christ. And so I would invite you, as the service closes, to come forward to.
[01:12:22] Speaker G: Not only turn in that card, but.
[01:12:24] Speaker F: To receive this gift as you begin this incredible journey with the Lord.
Let me just pray again. Father, I thank you for this church family.
We are so thankful for all that you are doing in our lives.
And we are thankful that you loved us so much that you sent your son Jesus into this world to die on the cross for our sin so that we can be reconciled to you. It is the thing that gives us incredible hope. And I thank you that not only did you die and raise again, that you promised us that you would come again.
And so teach us God to wait with joyful expectation for that day where we will be reunited with you and live forever with you that the way that it was always meant to be. But until that day, teach us God to be a light of your son, Jesus Christ in this world so that more people will know him. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen.
[01:13:44] Speaker C: You step down from heaven Humbly you.
[01:13:52] Speaker D: Came.
[01:13:55] Speaker C: God of all creation Here with.
[01:14:00] Speaker D: Us.
[01:14:03] Speaker C: In a starlit manger Emmanuel.
[01:14:14] Speaker D: Light.
[01:14:15] Speaker C: Of the world here to set sa.
[01:14:45] Speaker B: Worship Christ the Lord Let all that.
[01:14:52] Speaker D: Is within us adore.
[01:15:10] Speaker C: Wise men breathe their treasures.
[01:15:16] Speaker D: Shepherds my Lord.
[01:15:21] Speaker C: Angel voices sing of peace honor what have I to offer.
[01:15:35] Speaker D: To have.
[01:15:37] Speaker C: Heaven's king.
[01:15:41] Speaker D: I will bring my life, my love, my own.
As adore.
The Lord Worship Christ the Lord Let.
[01:16:17] Speaker C: All that is within.
[01:16:23] Speaker D: Us.
[01:16:37] Speaker C: Angels sing praises ring to the newborn king Peace on earth here with us Joy awakening At your feet we fall.
[01:16:54] Speaker D: We shall sing praises ring to the newborn king Peace on earth here with us Joy awakening as your feet before.
Come let us adore Come let us adore him the Lord Worship Christ the Lord Let all that is within us.
[01:18:03] Speaker F: Well church family, again thank you for worshiping with us today. As I mentioned, our prayer team is here at the front on each side and they would love the chance to pray with you today if there are any needs that you have. And so I'd invite you to come forward at the close of our service.
[01:18:18] Speaker G: Again, I want to remind you that we have got just some really awesome.
[01:18:22] Speaker F: Times of intimate worship planned for this coming Christmas week at our Christmas Eve.
[01:18:28] Speaker G: Services taking place Tuesday the 23rd at.
[01:18:31] Speaker F: 7Pm and then on the 24th at 4 and 7 would invite you to come. But also think about your friends and family and people that God has been.
[01:18:40] Speaker G: Placed in your circles that need to.
[01:18:42] Speaker F: Hear the good news of Jesus.
[01:18:43] Speaker G: Invite them to come.
[01:18:44] Speaker F: I promise you it's going to be a great time of celebrating and worshiping together all that Jesus means to us.
[01:18:51] Speaker G: As we go out from here today. We've talked about the hope of Jesus, the peace of Jesus and the joy of Jesus and that that comes from our understanding of who Christ is and all that he is a accomplished for us. And so church families, you go out this week. I just pray that you would shine.
[01:19:07] Speaker F: That light so brightly to a world that desperately needs Him.
[01:19:11] Speaker G: Allow his hope, allow his peace, allow.
[01:19:15] Speaker F: His joy to so infuse your life that when the world looks at you, they see him and they long for what you have. God bless you as you go out and you serve him this week. We'll see you on Christmas, Christmas Eve.
