In this inspirational Christmas-themed speech by Greg Laurie, he intertwines the stories of Simeon and Anna, lesser-known figures in the nativity story, with the core message of Jesus' birth and purpose. Delving deep into the significance of Christmas beyond the festive traditions, Laurie emphasizes the connection between Jesus' birth in a manger and his ultimate sacrifice on the cross for humanity's sins. Through anecdotes, humor, and Biblical teachings, the speech highlights the themes of faith, waiting with hope, living with purpose, and eagerly anticipating Jesus' return, culminating in a call to embrace Jesus as Savior and share his message with others.
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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - Jesus and the Expectant | December 14, 2025
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- Greg laurie: you know, it's interesting that the birth of
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- Jesus and the death of jesus are so close.
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- Death and christmas are linked together because he wasn't born
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- In a manger so we could sing christmas carols and wrap
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- Beautiful gifts and give them to one another, though i think
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- Those things are all wonderful and fine.
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- He was born in the manger to ultimately go to the cross and
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- Die for the sin of the world.
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- And we have to admit we are sinners in need of a savior
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- And jump into the open arms of jesus.
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- ♪ this is the day ♪
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- ♪ the day when life begins ♪
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- ♪ this is the day ♪
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- ♪ the day when life begins ♪♪
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- Greg: christmas is only days away now.
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- Let me take a quick poll.
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- How many of you are done with your christmas shopping,
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- Raise your hand?
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- Wow, impressive, all four of you.
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- There are a few more, few more, good.
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- How many of you are still in the midst of your
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- Christmas shopping, you're still doing it?
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- Okay good, how many, are you gonna shop today, today, maybe?
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- Okay, how many of you have not started your christmas shopping?
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- Wow, that's the majority.
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- How many of you are not doing any christmas shopping
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- Because you don't care?
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- There's always a guy, always a guy, and it's--right.
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- So, i looked this up, i was curious, what is the top gift
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- That wives give to their husbands at christmas, and
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- Number one, it's tech gadgets.
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- I though, that makes sense.
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- Also, they buy their husbands foot massagers.
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- Now, i've never had a foot massager and i've never wanted
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- One, and then also slim wallets.
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- That makes sense to me because guys end up with fat
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- Wallets, right?
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- Because, you know, we have nowhere else to put our stuff,
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- So we just shove it in the wallet.
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- Girls have all these little purses and things to
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- Carry around.
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- We just have a fat wallet.
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- Now, you might try to carry some version of a purse.
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- You might call it a murse, you might call it a satchel, but
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- You're going to be harassed by other guys.
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- It's a purse, right?
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- So we end up with fat wallets, so slim wallets.
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- Now, what do you think the number one gift that husbands
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- Give to wives during christmas is?
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- Take a guess.
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- Jewelry, that's right.
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- Jewelry, exactly.
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- Heard about a wife that said to her husband, "honey, i had
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- A dream last night, and in my dream you gave me a beautiful
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- Diamond necklace.
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- What do you think that dream means?"
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- He says, "wait until christmas day, and you'll know."
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- So, christmas day came and she saw a nice little box wrapped
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- Under the tree from her husband, she opened it up, and it was a
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- Book with the title, "how to interpret dreams,"
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- So apparently he missed the memo.
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- So if you can't wait until christmas, you're
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- Probably young.
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- If you can't wait for christmas to be over, then you're probably
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- Older, but i'm going to talk about two people that were
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- Waiting for christmas, two people that are an integral part
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- Of the christmas story, but yet very few have heard their names.
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- Of course, i'm not talking about joseph and mary.
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- I'm talking about rudolph the red-nosed reindeer and frosty
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- The snowman.
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- It's time to tell their story.
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- Not really.
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- No, i'm talking about two people with the names simeon and anna,
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- And actually, they're closer to the actual nativity story than
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- Even the wise men were.
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- Now, remember, i told you last time the wise men came later to
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- The house where jesus was, not the stable where the baby
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- Jesus was.
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- So i don't know if that was a year later, even two years
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- Later, but simeon and anna saw the newborn jesus eight days
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- After his birth in the temple.
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- So i want to look at the role they play in the
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- Christmas story.
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- So let's sort of set the timeline out so we'll know what
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- Happened chronologically.
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- Well, of course, the angel gabriel comes to a young girl
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- Named mary in the little town of nazareth.
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- Basically, mary was a nobody in a nobody town in the middle of
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- Nowhere, and by the way, nazareth was known
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- For wickedness.
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- It was known for immorality because it was one of those
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- Places you passed through when you were on your way from one
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- Place to another.
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- It was sort of the barstow of the bible, if you will, and i
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- Don't think anyone goes to barstow, but they go through
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- Barstow, and so--on the way to lake havasu or whatever, and so,
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- But it was also a place where roman soldiers would
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- Travel through.
