Broadening Our Understanding Of Jesus

Good Morning!

Thank you to Leah, David, Carey, and Alex for leading us in worship this morning.

Tie in of testimony

I want to say a special thank you to Carey this morning.

Last week, he did a wonderful job of helping us understand the importance of Mary and Joseph’s obedience in regard to the naming of Jesus and observance of the laws and the covenant.

He left us with some challenging questions:

Parents, are your children seeing you obey God?

Are we sharing the things with our family that God is saying?

Are those you lead seeing you obey God?

Are your fellow students or employees seeing you obey god?

I was talking with Carey this week, and I shared with him that I sometimes worry that I push you guys too hard.

What I mean by that is I communicate the expectation and preach towards our total obedience to the things that God says.

But as I study, read, and then hear from another Elder questions like these, I realize that I’m not pushing too hard; I’m just communicating what God has been saying and what Jesus was teaching.

My worry is not from a biblical standpoint but from a cultural one.

But I have realized over the last week that God is trying to redefine what we consider “Christian culture.”

Over the next few weeks, as we move out of the birth narrative and into the ministry of Jesus, we are going to see Him do the same thing.

Jesus is going to challenge what the religious people consider a relationship with God to be.

A relationship with God isn’t about a list of rules, social constraints, or fake facades; it is about being one with God, hearing his voice, and doing what He says.

This is the same goal that God has for us in this study.

To know Jesus and make him known means that much of what we think we know about God is going to be challenged.

Our current understanding of what it means to have a relationship with God has been filtered through our American and southern cultures.

As we are going to see as we go through this study, some of it is good and correct, but just as much isn’t.

What Carey was speaking to last week is that kind of challenge.

Are your friends, coworkers, and family members seeing you walk with God and obey what He says to do?

If they aren’t, you aren’t living how Jesus has called us to.

I’m bringing all of this up today because today is Palm Sunday.

It is the celebration of the day that Jesus was praised as he entered Jerusalem, but it will only be a few days before he is betrayed and handed over to the religious leaders who execute him.

This execution happened because Jesus challenged their culture and power through how He lived and what He said.

Next week, as we celebrate Easter, we will pause this series and celebrate what Jesus accomplished on our behalf as he was killed.

Today’s passage is going to frame this time of celebration as we see the fulfillment of what Simeon prophesied over Jesus.

Look with me at today’s passage from Luke 2:25-35.

Luke 2:25–35 CSB

25 There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon took him up in his arms, praised God, and said, 29 Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation. 31 You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples— 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to your people Israel. 33 His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and told his mother Mary, “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed— 35 and a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

You know, something struck me about this section when I was studying it.

Look at verse 33 again.

Luke 2:33 CSB

33 His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him.

Consider what we know about what has happened up until this point; all the angels, the prophecies, and the revelations from God.

There was no lack of evidence that God was working in their lives and that Jesus was the son of God.

There is a scene in Iron Man 2 where Tony Stark is struggling to figure out a problem. He is given an old film of his dad and when watching it, he has a revelation about something his father left him and he makes the comment, “Dead almost 20 years, you’re still taking me to school.”

In this scene, Tony, who thinks he is the smartest guy in the world, realizes that He isn’t. There are things he doesn’t know.

After all they had already experienced, Mary and Joseph still had so much to learn.

That was true for Tony Stark, it was true for Mary and Joseph, and it is true for you and me.

We may think we fully understand the gospel, but there is still much for us to learn.

God wants to broaden our understanding of who Jesus is and what He came to do.

I’ve got an image that I want to share with you to give some context to our narrative.

Look at the size of this temple compared to a football field.

Mary and Joseph would have been in the women’s courtyard during this moment with Simeon.

Also, consider that it was highly likely that Jesus was not the only child there for this ritual.

This courtyard would have been filled with people that were there for various reasons.

In the midst of this massive courtyard and all the people there, Simeon finds Jesus.

Look at the first four verses again.

Luke 2:25–28 CSB

25 There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon took him up in his arms, praised God, and said,

Luke wants us to see, and the original audience would have understood, that this was not happenstance.

Simeon didn’t just stumble upon Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in the temple.

Simeon was directed, by the Holy Spirit, to Jesus and his family.

