5: Our Savior King (Luke 2:22-38)

Most of us LOVE the Christmas story, when Jesus came to Earth as a human baby. But Jesus didn’t stay that way. He grew as a human, lived a perfect life without sin, and demonstrated that He was who the angels said He would be - Savior, Messiah, and Lord, as we saw last week.

In fact…we wouldn’t celebrate CHRISTMAS if Jesus wasn’t Savior, Messiah, & Lord because he would just be another Jewish baby born in the 1st century.

You see, the focus of the Scriptures is NOT on Jesus’ birth. In fact, only 2 of the 4 gospels (Matthew & Luke) say anything about the birth of Jesus, and those passages aren’t super long (only 40 verses).

The focus of the Scriptures is on what makes Jesus Our Savior King - His death & resurrection. That’s why ALL 4 GOSPEL WRITERS spilled a good amount of ink writing about the moments leading to Jesus’ death on the cross.

Truth is, we wouldn’t celebrate Christmas without the CROSS.

After Jesus had risen from the dead and appeared to His disciples…

Luke 24:44–47 (NIV)

He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

So today we will look closer not at HOW Jesus came to Earth, but WHY Jesus came to Earth - to be The Savior King.

PRAY

Before we finish our Christmas series called “Born is the King” - next week, there’s an important part of the story we must look at - and NO it doesn’t have anything to do with WISE MEN who likely showed up many days later. Instead, we must see what happened within 40 days of Jesus’ birth.

First, as you’ll remember from last week

Luke 2:21 (NIV) On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus [Yahweh saves], the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

Remember that the angel said the child was to be named Jesus (Yeshua = Yahweh saves) because He would save his people from their sins (Mt 1:21).

Jesus was circumcised on the 8th day according to the Law (Gen 17:11-12, Lev 12:3).

After this, according to the law, the woman must wait 33 days until she is purified from her bleeding after birth (Lev 12:4) before she can go to the temple and participate in a cleansing ritual (burnt offering & sin offering) and she will be considered “clean from her flow of blood” (Lev 12:6-7).

We might consider all this ritual to be quite foreign and strange, but it demonstrated the seriousness the people of God were to prepare to approach God in worship.

QUESTION: Is there anything WE do to prepare to meet with God or do we just take our privilege to meet together, sing to the King, and open the Scriptures, or do we take all this for granted?

What if, before we show up to a church gathering, we took some time to get alone with God and THANK HIM for His people & His Presence? What if we asked Him to use us to encourage others?

At this point, Mary & Joseph had prepared themselves, and now - 40 days after Jesus’ birth - the whole family again took a 6 mile trip from Bethlehem to the temple in Jerusalem.

Luke 2:22–24 (NIV) When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

The Law (Lev 12:6-8) allowed a pair of birds as the sacrifice for a family who couldn’t afford a lamb.

Luke 2:25–26 (NIV) Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.

While I’ve heard many Christians before they have passed away, proclaim with certainty that Jesus would return in their lifetimes. Obviously, they were mistaken. But this man wasn’t. God really had revealed a promise to him - that Simeon would SEE Yahweh’s Messiah before his last breath.

What a promise to live for! And today was the day…the One Simeon had awaited would be cradled in his own arms!

And so…

Luke 2:27–29 (NIV) Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You may now dismiss your servant in peace.

Luke 2:30–33 (NIV) For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him.

Just imagine this is YOUR child…and a Godly old man that you’ve never met approaches, asks to hold the baby, and says these words! But these aren’t the words of a crazy old man, because everything he is saying is aligning with what an angel told you BEFORE your child was born, and what shepherds proclaimed AFTER he was born.

Would you be blown away? YEP! And so were Mary & Joseph!

This little defenseless baby, would bring salvation for all nations, for Israel…and for Gentiles? No wonder they marveled at what was being said about Jesus!

But that salvation wasn’t going to purchased without an incredible PRICE.

This child, when grown, would make it clear that contrary to what many people THOUGHT THEN and THINK TODAY, mankind is not basically good with God.

Luke 2:34–35 (NIV) Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

What Jesus SAID and how Jesus LIVED would be a lightning rod to the people of Israel; some would love Him and others would hate Him.

Mary will see her grown son become a source of division among the people of Israel. Some wanted to make Him KING, but others wanted to have Him KILLED. But there is one event that Mary would experience that would feel like a sword piercing her soul, as Jesus (AKA “Yahweh saves”) sacrifices His life to PAY FOR that salvation, and it would be on that day that it would finally become crystal clear - Jesus was born to die.

Years later, Jesus Himself said these words, just before He was arrested and sentenced to death - He told His disciples in the upper room about what was coming.

John 12:27 (NIV) Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? “Father, save me from this hour”? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.