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- So let's just put it this way, more than one young woman found
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- Herself pregnant outside of wedlock living in nazareth, and
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- That is why when nathaniel was told that jesus was from
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- Nazareth, he said, "can any good thing come out of nazareth?"
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- So here in the town known for immorality was a very moral
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- Woman, a young girl named mary, and she was going to fulfill
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- Bible prophecy.
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- Do you ever think she thought she would be the one who would
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- Be the spoken of in scripture?
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- I doubt that.
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- But the angel gabriel appeared to her.
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- It's a big deal when an angel shows up.
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- It's even a bigger deal when gabriel shows up.
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- Gabriel, a high ranking angel, found in both the old and new
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- Testament, comes to mary and says, "the holy spirit will come
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- Upon you, the power of the most high will overshadow you, and
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- The baby to be born will be holy, and will be called the son
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- Of god."
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- Now she has to break the news to joseph, who she is engaged to,
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- Espoused to.
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- Engagement was different in bible times.
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- The parents would generally decide who you were going
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- To marry.
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- You didn't decide.
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- Maybe we should go back to that. i don't know, but maybe not.
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- So it was decided when she was still a very young girl that she
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- Would marry this young man, joseph, and so they're waiting
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- For their wedding day still, and now mary comes to joseph and
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- Says she's pregnant, not shocking living in nazareth, but
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- She says, "actually, the angel gabriel came to me and told me
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- I'm going to be the mother of the messiah."
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- Joseph was probably thinking, "yeah, right."
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- Now, he loved mary, and--but he couldn't go on, and so he
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- Thought, "i'm just gonna put her away privately.
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- I'm not gonna make a big deal about this."
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- His heart was broken, but then an angel of the lord appeared to
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- Him and told him she was telling the truth, that she was to
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- Fulfill bible prophecy.
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- So now mary and joseph make their way, of course,
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- To bethlehem.
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- Why did they go to bethlehem?
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- Because a decree was given by caesar that everyone was to be
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- Taxed, so you had to go to your hometown, so to speak, where
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- Your ancestors came from.
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- They were both connected to king david, who you remember lived in
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- Bethlehem as well.
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- So it's just another night in bethlehem.
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- There were no lights strung on any buildings, no visions of
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- Sugar plums dancing in anyone's head, but human history was
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- About to change.
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- One person put it this way, quote, "history swings on the
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- Hinge of the door of a stable in bethlehem," end quote.
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- Now the creator is gonna enter our world in human form, and the
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- Message is gonna go out and be announced, and of course, we
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- Told you last time, it went to shepherds who were the lowest of
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- The low on the social ladder, not to caesar.
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- I was telling this story to my grandkids, and i mentioned that
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- Historians tell us caesar was rather small, 5 foot 7 inches
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- Tall, and my granddaughter lucy said, "like little caesar?"
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- Yeah, that's it.
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- Pizza pizza, right?
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- So she got that part pretty well.
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- But anyway, so the message is given now that the messiah has
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- Been born.
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- So eight days after his birth mary and joseph come into the
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- Temple to have him circumcised, and he--they run into the first
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- Character in our story, simeon, a godly man, eagerly waiting for
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- The messiah.
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- It's amazing how much faith simeon had, considering the fact
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- That israel had not heard from god for 400 years.
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- They had not seen a single miracle, no angelic appearance,
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- No prophet speaking on behalf of god,
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- 400 years of an icy silence, so to speak, from heaven, and
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- Suddenly this chain of events of the arrival of messiah are
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- Happening before them, and it was all according to god's
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- Timing because god tells us in galatians chapter 4, "when the
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- Time is just right, god sent forth his son, born of a woman,
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- Made under the law, to redeem those that are under the law."
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- When the time was just right.
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- So simeon was waiting.
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- He was waiting for christmas, effectively, waiting for christ,
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- Because it was revealed to him that he would not die until he
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- Had seen the messiah with his own eyes.
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- Sometimes you get a box ahead of time shipped to you, and it
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- Says, "do not open until christmas."
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- It was revealed to simeon he would not die until christmas,
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- So he was waiting patiently.
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- You know, we spend a lot of our lives waiting for things.
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- I looked this up, and i read that we spend six months to two
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- Years of our lives waiting, waiting in lines in amusement
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- Parks, in markets, at the dmv.
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- You know, people say they want more government involvement in
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- Our lives.
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- Have you been to the dmv lately?
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- Right, so we wait and wait.
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- They have these little signs in amusement park lines.
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- Now, if you're waiting at this point in the line, you will be
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- On the ride in one month, right?
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- So i almost like not knowing actually.
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- So we wait.
