2013.12.15 Third
Advent
Good News for ordinary people(sinners)
Luke 2: 8- 40
Luke 2: 8- 40
The Bible is full of real ...ordinary people.....people like us....
people like you and me...... sinners
saved by Grace...... I love the fact that Our Heavenly father sent the Good
news to ordinary people..... even to sinners....... even to the lowest parts of
society......This Third Advent Sunday we will continue to look at the birth of
Jesus......
JESUS was not born in a palace..... ......He was not born in the presence
of the wealthy and powerful.... he was born in a place very familiar to
shepherds.......... He was born in a stable....... a strange place for the KING
OF KINGS and the LORD of LORDS to be born........ animals and shepherds were
His first visitors.... Ordinary Shepherds.....
Let´s read the Good News of the birth of Jesus again !......
Luke 2: 8-20 NLT
8 That night there were shepherds
staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an
angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory
surrounded them. They were terrified,
10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring
you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes,
the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12
And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in
strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of
heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with
whom God is pleased.”
15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each
other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which
the Lord has told us about.”
16 They hurried to the village
and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17
After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the
angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story
were astonished,
19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them
often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
Luke 2: 8-20 Neues Leben
8 In jener
Nacht hatten ein paar Hirten auf den Feldern vor dem Dorf ihr Lager
aufgeschlagen, um ihre Schafe zu hüten.
9 Plötzlich
erschien ein Engel des Herrn in ihrer Mitte. Der Glanz des Herrn umstrahlte
sie. Die Hirten erschraken,
10 aber der
Engel beruhigte sie. Habt keine Angst!, sagte er. Ich bringe eine gute
Botschaft für alle Menschen!
11 Der Retter
- ja, Christus, der Herr - ist heute Nacht in Bethlehem, der Stadt Davids,
geboren worden!
12 Und daran
könnt ihr ihn erkennen: Ihr werdet ein Kind finden, das in Windeln gewickelt in
einer Futterkrippe liegt!
13 Auf einmal
war der Engel von den himmlischen Heerscharen umgeben, und sie alle priesen
Gott mit den Worten:
14 Ehre sei
Gott im höchsten Himmel und Frieden auf Erden für alle Menschen, an denen Gott
Gefallen hat.
15 Als die
Engel in den Himmel zurückgekehrt waren, sagten die Hirten zueinander: Kommt,
gehen wir nach Bethlehem! Wir wollen das Wunder, von dem der Herr uns erzählen
ließ, mit eigenen Augen sehen.
16 Sie liefen
so schnell sie konnten ins Dorf und fanden Maria und Josef und das Kind in der
Futterkrippe.
17 Da
erzählten die Hirten allen, was geschehen war und was der Engel ihnen über
dieses Kind gesagt hatte.
18 Alle
Leute, die den Bericht der Hirten hörten, waren voller Staunen.
19 Maria aber
bewahrte alle diese Dinge in ihrem Herzen und dachte oft darüber nach.
20 Die Hirten
kehrten zu ihren Herden auf den Feldern zurück; sie priesen und lobten Gott für
das, was der Engel ihnen gesagt hatte und was sie gesehen hatten. Alles war so, wie es ihnen angekündigt worden war.
v13.....the armies of heaven......a Heavenly army of mighty
warriors..... no wonder that most people who saw an Angel were afraid..... they
are not fat little cherubs...... They brought the GOOD NEWS.....they were
proclaiming Peace on Earth........ good will to men From God our Father ....our creator .....
Praising and worshipping God for His unfailing love..... at long last.... the
Good news.....The Messiah....the redeemer is come......
Luke 2: 17,18 NLT
Neues Leben
17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and
what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the
shepherds’ story were astonished,
17 Da
erzählten die Hirten allen, was geschehen war und was der Engel ihnen über
dieses Kind gesagt hatte.
18 Alle
Leute, die den Bericht der Hirten hörten, waren voller Staunen.