This picture of Jesus crying out as an infant and Jesus crying out on the cross - to me - was disturbing. WHY? I’m convinced that we often separate the SEASON of Jesus’ birth from the REASON for Jesus’ birth. But the reality is…

BIG TRUTH: The purpose of Christmas is found at the Cross.

When we see Christmas through those lenses, we come to appreciate Our Savior King.

Luke 2:36–37 (NIV) There was also a prophet[ess], Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.

Anna was a very old widow - aged 84. She had been married for seven years when her husband died, and had remained unmarried for close to 75 years (if she married at age 13-14).

But Anna was not just a WIDOW; Anna was a worshipper with a CAPITAL W! She was consistently at the temple in Jerusalem all day long, fasting and praying. But she did more than just pray quietly. Anna opened her mouth to tell others what God said, which is why she is called a prophet [Greek prophētis], meaning one who speaks on behalf of God (Other women referred to this way include Miriam - Ex 15:20), Deborah - Jdg 4:4, Huldah - 2 Kgs 22:14, Isaiah’s wife - Is 8:3, or the daughters of Philip - Acts 21:9).

Anna showed up at the same time that Simeon did, and these 2 witnesses gave a public testimony that anyone within the vicinity would have heard.

Luke 2:38 (NIV) Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Just as Simeon did, she gave thanks to God. Then she told all who would listen about the redemption that this child would bring to Jerusalem.

Jesus and His family would ultimately leave Bethlehem and return to Nazareth, where Jesus would grow up (Lk 2:39-40. But..years later, in this same city of Jerusalem, this same child, now a full-grown man, would come to bring redemption - to make a payment to BUY people from Jerusalem and beyond.

Listen to how Paul writes about this moment.

Galatians 4:4–5 (NIV)

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.

Christmas - on whatever day on the calendar that was - was the set time that God sent His Son, so that WE might receive adoption to become His sons…and daughters. Jesus was born of a woman to redeem us - to pay for OUR SIN and bring us into His family!

Rob & Rebecca adopting Nolan Many of us prayed for and celebrated Rob & Rebecca being able to adopt this little cutie - Nolan.

I asked Rob & Rebecca about the difference between adopting a child and having their own biological child.

They talked about the unique reality that they were able to choose a child who might not have been born OR be born, yet not have a home that would provide for him.

They also shared their deep appreciation for the birth mother’s sacrifice for the good of others - her child and the adoptive parents.

Note: Before adoption, Nolan was NOT their son. There’s nothing that Nolan could do to earn that position. But now…he has received adoption to sonship. And Rob or Rebecca would give up their lives to protect their SON.

So too, there was a time that we were NOT God’s sons and daughters. We couldn’t do anything to earn that position. Instead…

……God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.

THIS is what Simeon & Anna were looking forward to - salvation (Lk 2:30), redemption (Lk 2:38)…adoption to sonship!

And so it is, that…

BIG TRUTH: The purpose of Christmas is found at the Cross.

While our holiday season called Christmas is over, the PURPOSE of Christmas is NOT.

Christians should live everyday, grateful for God’s salvation & redemption purchased by Jesus - Our Savior King!

As we move into this new year, do you KNOW that you KNOW Jesus? If not, what a great time to turn from your sin and turn to Him! Start the New Year with a New Hope - forgiveness, purpose, a heavenly Father, and a faith family. CALL US!

If you already know that you KNOW Jesus…commit to seek the Lord in the Scriptures [check out the Yearly Reading Plan], plug into your local church and find a place to serve others. And take your opportunities to share Jesus with others.

PRAY

discussionquestions

These open-ended questions are designed to help you LIVE what you LEARN with your Family, Friends, or Small Group.

Do you think we would celebrate Christmas if it wasn’t for the CROSS? Explain your answer.

Was this picture (right) troubling for you like it was for Jackie? Explain your answer. Why is it that we often separate the SEASON of Jesus’ birth from the REASON for Jesus’ birth?

Read Luke 2:27-35. Share what interested you about what Simeon said. Now read John 12:27 & Luke 19:10. How did Simeon’s prophecy of agree with what Jesus said?

Read Luke 2:36-38. What do you appreciate about Anna and what can we learn & apply from her example?

Read Galatians 4:4-5. Take time to focus on chunks of this passage and discuss them by answering these questions:

What does “when the set time had fully come” mean?

What does it mean to “redeem” another person? What does it mean to be adopted as a son or daughter of God?

Read John 1:12-13. Fill in the blanks of this passage: “Yet to all who did __________ ______, to those who __________ in his name, he __________ the __________ to __________ __________ of __________.” What would you say to the person who says everyone is a child of God? Why is it so important that we see we must believe (i.e. trust & follow) Jesus in order to

What did you learn from today’s study? What challenged/encouraged you most & what can you do to live it out?

Ask how you can pray for one another. Then do it!