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- We spend a lot of time waiting at lights.
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- I've never seen so many lights, apart from the city of irvine.
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- Do you know what i'm talking about?
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- What is going on with the lights in irvine?
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- You know, the light goes green, and you never have enough time
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- To get to the next light, it just goes red, and then you sit
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- At lights.
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- I think i've spent three years of my life waiting at lights
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- In irvine.
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- And then we spend a lot of time waiting for other things.
- 00:10:56.345 --> 00:10:59.348
- So they were waiting.
- 00:10:59.348 --> 00:11:00.716
- Simeon and anna were patiently waiting, waiting to hear from
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- God, and simeon held on to the promises of god, given 400 years
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- Before the birth of christ, by the prophet malachi, who said,
- 00:11:12.528 --> 00:11:16.999
- "the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in his wings."
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- Even though that promise was 400 years old, he believed it.
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- He's listening.
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- He's waiting.
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- He's hearing from god.
- 00:11:28.844 --> 00:11:30.179
- That's a good thing.
- 00:11:30.179 --> 00:11:31.547
- Well, we should want to communicate with god more and
- 00:11:31.547 --> 00:11:34.150
- Hear from god more.
- 00:11:34.150 --> 00:11:35.584
- So old simeon hung on to the promises of god, and i encourage
- 00:11:35.584 --> 00:11:39.555
- You, hang on to god's promises.
- 00:11:39.555 --> 00:11:42.124
- They're true and they're trustworthy.
- 00:11:42.124 --> 00:11:44.894
- And second--that's right, you can clap for that.
- 00:11:44.894 --> 00:11:49.899
- In 2 peter 1:4 it says god has given to us great and
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- Precious promises.
- 00:11:54.003 --> 00:11:56.272
- 2 corinthians 1:20 says, "god's promises have been fulfilled in
- 00:11:56.272 --> 00:12:00.643
- Christ with a resounding 'yes!'"
- 00:12:00.643 --> 00:12:03.546
- Now someone figured out that there are over 8,000 promises in
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- The bible given to us as believers.
- 00:12:08.184 --> 00:12:10.886
- I've not gone through and counted them all.
- 00:12:10.886 --> 00:12:13.255
- I'll take their word for it, but that's a lot of promises, and
- 00:12:13.255 --> 00:12:16.525
- Promises from god are a lot like gift cards, you got to cash 'em.
- 00:12:16.525 --> 00:12:20.529
- Cash 'em in.
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- You gotta take hold of them.
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- Apply them in your life.
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- You can read them, you can memorize them, but you gotta
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- Believe them and apply them, and say, "i believe god's promise to
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- Me right now."
- 00:12:31.640 --> 00:12:32.975
- Let me give you an example.
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- You're in a stressful situation.
- 00:12:34.343 --> 00:12:36.011
- You've heard some scary news.
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- Now, go over to the promises of god.
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- Philippians, "don't worry about anything.
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- Pray about everything, and the peace of god that passes all
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- Human understanding will guard your heart and mind in
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- Christ jesus."
- 00:12:49.358 --> 00:12:50.726
- Take hold of that promise for yourself.
- 00:12:50.726 --> 00:12:52.828
- You feel abandoned.
- 00:12:52.828 --> 00:12:54.396
- You feel forgotten.
- 00:12:54.396 --> 00:12:55.831
- You feel alone.
- 00:12:55.831 --> 00:12:57.199
- Take hold of the promise of god.
- 00:12:57.199 --> 00:12:58.534
- Jesus said, "i will never leave you or forsake you."
- 00:12:58.534 --> 00:13:03.172
- But the problem is, we know these promises, but we don't
- 00:13:03.172 --> 00:13:05.975
- Cash 'em in, like those gift cards people give to us.
- 00:13:05.975 --> 00:13:08.677
- Now, i don't know why i get these particular gift cards, but
- 00:13:08.677 --> 00:13:11.513
- I've received more than one gift card to in-n-out burger and
- 00:13:11.513 --> 00:13:15.885
- Krispy kreme donuts.
- 00:13:15.885 --> 00:13:18.220
- Probably because i mention them in my sermons.
- 00:13:18.220 --> 00:13:20.322
- Maybe i should talk about more expensive restaurants, i
- 00:13:20.322 --> 00:13:23.125
- Don't know.
- 00:13:23.125 --> 00:13:24.560
- But if i use all those gift cards that people give me, i
- 00:13:24.560 --> 00:13:28.364
- Would be morbidly obese.
- 00:13:28.364 --> 00:13:29.899
- Someone would say, maybe you are.
- 00:13:29.899 --> 00:13:31.233
- I don't know.
