Sermon Tone Analysis

Luke 2:21-35

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2001

 

Baby’s Birthday Without Baby

 

The story is told of two women who were enjoying an elaborate luncheon in a downtown restaurant.

When asked the occasion for the luncheon, one said, We are celebrating my baby’s birthday.*

*/But where is the baby?/ said the inquirer, for there was no child to be seen.

/Oh, said the mother, you didn’t think I’d bring him.

Did you?/

Why he doesn’t know anything about it.

Many of us celebrate the Birthday of our Savior and forget to invite Him! /In our rush of observing Christmas with giving, eating, etc., do we really stop to meditate upon the Christ Child who should be the center of it all?/

This year as usual most people will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Yet sadly, most will miss the significance of Christ's birth.

They won't grasp the wonder of the incarnation.

Today we will look a little deeper than the babe in the manger.

We will answer the question, /Who Is Jesus Christ?

/We will hear from three people that met Jesus.

We will hear */Moses, Simeon & Anna Speak.

/*

 

/Firstly,     /Moses Speaks

*/ /*

You will notice that the word /law/ is used five times in *Luke 2:21–40.*

This of course refers to the Law of Moses.

Even though Jesus came to deliver His people from the bondage of the Law, He was made under the Law and obeyed its commands.

*Galatians 4:4: */But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,/ /to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons./

Jesus Christ didn't come to destroy the Law but to fulfill it.

*Matthew 5:17–18/ /states this.*

*/ /*

/a.

Jesus' Circumcision /

* *

*Luke 2:21:* /And when eight days were completed for the *circumcision* of the Child./

/ /

Jesus’ parents obeyed the Law first by circumcising Him when eight days old.

This was the sign of the covenant that God made with Abraham, and it was required of every Jewish male who wanted to practice the faith.

The Jews were proud to be God’s covenant people, and they scornfully called the Gentiles the uncircumcision./

/Jesus gladly identified with God's people.

Our Lord’s relationship to the Law is an important part of His saving ministry.

He was made under the Law; and although He rejected man’s religious traditions, He obeyed God’s Law perfectly.

He bore the curse of the Law for us, thus setting us free from bondage.

/ /

/b.

Jesus' Calling/

/ /

*Luke 2:21:* /And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was *called* Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb./

/ /

It was customary for Jewish parents to name their boys when they were circumcised.

The birth of John the Baptist highlights this fact.

This took place on the eighth day in accordance with the Law.

In obedience to the Lord, Mary and Joseph gave Him the name /Jesus./

*/Jesus /*jIhsou~~" is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua and means/ *Jehovah is salvation.*

/The Hebrew word is frequently used in the Old testament and usually translated */salvation./*

Jesus name is very significant.

*Matthew 1:21* *says: */And she will bring forth a Son and you shall call His name Jesus, for *He will save His people from their sins.

*/

/ /

That Beautiful Name

 

When people say that someone’s name is beautiful, they are usually referring to its sound.

Parents today seldom choose a name for their children because of its meaning.

They pick one that reminds them of a friend or a relative, or they select it because it has a combination of syllables that is pleasing to the ears.

To say that the name of Jesus is beautiful is not to speak merely of phonetics.

True, the word does have a gracious quality all its own, and even when I hear it spoken in other languages, it has a lovely sound.

But its real beauty lies in its deep meaning.

/ /

/c.

Jesus' Consecration /

*/ /*

*Luke 2:22-24: */Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem *to present* Him to the Lord as it is written in the law of the Lord, every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord, and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons./

/ /

But circumcision was only the beginning.

When Jesus was forty days old Mary and Joseph brought Him to the temple*/ to present/* Him to the Lord.

This was like a dedication service.

They were consecrating their son Jesus to the Lord's service.

Although they didn't know it then, Jesus would serve as the Great high Priest after the order of Melchizidek.

They also presented a sacrifice for Mary's purification after childbirth.

This was in fulfillment of the Law described in *Leviticus 12:* Their humble sacrifice would suggest that they were too poor to bring a lamb.

But in reality Jesus was the Lamb of God!

*/ /*

Application

*/ /*

*/Firstly, /*Jesus fulfilled God's Law.

He was subject to the Lord's commands.

He was circumcised and then consecrated to God's service.

/Have you read how Christ fulfilled Moses Law?

Do you believe that Jesus is sinless?

/The name God gave Him declares His ministry.

*Jesus means Jehovah saves!

*/Have you been saved through faith in Jesus Christ?

/

*/ /*

/Secondly, /Simeon Speaks

*/ /*

Simeon is described with glowing terms in the New Testament.

He was a just or righteous man.

Simeon was dedicated to the Lord's service.

He is a trustworthy witness.

Luke emphasized Simeon's righteousness first because of his testimony concerning Jesus Christ.

*/ /*

/a.

He Remained Alive/

*Luke 2:25-26:* /And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ./

/ /

Simeon and Anna, like Zacharias and Elizabeth, were a part of the faithful Jewish remnant that eagerly looked for their Messiah.

He knew how just how important the Messiah's ministry was.

He knew that man's salvation depended on Him.

As a result God promised Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.

The consolation of Israel means the messianic hope.

One of the traditional Jewish prayers is, /May I see the consolation of Israel!/ Tradition says he was 113 years old, but it is only tradition.

Nevertheless, God kept this faithful servant alive until he had seen the Messiah.

/b.

He Recognized Christ/

/ /

*Luke 2:27-30*: /So he came by the Spirit into the temple.

And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation/

/ /

Milk In Colored Bottle

/ /

A simple country man was being shown a red glass bottle full of milk.

They asked him what was in the bottle.

Wine?

Brandy?

Whisky? he replied, questioningly.

He could not believe it was filled with milk till he saw the milk poured out from it.