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Luke 2:25 NASB
Many people today are looking for a savior. They are looking for kings and rulers who will rule justly and who will bring peace into this chaotic world of ours. They are looking for someone to rescue them from the evil of this world or from the evil of another political party, perhaps. They want someone they think is going to turn their nation around for the good.
For many Christians, they may also want someone who they think will support and defend the Christian faith and its guiding principles. So, they may look to human rulers to save them from the ills of this fallen world. But, the problem with that is that humans are just flesh and blood. They can’t save us. They can’t even save themselves.
And, chances are pretty good that they will fall off that pedestal that others have put them on, and that they may even desert and betray those who looked to them for support. In fact, they may be in disguise and only be pretending to be on the side of the people all the while they are plotting their destruction. For, the Bible teaches that Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light and his servants disguise themselves as servants of righteousness (2 Co. 11:14-15), so we can’t put our faith in humans.
But, Simeon was not looking for some mere human to save him and his people. He knew the prophecies of scripture regarding the Messiah, the Christ, who God was sending to save his people. He read the book of Isaiah, I am most certain, where the Messiah was referred to as “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” And, he would have read, too, that the Messiah’s kingdom would have no end, but that it was to be eternal (Isaiah 9:6). So, he was waiting for God to save his people, not some human king. And, he knew the Lord was the one to accomplish this.
Luke 2:26-32 NASB
Simeon was convinced of the Spirit of God that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ, or Christ the Lord, either way, because Jesus, our Messiah, the Christ is both the Lord’s Christ and Christ the Lord. For, he is both the Son of God, and he is God (the Son). So, God the Father is Lord, and Jesus Christ is Lord (owner-master) of the lives of those who have truly believed in Jesus to be their Savior (See: John 1).
And, the Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that Jesus was indeed the promised child that was to be born (Is. 9:6), the promised Messiah of Israel, the Savior of God’s people. He knew when he looked on Jesus that he was seeing God’s salvation, who and which had been prophesied in the books of the Old Testament. And, so he exclaimed those prophecies concerning the child Jesus, that he was indeed the Light that was to come to those who were walking in darkness (Is. 9:2).
So, Jesus Christ, who is both God’s Son and God the Son, is the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament with regard to the promised seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:10-29), and with regard to the promise of the Messiah.
So, he alone is our Savior, and he alone should be the one to whom we look to save us from this evil world and from our problems as nations of people, and as citizens in those nations, and as believers in Jesus living in those nations. He alone is the one to whom we should look to rescue us and to protect us, not to human rulers and their military forces who, again, are subject to fail us, to desert us, to betray us, and to plot evil against us.
For, it was Jesus Christ, God the Son, who left his throne in heaven, came to earth, was made in the likeness of men, and who humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:5-11). It was Jesus Christ who took on a human body, and who suffered like we suffer, and was tempted in like manner as we are also tempted, yet without sin. He, being God, became flesh and dwelt among us, but the world did not know (recognize) him, and even his own people, of his own family, community, and faith, did not receive him as their Messiah, Christ the Lord.
He is the one who was hated by the religious leaders in God’s temple, and whom they put to death on a cross because they hated him, were jealous of him, were threatened by him, and because he claimed to be God, which is who he is. And, he is the Only One who could have been our perfect sacrificial Lamb on that cross for the salvation of many. For, he who knew no sin became sin for us on that cross that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Co. 5:21).
So, don’t look to humans to save you. Look to God! Look to Jesus Christ to deliver you from your sinful condition, to rescue you from the turmoil in your hearts and lives. Look to Jesus to be your comfort, your help, your healer, and your deliverer from your bondage (addiction) to sin. Know that God, that Jesus Christ is absolutely sovereign and in control over all that he has created, and over all powers and authorities, and He can handle whatever it is we are going through. And, he has a plan and a purpose for it all.
Luke 2:33-35 NASB
Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, was destined for rejection. Although some would love him as their own, the majority would not. Many who heard his words would and still do turn away from him in unbelief, while few truly receive him as Lord (owner-master) and Savior of their lives (Matt. 22:14; Matt. 7:13-14).
And, the reason for this is that the way of salvation is not easy street. It is hard (narrow, restricted). For, we must die with Christ to sin, and we must live to him and to his righteousness. We must deny self and take up our cross DAILY and follow (obey) Jesus. We must no longer walk (conduct our lives) according to the ways of this sinful world, or according to our flesh, but we must now live according to the Spirit of God, and according to the Word of God, in holiness, purity, truthfulness and faithfulness to God.
But, we don’t and we can’t do this in our own flesh. We can only do this because Jesus died to deliver us from our bondage to sin and to empower us to live godly and holy lives while we wait for Jesus’ return. We can only live like this through faith in Jesus Christ and through him living his life out through us, and in his strength and the empowerment of the Spirit. We can only live like this because we have yielded our lives to the Spirit’s control and to the Lordship of Christ over our lives, and through surrender to our Lord and to his will and to his ways.
