WEBVTT

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 Good morning, everyone. Today, as Debbie mentioned, is the last Sunday of the year.

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 It's the last Sunday of the decade, the end of this 10-year period.

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 And as we start a new year, we're often thinking about New Year's resolutions.

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 You know, I want to be reading the Bible more. I want to get healthy. I want to lose weight. I want to get a new job.

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 But before we can get to our New Year's resolutions, I believe it's important for us to end the year well.

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 Not only that, but let's end this decade well.

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 I'm not sure for you, but the last 10 years has brought a number of different joys and pains for us.

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 I've lost a number of family members.

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 But there's also been significant joys.

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 In the last 10 years for us, I finished full-time work.

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 I went and became a full-time student at Moore College.

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 I started at St. Paul's. I left St. Paul's.

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 I worked somewhere and then I came back to St. Paul's.

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 We have had three children in 10 years.

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 Much has happened in that period of time.

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 Now, as we start looking at a new year and a new decade,

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 we can be thinking about all those things we want to achieve.

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 But we actually need to deal with this year first.

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 And all the baggage that it brings.

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 There's no point setting your sights really high on a new year

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 if you're dragging 10 years worth of baggage and pain and hurt and sin behind you.

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 Thinking that everything will change just because we've got a new calendar

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 doesn't really make any sense.

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 And thinking that we'll just have a better relationship with God

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 because I'm going to try harder for a January run

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 doesn't necessarily make sense either.

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 We need to be dealing with the baggage that we have at this point

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 to be able to go forward growing and following Jesus.

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 In a different time, an era was marked.

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 When Jesus was born, it has changed everything in our world.

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 So much so that our entire calendars function around when he was born.

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 But when Jesus was born, it's not just a matter of time being changed,

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 but of salvation.

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 God became man.

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 And this world will never be the same again.

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 And so today, as we head to the end of the year and the end of the decade,

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 we're going to see how two people respond when they meet this baby Jesus.

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 These two prophets, they're also going to challenge how we come before Jesus

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 and how he is preparing us for the next 10 years.

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 We meet these two characters, Anna and Simeon, and they're at the temple.

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 Jesus' parents had taken him to the temple to obey the law.

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 Please have your Bibles open with me.

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 We're in Luke chapter 2, finishing our series, looking at the infancy narrative.

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 This is the end of the stories about Jesus as a baby.

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 He's eight days old at this point, and we're in verse 22 of chapter 2.

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 When the time came for the purification rites required by the law of Moses,

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 Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.

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 As it is written in the law of the Lord,

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 every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord

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 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the law of the Lord,

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 a pair of doves or two young pigeons.

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 The law stated that there were purification ceremonies

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 that needed to happen after birth.

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 And here they come and they offer birds to be sacrificed for their corruption and sin.

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 After birth, Mary would have been ritually unclean.

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 But the focus is not on Mary here, but it is on Jesus.

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 And yet it seems strange that Jesus would need to be purified.

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 He was born without blemish or spot.

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 He doesn't need the death of birds to keep him in relationship with God.

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 He has no sin that needs to be forgiven.

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 And he's been with God for eternity.

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 And yet here, just like when Jesus is baptized,

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 he is identifying with us.

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 And it's a reminder of how contagious sin is.

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 We catch it from our mother and father in our birth.

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 Jesus here, even at the age of eight days old,

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 is directing us to God's grace.

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 The pollutions that we all come into the world with

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 are going to be washed away because of the birth of Jesus,

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 through the grace of God.

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 And as they come into this temple to do this ceremony,

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 they speak to two people, Anna the prophetess and Simeon.

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 Neither of these people have official roles.

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 They're not the Pharisee.

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 They're not the Sadducee.

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 They're not the high priest in the temple.

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 They're both described as old.

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 And culturally, that means that they're well-respected, reliable witnesses.

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 And there's a certain completeness that comes from having

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 both a male and a female witness to the fulfillment of Jesus.

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 And so we're going to briefly look at Anna,

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 who's at the end of the passage,

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 and then come back and spend some more time on Simeon.

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 Verse 36.

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 There was also a prophet, Anna,

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 the daughter of Penuel of the tribe of Asher.

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 She was very old.

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 She had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage.

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 And then was a widow until she was 84.

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 Now, it's not exactly clear whether Anna was 84 years old

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 or whether she had been a widow for 84 years.

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 But what is clear is this woman was a faithful follower of God.

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 Verse 37.

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 She never left the temple,

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 but worshipped night and day,

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 fasting and praying.

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 And she has finally seen what she has been fasting and praying for.

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 Coming up to them at that very moment,

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 verse 38,

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 she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child

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 to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

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 The redemption of Jerusalem.

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 This is what she's been looking forward to.

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 And she makes this public expression of gratitude.

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 Gratitude.

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 This is a wonderful picture of an old and frail woman

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 who has been patiently waiting for the Lord.

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 And she meets Jesus.

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 And she goes off to all who are like her,

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 looking for God to act.