- 00:13:31.233 --> 00:13:32.601
- Well, i'm not going to cash 'em all in, but we need to take hold
- 00:13:32.601 --> 00:13:35.437
- Of these promises of god because the lord promises to hear
- 00:13:35.437 --> 00:13:39.275
- Our prayers.
- 00:13:39.275 --> 00:13:40.643
- Jeremiah 33:3, the lord says, "call to me and i'll answer you
- 00:13:40.643 --> 00:13:44.179
- And tell you great and unsearchable things you did
- 00:13:44.179 --> 00:13:47.583
- Not know."
- 00:13:47.583 --> 00:13:48.918
- And by the way, simeon's very name means god has heard.
- 00:13:48.918 --> 00:13:53.289
- So he was waiting.
- 00:13:53.289 --> 00:13:54.757
- He was looking for the messiah to come, and in the same way, we
- 00:13:54.757 --> 00:13:59.962
- Should be looking for the messiah to come as well.
- 00:13:59.962 --> 00:14:02.965
- So one day, mary and joseph walk into the temple, and
- 00:14:02.965 --> 00:14:08.771
- Simeon knew, these are the ones, this is the child.
- 00:14:08.771 --> 00:14:11.407
- How did he know?
- 00:14:11.407 --> 00:14:12.775
- I don't know.
- 00:14:12.775 --> 00:14:14.109
- Probably because he heard from god.
- 00:14:14.109 --> 00:14:15.577
- Probably because he was close to god.
- 00:14:15.577 --> 00:14:18.213
- I don't think they glowed in the dark.
- 00:14:18.213 --> 00:14:20.983
- I don't think they had halos, like we see in some religious
- 00:14:20.983 --> 00:14:24.453
- Art, but somehow simeon knew, this is the messiah i'm looking
- 00:14:24.453 --> 00:14:30.326
- At, and so he says this in luke chapter 2, verse 32, speaking of
- 00:14:30.326 --> 00:14:35.397
- Jesus, "he is a light to reveal god to the nations, and he is
- 00:14:35.397 --> 00:14:38.968
- The glory of your people israel."
- 00:14:38.968 --> 00:14:41.403
- Mary and joseph, "were amazed at what was being said about him.
- 00:14:41.403 --> 00:14:45.407
- Then simeon blessed him, and said to mary, the baby's mother,
- 00:14:45.407 --> 00:14:49.044
- 'this child is destined to cause many in israel to fall, and many
- 00:14:49.044 --> 00:14:54.083
- Others to rise.
- 00:14:54.083 --> 00:14:55.517
- He has been sent as a sign from god, and many will oppose him.
- 00:14:55.517 --> 00:14:59.254
- As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be
- 00:14:59.254 --> 00:15:02.091
- Revealed,'" and then he says to mary, "'and a sword will pierce
- 00:15:02.091 --> 00:15:07.563
- Your very soul.'"
- 00:15:07.563 --> 00:15:10.366
- Mary made quite the sacrifice to be the mother of the messiah.
- 00:15:10.366 --> 00:15:14.470
- Oh yes, it was a great privilege to carry the son of god in her
- 00:15:14.470 --> 00:15:18.240
- Womb, but oh, she had to suffer so much.
- 00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:22.244
- As an example, she had to go through her life being thought
- 00:15:22.244 --> 00:15:25.347
- Of as an immoral woman.
- 00:15:25.347 --> 00:15:28.183
- In fact, on one occasion, the pharisees said to jesus, "at
- 00:15:28.183 --> 00:15:31.453
- Least we weren't born of fornication," implying that
- 00:15:31.453 --> 00:15:34.790
- Jesus was conceived out of wedlock, and the irony of this
- 00:15:34.790 --> 00:15:37.993
- Is mary was such a moral woman, such a godly girl, and yet she
- 00:15:37.993 --> 00:15:42.097
- Had to live with this reputation.
- 00:15:42.097 --> 00:15:44.333
- A sword was piercing her soul, so to speak.
- 00:15:44.333 --> 00:15:47.236
- When jesus was 12 years old, joseph and mary went to
- 00:15:47.236 --> 00:15:51.073
- Jerusalem, and they traveled back separately.
- 00:15:51.073 --> 00:15:54.176
- When they got home, mary thought jose--or jesus was with joseph,
- 00:15:54.176 --> 00:15:58.347
- Joseph thought jesus was with mary, and he wasn't with either
- 00:15:58.347 --> 00:16:01.950
- Of them, and they had effectively lost jesus.
- 00:16:01.950 --> 00:16:05.854
- So they went back to jerusalem, and they found him with the
- 00:16:05.854 --> 00:16:08.891
- Leaders in the temple, and they corrected him, and he turned to
- 00:16:08.891 --> 00:16:14.363
- Them and said, "did you not know that i must be about my father's
- 00:16:14.363 --> 00:16:18.467
- Business," speaking of his heavenly father.