And, as his followers, we, too, will be strongly opposed, especially if we are teaching the same gospel that Jesus and his NT apostles taught (the way that is narrow that leads to life). For the majority do not want to hear it. The majority either want nothing to do with Jesus Christ, or they want the way that is easy (the way that is broad that leads to destruction), only they convince themselves that this is the correct path to eternal life with God.
So, if you walk the narrow way, and if you teach the narrow way, be prepared to be rejected, opposed strongly, and persecuted for your faith and testimonies for Jesus Christ. And, be prepared, too, that your strongest opposition may not come from the world at all, but from the church, and from people who claim to also believe in Jesus, and from the leadership of the church, too. For, who killed Jesus? His own people, the leaders of God’s temple, and the people of his own faith.
But, no matter what happens, and what we go through, we must hold fast to our faith. We must believe God; believe Jesus and all his many promises to us. We must believe that God is absolutely sovereign over all the earth and the kings of the earth, and that he is working all things out for the good of those who love him (who obey him), who have been called according to his purposes. So, faint not! Hold on tight to your faith! And, Believe Him!
Believe Him
An Original Work / July 15, 2013
My heart cries: Lord, won’t You hear me
Seeking You for the answers
To my heartache and questions
I have concerning my life?
Speak, Lord, to me right now.
“Oh, dear one, why don’t you trust Me
With your life’s circumstances?
Give your all on the altar
In submission of your will
To My purpose for you.
“Surrender your life completely
To your Lord and your Savior.
He has all things planned for you
For His glory and honor.
He’ll work all things for good.
“Believe Him. He will fulfill all
Of His promises to you
For your life and your future.
Trust Him. Rest in His love.
He’ll give you peace from above.”
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Supportive Scriptures: Lu. 9:23-25; John 10:27-30; Ac. 26:16-18; Rom. 6:1-23; Rom. 8:1-17; 2 Co. 5:15, 21; Gal. 5:19-21; Gal. 6:7-8; Eph. 4:17-24; Eph. 5:3-6; Col. 1:21-23; 1 Jn. 1:5-9; 1 Jn. 2:3-6; Tit. 2:11-14; 2 Tim. 2:10-13; 1 Pet. 2:24.
And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
Many people today are looking for a savior. They are looking for kings and rulers who will rule justly and who will bring peace into this chaotic world of ours. They are looking for someone to rescue them from the evil of this world or from the evil of another political party, perhaps. They want someone they think is going to turn their nation around for the good.
For many Christians, they may also want someone who they think will support and defend the Christian faith and its guiding principles. So, they may look to human rulers to save them from the ills of this fallen world. But, the problem with that is that humans are just flesh and blood. They can’t save us. They can’t even save themselves.
And, chances are pretty good that they will fall off that pedestal that others have put them on, and that they may even desert and betray those who looked to them for support. In fact, they may be in disguise and only be pretending to be on the side of the people all the while they are plotting their destruction. For, the Bible teaches that Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light and his servants disguise themselves as servants of righteousness (2 Co. 11:14-15), so we can’t put our faith in humans.
But, Simeon was not looking for some mere human to save him and his people. He knew the prophecies of scripture regarding the Messiah, the Christ, who God was sending to save his people. He read the book of Isaiah, I am most certain, where the Messiah was referred to as “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” And, he would have read, too, that the Messiah’s kingdom would have no end, but that it was to be eternal (Isaiah 9:6). So, he was waiting for God to save his people, not some human king. And, he knew the Lord was the one to accomplish this.
Luke 2:26-32 NASB
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,
“Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,
According to Your word;
For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
A Light of revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
“Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,
According to Your word;
For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
A Light of revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
Simeon was convinced of the Spirit of God that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ, or Christ the Lord, either way, because Jesus, our Messiah, the Christ is both the Lord’s Christ and Christ the Lord. For, he is both the Son of God, and he is God (the Son). So, God the Father is Lord, and Jesus Christ is Lord (owner-master) of the lives of those who have truly believed in Jesus to be their Savior (See: John 1).
And, the Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that Jesus was indeed the promised child that was to be born (Is. 9:6), the promised Messiah of Israel, the Savior of God’s people. He knew when he looked on Jesus that he was seeing God’s salvation, who and which had been prophesied in the books of the Old Testament. And, so he exclaimed those prophecies concerning the child Jesus, that he was indeed the Light that was to come to those who were walking in darkness (Is. 9:2).
So, Jesus Christ, who is both God’s Son and God the Son, is the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament with regard to the promised seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:10-29), and with regard to the promise of the Messiah.
