The Presentation of the Lamb

For you to say this is what running the race means to sit this one out. If obeying God leads to this kind of misunderstanding or hurts nevermind and I'm sure God doesn't mind if doing the right thing causes me such discomfort. Surely God will understand my way though, you need to understand. Eight days into this this backdrop of life long discomfort. Joseph and Mary will not miss derive from the well known facts about Jesus birth was born in a manger in Bethlehem.

His mother was a virgin. He was worshiped by onlooking shepherds, Angels announced his birth to those nearby, but it's possible that for many people, their knowledge and worship of Jesus ends with those stories today. Stephen Devi begins a series called beyond Bethlehem is going to take us on an investigation of the boyhood of Jesus. This investigation will broaden our understanding of his life and consequently increase our reasons to worship today's lesson is called the presentation of the land fiberglass. The average Christian what happened, Joseph and Marion baby Jesus. After the shepherds left the manger scene. What happened next. Many would perhaps say honestly, I'm not sure because they did the normal Christmas pageant ends in verse 20 public to shepherds when back glorifying and praising God for all the heard and seen just as had been told good closes, Jesus will emerge from obscurity at his baptism the most part, those of the texts that will deal with in fact, in just a few short months will be celebrating his crucifixion and his resurrection. Nothing wrong with that but there is something there are some things that happened after that. Now, obviously, we do have a challenge we we face the fact that God the father. Evidently left much of what could have been recorded about God the son's life between his birth and ministry off the pages of the record of Scripture.

He wisely know if you think about it that we have enough trouble grasping or even coming close to seizing some measure of the truth of God becoming a baby when I real trouble with considering God is a four-year-old or a seven-year-old eight-year-old 16-year-old, 20-year-old, perhaps for that reason.

Knowing that in the human heart mystery can so often turn in the mysticism and myth and misinterpretation.

The Lord left it so the church unfortunately has come along and spoken word. God is been silent in the third and fourth centuries, you have the documentation of wives tales and myths and legends in what's called apocryphal writings, apocryphal means hidden and it came to mean spurious sword, dubious, and then really what they were was a cataloging of Bob's story is that bolstered the corrupting churches views of a number of things like purgatory and praying to Mary or the same sin and these apocryphal writings would support that they had nothing to do with Scripture, and one particular apocryphal book the infancy Gospel of Thomas attempts to fill in the gaps of what happened when Jesus was a boy course takes you away off the tracks of truth. So what does the Bible record about the boyhood of Jesus.

Some remarkable things not as silent as the average shot Christmas pageant may imply effect. Eight days after his birth. Some wonderful events began to unfold in the life of Mary and Joseph and Jesus so let's go to verse 21 verse 21 and when eight days had passed before his circumcision. His name was then called Jesus the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb networking to see three ceremonies that either directly or indirectly involved.

Jesus in their gonna reveal probably more about Mary and Joseph than they do Jesus, but there will be significant as they allow him to fulfill the law even as an infant. The first ceremony we call the ceremony of identification eight days after Mary delivered. Jesus, every Jewish baby boy him included would be circumcised, that is, if the babies parents cared to be identified with the people of God.

Circumcision brought the boy into the national life of the Hebrew people and it identified him as one who is acknowledging the sign in the token of the covenant.

It was commanded in Genesis 17. In fact, had Jesus not been circumcised.

He would not identify with his people. Even though his parents were descendents of Abraham. So this is this is really a statement of faith. Marion and Joseph are following God's word related to the Abraham a covenant about fulfilling this command, and they they set the scene. They set the stage for Jesus Christ to be eligible to fulfill the promises that God had pledged to Abraham for every faithful Jewish family. Circumcision was considered so sacred a duty, it was allowed to be accomplished on the Sabbath if that was the eighth day after the boys were Jewish doctor to be a rabbi to be someone train would simply cut away the foreskin would be during the simple ceremony where the name of the child would be bestowed in this dedicatory ceremony upon the baby they would announce his painful cry of our Lord pierced the air caused me to consider the fact that this is the first moment of suffering at the hand of mankind for having come a man. These are among his first tiers at having taken on human flesh his humiliation and his suffering had already begun at a day before Joseph and Mary also suffering dazed there ostracized confused or alone.