- 00:16:18.467 --> 00:16:21.070
- Sword pierced a little more.
- 00:16:21.070 --> 00:16:23.138
- Then there was the first miracle of our lord performed at the
- 00:16:23.138 --> 00:16:26.442
- Wedding feast in cana of galilee, where they ran out of
- 00:16:26.442 --> 00:16:30.045
- Wine, and mary went to jesus and said, "you need to
- 00:16:30.045 --> 00:16:33.115
- Do something."
- 00:16:33.115 --> 00:16:34.483
- He says, "woman, what is that to you?
- 00:16:34.483 --> 00:16:37.119
- My hour has not yet come."
- 00:16:37.119 --> 00:16:40.956
- Interesting, he uses the word woman.
- 00:16:40.956 --> 00:16:42.324
- It's more of a formal title, not an endearing term like you might
- 00:16:42.324 --> 00:16:45.727
- Use of your mother.
- 00:16:45.727 --> 00:16:47.062
- He's effectively saying, "i've got a mission to fulfill."
- 00:16:47.062 --> 00:16:51.100
- The sword pierced her soul a little bit more.
- 00:16:51.100 --> 00:16:54.103
- But then, on one occasion, jesus was speaking, and someone said,
- 00:16:54.103 --> 00:16:58.307
- "your mother and your siblings are here," and he turned to the
- 00:16:58.307 --> 00:17:01.643
- Crowd and he said, "who is my mother, and who is my brother,
- 00:17:01.643 --> 00:17:04.813
- But he that hears the word of god and keeps it?"
- 00:17:04.813 --> 00:17:07.316
- Now, that would have been a great time to exalt his mother.
- 00:17:07.316 --> 00:17:11.587
- That would have been a great time to honor mary, and i bring
- 00:17:11.587 --> 00:17:14.523
- This up because we're told in the catholic church that we
- 00:17:14.523 --> 00:17:18.560
- Should pray through mary to jesus.
- 00:17:18.560 --> 00:17:21.296
- The bible does not teach such a thing.
- 00:17:21.296 --> 00:17:23.632
- The bible teaches we go to the father through jesus.
- 00:17:23.632 --> 00:17:27.302
- Mary has no role to play in any of this.
- 00:17:27.302 --> 00:17:30.172
- We should not pray through mary, and we should never pray to
- 00:17:30.172 --> 00:17:33.809
- Mary, or to any saint, or to any angel.
- 00:17:33.809 --> 00:17:37.312
- You pray to god through jesus because there's one mediator.
- 00:17:37.312 --> 00:17:41.550
- There's one mediator between god and man, and it's christ jesus.
- 00:17:45.721 --> 00:17:49.258
- Mary does not hear your prayers.
- 00:17:49.258 --> 00:17:51.260
- Mary does not grant your prayers or pass them on to the son.
- 00:17:51.260 --> 00:17:55.164
- That is not taught in scripture, and if jesus wanted to exalt his
- 00:17:55.164 --> 00:17:59.468
- Mother, that would have been a great opportunity to do it, but
- 00:17:59.468 --> 00:18:02.404
- He didn't do it.
- 00:18:02.404 --> 00:18:03.739
- Listen to this, mary was a sinner like everybody else.
- 00:18:03.739 --> 00:18:08.143
- In fact, after she heard she was gonna be the mother of the
- 00:18:08.143 --> 00:18:10.879
- Messiah, in the gospel of luke in her psalm, sometimes called
- 00:18:10.879 --> 00:18:15.551
- Mary's magnificat, she said, "my soul rejoices in god my savior."
- 00:18:15.551 --> 00:18:21.957
- See, mary recognized she needed a savior like the rest of us.
- 00:18:21.957 --> 00:18:25.294
- So when you hear of mary making appearances and giving messages,
- 00:18:25.294 --> 00:18:29.298
- I'm sorry to tell you that is not happening.
- 00:18:29.298 --> 00:18:32.234
- If you want to know mary's message for you, go back to the
- 00:18:32.234 --> 00:18:35.971
- Feast, the wedding feast at cana of galilee, when she turned to
- 00:18:35.971 --> 00:18:39.441
- The servants, and she said of jesus, "whatever he says to you,
- 00:18:39.441 --> 00:18:43.845
- Do it."
- 00:18:43.845 --> 00:18:45.214
- That's what mary says to us.
- 00:18:45.214 --> 00:18:46.915
- Whatever jesus says, do it.
- 00:18:46.915 --> 00:18:49.418
- She would not want us praying to her, or through her, or
- 00:18:49.418 --> 00:18:53.121
- Exalting her.
