1. Part 3

2. Review: God gives grace to a woman (Elizabeth) who has known disgrace her whole life God brings social disgrace on a woman (Mary) who had her whole future planned

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

4. Review: I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said- Mary How I see myself determines how I handle God’s call on my life

5. Review: Jesus lived in light of the cross, as do his followers The promises of God never negate the circumstances of living life in the real world, but they do guarantee the presence of God

6. Review: Christ’s birth is announced first to unclean, untrustworthy, socially-outcast shepherds Jesus spent his life running after the outcasts. His people ought to do the same

8. On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived- Luke 2:21 …God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons…so you are no longer a slave- Gal.4:4-6

9. Christmas is, at its core, the destruction of religion Jesus= “Jehovah saves,” or “God is salvation” Jesus= “Jehovah saves,” or “God is salvation” Jesus lived under the Law perfectly- something we couldn’t do- to save us from the requirements of the Law Jesus lived under the Law perfectly- something we couldn’t do- to save us from the requirements of the Law Christ is the end of the law, so that there may be righteousness for all who believe- Romans 10:4

10. Christmas is, at its core, the destruction of religion Religion produces slaves who serve out of fear and masters who worship in arrogant self- exaltation Religion produces slaves who serve out of fear and masters who worship in arrogant self- exaltation The Faith produces sons and daughters who humbly serve out of gratitude The Faith produces sons and daughters who humbly serve out of gratitude

11. Temple- Jerusalem. 5 miles away

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

13. …and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons”- vs. 22-24 Purification= 7 days, 8 th day circumcision, 33 days more until presenting an offering Expected offering: lamb Permitted offering: doves or pigeons

14. The firstborn son was offered to the Lord, then “bought back” with the sacrifices God’s firstborn Son bought us back with his sacrifice

15. What has Mary sacrificed? What has Joseph sacrificed?

16. What we give God is nothing compared to what he’s given us What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ- Phil. 3:8

17. What did Paul give up?

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

19. What did Paul give up? How did it compare to what God had given him? Skubala- excrement (vulgar word in the Greek)

20. Nazareth= 100-200 people Jerusalem= Tens of thousands of people

21. 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. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ…

22. Consolation= paraklesis- comforter, encourager, advocate, one who comes alongside as a helper OT Teachers referred to the coming Messiah as “Consolation.” NT calls the Holy Spirit “paraklete”

23. …Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace” Dismiss= let die Peace= eirene- rest, quietude, set at one again/made right

24. …For my eyes have seen your salvation… Who is Jesus?

25. …For my eyes have seen your salvation… By implication, what is Jesus not?

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

27. …For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel”- vs. 28-32 Revelation- I will…make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth- Isaiah 49:6 Revelation- I will…make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth- Isaiah 49:6

28. …For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel”- vs. 28-32 Glory- the culmination of God’s promises fulfilled to Israel, showing God’s favor to his people Glory- the culmination of God’s promises fulfilled to Israel, showing God’s favor to his people

29. Let’s end Old Yeller before Travis gets the gun

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

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

32. Jesus will be divisive (falling and rising) Why?

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

34. Jesus will be divisive (falling and rising) Truth divides The only other course of action is to let the world stay under condemnation and error

35. Jesus will be a “sign that will be spoken against” Sign= semeion- miracle, supernatural wonder

36. …sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed… My heart is revealed by how I respond to Truth

37. Ignore Ignore

38. My heart is revealed by how I respond to Truth Ignore Ignore Mock Mock

39. My heart is revealed by how I respond to Truth Ignore Ignore Mock Mock Rage Against Rage Against

40. My heart is revealed by how I respond to Truth Ignore Ignore Mock Mock Rage Against Rage Against Lie About Lie About

41. My heart is revealed by how I respond to Truth Ignore Ignore Mock Mock Rage Against Rage Against Lie About Lie About Receive Receive

42. My heart is revealed by how I respond to Truth Receive- demands adjustment of life according to the Truth Receive- demands adjustment of life according to the Truth

43. When Jesus is revealed, the response indicates the condition of the heart

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

45. Anger over Xmas Gross materialism Consumer mentality Impatience and rudeness What do these things reveal about Jesus?

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

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

48. …She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 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- vs. 36-38

49. Shepherds were…? Anna is…?

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

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

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

53. Takeaways: Christ is the end of the Law so that there may be righteousness for all who believe Am I under Law or Jesus? Is my righteousness based on what I do or what Christ has already done?

54. Takeaways: “What we give God is nothing compared to what he’s given us” Do I look at my service to God as something “above and beyond?” Or the normal response of a heart that has been changed by God’s love?

55. Takeaways: Am I responding to Truth? (Word, prayer, church, fellowship, worship) What does my response say about the condition of my heart? What do I need to do?