Luke is also establishing Simeon as a reliable witness, which we have talked about in previous messages during this study.

So, Simeon finds Jesus, takes him in his arms, and begins to prophesy over Jesus.

Look at it with me Luke 2:29-32

Luke 2:29–32 CSB

29 Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation. 31 You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples— 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to your people Israel.

Notice that Simeon is sharing part of his story as he prophecies about Jesus.

God had told him that before he died, he would see the promised Messiah.

This was yet another incredible confirmation for Mary and Joseph.

He also calls Jesus salvation, whom God has prepared in the presence of “all” people.

Simeon is prophesying about the inclusiveness of the gospel because it is for all people.

It will be a revelation for the Gentiles because it would be brand new for them.

They were not waiting, watching, and hoping for a Messiah.

It will be glory to Isreal because they were waiting, watching, and hoping for the Messiah.

God is using Simeon to help Mary and Joseph to have a better understanding of just who Jesus would be.

Not only would he be the savior of the world, but it would not be an easy road ahead.

Look at verses 34-35 again.

Luke 2:34–35 CSB

34 Then Simeon blessed them and told his mother Mary, “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed— 35 and a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Simeon is letting Mary and Joseph know that Jesus’ mission was going to cause great division in Isreal.

Paul references this division in his letter to the church in Corinth.

1 Corinthians 1:23 CSB

23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.

Isaiah also spoke of Jesus in this way as well.

Isaiah 8:14 CSB

14 He will be a sanctuary; but for the two houses of Israel, he will be a stone to stumble over and a rock to trip over, and a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

This division is not for the sake of division.

Jesus' life and teaching were going to challenge the religious people of that time.

The division was going to be between those who are committed to knowing God and those who are committed to their way of life.

Jesus’ division reveals the thoughts of our hearts and is a litmus test for where we are with Him.

I started off today speaking of Jesus’ execution because this is what Simeon is eluding to when telling Mary that it would be a sword that will pierce her soul.

Because we know the gospel, we understand exactly what Simeon is prophesying about.

He is talking about the Crucifixion.

I was listening to a podcast on the great commission this week, and the author asked a series of questions that shook me.

He was talking about our call by Jesus to share the gospel and recounted the disciples, apostles, and many martyrs and how their lives ended with torture and death.

He then referenced Revelation 6:9-11.

Revelation 6:9–11 CSB

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God and the testimony they had given. They cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, the one who is holy and true, how long until you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?” So they were each given a white robe, and they were told to rest a little while longer until the number would be completed of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters, who were going to be killed just as they had been.

Do you see what God was saying to John?

The martyrs of our faith must wait “a little longer until the number would be completed of their fellow servants, brothers, and sisters, who were going to be killed just as they had been killed.”

There will be more martyrs.

Disciples of Jesus are going to face opposition, and before Jesus’ return, more will be killed for sharing the gospel.

Now, this is not to say the author wasn’t saying that martyrdom is the end result for all those who pursue the great commission.

But, without a doubt, it is a possibility.

The question he asked was, are we willing to go that distance for the sake of the gospel?

Or have we allowed our comfort to overrule the commands of God?

Simeon is letting Mary and Joseph know what they can expect.

The path their son was going to take was going to be costly.

If we are going to know Jesus and make him known, we must be aware that it could be costly.

We are going to find opposition from outside the church, AND we will find opposition from within the church.

When we begin to speak this way, there are those in the church that are going to question us.

They are going to try and convince us that Jesus didn’t intend for us to go that far or that it is too dangerous.

That isn’t biblical theology, though; that is comfort theology.

Let’s think of it this way; it was Palm Sunday, and the multitudes threw down their coats and waved palm branches proclaiming that Jesus the Messiah.

Yet a week later after Jesus was arrested by the Religious leaders, was tortured, subjected to a mock trial, and ultimately crucified, and where were those crowds of people?

It is easy to sit in church, raise our hands, sing praises to God, pray together, hear a sermon, and attend a life group.

It is much harder to follow Jesus to the cross.

The question God has for us today is this.

Are we going to be in the multitude of those praising God’s name and then disappearing when it following Him gets difficult, uncomfortable, or painful?