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 I think she is a wonderful challenge to us.

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 She was fasting and praying in the temple,

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 waiting to see God act.

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 Do we have that same kind of patience and persistence with God?

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 Fasting is a very helpful spiritual practice.

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 I've fasted before.

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 But what it helps someone to do is to focus on God

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 and focus on your dependence on God.

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 It's a reminder that God is the one who sustains and feeds.

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 It gives you more time,

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 because you're not doing things like preparing food and cleaning up.

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 It gives you more time to read the Bible,

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 more time to pray.

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 When you feel hungry, you pray.

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 And it's a wonderful discipline to do.

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 Let me know if you'd like to find out more

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 about the spiritual discipline of fasting.

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 And so Anna had been praying and fasting.

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 And Luke says she never left the temple.

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 Now, I'm not necessarily going to encourage you

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 to come in here.

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 You need to sit down in the front where Abby is.

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 You need to be fasting and praying every day of the week.

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 We don't need to go to a holy place anymore to do that.

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 But at this time, that's what Anna is doing.

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 She's been fasting and praying.

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 And finally, after 84 years, God has answered her prayer.

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 Now, I'm not sure what you're praying for.

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 I'm not sure what God is putting on your heart to be praying for.

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 But Anna is an encouragement for us to do two things.

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 Firstly, to pray and keep praying,

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 even when it's hard, even when our hearts give way.

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 But also, that God does answer our prayers.

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 It might not be in our timing.

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 But God does answer our prayers.

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 It might not be a yes.

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 It could be a yes.

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 It could be a no.

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 It could be a wait.

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 And Anna certainly waited 84 years.

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 But now she has seen Jesus.

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 She has seen the redemption of Jerusalem.

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 And what a huge prayer that is to ask.

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 I want to see your redemption in this country.

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 And she has gotten to see it.

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 But even then, to wait another 30 odd years to see his crucifixion and resurrection.

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 And even now, we are waiting to see Jesus return.

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 So let me encourage you to pray like Anna.

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 Pray with dependence on God brought about by fasting.

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 And be saturated in God's Word as you do it.

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 So that's Anna.

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 What a wonderful encouragement to pray and to be dependent on God.

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 And the second character we meet is a gentleman called Simeon.

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 Verse 25.

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 Now, there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon,

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 who was righteous and devout.

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 He was waiting for the consolation of Israel.

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 And the Holy Spirit was on him.

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 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit,

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 that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah.

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 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.

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 It's really interesting here that in these three verses,

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 it's mentioned three times that Simeon either has the Holy Spirit on him,

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 or is moved by the Holy Spirit.

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 This is in marked contrast to the entire Old Testament.

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 The Holy Spirit came on people sparingly.

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 But now, something has changed.

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 Jesus has been born, and God is pouring out his Holy Spirit just as he promised to do.

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 Not only is God with us, Emmanuel, in Jesus,

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 but he is dwelling inside people in the Holy Spirit,

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 in numbers that we just had not seen before.

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 And Simeon, like Anna, is waiting on God.

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 Waiting because he'd been promised that he would see God's Messiah.

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 Simeon, he's waiting for this Messiah.

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 He's waiting for God's chosen one.

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 Because faith in Jesus, it's the fulfillment of all of his hopes and expectations of his people.

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 And there's this beautiful moment when Joseph and Mary bring Jesus in,

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 and Simeon sees the baby Jesus.

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 He meets him, and he sings the last of these songs in the infancy narratives.

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 There's a number of songs all throughout these first two chapters.

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 This is the last of the songs, the shortest of them,

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 but it's still quite lovely.

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 Verse 28.

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 Simeon took him, that is Jesus, in his arms,

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 and praised God, saying,

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 Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,

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 you may now dismiss your servant in peace.

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 For my eyes have seen your salvation,

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 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations,

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 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

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 and the glory of your people Israel.

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 That's this lovely song.

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 I kind of feel like I should be singing these songs,

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 as we've been going through them.

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 But you can write a melody for me for next year.

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 But Simeon's emphasis is on God's timing.

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 Now I can die.

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 Now you may dismiss your servant in peace.

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 Now, because everything has changed.

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 Now a new era has begun.

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 Now, God, your story of salvation,

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 I can see it unfolding.

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 Simeon, he's a trusting servant,

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 and God is a faithful master.

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 And Simeon can say,

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 God, look, I'm ready to die now.

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 I hand myself over to you,

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 because I've seen your goodness,

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 I have seen your salvation for my people,

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 and for all of the world.

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 And then Simeon, full of the Holy Spirit,

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 prophesies about the work of Jesus.

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 Verse 34.

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 Can you imagine being Mary at this point,

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 hearing this?

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 Her little eight-day-old baby

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 was going to cause people to rise and to fall,

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 to cause a sword to pierce her heart,

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 her soul.

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 Simeon is saying that Jesus is going to be

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 a tool of division.

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 He would cause division amongst people,

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 two different types of division.

