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December 25, 2021 3:00 am
Old man met the baby Jesus. He praised God in song. His words express the theme of the entire Bible and today on Truth for Life. We can we celebrate the good news that the Savior is born. Here's Alastair back with a message titled salvation's song. Our study comes from the gospel of Luke chapter 2 verses 25 to 35. Salvation is picture were as white application that expresses essentially the idea of rescue.
My salvation is used in a specific sense, as we find it here in the Bible and this is what it is referencing.
It is an expression of the good news.
The good news of what God did for us in the incarnate Christ in order to save us from sin, the devil, and death, and that is the significance of the amazing statement that we find in made by Simeon here in chapter 2 of Luke in verse 30.
In particular, he says my eyes have seen your salvation, possibly mean by that of all the things that are said when you take a newborn baby into your arms. You will have said all kinds of things. I'm sure as I have done often out of embarrassment.
We don't know what to say and so we just say my as his mother's nose or look at his cheeks are. Can you believe how much star Carrie has a whatever else it is, but for Simeon. He had no doubt what he was going to say you need to remind yourself of what we are told about Simeon in verse 25 he was a man he lived in Jerusalem. His name was Simeon he was Roches and he was devout and he was actually waiting people have said when you waiting for Simeon he reset I'm waiting for the consolation of Israel, did he mean by that.
I'm waiting for the promises that God has made to his people to be fulfilled. There is a king who is coming. There is a prophet is coming. There is a priest who is coming somehow or another the kingship in the prophetic role and the role of priest is going to be amalgamated is going to be unified in one person, and that's what I'm waiting for people to say where you get all that stuff.
Ronnie said from reading my Bible I just been reading my Bible and is all there. That's why I'm here, I'm waiting on.
Furthermore, the Holy Spirit has told me that I won't die until I see this promised salvation.
This is a promise. Salvation is a prepared salvation, and so when the father and mother come in and he takes the baby Jesus in his arms, he says my eyes have seen your salvation, and it is salvation which is the theme of each of the songs we been considering but actually, we can see better than that because salvation is not simply the theme of these songs. It is the theme of the entire Bible. Because when you read the Old Testament, you discover that there are these amazing pictures that are provided of nothing other than salvation. So what is the story of Noah and the art is a fiber God has come to people who have rebelled against him and he is said, I have provided for you a place of safety and salvation if you will listen to my servant, Noah, and get in the art.
What is the story of the Exodus from Egypt. When God's people are set free from the charging hordes of Pharaoh and his armies and they pass through the Red Sea in safety is a story of salvation. What is the story of Gideon and his depleted little army of 300 and being victorious over the hordes that were against it is the story of salvation. Salvation is not the story of men and women saving ourselves doing our best and asking God to give us a hand. The story of salvation is the story of God doing for us what we are patently unable to do for ourselves, to speak save from sin and to be saved from the consequences of said so I said a moment or two ago. Salvation is our theme. The theme of these songs.
The theme of the Bible and what better theme could there be for some of you this will be a primer you have never actually thought along these lines for others of you will be a reminder. And here are your navigational aids for prepositions for from by and through you need to remember them. I will go through them one at a time. First of all, then for who is this salvation for all of your Bible is open, you can see that Simeon points that this was not an exclusive privilege for Israel but it was for the Gentiles to indeed.
It's interesting how the Gentiles come first, that God reverses things.
One of the great themes of Luke's gospel. Incidentally, how we reverses things people think he's going to go for the religious folks. He doesn't because were the religious folks people think he's going to go over the people are doing the best that he doesn't.
Because of the people are apparently doing their worst.
Here he says it is a light for the Gentiles, and it is for the glory of the people of Israel, but this is in keeping with the angel song as it was good news of great joy which will be for all the people once again we need to see in this and that your help.
In verse 31 by the little word prepared. There my as a senior salvation, which you have prepared. This isn't just, as it were, out of the blue. This is been part of God's Preparatory work.
So when you read the profits you come upon statements like Isaiah 49 six where God says I will make you as a light for the nations to be my salvation unto the end of the to be my salvation for the nations to the ends of the earth, and that's why. Eventually, when God wraps everything up. It will be as we began our service with a great company that no one can number from every nation and tribe and people in language that the message of the gospel, the good news is universal is for everyone. It excludes nobody, nobody is left out. There's no people you go to and say all this good news is for you there's no one you can ever meet and have a coffee with and sick. While I don't need to tell you about this presiding.
You don't need to know you will want know is good news for everyone. It is for everyone. The good news of salvation transcends racial, social and cultural barriers to is for. Secondly, salvation for who salvation from what you've save me from economic collapse.
I understand it was economic collapse in which I needed to be saved.
