part 3. review: god gives grace to a woman (elizabeth) who has known disgrace her whole life god...

Part 3

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God gives grace to a woman (Elizabeth) who God gives grace to a woman (Elizabeth) who has known disgrace her whole lifehas known disgrace her whole life

God brings social disgrace on a woman (Mary) God brings social disgrace on a woman (Mary) who had her whole future plannedwho had her whole future planned

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It has always been God’s plan that those who It has always been God’s plan that those who have received grace would share it with have received grace would share it with those in needthose in need

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I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said- Maryhave said- Mary

How I see myself determines how I handle How I see myself determines how I handle God’s call on my life God’s call on my life

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Jesus lived in light of the cross, as do his Jesus lived in light of the cross, as do his followersfollowers

The promises of God never negate the The promises of God never negate the circumstances of living life in the real world, circumstances of living life in the real world, but they do guarantee the presence of Godbut they do guarantee the presence of God

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Christ’s birth is announced first to unclean, Christ’s birth is announced first to unclean, untrustworthy, socially-outcast shepherdsuntrustworthy, socially-outcast shepherds

Jesus spent his life running after the outcasts. Jesus spent his life running after the outcasts. His people ought to do the sameHis people ought to do the same

On the eighth day, when it was time to On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcisecircumcise him, he was named Jesus, the him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he name the angel had given him before he had been conceived- Luke 2:21had been conceived- Luke 2:21

……God sent his Son, born of a woman, born God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under lawunder law, to redeem those under law, that , to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons…so we might receive the full rights of sons…so you are no longer a slave- Gal.4:4-6you are no longer a slave- Gal.4:4-6

Christmas is, at its core, the destruction of Christmas is, at its core, the destruction of religionreligion

• Jesus= “Jehovah saves,” or “God is salvation”Jesus= “Jehovah saves,” or “God is salvation”

• Jesus lived under the Law perfectly- something Jesus lived under the Law perfectly- something we couldn’t do- to save us from the we couldn’t do- to save us from the requirements of the Lawrequirements of the Law

Christ is the Christ is the end of the lawend of the law, so that there may , so that there may be be righteousnessrighteousness for all who believe- Romans for all who believe- Romans 10:410:4

Christmas is, at its core, the destruction of Christmas is, at its core, the destruction of religionreligion

• Religion produces slaves who serve out of fear Religion produces slaves who serve out of fear and masters who worship in arrogant self-and masters who worship in arrogant self-exaltationexaltation

• The Faith produces sons and daughters who The Faith produces sons and daughters who humbly serve out of gratitudehumbly serve out of gratitude

Temple- Jerusalem. 5 miles awayTemple- Jerusalem. 5 miles away

When the time of their purification according When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”)…consecrated to the Lord”)…

……and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons”- vs. 22-24or two young pigeons”- vs. 22-24

PurificationPurification= 7 days, 8= 7 days, 8thth day circumcision, 33 day circumcision, 33 days more until presenting an offeringdays more until presenting an offering

Expected offering: lambExpected offering: lambPermitted offering: doves or pigeonsPermitted offering: doves or pigeons

The firstborn son was offered to the Lord, then The firstborn son was offered to the Lord, then “bought back” with the sacrifices“bought back” with the sacrifices

God’s firstborn Son bought us back with his God’s firstborn Son bought us back with his sacrificesacrifice

What has Mary sacrificed?What has Mary sacrificed?

What has Joseph sacrificed?What has Joseph sacrificed?

What we give God is nothing compared to What we give God is nothing compared to what he’s given uswhat he’s given us

What is more, I consider everything a loss What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ- Phil. 3:8rubbish, that I may gain Christ- Phil. 3:8

What did Paul give up?What did Paul give up?

What did Paul give up?What did Paul give up?

How did it compare to what God had given How did it compare to what God had given him?him?

What did Paul give up?What did Paul give up?

How did it compare to what God had given How did it compare to what God had given him?him?

SkubalaSkubala- excrement (vulgar word in the Greek)- excrement (vulgar word in the Greek)

Nazareth= 100-200 peopleNazareth= 100-200 people

Jerusalem= Tens of thousands of peopleJerusalem= Tens of thousands of people

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the He was waiting for the consolation of consolation of IsraelIsrael, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It , and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's seen the Lord's ChristChrist……

Consolation= paraklesis- Consolation= paraklesis- comforter, comforter, encourager, advocate, one who comes encourager, advocate, one who comes alongside as a helperalongside as a helper

OT Teachers referred to the coming Messiah as OT Teachers referred to the coming Messiah as “Consolation.” NT calls the Holy Spirit “Consolation.” NT calls the Holy Spirit “paraklete”“paraklete”

……Simeon took him in his arms and praised Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: God, saying:

““Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace”you now dismiss your servant in peace”

DismissDismiss= let die= let diePeacePeace= eirene- rest, quietude, set at one = eirene- rest, quietude, set at one

again/made rightagain/made right

……For my eyes have seen your salvation…For my eyes have seen your salvation…

Who is Jesus?Who is Jesus?

……For my eyes have seen your salvation…For my eyes have seen your salvation…

By implication, what is Jesus not?By implication, what is Jesus not?