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 He would divide those who follow him

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 and those who don't,

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 and he would divide people's hearts

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 so that their hearts would be revealed.

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 Jesus is going to come and divide people

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 into those who follow and don't follow,

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 and for those who follow,

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 their very hearts are going to be divided

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 and revealed.

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 When we are confronted by Jesus,

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 we can't remain neutral.

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 We can't have no opinion of him.

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 He will either confront our need for God

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 and lead us to faith in him,

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 or we will push against Jesus

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 and reject him.

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 Simeon's prophecy points to Jesus' dividing nature.

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 He will split families,

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 some believing, some not,

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 brother against brother,

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 sister against mother,

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 because you can't remain neutral to Jesus.

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 He pierces to the very heart

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 and reveals what is within.

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 And when we are confronted with who we are,

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 we can admit our fault

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 and our need for God,

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 or we can flee.

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 Simeon says that Jesus has come

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 so that the thoughts of many hearts

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 would be revealed

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 and a sword would pierce Mary's soul too.

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 Now,

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 the heart in the ancient world,

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 that was the place where the thoughts

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 and the feelings and the desires

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 and the attitudes dwelt.

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 You know,

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 it's fairly similar for us.

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 We might think things,

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 but we feel things.

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 This is the location of our heart.

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 Maybe we might even say in our gut,

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 a little further down.

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 But in the ancient world,

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 it was the heart

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 where the thoughts

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 and the feelings

00:15:50.980 --> 00:15:51.700
 and the attitudes,

00:15:51.920 --> 00:15:53.800
 the hidden things,

00:15:53.940 --> 00:15:54.340
 were.

00:15:54.340 --> 00:15:57.660
 And the Bible as a whole

00:15:57.660 --> 00:15:58.500
 presents Jesus

00:15:58.500 --> 00:15:59.960
 as the Word of God

00:15:59.960 --> 00:16:02.840
 and the Word is like a sword.

00:16:03.160 --> 00:16:05.019
 So a little later in Hebrews,

00:16:05.560 --> 00:16:07.879
 it says that the Word of God is,

00:16:08.759 --> 00:16:09.800
 again, like a sword,

00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:12.259
 sharper than any double-edged sword.

00:16:13.280 --> 00:16:15.200
 It penetrates even to dividing

00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:16.360
 soul and spirit,

00:16:16.780 --> 00:16:17.620
 joint and marrow,

00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:19.860
 and it judges the thoughts

00:16:19.860 --> 00:16:22.259
 and attitudes of the heart.

00:16:22.259 --> 00:16:25.080
 Jesus is going to function

00:16:25.080 --> 00:16:27.340
 like a double-edged sword.

00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:29.559
 It's interesting that

00:16:29.559 --> 00:16:30.840
 in Simeon's prophecy,

00:16:30.980 --> 00:16:32.659
 he uses this idea of a sword

00:16:32.659 --> 00:16:34.220
 piercing to the heart.

00:16:35.259 --> 00:16:36.319
 Now, in the ancient world,

00:16:36.379 --> 00:16:37.399
 in the Roman world in particular,

00:16:37.580 --> 00:16:39.539
 there were two types of main swords

00:16:39.539 --> 00:16:40.299
 that they used.

00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:44.200
 They used a sword called the makara

00:16:44.200 --> 00:16:45.759
 and the gladius.

00:16:46.759 --> 00:16:49.480
 The makara was a single-bladed

00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:50.539
 hacking weapon.

00:16:50.539 --> 00:16:52.939
 I have the Chinese version here

00:16:52.939 --> 00:16:54.059
 because, you know,

00:16:54.120 --> 00:16:54.939
 props are always good.

00:16:56.299 --> 00:16:58.980
 So this is the Chinese dao.

00:16:59.659 --> 00:17:00.079
 So this,

00:17:00.579 --> 00:17:02.860
 similar type of weapon

00:17:02.860 --> 00:17:03.539
 to the makara,

00:17:03.779 --> 00:17:05.599
 it's a good hacking weapon, okay?

00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:07.119
 You know, think about a rider

00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:08.420
 on the top of a horse

00:17:08.420 --> 00:17:09.420
 hacking down.

00:17:09.779 --> 00:17:11.259
 You don't need both sides

00:17:11.259 --> 00:17:11.940
 to be sharp.

00:17:12.200 --> 00:17:13.859
 It has a single focus.

00:17:14.980 --> 00:17:16.619
 And the other was the gladius.

00:17:16.619 --> 00:17:21.979
 The gladius was a double-edged weapon.

00:17:22.519 --> 00:17:24.319
 So this is the Chinese jen.

00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:27.899
 The gladius was shorter,

00:17:28.459 --> 00:17:30.899
 but also double-edged.

00:17:31.179 --> 00:17:32.659
 These weapons are used

00:17:32.659 --> 00:17:33.679
 not for hacking,

00:17:34.019 --> 00:17:35.239
 these are used for piercing.

