Obedience on Display: Following God (4)

I remember it like it happened just yesterday.

My grandmother was seriously ill, and I found myself spending a lot of time at the hospital. I had prayed and asked the Lord for something very personal—that He would allow her to live long enough to see me get married. God honored that prayer. I got married in July of 2008, and by January of 2009, we found ourselves in the hospital, realizing as a family that her time with us was coming to an end.

For four days straight, I rode that hospital elevator up, each time with a heavy heart, wondering if it would be the last moment I’d get to see her. It was emotionally exhausting. But on one of those elevator rides—on one of those deeply emotional days—God did something unexpected.

I was waiting by the elevator when a Hispanic woman joined me. In that moment, I sensed the gentle prompting of the Holy Spirit, the kind that nudges you to reach beyond your own pain. I turned to her and asked, “Do you have a family member here at the hospital?”

She told me her husband was very ill and didn’t have much time left. She said she was Catholic and was worried because no priest had come to give him a final blessing. That’s when I told her that my uncle was a pastor and I could ask him to visit her husband.

We parted ways and went back to our rooms, but I followed through. I had my uncle visit her husband. And that day—right there in that hospital—he accepted the Lord. The very next day, he passed away.

I had to return to Florida, where I was living at the time, and didn’t know how long my grandmother would hang on. But before I left, I made sure to stay in touch with the woman and passed the baton to my sister. My sister stayed by her side, helping her navigate the language barrier, making arrangements for her husband’s funeral, and guiding her through an incredibly difficult time.

My uncle’s church took her in, and my sister kept walking with her. She gave her life to the Lord, and to this day—she’s still faithfully serving God and has never left that church.

This story reminds me of the power of simple obedience. It wasn’t about grand gestures—just listening to the Spirit’s prompting in a moment of pain. God used it to change a life forever.

The story I’ve shared so far has focused on the following be where God leads, doing what God asks, and speaking the words God gives us to say. Now, I want to shift our attention to Luke 2:22-38, where we see four key figures exemplifying just that—Joseph, Mary, Simeon, and Anna—each doing exactly what God has called them to do.

The background

This story takes place shortly after the birth of Jesus, at the Temple in Jerusalem, as described in the Gospel of Luke. Mary and Joseph brought Jesus there to fulfill the requirements of the Law of Moses, exactly 40 days after His birth. Why 40 days? According to the Law, Mary was considered ceremonially unclean after giving birth and had to wait a specified period before presenting herself for purification. This visit served two important purposes: to dedicate Jesus to the Lord and for Mary’s purification, in accordance with the Law.

Luke 2:22-38

Jesus Presented at the Temple 22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 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. 27 And he came in 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, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” 33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” 36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Lk 2:22–38.

Main Idea

Obedience to Jesus means being where he leads, doing what he asked, and speaking words he gives us to say.

In this sermon, I’m excited to dive into four key lessons on living a life of obedience, drawn from the inspiring examples of Joseph, Mary, Simeon, and Anna in the story from Luke.

1.Obedience in Action: Mary and Joseph’s Faithful Fulfillment of the Law

2. Simeon’s Spirit-Led Obedience: Witnessing the Messiah’s Promise

3. The Cost of Obedience: Sacrificing for God’s Call

4. Private Devotion, Public Blessing: The Ripple Effect of Faithful Worship

1.Obedience in Action: Mary and Joseph’s Faithful Fulfillment of the Law (Luke 2:22-24)

A. Joseph and Mary at the time from the birth of Jesus followed the law. As Instructed in Leviticus 12, Exodus 13:12–15

Here Joseph and Mary show us the importance of obedience. In the old testament obedience looked like following the law as Leviticus explains it. In following the law blessing followed.

By simply following the law from the trip that needed to take place for the census, to following the law of Circumsition eight days after Jesus birth, to visiting the temple for purification and dedication at the exact date explained by the law. It brought them to being where they needed to be to hear what they needed to hear.

B. We see that Jesus was able to experience the Obedience that his parents had for God and for His law. We as well year later are still learning from Joseph and Mary obedience. Others are looking at us and learning from our own obedience to the Lord.

Illustration:

My sister and our relationship was not always the greatest. However I prayed faithlfully for our relationship why? becuase that is what scripture ask us to do. Becuase of prayer and my obedience to the Lord to continue to love my sister we know have a amazing relationship. For a long time she doubted my obedience to the Lord with just blindness. No questions asked if that is what God Is asking me to do I am going to do it. Now she tells me how she has learned to obey the Lord becuase of our life example. Our kids are learning to obey the Lord becuasue our life example.

Let me ask you a question are you listenting to the world of the lord and obeying it in a way that is also an example for others? We are not asking for perfection here. More of a life style of love and devotion.