• Luke 2:21-38
  • 2:21 
    • According to the ____________ Law, males were circumcised in the temple on the 8th day following birth.
    • At this time they are also named.
      • Jesus, like ____________ the ____________, broke custom in not being named after his father.
    • Genesis 17:12-13
  • 2:22-24 
    • According to the Mosaic Law the ____________ had to be purified following birth
      • 40 days for a male child
      • 80 days for a ____________ child
        • Leviticus 12:1-8
        • Exodus 13:1-2
    • These events happened at the temple in ____________
      • About 6 ____________ from Bethlehem where they were living at the time.
    • The offering was supposed to be a ____________
      • Unless the family was very poor then it could be two doves or ____________
      • The fact that they brought birds shows us the state of their poverty
      • Indicating these events happened before the valuable gifts were brought by the ____________.
      • The irony: The offering they brought was looking forward to the ultimate offering in Jesus, the Lamb of God.
  • 2:25-26
    • Simeon was a ____________ man
    • And waiting for the ____________, or comfort, solace, of his people, the Israelites
    • This is the work of the Holy Spirit: To reveal the the people of God the will of God
      • Without the HS we cannot know ____________
        • We cannot be ____________
        • We ____________ be saved
      • Without the HS we cannot know the peace of God now or ever.
    • Sola’s Statement of belief
      • The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God.  As the third member of the trinity He is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son.  He inspired men to write the Scriptures and enables us to understand them.  The Holy Spirit convicts the people of God of their sin, calls them to salvation, transforms their lives according to the will of God, equips them for service, and preserves them for eternity. 
  • 2:27-28
    • What follows is Simeon’s song of praise
      • The fourth of ____________ Christmas songs in Scripture
  • 2:29-32
    • Lord: Attributing this event to ____________, The Father
    • Now you are letting your servant
      • You are letting – Allowing – Permitting
      • Your servant – ____________ – bond slave
        • The same word ____________ used to describe herself.
        • A slave of the Lord – Who does the will of the master
    • Depart in ____________
      • Now you, master, Lord, you are allowing me to die in peace having fulfilled the promise
    • For my eyes have seen your salvation… for all peoples
      • My eyes have seen your salvation
        • Simeon’s own eyes beholding this child born ____________ there in his arms
        • Christ the Messiah came not only for the Jews, but also for the ____________
    • A light for revelation to the Gentiles
      • Who were not part of the covenant people of ____________
        • For the Gentiles also Jesus came.
    • And for ____________ to your people Israel
      • From whom the Messiah was brought
      • And who longed for Him
    • SImeon was not looking to die
      • He was looking forward to ____________
      • And having experienced the Savior he was now ready to die when the time came.
      • In all assurance of what God promised.
    • In our faith death should not be something we fear
      • We all will die sooner or later
      • As believers death is a ____________
        • We leave this mess to be with our true family in ____________
          • With our heavenly Father
          • In our perfect eternal home
  • 2:33-35
    • Not exactly what a new mother wants to hear
    • Simeon is relaying this message from the Lord
      • This is what the ____________ is here to do
      • Jesus came for the ____________ of God
        • To restore ____________ people to the right relationship
        • And ____________ them from sin and hell
    • As ____________ watched her baby boy hang on the cross years later
      • Saw the spear stab through His side
        • Confirming His death
      • She too would feel the anguish of His torment
        • She too would feel the joy of our salvation.
  • 2:36-38
    • A ____________ is not one who gets a brand new special word from God
      • A prophetess is one who shares the Word, the message of God, with people
    • Anna was a diamond in the rough
      • Devoting her life to ministry before God
      • Serving in the temple for ____________
        • Never leaving it seems.
      • Genesis 30:12-13
      • 1 Timothy 5:5
    • Worshipping with fasting
      • Worshipping – Latreuō -lat-ryoo’-o
        • Means serving in ____________
          • Not the idea of singing praises
          • Or lifting up the name of God in proclamation
        • But of doing the ____________ of ministry to those around you
      • Fasting
        • This means to not ____________ either as a voluntary exercise of reverence for God or as a result of poverty
        • Fasting is something to do in conjunction with ____________
          • It is indicative of our utter dependence on God not food
          • It is ____________ who sustains us
        • Anna was devoted to the provision of God
      • Prayer
        • Entreating God, ____________ God in your needs and the needs of others.
    • This is not Anna being at the right place at the right time.
      • There is no luck – ____________ causes all things.
        • She began to give thanks to God
        • And to speak of ____________ to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem
    • This is all a work of God
      • To move His faithful servant ____________
      • And His faithful servant ____________
      • To this once in a lifetime experience
  • What a response to have when you encounter something your soul has longed for
    • You are ____________, thankful
      • Filled with gratitude
    • You are ____________ sharing what you have found
      • Telling others all about it

You are ____________ realizing who you are in light of who He is