- 00:18:53.121 --> 00:18:54.456
- Now, that's not to denigrate her.
- 00:18:54.456 --> 00:18:55.824
- She was a gifted, blessed woman in every way, but it's to
- 00:18:55.824 --> 00:18:59.962
- Understand her in the way the bible presents her.
- 00:18:59.962 --> 00:19:03.232
- So the sword will pierce your own soul, says simeon.
- 00:19:03.232 --> 00:19:07.970
- Now simeon's done.
- 00:19:07.970 --> 00:19:09.805
- Now this woman steps forward.
- 00:19:09.805 --> 00:19:12.341
- Her name is anna.
- 00:19:12.341 --> 00:19:13.709
- Look at luke chapter 2 verse 36.
- 00:19:13.709 --> 00:19:15.877
- "anna, a prophetess, was also there in the temple,
- 00:19:15.877 --> 00:19:18.914
- And she was very old," and, "she lived as a widow to the age of
- 00:19:18.914 --> 00:19:22.584
- Eighty-four, and never left the temple, and stayed there day and
- 00:19:22.584 --> 00:19:26.388
- Night, worshiping god with fasting and prayer."
- 00:19:26.388 --> 00:19:30.926
- So if you've ever wondered if you're old, according to the
- 00:19:30.926 --> 00:19:34.496
- Bible, she was very old, and she was 84.
- 00:19:34.496 --> 00:19:38.333
- So if you're 84, you're very old.
- 00:19:38.333 --> 00:19:41.536
- Now, if you're younger than that, maybe you're not as old, i
- 00:19:41.536 --> 00:19:43.772
- Don't know.
- 00:19:43.772 --> 00:19:45.140
- But the bible is very clear.
- 00:19:45.140 --> 00:19:46.475
- This is very old.
- 00:19:46.475 --> 00:19:47.909
- So this elderly woman lives in the temple and worships god, and
- 00:19:47.909 --> 00:19:54.616
- It's been revealed to her that she too will see the messiah,
- 00:19:54.616 --> 00:20:00.022
- And i love how she was living her life.
- 00:20:00.022 --> 00:20:02.658
- You know, in our culture, people look forward to retirement and,
- 00:20:02.658 --> 00:20:07.329
- You know, i no longer have to work.
- 00:20:07.329 --> 00:20:09.097
- I can just relax, and rest, and live a life of leisure, but, you
- 00:20:09.097 --> 00:20:14.069
- Know, as christians, we never retire from following jesus
- 00:20:14.069 --> 00:20:17.939
- Christ or serving the lord.
- 00:20:17.939 --> 00:20:20.776
- Scripture reminds us that our purpose does not end with
- 00:20:20.776 --> 00:20:23.945
- A career.
- 00:20:23.945 --> 00:20:25.380
- In fact, psalm 92:14 says, "they will bear fruit in their old
- 00:20:25.380 --> 00:20:29.751
- Age, they will stay fresh and green."
- 00:20:29.751 --> 00:20:33.021
- I think it's really important when you get older to continue
- 00:20:33.021 --> 00:20:36.258
- To have a passion and a purpose in life.
- 00:20:36.258 --> 00:20:39.695
- You know, some people want to retire, and all they wanna do is
- 00:20:39.695 --> 00:20:42.064
- Golf, or fish, or pursue their hobbies.
- 00:20:42.064 --> 00:20:45.734
- That's sad to me.
- 00:20:45.734 --> 00:20:47.336
- No, now you have time to serve the lord in ways you could not
- 00:20:47.336 --> 00:20:50.772
- Serve him before.
- 00:20:50.772 --> 00:20:52.240
- You no longer have the daily responsibilities of going
- 00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:54.843
- To work.
- 00:20:54.843 --> 00:20:56.178
- Well, now you have time, and you have a life to still live, and
- 00:20:56.178 --> 00:21:00.816
- You can make such great contributions because hopefully
- 00:21:00.816 --> 00:21:03.719
- With your age, you've acquired some wisdom, and you can pass
- 00:21:03.719 --> 00:21:07.322
- That wisdom on to younger people.
- 00:21:07.322 --> 00:21:10.359
- So be a godly girl, not a cougar.
- 00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:13.428
- And so certainly anna was using her life and her time well.
- 00:21:17.366 --> 00:21:22.804
- You know, interestingly, studies have shown that people that
- 00:21:22.804 --> 00:21:26.241
- Overly focus their lives on leisure without meaningful goals
- 00:21:26.241 --> 00:21:30.679
- Can have a life of boredom, depression, and have their
- 00:21:30.679 --> 00:21:33.782
- Physical health decline.
- 00:21:33.782 --> 00:21:35.350
- Studies indicate that individuals with a strong sense
- 00:21:35.350 --> 00:21:38.387
- Of purpose will live longer than those without one.