Or, are we going to be with the few who stand at the foot of the cross and, in doing so, identify with Him and put our very lives at risk?

Jesus had so many interactions with the religious leaders in which their conversations revealed their hearts.

They struggled with Jesus, not because Jesus didn’t love them or was rude/disrespectful to them.

They struggled because Jesus revealed that their commitment wasn’t to God and serving his people.

Their commitment was to their power, position, and comfort.

If Jesus came to your house for dinner, what would your conversation with him reveal about your heart?

Where does your commitment lie?

Are you committed to Jesus and whatever that costs you?

Or are you simply committed to the comfort that comes from identifying with Him?

That is hard to think about, isn’t it?

Are you feeling the tension that questions like that cause?

Division can be painful, but it is necessary for us to grow beyond where we are right now.

I’ll be honest. This is not where I saw this sermon going when I first started.

But I have no doubt that it is where Jesus wants it to be.

If we look at the lives of the disciples, we see growth.

We see men that knew nothing and had no special training.

But they grew as they walked with Jesus, obeyed what he said, and saw God working through Him.

They messed up a lot, but Jesus never wearied of correcting them and teaching them.

All of that is true for us as well.

God wants all of us to know Him, to show us where we are missing the mark, and to grow us into the men and women of God that we are called to be.

Growing is difficult because it requires that we get uncomfortable.

It doesn’t matter if it is having to study for a test, going through sickness, or dealing with sin; growth costs us something.

We saw last week that for Mary and Joseph, there was a price that had to be paid for them to take care of Jesus.

Socially and financially, it cost them something.

But we also saw that it was a price that they were willing to pay.

It was worth the price for them to follow God’s directions.

As we walk with Jesus, as we grow in our understanding, it is going to cost us something, but it will change us to be more like Jesus.

And this is the goal! To be more like Jesus! To be reconciled to God!

This is how God redeems us and the world.

Exactly Like Jesus - A.W. Tozer

Now someone who in spite of his past sins honestly wants to become reconciled to God may cautiously inquire, "If I come to God, how will He act toward me? What kind of disposition has He? What will I find Him to be like?" The answer is that He will be found to be exactly like Jesus. "He that hath seen me," said Jesus, "hath seen the Father."

Christ walked with men on earth that He might show them what God is like and make known the true nature of God to a race that had wrong ideas about Him. This was only one of the things He did while here in the flesh, but this He did with beautiful perfection. From Him we learn how God acts toward people. The hypocritical, the basically insincere, will find Him cold and aloof, as they once found Jesus; but the penitent will find Him merciful; the self-condemned will find Him generous and kind. To the frightened He is friendly, to the poor in spirit He is forgiving, to the ignorant, considerate; to the weak, gentle; to the stranger, hospitable.

Psalm 145:9 CSB

9 The Lord is good to everyone; his compassion rests on all he has made.

Church, this is our call, to show people the true nature of God by sharing the good news of the gospel.

If we broaden our understanding of Jesus by experiencing life while walking with Him, the world will see the true nature of God through us.

As we die to ourselves, as we die to our desire to be comfortable, the world will see Jesus.

Simeon’s call was not one to comfort.

Mary’s call was not one to comfort.

Joseph’s call was not one to comfort.

Jesus’ call was not one to comfort.

Your call is not one to comfort.

If your spiritual life is comfortable, if it doesn’t cost you something, it isn’t centered around Jesus; it is centered around you.

As we prepare our hearts for the celebration of the resurrected Christ, let’s take the time to consider where we have placed our hearts.

Are they at the foot of the cross, or are they at the feet of culture?

What master do we serve?

Is it ourselves, or is it Jesus?

We have the opportunity this week to share the gospel with the people in our lives.

Are you willing to die to yourself and have a conversation that could possibly be uncomfortable?

Or are you like the crowd that sings “Hosanna” (save us now) and then disappears when that work of salvation is taking place?

Church, we all need to be more like Jesus, but that requires laying everything down at the foot of the cross.

Giving completely of ourselves just like Jesus did.

It requires that we move beyond what culture defines as a relationship with God and let God broaden our understanding of what it means to know Him and make Him known.

Let’s pray.

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