V17…. These despised Shepherds were among the
first missionaries….. They told everyone what they had seen and heard about
Jesus…. You can be certain that they were never the same again….. they were
transformed by the power of God displayed in this Miraculous birth….v20….
Luke 2: 20 NLT
Neues Leben
20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told
them.
20 Die Hirten
kehrten zu ihren Herden auf den Feldern zurück; sie priesen und lobten Gott für
das, was der Engel ihnen gesagt hatte und was sie gesehen hatten. Alles war so,
wie es ihnen angekündigt worden war.
Let´s continue on in the Text....beginning at Luke 2: 21.........
Luke 2: 21- 24 NLT
21 Eight days later, when the
baby was circumcised, he was named JESUS, the name given him by the angel even
before he was conceived.
22 Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the
law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord.
23 The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must
be dedicated to the Lord.” 24 So they offered the sacrifice required in the law
of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
Luke 2: 21-
24 Neues Leben
21 Als das
Kind acht Tage später beschnitten wurde, gab man ihm den Namen Jesus - so wie
der Engel ihn schon genannt hatte, bevor Maria schwanger wurde.
22 Dann kam
die Zeit des Reinigungsopfers, das im Gesetz Moses nach der Geburt eines Kindes
vorgeschrieben ist. Maria und Josef gingen mit ihm nach Jerusalem, um ihn dem
Herrn zu weihen.
23 Denn im
Gesetz des Herrn steht: Alle erstgeborenen Söhne müssen dem Herrn geweiht
werden.
24 Sie
brachten das Reinigungsopfer dar, wie es das Gesetz vorschrieb: »Ein Paar
Turteltauben oder zwei junge Tauben.
v21.... 8 days later.......The exact day that the blood parts
that help stop bleeding are ready to work.......
circumcised the 8th day..... Leviticus 12: 2- 3
Jesus was circumcised so Jesus might fulfill every requirement of the
law as an example to us.....
He was named JESUS..... Jehoshua… God is
Salvation
Between v21 and 22 is 33 days….. Then they
took Jesus back to the Temple and dedicated Him to the Lord…v22…
v22.....They gave to required purification
offering for Mary....
The circumcision and purification ceremonies were required by the law.....
2 doves were sacrificed.... Two small doves because they were poor….
These offerings are also found in Lev 12......
Joseph and Mary were poor..... not rich....... Contrary to the
Prosperity Gospel preachers….. Jesus was
not rich during his life on earth..... Not at all… In fact He became
poor.... for us......
2 Cor 8: 9 KJV Neues
Leben
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was
rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be
rich.
9 Ihr kennt
ja die große Liebe und Gnade von Jesus Christus, unserem Herrn. Obwohl er reich
war, wurde er um euretwillen arm, um euch durch seine Armut reich zu
machen.
All of these sacrifices and purifications were
there for a purpose….. To remind the Children of Israel that they were
sinners…. Unclean and in need of a substitute…… A redeemer…. All of the
OT rituals and sacrifices were in place to cause them and us…. to cry out to
God for mercy and forgiveness….They serve as a reminder that we are all born in
sin.......
Back to Luke 2: 23- 24,….
Luke 2: 23-24 NLT
Neues Leben
23 The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must
be dedicated to the Lord.” 24 So they offered the sacrifice required in the law
of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
23 Denn im
Gesetz des Herrn steht: Alle erstgeborenen Söhne müssen dem Herrn geweiht werden.
24 Sie
brachten das Reinigungsopfer dar, wie es das Gesetz vorschrieb: »Ein Paar
Turteltauben oder zwei junge Tauben.
v23- 24..... Jesus is dedicated to the
Lord! He is the first born..... The first born son belongs to the LORD..... It goes all the way back to
the Exodus…… It is found in many places for example Exodus 13…. God spared the
first born sons of Israel and He said that from now on….. that they belong to
him…. They represent the first fruits from the womb... They were a tithe.... A
reminder that everything we have is from the LORD….
Last week we spent time looking at John the Baptist´s parents…..