00:17:35.240 --> 00:17:39.319
 This tool was a much more

00:17:39.319 --> 00:17:40.819
 delicate weapon.

00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:42.240
 You don't hack

00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:43.299
 because you'll break the blade.

00:17:43.559 --> 00:17:45.559
 You try and pierce armor

00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:47.380
 and go between the ribs

00:17:47.380 --> 00:17:48.400
 to get to organs.

00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:49.960
 That's the function

00:17:49.960 --> 00:17:51.299
 of a double-edged weapon.

00:17:51.940 --> 00:17:53.339
 That's what it does.

00:17:53.380 --> 00:17:54.759
 It's designed to pierce.

00:17:55.559 --> 00:17:56.380
 So there's a nice little

00:17:56.380 --> 00:17:57.839
 weapon lesson.

00:17:57.839 --> 00:18:05.659
 Jesus, as the word of God,

00:18:05.899 --> 00:18:08.599
 is the double-edged sword.

00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:09.799
 He's not a hacking tool.

00:18:10.179 --> 00:18:13.480
 He comes to penetrate

00:18:13.480 --> 00:18:16.299
 to our inmost being.

00:18:17.359 --> 00:18:18.439
 He gets through

00:18:18.439 --> 00:18:20.099
 all of our defenses

00:18:20.099 --> 00:18:21.240
 that we have made.

00:18:22.159 --> 00:18:23.519
 The feelings of security

00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:24.359
 in our job,

00:18:24.539 --> 00:18:25.879
 our feelings of happiness

00:18:25.879 --> 00:18:27.299
 in life that we have made,

00:18:27.299 --> 00:18:28.500
 the idea that we're

00:18:28.500 --> 00:18:30.159
 good people generally

00:18:30.159 --> 00:18:31.799
 and God should love me

00:18:31.799 --> 00:18:33.099
 and God should bless me.

00:18:34.019 --> 00:18:35.119
 He cuts through

00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:36.399
 all of that to the heart

00:18:36.399 --> 00:18:39.599
 and He judges our thoughts

00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:40.980
 and our attitudes.

00:18:42.759 --> 00:18:43.859
 Have you ever had that moment

00:18:43.859 --> 00:18:44.859
 sitting in church

00:18:44.859 --> 00:18:46.720
 or maybe reading the Bible

00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:47.779
 at home thinking,

00:18:48.220 --> 00:18:51.019
 He's talking to me right now.

00:18:51.059 --> 00:18:51.940
 He's talking to me.

00:18:52.500 --> 00:18:54.039
 Why is He picking on me

00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:55.019
 out of all these people?

00:18:55.019 --> 00:18:58.500
 When that happens,

00:18:58.619 --> 00:19:00.379
 when we feel like

00:19:00.379 --> 00:19:01.400
 the preacher

00:19:01.400 --> 00:19:02.400
 or the Bible reading

00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:03.500
 is targeting us,

00:19:03.740 --> 00:19:05.019
 that is the word of God.

00:19:05.099 --> 00:19:06.440
 That is Jesus Himself

00:19:06.440 --> 00:19:08.519
 piercing our defenses,

00:19:09.900 --> 00:19:11.379
 cutting between them all

00:19:11.379 --> 00:19:13.619
 and getting to our very soul.

00:19:15.299 --> 00:19:16.819
 Simeon is prophesying

00:19:16.819 --> 00:19:18.079
 that Jesus would come

00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:19.900
 and He would cut people

00:19:19.900 --> 00:19:20.599
 to the heart.

00:19:20.599 --> 00:19:22.939
 He would divide

00:19:22.939 --> 00:19:23.859
 their very thoughts

00:19:23.859 --> 00:19:24.679
 and feelings

00:19:24.679 --> 00:19:25.359
 and attitudes

00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:26.039
 and souls

00:19:26.039 --> 00:19:27.439
 and when that mess

00:19:27.439 --> 00:19:29.379
 is revealed,

00:19:30.139 --> 00:19:31.259
 people will be divided.

00:19:32.299 --> 00:19:33.719
 I think our hearts

00:19:33.719 --> 00:19:34.959
 can be like this plastic bottle.

00:19:35.000 --> 00:19:35.699
 I've got lots of props

00:19:35.699 --> 00:19:36.219
 today actually.

00:19:36.220 --> 00:19:41.059
 I think our hearts

00:19:41.059 --> 00:19:42.339
 can be like this plastic bottle.

00:19:42.740 --> 00:19:43.700
 There's a little bit of oil

00:19:43.700 --> 00:19:45.440
 and mainly food dye in there.

00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:46.460
 But I think this is

00:19:46.460 --> 00:19:47.519
 what our hearts are like.

00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:52.019
 All throughout the last decade

00:19:52.019 --> 00:19:52.740
 in particular,

00:19:53.700 --> 00:19:54.620
 it's been filled

00:19:54.620 --> 00:19:56.299
 with all kinds of things.

