First Baptist Lenoir City

I. Who? The Author of Creation "God"

II. How? The Manner of Creation "created"

III. What? The Object of Creation "the heaven and earth"

IV. Why? The Purpose of Creation, Romans 11:36

1. Who made you? God

2. What else did God make? God made all things.

3. Why did God make you and all things? For his own glory.

4. How can you glorify God? By loving him and doing what he commands.

5. Why ought you to glorify God? Because he made me and takes care of

me.

Our problem as humans is that although we “ought to glorify God” because

He made and takes care of us, we have rebelled against Him and sought

to live our own life our own way. Sometimes we’re defiant, but most of

the time we just ignore God and His Word.

Because of our rebellion, God has promised to judge us. Heb. 9:27 says,

“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes

judgment.” One day, we will face God for our rebellion unless we submit

to Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. While Jesus lived on earth, He

never rebelled against God, yet He died on an old rugged cross.

Why did Jesus die? 1 Peter 3:18 says: “For Christ also suffered once for

sins, the righteous for the

unrighteous, that he might bring us to God,”

Jesus died for our sins, if we repent of our sins and trust in what He

has done on the cross for us.

So what will you do? Will you continue to rebel against God or will you

submit to Christ as your Ruler

and trust in His sacrifice for the payment for your sins? There are only

two ways! Your way ends in eternal death! His way ends in eternal life!

“Choose you this day whom you will serve!”

There are eyewitnesses during every phase when Jesus walked this earth.

There are eyewitnesses during every phase when Jesus walked this earth.

I. The Focus of Eyewitnesses - 1:1-4

1. Eyewitnesses of His birth -

2. Eyewitnesses of His life (Mt 2,14,28; I John 1:1-4)

3. Eyewitnesses of His death - many

4. Eyewitnesses of His resurrection - I Corinthians 15:1-8

5. But many eyewitnesses didn’t believe! True and the Scriptures readily admit that fact usually included with a sharp rebuke!

6. All will witness His return - Matthew 24:15-31

7. We may not be eyewitnesses of His birth, life, death, &

resurrection, but we are eyewitnesses of how Jesus has changed our

hearts, our minds, our passions, our priorities - Never underestimate

your testimony about the changed life that came from coming to faith in

Christ!

Longevity / Fidelity in spiritual disciplines - worship, fasting, prayer

because of their impact on our relationships with/ God and man. Break

down Matthew 6 after Anna

II. The Gospel Message (we all share)

1. The Consolation of Israel - Simeon keeps us thinking of Jesus at

Christmas

2. The Redemption of Jerusalem—Anna keeps us thinking about Jesus at

Christmas. Thank you, Luke, for all the reminders that the Savior saves,

the Redeemer redeems, and the Lord leads. Don’t lose the reasons why

Jesus came. We gather because God saved us. We serve because God saved

us. We send because God saved us. We share because God saved us.

3. The Theme of Redeemer & Redemption -

• Job said

• David said

• Isaiah said

• Peter said

• Paul said

• John said

MATTHEW 6:1-18

Galatians 3:13-14 - redemption connected to the cross

There’s something about those births (8) / Christmas Continues w/ “The Eyewitness of Anna” / Luke 2:36-40   

The Wonderful Women associated with Jesus - Mary, Elizabeth, Anna, WATW (Samaria), Mary Magdalene, Mary & Martha, Lydia - Unlikely women who witness to Jesus! Anna was a part of the “O’ Come Let Is Adore Him” Crowd! The Adoring & Awesome Anna! A lot is said of this godly elderly woman in a little space. 

   •   Married for 7 years - So widowed for over 60 years - Godly through the ages! Don’t miss that.

   •   Prophetess - no examples given

   •   Daughter of Phanuel -

   •   Tribe of - 12 tribes; 10 & 2 tribes (Judah and Benjamin); The 10 tribes aren’t lost (Revelation 7:6 & 14:1-5 speak of the tribes established by God). BTW - Simeon most likely named after tribe

   •   Never told of quarters for godly women

I. The Credibility of Anna -

   1.   Look at her character -

   2.   Look at her commitment - “never leaving” but not isolated! She interacted. She communicated. She evangelized. She is a critical part of the True Christmas Story. 

   3.   Look at her compassion - 4 incredible evidences:

     a. By her worship - Jesus spoke of

   •   Jesus in Matthew 4 (and serve)

   •   Jesus in John 4 (true worship)

   •   Jesus in Mark 7 (vain worship)

     b. By her fasting - Jesus spoke of

   •   Fasting is a private matter - don’t promote your practice

   •   Fasting is a spiritual matter (physical benefits but spiritual purposes) - Joel (Return) & Jonah (Repent) attached to prayer not to diet

   •   Fasting is an essential matter - “Why don’t Your disciples fast?” Oh they will but not while I’m here! Don’t Fast at the Feast! 

     c. By her thankfulness - Jesus

          spoke of (didn’t mean she wasn’t

          lonely)

   •   Jesus asked, Where are the other 9

   •   Jesus expressed gratitude as the pattern of His life - John 11 to The Lord’s Supper (Eucharist is Greek for giving of thanks)

   •    Jesus commanded gratefulness -

     d. By her evangelistic mindset (like

           Simeon!)