- 00:21:38.387 --> 00:21:43.358
- I mean, listen, the whole point of a vacation it is to
- 00:21:43.358 --> 00:21:48.029
- What, recreate.
- 00:21:48.029 --> 00:21:49.398
- I'm gonna go have some recreation.
- 00:21:49.398 --> 00:21:51.433
- Think about the word recreation, from the root word recreate, to
- 00:21:51.433 --> 00:21:56.238
- Refresh, to recharge.
- 00:21:56.238 --> 00:21:58.273
- I don't know about you, i'm not a good vacationer.
- 00:21:58.273 --> 00:22:01.576
- I kind of admire people that can take a lot of time off because
- 00:22:01.576 --> 00:22:05.414
- After a week, i get bored because you know what, i like
- 00:22:05.414 --> 00:22:09.084
- What i do, and i enjoy serving the lord and trying to think of
- 00:22:09.084 --> 00:22:14.322
- New and creative ways to bring god's kingdom to more people,
- 00:22:14.322 --> 00:22:18.794
- And so after about a week or so, i'm coming up with a lot of
- 00:22:18.794 --> 00:22:21.730
- Idea--let's try this.
- 00:22:21.730 --> 00:22:23.098
- Let's do that.
- 00:22:23.098 --> 00:22:24.433
- You know, i wish i could rest a little bit better than i do, to
- 00:22:24.433 --> 00:22:26.735
- Be honest with you, but, man, just to live a carefree life, i
- 00:22:26.735 --> 00:22:30.272
- Don't know what's carefree, but to live a life of just
- 00:22:30.272 --> 00:22:32.974
- Relaxation, leisure, and pursuing hobbies, that to me
- 00:22:32.974 --> 00:22:36.778
- Is sad.
- 00:22:36.778 --> 00:22:38.113
- The bible says, redeem the time because the days are short,
- 00:22:38.113 --> 00:22:42.384
- Which means make sacred use of every opportunity.
- 00:22:42.384 --> 00:22:45.954
- Certainly anna did that.
- 00:22:45.954 --> 00:22:48.290
- And coming back to simeon now.
- 00:22:48.290 --> 00:22:50.859
- He was eagerly waiting for jesus to come the first time.
- 00:22:50.859 --> 00:22:55.230
- Luke 2:25 says, "he was righteous and devout and eagerly
- 00:22:55.230 --> 00:22:58.800
- Awaiting for the messiah to come," and in the same way, we
- 00:22:58.800 --> 00:23:04.139
- Should be eagerly awaiting for jesus to come the second
- 00:23:04.139 --> 00:23:08.043
- Time, right?
- 00:23:08.043 --> 00:23:10.479
- Because hebrews 9:28 says he will come again for those that
- 00:23:10.479 --> 00:23:14.916
- Eagerly await him.
- 00:23:14.916 --> 00:23:17.752
- When you are right with god, you will long for the return
- 00:23:17.752 --> 00:23:21.623
- Of christ.
- 00:23:21.623 --> 00:23:22.958
- If you're not right with god, i think you'll probably dread the
- 00:23:22.958 --> 00:23:27.095
- Imminent return of jesus.
- 00:23:27.095 --> 00:23:30.599
- We have never been closer to the lord's return than we are as
- 00:23:30.599 --> 00:23:34.302
- We approach this christmas.
- 00:23:34.302 --> 00:23:36.471
- Bible prophecies are being fulfilled in our lifetime
- 00:23:36.471 --> 00:23:39.674
- Before our very eyes, and each one of these signs is saying
- 00:23:39.674 --> 00:23:43.912
- The same thing: "get ready, jesus is coming."
- 00:23:43.912 --> 00:23:47.949
- And i ask you, are you doing anything right now that
- 00:23:47.949 --> 00:23:50.886
- You would be ashamed to be doing if christ were to come back
- 00:23:50.886 --> 00:23:54.789
- Today?
- 00:23:54.789 --> 00:23:56.391
- So we need to be ready for his return.
- 00:23:56.391 --> 00:23:58.793
- The first time he came to a manger.
- 00:23:58.793 --> 00:24:01.129
- The second time he's coming back in glory.
- 00:24:01.129 --> 00:24:03.698
- In his first coming, he was wrapped in swaddling cloths.
- 00:24:03.698 --> 00:24:07.569
- In his second coming, he'll be clothed royally in a robe dipped
- 00:24:07.569 --> 00:24:11.172
- In blood.
- 00:24:11.172 --> 00:24:12.574
- In his first coming, he was surrounded by animals
- 00:24:12.574 --> 00:24:15.377
- And shepherds.