Zacharias and Elizabeth……. To wonderful old saints who waited patiently for the
Lord to send His promised Messiah…….. They trusted the Lord´s HESED….. His
unfailing love……..even though they struggled in their daily lives….. They
trusted the LORD even though they had been without children for decades….
Now I would like for us to take a look at two more
ordinary……. but wonderful people……. They were some of the first to see the
Lord……… To see the redeemer….. THE LORD JESUS…… first 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 (Consolation of 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,
Luke 2: 25 -
27 Neues Leben
25 In
Jerusalem lebte ein Mann namens Simeon. Er war gerecht und gottesfürchtig.
Simeon war vom Heiligen Geist erfüllt und wartete sehnsüchtig auf die Ankunft
des Christus, der Israel Trost und Rettung bringen sollte.("gottesfürchtig
und wartete auf den Trost Israels(The Consolation of Israel)"
Luther 1984)
26 Der
Heilige Geist hatte ihm offenbart, dass er nicht sterben würde, bevor er den
vom Herrn gesandten Christus gesehen hätte.
27 An diesem
Tag führte der Heilige Geist ihn in den Tempel. Als Maria und Josef kamen, um
das Kind dem Herrn zu weihen, wie es im Gesetz vorgeschrieben ist,
v25.... Like Zacharias and Elizabeth…. Simeon was a God
fearer..... He was righteous and devout ….. He eagerly waited for the Messiah
to come..… Luther uses the phrase
(Trost Israels)… Consolation (comfort) of
Israel..... It was a special name for the Messiah! The
Messiah is the Comforter the deliverer and our only redeemer from sin and death…..
Simeon..... the Holy Spirit was
upon him.... He was full of Faith… He trusted the Lord…
Simeon shows us three characteristics of Godliness...
1. righteous....
He like every true believer was made righteous by Faith......
2. devout.... He was totally devoted to the Lord....
He showed his Faith by the way that he lived... He was
a God fearer... he loved and desired to obey the LORD....
3. He waited for the Messiah" the consolation of Israel "
He was full of faith.... he comforted himself in God´s faithfullness and
unfailing LOVE.... Look at v25… The Neues
Leben says....
25b… der Israel Trost und Rettung bringen
sollte…..
Messiah that brings comfort and salvation...
Simeon hoped in the promise of the Messiah.... the light of the
world....
Simeon´s life was all about the LORD..... His hope was focused on the promised redeemer.... the Messiah.... Finally
after a long life of watching and waiting....... God showed him the Messiah.....
and He worshipped…. Simeon understood that His Messiah is the Comforter and the
deliverer and Redeemer….
This morning we all can know him too…. As our Comforter, deliverer..... and redeemer…. Jesus
do you know Him…..?
v26…… God promised Him that He will live to see the Salvation of God….. He
will live to see the Messiah!....
That promise was a great comfort to Him ……he was a God fearer…..he wanted Israel to be redeemed….. he
prayed for the redemption of Israel he cried out for mercy for the people….. he
prayed for the consolation of Israel…..
v27…. The Holy Spirit led him to
the temple that day……..
Let´s continue on and see what Simeon did when
he finally saw the Messiah…..
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, but he will be a joy to many others. 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.”
Luke 2: 28 - 35 Neues
Leben
28 war Simeon
dort. Er nahm das Kind auf seine Arme und lobte Gott und sagte:
29 »Herr, nun
kann ich in Frieden sterben! Wie du es mir versprochen hast,
30 habe ich
den Retter gesehen,
31 den du
allen Menschen geschenkt hast.
32 Er ist ein
Licht, das den Völkern Gott offenbaren wird, und er ist die Herrlichkeit deines
Volkes Israel!«
33 Josef und
Maria staunten, als sie hörten, was Simeon über Jesus sagte.
34 Simeon
aber segnete sie und sagte zu Maria: »Dieses Kind wird von vielen in Israel
abgelehnt werden, und das wird ihren Untergang bedeuten. Für viele andere
Menschen aber wird er die höchste Freude sein.
