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Notes: Waiting for Christmas
Greg Laurie
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Luke 2
Music: Brennley Brown
Most people don’t like to wait for anything. Yet we all wait for things we want.
Somethings aren’t worth waiting for, somethings are worth the wait.
What are you waiting for this Christmas? Family, friends, gifts, for it to end?
Christmas is a promise.
What we really need is not Christmas, but Christ.
We are looking at two people today in this message...Rudolph and Frosty. Just joking...Simeon and Anna are the two that we will review.
Mary was in Nazareth, which was pretty much nowhere special and Mary was really a nobody until she was visited by the angel, Gabriel.
Luke 1:35 NLT
[35] The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.
Mary was told she was going to give birth to the Son of God, and to call Him, Jesus. Joseph was shown that Jesus was the Son of God.
Angels came and told the shepherds that Jesus was born.
Eight days after Jesus was born, He was presented to the Temple.
Then Simeon was at the temple.
God rewards faithfulness as He did with Simeon.
1. Simeon
Luke 2:25-27 NLT
[25] At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him [26] and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah. [27] That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required,
If you have not heard from God in a while, it could be because of unconfessed sins in your life.
Isaiah 59:1-2 NLT
[1] Listen! The LORD's arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. [2] It's your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.
Never let go of The promises of God to you, they are true and trustworthy.
Simeon means, God has heard.
Luke 2:28-35 NLT
[28] Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, [29] "Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. [30] I have seen your salvation, [31] which you have prepared for all people. [32] He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!" [33] Jesus' parents were amazed at what was being said about him. [34] Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby's mother, "This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. [35] As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul."
Simeon was waiting with expectancy...
Luke 2:25 NLT
[25] At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him
If you haven’t heard from God...are you listening??
Jesus Christ is coming back a second time too!
Hebrews 9:28 NLT
[28] so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.
Are you eagerly waiting God’s return? The answer is a real test of where you are in your walk of faith.
2. Anna
Luke 2:36 NLT
[36] Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years.
Anna was an old woman waiting for the Messiah.
Luke 2:37-38 NLT
[37] Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. [38] She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
Anna did the 4 things that we all need to do.
1. She studied Gods Word.
2. She prayed.
3. She want to church.
4. She shared with others.
To quote Jesus on why He came to us: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:45 NLT
God can forgive you of all of your sin. We don’t know if we will be here for next Christmas, so accept this gift now.
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