- 00:24:15.377 --> 00:24:16.745
- In his second coming, he'll be accompanied by saints
- 00:24:16.745 --> 00:24:20.148
- And angels.
- 00:24:20.148 --> 00:24:21.483
- In his first coming, there was no room for him in the inn.
- 00:24:21.483 --> 00:24:24.986
- In his second coming, the door of the heavens will be open
- 00:24:24.986 --> 00:24:28.156
- To him.
- 00:24:28.156 --> 00:24:29.524
- In the first coming, he was the lamb of god coming to die for
- 00:24:29.524 --> 00:24:32.193
- The sin of the world.
- 00:24:32.193 --> 00:24:33.562
- In the second coming, he'll be the ferocious lion of the tribe
- 00:24:33.562 --> 00:24:37.232
- Of judah, bringing judgment to the world.
- 00:24:37.232 --> 00:24:40.135
- We should be eagerly awaiting his return.
- 00:24:40.135 --> 00:24:44.105
- You know, it's interesting that the birth of jesus and the death
- 00:24:44.105 --> 00:24:47.876
- Of jesus are so close.
- 00:24:47.876 --> 00:24:49.911
- Death and christmas are linked together because he wasn't born
- 00:24:49.911 --> 00:24:54.149
- In a manger so we could sing christmas carols and wrap
- 00:24:54.149 --> 00:24:59.988
- Beautiful gifts and give them to one another, though i think
- 00:24:59.988 --> 00:25:02.557
- Those things are all wonderful and fine.
- 00:25:02.557 --> 00:25:04.993
- He was born in the manger to ultimately go to the cross and
- 00:25:04.993 --> 00:25:08.530
- Die for the sin of the world, and we have to admit we are
- 00:25:08.530 --> 00:25:13.268
- Sinners in need of a savior and jump into the open arms
- 00:25:13.268 --> 00:25:17.606
- Of jesus.
- 00:25:17.606 --> 00:25:18.974
- And in closing, i think anna is such a beautiful model for all
- 00:25:18.974 --> 00:25:23.011
- Of us.
- 00:25:23.011 --> 00:25:24.379
- You know, it's funny because when someone comes to christ, we
- 00:25:24.379 --> 00:25:27.515
- Tell them there's four things you need to do.
- 00:25:27.515 --> 00:25:30.285
- Number one, you need to study the scripture every day, you
- 00:25:30.285 --> 00:25:33.588
- Need to pray, you need to be a part of the church, and finally,
- 00:25:33.588 --> 00:25:36.157
- You need to share your faith, and that's exactly what anna
- 00:25:36.157 --> 00:25:39.027
- Was doing.
- 00:25:39.027 --> 00:25:40.362
- In fact, when she heard about jesus being born, in luke 2:38
- 00:25:40.362 --> 00:25:43.865
- We read, "she talked about the child to everyone who had been
- 00:25:43.865 --> 00:25:47.836
- Waiting expectantly for god to rescue jerusalem."
- 00:25:47.836 --> 00:25:52.340
- That's what we should be doing in this season, telling people
- 00:25:52.340 --> 00:25:56.211
- About jesus.
- 00:25:56.211 --> 00:25:58.413
- So why did he come?
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- Why did god send his son to our world?
- 00:26:00.482 --> 00:26:02.784
- Why did the son come and be born in that humble manger
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- Of bethlehem?
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- He was born so we could be born again.
- 00:26:08.023 --> 00:26:11.993
- He left his home so we could have a heavenly home.
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- He left his home in heaven to make a home in our hearts.
- 00:26:15.797 --> 00:26:23.104
- Greg: hi, i'm greg laurie. i've got some good news for you.
- 00:26:27.242 --> 00:26:29.944
- God loves you, and god has a plan for your life.
- 00:26:29.944 --> 00:26:33.782
- Here's the problem: we're separated from god by our sin
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- Because we've all broken his commandments.
- 00:26:37.252 --> 00:26:40.188
- But the good news is that 2,000 years ago, god sent
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- His son, jesus christ, to die on the cross for your sin,
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- And then to rise again from the dead.
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- The same jesus who died and rose is alive and ready
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- To come into your life right now.
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- Would you like your sin forgiven?
- 00:26:56.304 --> 00:26:58.373
- Would you like to know that when you die you will go to heaven?
- 00:26:58.373 --> 00:27:01.242
- If so, pray this simple prayer with me right now.
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- Just say, "lord jesus, i know i'm a sinner, but i believe
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- You're the savior, who died on the cross for my sin.
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- I turn from my sin now, and i choose to follow you
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- From this moment forward."
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- Did you just pray that prayer with me?
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- If you did, god in heaven has heard you.
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- And let me be the first to say to you,
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- Congratulations, and welcome to the family of god.
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