These two teenagers, Mary. Certainly Joseph may been a little older if travel to Bethlehem under a cloud of suspicion. All because of the will of God.

It's been a whirlwind.

Their lives have only recently been upended and is already taken an angel, a couple of visits to convince Joseph to follow through this betrothal. And take Mary to be your wife. She really has conceived of the Holy Spirit listen. There will be no wedding ceremony there will be no wedding celebration faster vans where the villain's celebrated those who probably the union of Joseph and Mary and that little baby is just one more! Exhibit on their guilt. They will never live it down. Rumors will never go away when Jesus Christ makes his claim to be the Messiah.

Jewish leaders import the dirt from the passing to go back to the files and pull this one off and they'll throw it back in Jesus's face, and though they will accuse him we are not born of fornication like you were like sure Haas we know where you got your start.

No representative of God.

Joseph and Mary fact it's already begun to move from courtyard to the cave some outdoor lean to stable and the humble quarters somewhere in Bethlehem while Joseph is given to God jobs to eke out an existence with the fewest tools in his calloused hand.

I want you to know this, even though they will never be viewed by the Jewish community as credible, godly obedience, sons and daughters of Abraham, they will still identify their's son is a son of Abraham to circumcision. They are gonna refuse to acquiesce to perception and even though the people of God would not identify with them. They will identify with the people of God taught about courage couldn't help but think about us, watch them carefully identifying Jesus with the law of God, and you ask yourself what does it take to keep you from obeying from submitting, surrendering to the word of God. Accusation criticism mockery, pain, loss, failure, abandonment, we will.

They got on that campus even though to obey means you invite ridicule, will you forfeit a relationship as you pursue the holiness of God and recognize that relationship is against the word of God. We will identify with the people of any more people at your job even know what you today or will that be a little secret is, I think that I'm a fanatic are imbalanced and so that's really all what is it take for you to say you know if this is what running the race means I sit this one out. If obeying God leads to this kind of misunderstanding or hurts or or accusation or mistreatment nevermind and I'm sure God doesn't mind if doing the right thing causes me such discomfort.

Surely God will understand that I would see need understand. Eight days into this. This is the backdrop this backdrop of life long discomfort. Joseph and Mary will not miss one step on the eighth day they bring forward the little boy and they deliver a message. Even though everybody believes the boys illegitimate.

The result of fornication. Here's the message. Our family and this boy will identify with the people of God. We will follow the word of God.

We will obey the will of a notice in verse 21 Luke writes his name was then called Jesus at the ceremony of identification. He is given this name. This was a name chosen for him, the angel attended both Mary and Jesus to confirm the both of them.

This was the name they were to give him.

I do understand the significance of this name you got travel back to the first person in the Bible that have the name I'll give you few clues. He was a young man at the time his name was changed to this name.

He was born into slavery. In fact, for his parents to give him his given name, which was how Shay that was a statement of faith because in man's salvation. Can you imagine slave parents in Egypt under Pharaoh naming their son worried I get out of this was a statement of faith little boy grew, caught the attention of Moses became his assistant and Moses changed his name from O'Shea to Yehoshua simply took some names of the great name Yahweh and he will owe them into some of the letters or the letters of Yahweh. Some of the letters of his name and he created Yehoshua Jehovah is salvation. The name is shortened to Joshua, the Greek counterpart is yes you what Jesus and with size for us. It carried the idea that this person so name would be the agent of salvation he would be the deliverer in the hundreds of little boys running around his room when Jesus was born had the name Yeshua's very common name cases Jesus they been given that because her moms and dads had the notion that maybe our little boy would have something to do with the deliverance of the people of God, but this one would he was the agent of salvation.