You say, make driving round and round and round of the airport. I realize what you save me from what when the Bible talks about salvation. What is it on is very, very clear and we need just to go back to chapter 1 is one page or if you have the Bible open back to Zacharias song because he gives it to his perfectly here in verse 77 notice once again about the Preparatory work of God, this time in the work of John the Baptist. This child, John the Baptist is going to prepare the way for him and what is he going to duties going to give his people, the knowledge of salvation. And here's the key phrase through the forgiveness of their sins and see if you think about this, it makes sense that this salvation is for everyone because everyone is in need of a Savior. At least everyone I have ever met is in need of a Savior. You may have met somebody who is not in need of a Savior, but I doubt because the Bible tells us that there is no one who is not in need of a Savior. And if we are honest, we recognize we don't love God with all our hearts. We don't serve them as our Creator and our king whenever my heart clings to, and which I entrust myself. That is really my God. An idol is anything other than God that we regard as essential to our peace, our self-image or contentment, or our acceptability.
If I were to be acceptable as I was going to be if I'm going to know peace.
This is where I must worship on so long, and these are heart level substitutes for God. And when you worship a heart level.
Substitutes for God, you end up with a heart level substitute salvation and cannot satisfy. That's the reason for the salvation provided in Jesus.
What the Bible says is that the true and living God, the Creator of the universe who stands outside of time, who created time itself, who created every person, every creature on the planet that this blog is Creator. He knows how life works. He knows how society may be ordered in justice and in righteousness, and all of that transformation of life and family and future all of that infusion and discovery of hope in a world that is increasingly hopeless is to be found in the accomplishment provided in the transforming power of Jesus the servant and that is again what you find when you go back into the profits.
I'm going to leave that to you for your homework right away here much longer than any of us want to be but if you look back and you read, for example, Isaiah chapter 42 and you read there of the servant of God and let me tell you what the servant does is what it says. He opens our eyes from blindness he frees us from prison and he releases us from the dungeon and summons is alive and no interest in that I can see clearly are not trapped by anything or anyone I I'm not living in a dungeon really in or find yourself saying if I if I could only turn back time. I can only be set free from this I feel as though I'm trapped.
I feel as though there is no possibility of me getting out.
There's no hope for the future and when I look behind me. I'm just 10 stands behind everyone and everything.
That's what Jesus came to do. That's why when Simeon takes the baby in his arms. He doesn't just say oh what a lovely little babies. As my eyes have seen your salvation. Easy because the people in in the day of Simeon thought they knew what they needed to be saved from the way people today the Jewish people thought that what he needed was salvation from the oppression of Rome. If only the political structures of their lives could be sorted out, and these Roman people could be vanquished, then they could live in peace and in tranquility I may be all the time. That's what they think we could just get a few things sorted out here. If I can change my boss if I could get rid of a couple people from the sales team. If you get the political things sorted out a few economic things. I just be absolutely super just I just be sitting there saying yes let me have another slice of cheesecake and untrue large pieces of ice cream with it as well. I'm all set. But if you've ever driven in your car and being honest with yourself. If you never put your head on your pillow at night and thought about stuff, then you may have concluded, as I and others have concluded, and certainly as as CS Lewis quite marvelously concluded that the real dungeon in which we find ourselves the real liberation we need is a liberation from the corruption and from the squalor of our own hearts that the real problem we have is not an economic problem is not an intellectual problem is not an educational problem is actually a problem of idolatry, salvation from what salvation from sin. Sin, yes, the human declaration of independence from God, and the suppression of the truth of God. Thirdly, and quickly by if that is the human predicament and humanity is unable to extricate itself. What possible hope is that that's the good news is even good news is good news was we've understood the bad news and it is because the bad news is so seldom conveyed to people that they reject the good news is it all sound so trivial and it is not the responsibility of the teacher or the preacher to convince people of how bad they are. That is the responsibility of God who shines into our lives is light and goes into the nukes and crannies of our conscience and brings us to the point like CS Lewis when we see you know I decided to examine myself and I found out that really my heart is corrupt that my heart is selfish and then this good news is now Paul put it in one verse in Ephesians chapter 2 is verse eight is by grace, he said that you have been saved through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Salvation by grace we need salvation were unable to make amends for ourselves. And here's the great news. And here is how the Christmas part of the Easter parts fit together just when it seems hopeless. We discover another one against whom we have offended by filling our lives with substitute guards that one has provided in Jesus the atonement that our sin has made necessary and the story of Easter is the story of God bringing together of reconciling two parties that are at war with each other.
God in his righteous anger against sin and you're not to think about is some capricious firing outburst. You should think of God's righteous anger in the way that a very good surgical oncologist here will attack the cancer if he discovers it in your body you will attack it fiercely because he wants it to be removed because of his love for you and is interested in you.
That is God's reaction to sin.
He is opposed to. We are opposed to go. Worshiping ourselves or herself or our success or whatever it might be even good thing and there is a great standoff and nicely takes the initiative in the standoff. These parties will be polarized forever for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Here's the good news not by works of righteousness, not by turning over a new leaf, not by losing myself in some great cause. Make all know by finding in myself the answers, but rather by looking away. Grace means that God mercifully provides for us instruction and redemption. Finally, final preposition salvation for whom all the nations, all the people from what from our sinful rebellion against God by what by God's grace through what, through faith.