Jesus did not come to teach moral truths Jesus did not come to teach moral truths or start a religion. He came to explode or start a religion. He came to explode religion and begin the process of religion and begin the process of transformationtransformation

……For my eyes have seen your salvation, which For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, you have prepared in the sight of all people, light for revelation to the Gentiles and for light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel”- vs. 28-32glory to your people Israel”- vs. 28-32

• Revelation- I will…make you a light for the Revelation- I will…make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth- Isaiah 49:6to the ends of the earth- Isaiah 49:6

……For my eyes have seen your salvation, which For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, you have prepared in the sight of all people, light for revelation to the Gentiles and for light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel”- vs. 28-32glory to your people Israel”- vs. 28-32

• Glory- Glory- the culmination of God’s promises the culmination of God’s promises fulfilled to Israel, showing God’s favor to fulfilled to Israel, showing God’s favor to his peoplehis people

Let’s end Old Yeller before Travis gets the gunLet’s end Old Yeller before Travis gets the gun

The child's father and mother marveled at The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his blessed them and said to Mary, his mother…mother…

“…“…This child is destined to cause the This child is destined to cause the falling falling and risingand rising of many in Israel, and to be a of many in Israel, and to be a signsign that will be spoken against, so that that will be spoken against, so that the the thoughts of many hearts will be thoughts of many hearts will be revealedrevealed. And a sword will pierce your . And a sword will pierce your own soul too”- vs. 33-35own soul too”- vs. 33-35

Jesus will be divisive Jesus will be divisive (falling and rising)(falling and rising)

Why?Why?

Jesus will be divisive Jesus will be divisive (falling and rising)(falling and rising)

““Do not suppose that I have come to bring Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. peace to the earth. I did not come to bring I did not come to bring peace, but a swordpeace, but a sword. For I have come to . For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law - a man's against her mother-in-law - a man's enemies will be the members of his own enemies will be the members of his own household’”- Matthew 10:34-36household’”- Matthew 10:34-36

Jesus will be divisive Jesus will be divisive (falling and rising)(falling and rising)

Truth dividesTruth divides

The only other course of action is to let the The only other course of action is to let the world stay under condemnation and errorworld stay under condemnation and error

Jesus will be a Jesus will be a “sign that will be spoken “sign that will be spoken against”against”

Sign= semeion- Sign= semeion- miracle, supernatural miracle, supernatural wonderwonder

……sign that will be spoken against, sign that will be spoken against, so that so that the thoughts of many hearts will be the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed…revealed…

My heart is revealed by how I respond to My heart is revealed by how I respond to TruthTruth

My heart is revealed by how I respond to My heart is revealed by how I respond to TruthTruth

• IgnoreIgnore

My heart is revealed by how I respond to My heart is revealed by how I respond to TruthTruth

• IgnoreIgnore• MockMock

My heart is revealed by how I respond to My heart is revealed by how I respond to TruthTruth

• IgnoreIgnore• MockMock• Rage AgainstRage Against

My heart is revealed by how I respond to My heart is revealed by how I respond to TruthTruth

• IgnoreIgnore• MockMock• Rage AgainstRage Against• Lie AboutLie About

My heart is revealed by how I respond to My heart is revealed by how I respond to TruthTruth

• IgnoreIgnore• MockMock• Rage AgainstRage Against• Lie AboutLie About• ReceiveReceive

My heart is revealed by how I respond to My heart is revealed by how I respond to TruthTruth

• Receive-Receive- demands adjustment of life demands adjustment of life according to the Truth according to the Truth

When Jesus is revealed, the response When Jesus is revealed, the response indicates the condition of the heartindicates the condition of the heart

When Jesus is revealed, the response When Jesus is revealed, the response indicates the condition of the heartindicates the condition of the heart

The greatest problem is not that Jesus is The greatest problem is not that Jesus is revealed and rejected, but that religion revealed and rejected, but that religion is revealed rather than Jesusis revealed rather than Jesus

Anger over XmasAnger over Xmas

Gross materialismGross materialism

Consumer mentalityConsumer mentality

Impatience and rudenessImpatience and rudeness

What do these things reveal about Jesus?What do these things reveal about Jesus?

“…“…And a sword will pierce your own soul And a sword will pierce your own soul too”- vs. 33-35too”- vs. 33-35

There was also a prophetess, Anna, the There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four…she was eighty-four…

……She never left the temple but worshiped She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave moment, she gave thanks to God thanks to God and and spoke about the child spoke about the child to all to all who were who were looking forward to the looking forward to the redemptionredemption of of Jerusalem- vs. 36-38Jerusalem- vs. 36-38

Shepherds were…?Shepherds were…?

Anna is…?Anna is…?

Who is God choosing to speak for him? Who is God choosing to speak for him? Why?Why?

Between the shepherds and Anna the Between the shepherds and Anna the prophetess, the gospel is going out prophetess, the gospel is going out before Jesus can even turn over by before Jesus can even turn over by himself in his cribhimself in his crib

When Joseph and Mary had done When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him- vs. 39-40upon him- vs. 39-40

TakeawaysTakeaways::Christ is the end of the Law so that there Christ is the end of the Law so that there

may be righteousness for all who may be righteousness for all who believebelieve

Am I under Law or Jesus? Is my Am I under Law or Jesus? Is my righteousness based on what I do or what righteousness based on what I do or what Christ has already done?Christ has already done?

TakeawaysTakeaways::““What we give God is nothing compared to What we give God is nothing compared to

what he’s given us”what he’s given us”

Do I look at my service to God as something Do I look at my service to God as something “above and beyond?” Or the normal “above and beyond?” Or the normal response of a heart that has been response of a heart that has been changed by God’s love?changed by God’s love?

TakeawaysTakeaways::Am I responding to Truth? (Word, prayer, Am I responding to Truth? (Word, prayer,

church, fellowship, worship)church, fellowship, worship)

What does my response say about the What does my response say about the condition of my heart? What do I need to condition of my heart? What do I need to do?do?