Jehovah is salvation that he was Jehovah and he is salvation. I couldn't help but wonder who was at the ceremony to hear the announcement of his name. Typically this would be a festive event family and extended family would all be there in my minds eye I see Mary, Joseph and a man trained circumcision. That's it in the breathing name stolen him the name Jesus. I wonder if the Jewish doctor stifled a yawn home one more one more false hope on more dream hundreds. It was a rabbi who would shake his head at the audacity this young couple obviously bearing a child without any any references or attending family members there alone. There evidently from all appearances that conceived this one and send. How could this one. Deliver any see my friend. You talk about the humiliation of the incarnation is a story we rarely look at became without fanfare is alone now with his parents in this performance of circumcision. This right of identification of festivity he's given the name Jesus. And I can imagine the attendant thought, you've got to be kidding now under the knife into the covenant, the deliverer has been identified with his people whether they recognized it or not Joseph and Mary and their eight-day-old son still whimpering pain go back to some undisclosed rented property to eke out there exist, there's another ceremony. The ceremony of redemption. Look at verse 22 when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord that you go back in the Bible, we will, for the sake of time today to Leviticus chapter 12 we discover that the days of purification for a new mother of a male child was 40 days law prescribed carefully that she course would be to file because of the issue in the blood she would for seven days, weight, and then on the eighth day with her baby and husband go and have the ceremony of identification performed in the stone of the name 33 days later, on the 40th day to be the earliest day she could go to a priest the local priest and with her husband. They could pay five shekels and redeem him from priestly service. They were effectively buying their sons service from God. This is called the redemption of the firstborn. I wonder if they had any idea of the irony of the ceremony. They are buying Jesus, as it were from God when Jesus had come to buy people for God amazing to me there to redeeming the Redeemer and I want to notice again. Just a moment there there adding to their poverty.

They didn't have much to begin with. They've Artie had to pay the census tax.

They've had support themselves as they journeyed to Bethlehem.

Now I gotta pay five shekels, so the will of God is taxing it is tiring it is uncomfortable. It is not easy. It is expensive and it is a lot going for them but they were God's chosen couple to bear and raise the Redeemer, but so far God has not paid them anything but but a few angelic visits and it seems that there paying you also need to understand for them. The cost was not the issue. Obedience was in there willing to meet and pay the demands of obedience. Beyond that, Joseph and Mary were not required by law to go to Jerusalem to pay this tax. They could've given five shekels to a local priest and save the wear and tear, but they're going to do it at the 40th day we went when it would allow Mary beyond her being defiled to go to the center of worship and they were effectively paying the priests because our son will not grow up they understand they were paying to redeem the high priest.

I doubt it.

They would grow into their understanding, but in her childlike faith that they want to go to the center of worship in the present, the Savior to the sovereign. There representing God to God. They are presenting the sons of the father. There are going with the object of our worship to the house of worship, they are bringing the Lord of the temple into the temple of the Lord, all the activity going on around as Mary stood in the court of women with Joseph next door holding the baby.

This was the system, the God designed here, God becomes flesh. He comes to live among us. And guess what, as many as received him to them. He gives the right to become babies belonging to God, the prices paid by this this one who will grow up to be crucified so that we can become newborn infants, babies belonging to our triune God. So far, Mary and Joseph have carefully followed all that the law required and more so, they've attended the ceremony of identification. The ceremony of redemption is one more ceremony here. The ceremony of purification ceremony of purification according to the laws of mentioned Mary was unclean. Following the birth of Jesus.

After 40 days she would be required to take to the local priest to sacrifices she could bring a lamb and a bird. She didn't have the money to birds. They would atone for her defilement. One sacrifice atone for her defilement, having delivered a child having issue touched blood. As you know, the Old Testament system would've called consider them unclean for a period of time. The second that is the turtledove or the pigeon would've restored her communion with God and allowed her to participate in the temple which she doesn't want to stay in Bethlehem and do that with a lot of she wants to go to the temple. She wants to have communion. The very place where people are commuting through atonement with God, but you need to stop for a moment and understand the idea that Mary was above the need for atonement that that Mary was above defilement that she lived some kind of perfect sinless life is outside of Scripture clearly Scripture finds her following the law. She is in need of atonement. She was in need of sacrifice. She has been defiled by the birth of her son. In fact, bearing the perfect sinless son of God into the world did not make her sinless.