People talk about faith all the time.
The terminal I just have to get my faith going.
What is that mean like starting your car in the morning or I just have a tremendous amount of faith. Faith in what I just faith is. But faith is nothing. Faith is simply a conduit.
Faith is not an entity is much we got a little pond in our neighborhood were walking pricing yesterday. Some of us in some similar skate on the pond thing.
So another person, but I have a tremendous amount of faith is I don't care much faith you've got you 170 pounds and the pond is only frozen 2387 inch faith will not save you that faith will bring you go. But if we walk down the street and the pond was frozen to two to a depth of 3 feet, then anyone was all of us could have gone skating on the poor is not the amount of faith is the foundation on the basis of faith.
And when Paul says that you are seeing salvation by grace God's intervention through faith and that not of yourselves, he says that even the whole experience of turning from myself to God is actually wrapped up in his gracious favor.
Although the offer of salvation is universal.
It is clearly not received by everyone indiscriminately or automatically is offered universally but it is not just received automatic.
Some people say that you have hair that is the Christmas story and you walk out and you just feel there's a missing link. And you're right there is the story goes something like this was, or whether you came here for Christmas and I know you perhaps been reading the Old Testament, God was really ticked off in the Old Testament, but we are now in the New Testament than these really feeling a lot better about everything and also about you and I know you made a complete hash of everything but it doesn't matter. He doesn't care. Just go out and enjoy yourself and have another oregano you walk on the doors anatomy any sentimental in your dendrite doesn't know you see story is that I have offended against God, and that on account of his kindness he has pursued me through my friends through my family through my books through my songs through my church through my university education through my disappointments through my failures through all the bits and pieces that make up the me that is me. I suddenly look and I see it almost appears as though he has been following me down right to this moment. Yes, he has and what is the offer to you. He offers to you a gift and that gift has to be received. If you go home and read this passage again, you will realize that there is no sense in which everybody is swept up in this and fight the Simeon says in his song that this child will be responsible for the rising and falling of many in Israel and he will be a dividing line on the one side of the line we keep them at arms length.
On the other side of the line. We welcome into our lives the way Simeon welcomed him into his arms. On the one side wins old ourselves and say we have no need of him.
On the other side we debase ourselves and say we have every need of the storyline of the Bible is the storyline of God calling us to himself by grace through faith.
What happened to me yesterday. I hope you one thing.
This is a contrived sermon illustration.
It did actually happen. I have eyewitnesses to let you know that it did. I was sitting adjacent to the Christmas tree and I laid down in this we box was sitting under the tree.
Just my right hand and I and I picked it up and it has an envelope in it and I pulled into the site. This is Allie on all I said that's fantastic. I said that there's there's one that I have an open I still have known that I know is in it.
I shook it and I can lose these very easily with a five iron three are 90 islands. All my guy so I need to open it to find out what it is but III thought to myself I wonder if there won't just be somebody there tomorrow morning at Parkside and they suddenly it dawns on you: on there's one I haven't opened the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ his son, for whom for whom. For whoever believes in him that includes you and me. From what from our God.
Substitutes from our suppression of the truth by what by his amazing grace and kindness, not by anything we've done, and through what through reaching out and simply says I accept when you offered and I embrace you the way Simeon embraced you and I look upon you, Lord Jesus Christ, and I say today hey my eyes have seen your salvation, and in the life that is embraced by going in that way. Things change. Prior to that. The Bible says that we are without hope and without God in the world.
We may not feel that all day every day.
But eventually, when we look out on our lives we say I don't really know if this is going anywhere. I don't even know what this means and and not not because of our disappointments that often on the basis of our success. But when we are born again to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, then all of our lives are we oriented around the wonderful God is not so instead of being whole glass.
We are hopeful. If this message of salvation is as has been outlined than I should not idea or not stand at arms length to such an amazing offer to search wonderful good news.
I dare leave is aware under the tree and on open gift, especially with my name no one listening today will leave God's gift of salvation on this Christmas Talisker bag with the concluding message from our series titled songs for a Savior listing to Truth for Life weekend. Now as you begin to think about the start of a new year. Maybe you started thinking about how you will spend more time with God. In 2022.
Today we want to recommend a book that we believe will help you with that. It's a book titled piercing heaven and its collection of Puritan prayers that will help jumpstart your prayer life. This is a great book to use for your own personal prayer time or as you meet for prayer with a partner or in your small group, you can find out more about the book piercing heaven. When you visit us online at Truth for Life.or a bubble team on behalf of our entire team here at Truth for Life. We wish you a blessed and joyful Christmas weekend. These join us next weekend as we start the year 2022. In Psalm 121 discover where we look when we need help.
The Bible teaching of Talisker bag is furnished by Truth for Life with morning is fully