00:19:57.100 --> 00:19:57.539
 Sin,

00:19:58.660 --> 00:19:59.120
 resentment,

00:20:00.380 --> 00:20:00.759
 anger,

00:20:02.140 --> 00:20:03.019
 sexual temptation,

00:20:03.819 --> 00:20:04.339
 lust,

00:20:04.339 --> 00:20:05.659
 frustration,

00:20:06.199 --> 00:20:07.240
 frustration and pain

00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:08.480
 because I didn't get the job,

00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:10.559
 anger because I can't afford

00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:11.419
 the house I want,

00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:13.619
 lust is damaging

00:20:13.619 --> 00:20:14.799
 my relationships

00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:15.539
 with other people.

00:20:16.459 --> 00:20:17.279
 And as we look

00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:18.179
 into the new year

00:20:18.179 --> 00:20:19.119
 and to the new decade,

00:20:19.500 --> 00:20:20.839
 we have a heart like this.

00:20:21.659 --> 00:20:22.519
 And one of my favorite

00:20:22.519 --> 00:20:23.399
 new sayings is

00:20:23.399 --> 00:20:24.079
 new year,

00:20:24.199 --> 00:20:24.679
 new me.

00:20:25.019 --> 00:20:25.919
 Have you heard this saying?

00:20:26.279 --> 00:20:26.679
 New year,

00:20:26.759 --> 00:20:27.139
 new me.

00:20:27.319 --> 00:20:28.039
 And we think,

00:20:28.179 --> 00:20:29.099
 oh, it's a new year.

00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:30.379
 It'll be a new me.

00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:32.379
 But we are carrying

00:20:32.379 --> 00:20:34.079
 a heart that is like this.

00:20:35.339 --> 00:20:36.240
 And what we do

00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:36.740
 is we just think,

00:20:36.859 --> 00:20:37.879
 oh, I'm just going to try

00:20:37.879 --> 00:20:38.720
 really hard

00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:39.419
 at the start of the year.

00:20:39.579 --> 00:20:40.099
 I'm going to give it

00:20:40.099 --> 00:20:40.679
 a good shake.

00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:42.299
 And this year's going

00:20:42.299 --> 00:20:43.119
 to be totally different.

00:20:43.220 --> 00:20:43.699
 Everything's going

00:20:43.699 --> 00:20:44.480
 to be totally different.

00:20:44.619 --> 00:20:44.799
 Look,

00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:46.379
 I've tried really hard

00:20:46.379 --> 00:20:47.179
 all throughout January

00:20:47.179 --> 00:20:48.359
 and it's

00:20:48.359 --> 00:20:50.799
 still the exact same.

00:20:53.139 --> 00:20:54.359
 And we wonder

00:20:54.359 --> 00:20:55.359
 why when it comes

00:20:55.359 --> 00:20:56.000
 to February,

00:20:56.579 --> 00:20:57.959
 nothing has changed.

00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:00.480
 What we need

00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:01.039
 is

00:21:01.039 --> 00:21:02.779
 a puncture wound.

00:21:02.779 --> 00:21:04.399
 What we need

00:21:04.399 --> 00:21:05.639
 is a sword

00:21:05.639 --> 00:21:06.779
 to pierce us.

00:21:07.559 --> 00:21:07.899
 I don't know.

00:21:08.059 --> 00:21:08.940
 I don't want to damage

00:21:08.940 --> 00:21:09.559
 one of my swords

00:21:09.559 --> 00:21:09.960
 but I do have

00:21:09.960 --> 00:21:10.480
 a Stanley knife.

00:21:10.740 --> 00:21:11.759
 What we actually need

00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:12.940
 is a sword

00:21:12.940 --> 00:21:13.660
 to come in.

00:21:13.740 --> 00:21:14.539
 Let's not make

00:21:14.539 --> 00:21:15.099
 too much mess.

00:21:15.359 --> 00:21:15.920
 We need a sword

00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:16.559
 to come in

00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:17.119
 and

00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:20.000
 get the gunk out.

00:21:20.599 --> 00:21:21.599
 We actually need

00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:22.139
 it

00:21:22.139 --> 00:21:23.599
 to be released.

00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:24.839
 Otherwise,

00:21:25.779 --> 00:21:28.920
 we're just going

00:21:28.920 --> 00:21:29.879
 to keep pretending

00:21:29.880 --> 00:21:31.240
 that everything

00:21:31.240 --> 00:21:31.860
 is fine.

00:21:32.300 --> 00:21:32.600
 We're going

00:21:32.600 --> 00:21:33.140
 to keep pretending

00:21:33.140 --> 00:21:33.600
 that we've got

00:21:33.600 --> 00:21:35.540
 this rotten heart

00:21:35.540 --> 00:21:35.900
 but we're going

00:21:35.900 --> 00:21:36.500
 to ignore it

00:21:36.500 --> 00:21:36.860
 and we're going

00:21:36.860 --> 00:21:37.040
 to think,

00:21:37.160 --> 00:21:37.620
 I can go into

00:21:37.620 --> 00:21:38.320
 this new year

00:21:38.320 --> 00:21:38.860
 and everything

00:21:38.860 --> 00:21:39.620
 will change

00:21:39.620 --> 00:21:40.220
 and I'm going

00:21:40.220 --> 00:21:40.720
 to be the best

00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:41.580
 Christian next year.