   •   Like Elizabeth; Like Mary; Like Zechariah; Like TWATW - John 4

The Main Points will be as follows:

1. The Bible is a Story about God.

2. The Bible is the story of a God who makes a Promise.

3. The Bible is the story of a God who makes a Promise about a Person.

4. The Bible is the story of a God who makes a Promise about a Person who creates a People.

5. The Bible is the story of a God who makes a Promise about a Person who creates a People to live in a Place with Him forever.

Did we celebrate Christmas with/ singularity, simplicity, and sincerity, focusing on our Savior? Let’s evaluate how we did so we get it right.

Long before we met Luke, we see in the First Books of the Bible, aka The Five Books of Moses, the essential need for credible witnesses to confirm God’s Word and, therefore, God’s will. The number one goal of

the Bible is to discover what is and isn’t true. Incredible witnesses, yes, but more than that, they are credible witnesses!

• Deut. 19:15-16; Numbers 35:30; Matthew 18:15-16; John 8:12-18; Acts 10:35-43; II Cor. 13:11; I Tim. 5:17-19;

I John 5:6-12; Rev. 11 - Two olive trees / Two lampstands

Luke & Matthew confirm the Christmas Truth over and over again with credible witnesses - with character witnesses.

I. The Two or More Witnesses of Christmas -

1. Zechariah & Elizabeth

2. Mary & Joseph -

3. Multiple Shepherds -

4. Multiple Magi -

5. Simeon & Anna - dealt with devotion, with death, “If a man dies will he live again?”; last week we ended the Lord’s Supper with Matthew 26:29 (Jesus was emphatically saying to His disciples, “See you on the other side”)

II. The Obedience of Faith of Mary & Joseph - 2:21-24

III. The Witness/Testimony of Simeon - 2:25-34

1. The Credibility of Simeon (4)

a. He was righteous, devout, and was waiting in the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him -

2. The Commitment of Simeon - “waiting for the consolation” - Reminds me of I Thess 1:8-10

3. The Conviction of Simeon - Holy Spirit revealed to him

a. He would not see death until he saw the Lord’s Christ -

b. Like Jesus & Paul - Simeon wasn’t afraid of death - Are you

• John 14:1-3; 17:1-5: I Cor. 15 (no more sting in death); II Cor. 5:6-8; Phil. 1:21-24; II Tim. 4:6-8; Rev. 12:11

c. Simeon blesses God - v. 28

d. Simeon “blesses” them - vv. 34-35

4. The Commission w/in Simeon’s Prophecy - One of the evidences of the Spirit speaking through Simeon is that he quotes the prophecy of Gentile inclusion “a light to the nations” (something Luke does frequently)

(1) This Child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel -

• Who fell?

• Who rose?

(2) And for a sign that is opposed -

(3) (And a sword will pierce through your own soul also) - “so that

thoughts from many hearts may be revealed”

• Some 30-plus years later Luke tells us of another heart that was pierced (Simeon didn’t know this) and that is the heart of Jesus Himself

• Triumphal Entry context for 2 passages depicting the rise and fall of Israel

(1) Luke 19:37-48 - Jesus weeps over a nation, over a city, over the holy city

(2) Matthew 21:33-46 (from Psalm 118; also quoted in Acts 4:11)

From the Cradle to the Cross - We will meet Anna next week!

There’s Something About That Birth: “Can I Get a Witness?”

Luke 2:21-40 The Consolation/Redemption of Israel

III. The Witness/Testimony of Simeon - 2:25-34

1. The Credibility of Simeon (4)

a. He was righteous

b. He was devout

c. He was waiting in the consolation of Israel - not said of the JRE!

d. The Holy Spirit was upon him -

2. The Holy Spirit revealed to him

a. He would not see death until he saw the Lord’s Christ -

b. Like Jesus & Paul - Simeon wasn’t afraid of death. Simeon anticipated death -

• John 17:1-5

• II Corinthians 5:6-8

• Philippians 1:21-24

• II Timothy 4:6-8

• Revelation 12:11

c. Simeon blesses God - v. 28

d. Simeon “blesses” them - vv. 34-35

• Luke records a third praise (1:46-55; 68-79; 2:29-32)

• One of the evidences of the Spirit speaking through Simeon is that he quotes the prophecy of Gentile inclusion “a light to the nations” (something Luke does frequently)

I. Mary pointed people to Jesus - 1:46-56

II. John the baptizer pointed people to Jesus - 1:57-66

III. Zechariah pointed people to Jesus - 1:67-80

1. He blessed God -

2. He remembered God’s Covenants - Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David

3. He highlighted God’s salvation -

a. Saved from sin

b. Saved from enemies

4. He trusted the transformed life -

a. The life without fear

b. The life with holiness

c. The life with righteousness

5. He pointed to the Sunrise -

a. He was a prophet to the Son

b. He prepared the way for the Son

c. He pointed to a new dawn - light over darkness & life over death!

Isaiah 9:1-2; 60:1-3; Malachi 4:1-3; II Peter 1:19; Revelation 22:16

Mary's Example to Us:

• Singing praises

• Serving Her Savior

• Sharing His story

• Caring about people's soul/spirit

• Knowing Scripture

• Knowing her Savior