35 Auf diese
Weise wird an den Tag kommen, was viele im Innersten bewegt. Doch auch durch
deine Seele wird ein Schwert dringen.«
v28…… Simeon was there…….. He took the child in his arms and praised God,
saying,v29…
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!”
v29-32…. I have seen your salvation ….
Praising God.... he quoted the OT promise that the Messiah would be a
light to the Gentiles.....
Simeon said…..
We have seen His Salvation....we
have been comforted..... He was not witnessing the cross and
resurrection….. He was Prophetically testifying about the birth of the Messiah….
The promise was here! God with men…
Immanuel… He was proclaiming the Good News!
We are sent into the World to tell
the Good News..... There is hope....! There is forgiveness…… There is
comfort and redemption.... The light of
the World is here…….. For us who have repented and believed the the Gospel…. He
has turned back the darkness forever……
Good News! Let´s read further and meet our next ordinary person… Anna…. v36
Luke 2: 36 - 40 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. 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.
39 When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of
the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40 There the child grew up
healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
Luke 2: 36 - 40 Neues Leben
36 Im Tempel
befand sich auch Hanna, eine Prophetin. Sie war eine Tochter Phanuëls aus dem
Stamm Asser und schon sehr alt. Hanna war Witwe. Ihr Mann war nach nur sieben
Jahren Ehe gestorben.
37 Jetzt war
sie vierundachtzig Jahre alt und verließ den Tempel nie mehr, sondern diente
Gott dort Tag und Nacht mit Fasten und Beten.
38 Als Simeon
mit Maria und Josef sprach, ging sie vorbei und begann, Gott zu loben. Allen,
die auf die verheißene Erlösung Israels warteten, erzählte sie von Jesus.
39 Als Maria
und Josef alles erfüllt hatten, was nach dem Gesetz des Herrn vorgeschrieben
ist, kehrten sie nach Nazareth in Galiläa zurück.
40 Dort wuchs
Jesus heran und wurde groß und kräftig. Er war mit Weisheit erfüllt, und Gottes
besondere Gnade ruhte auf ihm.
v 36 - 37........Anna....she was very old.... 84...and a widow..... she was probably
childless.... a curse to the Jewish way of thinking.... she was very
ordinary...... not royalty....
and yet she gets to meet the KING OF KINGS and LORD of LORD`S
She was not related to the High Priestly family.... the fact that she
was a widowed a such a young age was not considered to be a blessing.... but Like
Zacharias and Elizabeth…. she was not bitter..... she was a great example to
those around her.... she devoted herself to serving and worshipping the
LORD....
v37....KJV......who did not depart from the temple, but served God with
fastings and prayers night and day.....
Anna was an active
participant in the life of the temple.....a godly woman..... a true
worshiper.... she was not bitter..... she looked for the redeemer...The LORD
was her whole life.... she was not missing something in her life....
Her life was full and blessed...... She was totally focused on the only
thing that mattered .... The LORD GOD.....At long last she as she trusted the
LORD.... she got to see the Messiah......
Anna´s devotion to the LORD... 3 W´s
1. waiting…. for the redemption of Israel.....waiting for God to redeem
and restore her life
2. worshipping… She too worshipped the LORD
3. witnessing…. She told everyone about him......... The Messiah is here!..... We are redeemed at long last!...
That´s the way to age gracefully in the LORD.....
the 3 W´s…
This godly woman served God with total devotion….She denied herself……..
Anna’s close walk with God is shown by her immediately recognizing and loving
Jesus……. and by her desire to tell others about HIM…..She spoke of Him to all
those who looked for redemption……. Proclaiming…. the Good News……
Close
We have seen and heard Jesus......we have been redeemed.....
We should tell everyone the Good
News.......We should be constantly praising and glorifying God in
everything that we say and do...... even when our lives are not exactly what we
expected……. Even when we don´t understand His plan for our lives……
We are here on Earth for a purpose.....Jesus said all authority in
Heaven and Earth is given to me.....Go into all the World.....make
disciples......