00:21:41.840 --> 00:21:42.720
 We need that

00:21:42.720 --> 00:21:44.780
 sword of Jesus.

00:21:46.060 --> 00:21:46.540
 Miami,

00:21:46.620 --> 00:21:46.880
 you're looking

00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:47.740
 very stressed there.

00:21:48.740 --> 00:21:49.560
 We need that

00:21:49.560 --> 00:21:50.140
 sword of Jesus

00:21:50.140 --> 00:21:51.180
 to pierce

00:21:51.180 --> 00:21:52.040
 our hearts

00:21:52.040 --> 00:21:53.500
 and let the gunk,

00:21:53.740 --> 00:21:55.040
 let the horrible

00:21:55.040 --> 00:21:56.120
 sin out.

00:21:57.340 --> 00:21:58.000
 Jesus comes

00:21:58.000 --> 00:21:58.579
 to pierce us.

00:21:58.660 --> 00:22:00.420
 He is sharper

00:22:00.420 --> 00:22:00.960
 than any

00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:02.019
 double-edged sword.

00:22:03.220 --> 00:22:03.720
 He comes

00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:04.259
 to divide

00:22:04.259 --> 00:22:04.859
 our hearts

00:22:04.859 --> 00:22:05.559
 and our thoughts

00:22:05.559 --> 00:22:06.380
 and our attitudes.

00:22:07.900 --> 00:22:08.680
 Without that

00:22:08.680 --> 00:22:09.539
 sword piercing us,

00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:10.539
 we could trick

00:22:10.539 --> 00:22:11.140
 ourselves into

00:22:11.140 --> 00:22:11.559
 thinking that

00:22:11.559 --> 00:22:12.319
 everything was fine

00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:13.819
 but we actually

00:22:13.819 --> 00:22:14.680
 need this

00:22:14.680 --> 00:22:16.779
 so it reveals

00:22:16.779 --> 00:22:17.319
 who we are

00:22:17.319 --> 00:22:17.980
 but let me tell

00:22:17.980 --> 00:22:18.359
 you what,

00:22:18.839 --> 00:22:19.819
 this is not fun.

00:22:22.019 --> 00:22:22.359
 You know,

00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:23.220
 stabbing that bottle,

00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:24.660
 you know,

00:22:24.680 --> 00:22:25.140
 if that bottle

00:22:25.140 --> 00:22:26.140
 could scream,

00:22:26.220 --> 00:22:27.099
 it probably would have.

00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:29.119
 A little while ago

00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:30.000
 I had some sin

00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:30.960
 pointed out to me

00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:32.720
 and it was like

00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:33.400
 a stab wound

00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:34.519
 straight between

00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:34.940
 the ribs.

00:22:36.220 --> 00:22:37.119
 It was really

00:22:37.119 --> 00:22:37.839
 painful

00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:39.359
 being confronted

00:22:39.359 --> 00:22:40.559
 with what

00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:41.140
 had been

00:22:41.140 --> 00:22:41.900
 a hidden sin.

00:22:42.940 --> 00:22:43.839
 A sin that

00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:44.220
 had been

00:22:44.220 --> 00:22:45.599
 filling up

00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:46.240
 within me

00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:46.900
 for years.

00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:48.500
 And I very much

00:22:48.500 --> 00:22:49.119
 wanted to keep

00:22:49.119 --> 00:22:49.799
 this sin hidden.

00:22:50.779 --> 00:22:51.779
 It wasn't until

00:22:51.779 --> 00:22:52.859
 it was pointed out

00:22:52.859 --> 00:22:53.720
 and lanced

00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:54.500
 like a boil,

00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:55.720
 like a stab wound

00:22:55.720 --> 00:22:56.660
 into a plastic bottle

00:22:56.660 --> 00:22:57.339
 filled with food

00:22:57.339 --> 00:22:57.779
 colouring,

00:22:58.500 --> 00:22:59.559
 did the gunk

00:22:59.559 --> 00:23:00.419
 start pouring out

00:23:00.419 --> 00:23:01.859
 the secretiveness,

00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:03.240
 the evasiveness.

00:23:05.059 --> 00:23:05.959
 But it took

00:23:05.959 --> 00:23:06.859
 that initial

00:23:06.859 --> 00:23:07.859
 stab wound

00:23:07.859 --> 00:23:08.779
 and confrontation

00:23:08.779 --> 00:23:09.659
 with what was

00:23:09.659 --> 00:23:10.059
 inside.

