- Joined
- Apr 25, 2006
- Messages
- 17,520
9 December 2007
An Advent Special to mark the start of Advent
Word on the Web
Luke 2:22-29
The time came for Mary and Joseph to do what the Law of Moses says a mother is supposed to do after her baby is born. They took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem and presented him to the Lord, just as the Law of the Lord says, "Each first-born baby boy belongs to the Lord." The Law of the Lord also says that parents have to offer a sacrifice, giving at least a pair of doves or two young pigeons. So that is what Mary and Joseph did. At this time a man named Simeon was living in Jerusalem. Simeon was a good man. He loved God and was waiting for God to save the people of Israel. God's Spirit came to him and told him that he would not die until he had seen Christ the Lord.
When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to do what the Law of Moses says should be done for a new baby, the Spirit told Simeon to go into the temple. Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God, "Lord, I am your servant, and now I can die in peace, because you have kept your promise to me.
Can you imagine the joy of Simeon? You've waited all of your life for God's word to be fulfilled, and now in Jesus God's promise has been kept. How blessed must he have felt? How special to God must he have felt to have been told personally of Jesus' arrival?
Sometimes we look at these events in the Bible as one off historical occasions. We lose sight of the possibility of a current living Jesus. We forget how blessed we should feel to know God. To have the chance to be in a living personal relationship with Jesus. If we really understand that Jesus makes it possible to have an eternal relationship with God then we should be filled with the same joy that Simeon had. Simeon embraced Jesus and praised God. Let's do the same today.
Lord, I thank you for keeping your word. I praise you for Jesus, Father I accept him as my saviour. Amen.
Written by Matt Grady of alternativity.org.uk
An Advent Special to mark the start of Advent
Word on the Web
Luke 2:22-29
The time came for Mary and Joseph to do what the Law of Moses says a mother is supposed to do after her baby is born. They took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem and presented him to the Lord, just as the Law of the Lord says, "Each first-born baby boy belongs to the Lord." The Law of the Lord also says that parents have to offer a sacrifice, giving at least a pair of doves or two young pigeons. So that is what Mary and Joseph did. At this time a man named Simeon was living in Jerusalem. Simeon was a good man. He loved God and was waiting for God to save the people of Israel. God's Spirit came to him and told him that he would not die until he had seen Christ the Lord.
When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to do what the Law of Moses says should be done for a new baby, the Spirit told Simeon to go into the temple. Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God, "Lord, I am your servant, and now I can die in peace, because you have kept your promise to me.
Can you imagine the joy of Simeon? You've waited all of your life for God's word to be fulfilled, and now in Jesus God's promise has been kept. How blessed must he have felt? How special to God must he have felt to have been told personally of Jesus' arrival?
Sometimes we look at these events in the Bible as one off historical occasions. We lose sight of the possibility of a current living Jesus. We forget how blessed we should feel to know God. To have the chance to be in a living personal relationship with Jesus. If we really understand that Jesus makes it possible to have an eternal relationship with God then we should be filled with the same joy that Simeon had. Simeon embraced Jesus and praised God. Let's do the same today.
Lord, I thank you for keeping your word. I praise you for Jesus, Father I accept him as my saviour. Amen.
Written by Matt Grady of alternativity.org.uk