We are here in the body for a purpose...... we are members of one another...we
belong to each other.... we are here in the church so that we can love and
encourage each other.... pray for each other...... cover each others failures
an sin with love..... and mercy and forgiveness...... we have the blessing of
bearing one another’s burdens...... we can lighten each others load..... Even
though we are ordinary people..... sinners saved by Grace..... because of His
unfailing LOVE......we have a savior.....
We are celebrating the birth of the Savior....Jesus the Messiah!!!
but we must remember ..... The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of
the Whole world was born to die.....
we need to look forward to the Cross to understand what Simeon said to
Mary...... Luke 2….v35….
Our redeemer came to suffer and to die.....as Isaiah prophesied so long
ago......
Jesus was born To die to redeem us..... He came to die so that we could
live with Him forever...... What unfailing LOVE..... What Mercy......
David understood this so very well..... He was a real person…… ordinary.....
not perfect... a sinner saved by grace.... Do you remember Jesus´ great....
great.....great.... great..... grandmother..... Her name was Bathsheba.....
David committed adultery with her….. then David murdered her husband…… This is
real Real human sinfulness……. Proof that we are not Good people…. When Nathan
the Prophet confronted him with his sin he repented….
He cried out to God for forgiveness..... He remembered God´s Unfailing
Love and Mercy..... He repented and became a man after God´s own heart………
That´s mercy friends……… whatever you have hidden away in your heart……… the
stuff that we can´t see…..God see´s it all……. In His mercy He calls out to each
of us to repent……. to confess and turn from our sins….. because if we confess
our sins…. He will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness….
1 John 1 : 9….
God´s mercy and unfailing is shown to us in this Advent Season……. God
became flesh and made his dwelling place here with us…… born of a virgin…… He
lived a perfect life and then in the fullness of time…. He laid down His life
for us…… He purchased our Salvation…… Today He offers the only Christmas Gift
that matters…… Grace and mercy to help us in our desperate and often dark times
of need….
Here´s what David wrote as he repented of his sins.....
Psalms 51: 1- 13 NLT
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.
2 Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
3 For I recognize my shameful deeds-
they haunt me day and night.
4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.
5 For I was born a sinner-
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
6 But you desire honesty from the heart,
so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being.
7 Purify me from my sins, and I
will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me-
now let me rejoice.
9 Don't keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a right spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence,
and don't take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me again the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
13 Then I will teach your ways to sinners,
and they will return to you.
Psalms 51: 1
-13 Neues Leben
1 Für den
Chorleiter: Ein Psalm Davids aus der Zeit,
2 als der
Prophet Nathan zu ihm kam, nachdem David mit Batseba Ehebruch begangen hatte.
3 Gott, sei
mir gnädig um deiner Gnade willen und vergib mir meine Sünden nach deiner
großen Barmherzigkeit.
4 Wasche mich
rein von meiner Schuld und reinige mich von meiner Sünde.
5 Denn ich
bekenne meine Sünde, die mich Tag und Nacht verfolgt.
6 Gegen dich
allein habe ich gesündigt und getan, was in deinen Augen böse ist. Darum wirst
du Recht behalten mit dem, was du sagst, und dein Urteil über mich ist gerecht.
7 Denn ich
war ein Sünder - von dem Augenblick an, da meine Mutter mich empfing.
8 Dir gefällt
ein Herz, das wahrhaftig ist; und im Verborgenen lehrst du mich deine Weisheit.
9 Wasche von
mir ab meine Sünden1, und ich werde ganz rein werden; wasche mich, und ich
werde weißer sein als Schnee.
10 Gib mir
meine Freude zurück und lass mich wieder fröhlich werden, denn du hast mich
zerbrochen.
11 Sieh meine
Sünde nicht mehr an und vergib mir meine Schuld.
12 Gott,
erschaffe in mir ein reines Herz und gib mir einen neuen, aufrichtigen Geist.
13 Verstoße
mich nicht aus deiner Gegenwart und nimm deinen Heiligen Geist nicht von mir.
Let´s pray......
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