00:23:11.179 --> 00:23:12.339
 I need Jesus

00:23:12.339 --> 00:23:13.099
 to keep piercing

00:23:13.099 --> 00:23:13.779
 my soul,

00:23:14.059 --> 00:23:14.779
 getting between

00:23:14.779 --> 00:23:15.659
 my ribs,

00:23:16.159 --> 00:23:16.759
 my armour

00:23:16.759 --> 00:23:17.480
 that I set up

00:23:17.480 --> 00:23:17.879
 to pretend

00:23:17.879 --> 00:23:18.419
 that I'm actually

00:23:18.419 --> 00:23:19.159
 a good guy

00:23:19.159 --> 00:23:21.459
 so that I can

00:23:21.459 --> 00:23:21.919
 be made

00:23:21.919 --> 00:23:22.919
 more like Jesus.

00:23:22.920 --> 00:23:25.980
 God's work

00:23:25.980 --> 00:23:26.820
 when it

00:23:26.820 --> 00:23:27.539
 pierces

00:23:27.539 --> 00:23:28.519
 causes a

00:23:28.519 --> 00:23:29.039
 response.

00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:30.320
 You can't

00:23:30.320 --> 00:23:31.060
 stay indifferent

00:23:31.060 --> 00:23:31.600
 to Jesus

00:23:31.600 --> 00:23:32.220
 at that moment.

00:23:32.440 --> 00:23:32.940
 You will either

00:23:32.940 --> 00:23:33.940
 fall on your

00:23:33.940 --> 00:23:34.700
 knees and

00:23:34.700 --> 00:23:35.080
 repent

00:23:35.080 --> 00:23:36.180
 for what is

00:23:36.180 --> 00:23:36.779
 coming out

00:23:36.779 --> 00:23:38.320
 or you're

00:23:38.320 --> 00:23:38.519
 going to

00:23:38.519 --> 00:23:39.360
 slap sticky

00:23:39.360 --> 00:23:40.100
 tape on it.

00:23:40.300 --> 00:23:40.519
 You're going

00:23:40.519 --> 00:23:41.279
 to build

00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:41.960
 bandages

00:23:41.960 --> 00:23:42.840
 around yourself.

00:23:43.300 --> 00:23:43.480
 You're going

00:23:43.480 --> 00:23:43.860
 to build

00:23:43.860 --> 00:23:44.420
 walls

00:23:44.420 --> 00:23:45.480
 to try

00:23:45.480 --> 00:23:46.259
 and protect

00:23:46.259 --> 00:23:46.779
 yourself.

00:23:46.779 --> 00:23:48.579
 But we

00:23:48.579 --> 00:23:49.099
 don't need

00:23:49.099 --> 00:23:49.519
 to protect

00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:49.879
 ourselves

00:23:49.879 --> 00:23:50.279
 because we

00:23:50.279 --> 00:23:50.579
 have a

00:23:50.579 --> 00:23:51.079
 God who

00:23:51.079 --> 00:23:52.019
 has died

00:23:52.019 --> 00:23:53.220
 to protect

00:23:53.220 --> 00:23:53.660
 us.

00:23:55.319 --> 00:23:56.039
 As we

00:23:56.039 --> 00:23:56.500
 come to

00:23:56.500 --> 00:23:56.899
 the end

00:23:56.899 --> 00:23:57.139
 of the

00:23:57.139 --> 00:23:57.579
 decade,

00:23:58.460 --> 00:23:59.619
 the 2010s

00:23:59.619 --> 00:24:00.220
 are closing

00:24:00.220 --> 00:24:00.579
 out,

00:24:01.420 --> 00:24:02.240
 it is important

00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:03.279
 to take a

00:24:03.279 --> 00:24:03.799
 moment and

00:24:03.799 --> 00:24:04.139
 stop,

00:24:04.819 --> 00:24:05.339
 to spend

00:24:05.339 --> 00:24:06.039
 some time

00:24:06.039 --> 00:24:06.839
 doing business

00:24:06.839 --> 00:24:07.420
 with God

00:24:07.420 --> 00:24:08.660
 and seeing

00:24:08.660 --> 00:24:09.519
 what our

00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:10.139
 hearts are

00:24:10.139 --> 00:24:10.740
 like and not

00:24:10.740 --> 00:24:11.240
 just assuming

00:24:11.240 --> 00:24:11.680
 that everything

00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:12.339
 will be fine.

00:24:13.559 --> 00:24:14.119
 There's no

00:24:14.119 --> 00:24:14.619
 point going

00:24:14.619 --> 00:24:15.579
 into the 2020s

00:24:15.579 --> 00:24:15.879
 with a

00:24:15.880 --> 00:24:16.800
 heart full

00:24:16.800 --> 00:24:17.340
 of arrogance

00:24:17.340 --> 00:24:18.000
 and sin

00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:18.500
 and sexual

00:24:18.500 --> 00:24:19.040
 immorality

00:24:19.040 --> 00:24:20.000
 and selfishness.