So, he alone is our Savior, and he alone should be the one to whom we look to save us from this evil world and from our problems as nations of people, and as citizens in those nations, and as believers in Jesus living in those nations. He alone is the one to whom we should look to rescue us and to protect us, not to human rulers and their military forces who, again, are subject to fail us, to desert us, to betray us, and to plot evil against us.
For, it was Jesus Christ, God the Son, who left his throne in heaven, came to earth, was made in the likeness of men, and who humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:5-11). It was Jesus Christ who took on a human body, and who suffered like we suffer, and was tempted in like manner as we are also tempted, yet without sin. He, being God, became flesh and dwelt among us, but the world did not know (recognize) him, and even his own people, of his own family, community, and faith, did not receive him as their Messiah, Christ the Lord.
He is the one who was hated by the religious leaders in God’s temple, and whom they put to death on a cross because they hated him, were jealous of him, were threatened by him, and because he claimed to be God, which is who he is. And, he is the Only One who could have been our perfect sacrificial Lamb on that cross for the salvation of many. For, he who knew no sin became sin for us on that cross that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Co. 5:21).
So, don’t look to humans to save you. Look to God! Look to Jesus Christ to deliver you from your sinful condition, to rescue you from the turmoil in your hearts and lives. Look to Jesus to be your comfort, your help, your healer, and your deliverer from your bondage (addiction) to sin. Know that God, that Jesus Christ is absolutely sovereign and in control over all that he has created, and over all powers and authorities, and He can handle whatever it is we are going through. And, he has a plan and a purpose for it all.
Luke 2:33-35 NASB
And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, was destined for rejection. Although some would love him as their own, the majority would not. Many who heard his words would and still do turn away from him in unbelief, while few truly receive him as Lord (owner-master) and Savior of their lives (Matt. 22:14; Matt. 7:13-14).
And, the reason for this is that the way of salvation is not easy street. It is hard (narrow, restricted). For, we must die with Christ to sin, and we must live to him and to his righteousness. We must deny self and take up our cross DAILY and follow (obey) Jesus. We must no longer walk (conduct our lives) according to the ways of this sinful world, or according to our flesh, but we must now live according to the Spirit of God, and according to the Word of God, in holiness, purity, truthfulness and faithfulness to God.
But, we don’t and we can’t do this in our own flesh. We can only do this because Jesus died to deliver us from our bondage to sin and to empower us to live godly and holy lives while we wait for Jesus’ return. We can only live like this through faith in Jesus Christ and through him living his life out through us, and in his strength and the empowerment of the Spirit. We can only live like this because we have yielded our lives to the Spirit’s control and to the Lordship of Christ over our lives, and through surrender to our Lord and to his will and to his ways.
And, as his followers, we, too, will be strongly opposed, especially if we are teaching the same gospel that Jesus and his NT apostles taught (the way that is narrow that leads to life). For the majority do not want to hear it. The majority either want nothing to do with Jesus Christ, or they want the way that is easy (the way that is broad that leads to destruction), only they convince themselves that this is the correct path to eternal life with God.
So, if you walk the narrow way, and if you teach the narrow way, be prepared to be rejected, opposed strongly, and persecuted for your faith and testimonies for Jesus Christ. And, be prepared, too, that your strongest opposition may not come from the world at all, but from the church, and from people who claim to also believe in Jesus, and from the leadership of the church, too. For, who killed Jesus? His own people, the leaders of God’s temple, and the people of his own faith.
But, no matter what happens, and what we go through, we must hold fast to our faith. We must believe God; believe Jesus and all his many promises to us. We must believe that God is absolutely sovereign over all the earth and the kings of the earth, and that he is working all things out for the good of those who love him (who obey him), who have been called according to his purposes. So, faint not! Hold on tight to your faith! And, Believe Him!
Believe Him
An Original Work / July 15, 2013
My heart cries: Lord, won’t You hear me
Seeking You for the answers
To my heartache and questions
I have concerning my life?
Speak, Lord, to me right now.
“Oh, dear one, why don’t you trust Me
With your life’s circumstances?
Give your all on the altar
In submission of your will
To My purpose for you.
“Surrender your life completely
To your Lord and your Savior.
He has all things planned for you
For His glory and honor.
He’ll work all things for good.
“Believe Him. He will fulfill all
Of His promises to you
For your life and your future.
Trust Him. Rest in His love.
He’ll give you peace from above.”
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Supportive Scriptures: Lu. 9:23-25; John 10:27-30; Ac. 26:16-18; Rom. 6:1-23; Rom. 8:1-17; 2 Co. 5:15, 21; Gal. 5:19-21; Gal. 6:7-8; Eph. 4:17-24; Eph. 5:3-6; Col. 1:21-23; 1 Jn. 1:5-9; 1 Jn. 2:3-6; Tit. 2:11-14; 2 Tim. 2:10-13; 1 Pet. 2:24.