It actually defiled. She had to be atone for.

She couldn't afford to buy a lamb not even sure she fully realized she had brought the Lamb the Lamb for the final offering with that the finished these 3 Ceremonies Have Taken Pl. and they might've slipped out of the temple and on their way back. Had God not designed to witness is to be on hand to testify, probably more for encouraging them than anybody else would, on time today. Let me just briefly mention one simian animal come a little later on tell everybody about it. Simian shows up first.

Luke tells us in verse 25 that Simeon was a righteous and devout man looking for the consolation that is the advocate the Council of the defendants of Israel know some scholars believe that Simeon was the son of the famous Rabbi Hillel and that he was also the father of Gamaliel, the tutor of the apostle Paul Simeon would be the leading member affect the president of the Sanhedrin in A.D. 13 and it's very intriguing that the Mishnah which was the Jewish commenter on life and processes related to stories and accomplishments of their Sanhedrin presidents and leading rabbis accept this man. He's absent. No mention of Simeon Y, probably because he placed his faith in Jesus Christ and that would be an embarrassment to the Sanhedrin.

In fact, Simeon had been told by God that he wouldn't die until he had seen the Messiah with his own eyes. So he comes to the temple, time and time again and he's probably looking around he wanted to.

Maybe that's maybe nestling is over and he meets the couple's as was the baby's name.

Now that's not it.

Oh there's a couple with it. What's a girl now overhears of there's a little boy with what's his name, who are you the one day after day after day with the indication application is an old man and the Spirit says to him on this day Simeon, now would be a great day to go to the temple and just hang just watch it goes to the temple. The text tells us that verse 27 when he came in the Spirit into the temple. The parents brought in the child Jesus to carry out from the custom of the law that he took him into his arms and he blasts God. This was the one animal come later start rejoicing with them. What incredible joy.

What incredible motion. What a disturbance of the peace at the arrival of the Prince of peace.

People would stop the curious thing that probably walked away thinking that's ridiculous that that's that that's the strangest thing I've ever heard that Simeon he says in verse 29 now, Lord, you are releasing your bondservant to depart in peace, according to your word for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the presence of all peoples. The light of revelation to the Gentiles in the glory of your people Israel effectively literally saying I have seen with my eyes. Salvation yes you I can now die in peace. By the way there's truth in this was all none of us are ready to die until we have seen with the eyes of faith. Yes, you until we have received the truth of Christ into our lives. We are not ready or not ready to die. Are you prepared today to die you are not into you believe in this one.

Who is Jehovah salvation deliver advocate counsel.

Yes, you Jesus Christ that is the Messiah. So here they are. Joseph, Mary Anna curious people maybe Simeon would let the baby go. Tears coursing down his cheeks began to pull away that I have in my minds, my imagination pull up to your looking down.

Perhaps you would see there in the court of women for adults. One of them holding a little baby.

Few people looking just the motion movements of the processes in the rituals. The priests and the animals. Hundreds of people milling around, coming and going all of it. Looking to all of and longing for all of it pointing this theory wanted come to die is the final sacrifice one would rip the curtain effectively top to bottom opening of the holy of holies, so that everyone Gentiles who see the light of revelation is really to accept the glory of Christ can come in bold and worship God the father. All because of this, and by the way, all because in these very early days.

A young couple. Isn't that amazing most of the people at the temple that day had no idea how significant it was that Jesus was there but we know and we worship that Jesus today and forever.

If you joined us part way through this broadcast you've tuned into wisdom for the heart. The teaching ministry of Stephen Davey.

This was less than one in a series Stevens calling beyond Bethlehem. Today's message is entitled the presentation of the Lamb. I hope God used it to help prepare your heart for Christmas. If you have an Apple, android or Windows phone.

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