00:24:21.080 --> 00:24:21.560
 Book some

00:24:21.560 --> 00:24:22.400
 time over

00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:22.840
 the next

00:24:22.840 --> 00:24:23.280
 couple of

00:24:23.280 --> 00:24:24.440
 days to

00:24:24.440 --> 00:24:24.800
 do some

00:24:24.800 --> 00:24:25.300
 business with

00:24:25.300 --> 00:24:25.580
 God.

00:24:26.260 --> 00:24:26.920
 It's likely

00:24:26.920 --> 00:24:29.100
 that a lot

00:24:29.100 --> 00:24:29.480
 of us have

00:24:29.480 --> 00:24:30.580
 time before

00:24:30.580 --> 00:24:31.240
 Sydney kicks

00:24:31.240 --> 00:24:31.760
 back in.

00:24:32.800 --> 00:24:33.480
 I want to

00:24:33.480 --> 00:24:34.220
 congratulate you

00:24:34.220 --> 00:24:34.560
 all on

00:24:34.560 --> 00:24:35.100
 remembering what

00:24:35.100 --> 00:24:35.880
 day it was

00:24:35.880 --> 00:24:36.540
 to come to

00:24:36.540 --> 00:24:37.040
 church today.

00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:37.560
 It's often

00:24:37.560 --> 00:24:38.120
 hard between

00:24:38.120 --> 00:24:38.740
 Christmas and

00:24:38.740 --> 00:24:39.280
 New Year's to

00:24:39.280 --> 00:24:39.640
 remember what

00:24:39.640 --> 00:24:40.200
 day it is.

00:24:41.220 --> 00:24:41.580
 But it's

00:24:41.580 --> 00:24:42.160
 likely that we've

00:24:42.160 --> 00:24:42.540
 got a little

00:24:42.540 --> 00:24:43.080
 bit of time.

00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:45.500
 Go and spend

00:24:45.500 --> 00:24:45.960
 some time

00:24:45.960 --> 00:24:46.500
 with God.

00:24:47.460 --> 00:24:48.200
 Ask him,

00:24:48.420 --> 00:24:48.859
 God,

00:24:49.880 --> 00:24:50.680
 pierce my

00:24:50.680 --> 00:24:51.000
 soul.

00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:52.839
 Let me

00:24:52.839 --> 00:24:54.200
 know how

00:24:54.200 --> 00:24:54.680
 I need to

00:24:54.680 --> 00:24:55.019
 change.

00:24:55.099 --> 00:24:55.539
 Ask for

00:24:55.539 --> 00:24:55.839
 help from

00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:56.220
 a friend.

00:24:56.799 --> 00:24:57.059
 If you

00:24:57.059 --> 00:24:57.519
 invite a

00:24:57.519 --> 00:24:57.859
 friend,

00:24:58.640 --> 00:24:58.900
 they will

00:24:58.900 --> 00:24:59.339
 tell you.

00:25:01.200 --> 00:25:02.500
 Ask God

00:25:02.500 --> 00:25:02.960
 and ask

00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:03.299
 your friend,

00:25:03.380 --> 00:25:03.539
 God,

00:25:03.700 --> 00:25:04.779
 what is the

00:25:04.779 --> 00:25:05.740
 one biggest

00:25:05.740 --> 00:25:06.700
 sin that I

00:25:06.700 --> 00:25:07.420
 need to

00:25:07.420 --> 00:25:09.900
 confront to

00:25:09.900 --> 00:25:10.519
 leave in

00:25:10.519 --> 00:25:11.259
 this decade

00:25:11.259 --> 00:25:12.680
 before I

00:25:12.680 --> 00:25:14.079
 start 2020?

00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:16.179
 take a

00:25:16.179 --> 00:25:16.399
 look at

00:25:16.399 --> 00:25:16.819
 your sin,

00:25:17.740 --> 00:25:18.299
 own it

00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:19.000
 and acknowledge

00:25:19.000 --> 00:25:19.399
 that it's

00:25:19.399 --> 00:25:21.079
 yours and

00:25:21.079 --> 00:25:21.579
 that Jesus

00:25:21.579 --> 00:25:22.359
 came to

00:25:22.359 --> 00:25:22.799
 get rid of

00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:23.980
 it so

00:25:23.980 --> 00:25:24.480
 that we

00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:25.059
 could have

00:25:25.059 --> 00:25:25.599
 peace,

00:25:26.039 --> 00:25:26.639
 trusting in

00:25:26.639 --> 00:25:27.399
 him and

00:25:27.399 --> 00:25:27.879
 peace with

00:25:27.879 --> 00:25:29.500
 him because

00:25:29.500 --> 00:25:30.220
 he loves us

00:25:30.220 --> 00:25:30.619
 and he died

00:25:30.619 --> 00:25:31.019
 for us.

00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:31.779
 Let me pray

00:25:31.779 --> 00:25:32.199
 for us.

00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:42.319
 with

00:25:42.319 --> 00:25:42.740
 peace

00:25:42.740 --> 00:25:44.180
 of

00:25:44.180 --> 00:25:46.279
 him

00:25:46.279 --> 00:25:56.340
 too