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Mary’s Song: What is God like
Zechariah’s song: Why do you need God
Angel’s Song: How did God Come
Simeon’s Song: How did God do it?
BEHOLD THE LAMB PRAISED
Intro: Today is the day after Christmas.
The presents have been given and received.
The meals have been eaten and the festivities have, for the most part, come to an end for another year.
That lime green scarf you received will go into the drawer to join the hot pink one you got last year.
That brown paisley tie will quickly find its way to the back of your closet, soon to be forgotten.
The tree and the decorations will come down and Christmas will be gone for another year.
Or will it?
The fact is, Christmas really has nothing to do with the things I mentioned a moment ago.
Christmas can go on 24 hours a day, 365 days per year.
It can go on if allow Jesus to be the central Figure of Christmas.
In our text, the Lamb of God has been born.
God has stepped out of eternity and entered human history.
The Lamb was promised, He was prepared and He has been provided.
Our text takes us to Jerusalem for an event that occurred 40 days after the very first Christmas.
When Jesus was 8 days old He was circumcised, as prescribed by the Law, .
After 40 days, Mary has reached the end of her purification period, .
In these verses, we are allowed to go to the Lord’s house with Jesus and His family as they take Him to be presented to the Lord and redeemed, also according to the Law, .
What a thought: the Redeemer had to be redeemed!
While they were there, a special event occurred.
Two old saints of God, Simeon and Anna, were in the Temple.
They were there because the Holy Ghost has led them there.
They were part of a faithful Jewish remnant that was looking for the appearing of the Messiah.
When they met Jesus that day, even though He was just a 40 day old infant, they are overjoyed and begin to lift up praises to the Lord.
Today, I want to look into these verses and consider this thought: Behold The Lamb Praised.
What we see here can teach us some things about the matter of praise.
I think these verses have some lessons to teach us today, and they are lessons that we very much need to hear.
Let’s take a few minutes and think about Behold The Lamb Praised.
I. THE MOTIVE FOR THE LAMB’S PRAISE
(Ill.
When Simeon enters the Temple and takes Jesus into his arms, the old man declares for all to hear the reasons for his joy.
In his speech, Simeon gives us a three-fold motive for praising the Lord that is just as valid today as it was then.)
A. v. 26-30 Praised Because Of Who Appeared – The name “Simeon” means “He who hears.”
And, apparently, this man had been hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit, v. 26.
He had been told that he would not die until He had seen Christ, the Jewish Messiah, and the Savior of the world for himself.
When old Simeon sees Jesus, he is notified by the Spirit that this is Him and Simeon begins to praise the Lord because of Who had entered the world.
Just Who was this Baby?
He is identified here as “the Lord’s Christ,” v. 26 and the Lord’s “salvation,” v. 30.
Simeon understood Who He was, but few others did!
Eight days earlier on the night Jesus was born, some humble shepherds became aware of Who He was.
Some Heavenly angels knew Who He was.
But, sadly, many others did not know Who He was.
The priest who circumcised Him did not know.
The other people in the Temple that day did not know.
The folks in Bethlehem also did not know Who this very special Baby was.
Sadly, most people alive today do not know Who this Child was and is.
Let me take just a moment to tell you Who this Baby they named Jesus was and Who He still is:
Ø He is God in human flesh – , ;
Ø He is the Lamb of God slain from before the foundation of the world – ;
Ø He is the only Savior of sinners and the only Way to God – ; , ;
Simeon is excited because the promised One has appeared.
He knew Who Jesus was; the question you must answer is: do you know Who Jesus is?
If you do, then you can praise Him like Simeon did.
B. v. 30-32 Praised Because Of Why He Arrived – As Simeon praises God the Father for the Baby Jesus, he tells us a little bit about why Jesus came in this world.
We are told in verse 30 that Jesus is salvation.
We have already covered that!
Then, we are told that He has come to change the whole world.
The ministry He will fulfill will impact the Jewish nation and it will even reach into the Gentile world.
Basically, Simeon is reminding us that Jesus came into this world to save all those who will come to Him by faith.
Whether a person is a Jew or a Gentile; Jesus came to provide salvation to all who will receive Him.
That is the promise of the Word of God, ; .
The truth that Jesus came into this world to set me free from my sins is a true motive for praise, ; !
That He would love me enough to die for me and to save me by His grace is a thought beyond the power of words to describe!
If we can’t find any other reason to praise the Lord, surely we can praise Him because He loved us so much that He endured the pain, the shame and the horror of the cross to set us free from our sins!
Listen to what Isaiah said about it – – and bless His holy name!
C. v. 34-35 Praised Because Of What He Would Accomplish – Simeon continues his praise by offering a prophecy of what Jesus would accomplish in His life.
In these verses, the old man speaks of a Stone, a Sign and a Sword.
The phrase “fall and rising again of many in Israel” refers to Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophesy, ; .
Many in Israel would stumble over the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus.
They would stumble in rejection and conviction, but a few would rise again in salvation.
Jesus is the Stone!
(Note: Let me just state for the record that Jesus Christ is still the Stone!
He is the Salvation Stone, .
He is the Judgment Stone, , , .
And, He is the Touchstone, that is, He reveals men for what they really are.
Everything in your spiritual life hinges around how you answer one question, “What think ye of Christ?”, .
How you answer that question determines where your soul stands in relationship to God, .
What is your answer?)
He also talks about a Sign.
The word “sign” means “miracle.”
Jesus Christ is God’s miracle!
But, instead of receiving him as the gift and revelation of God, His enemies attacked Him and crucified Him.
His birth was a miracle, and they attacked it, .
His miracles were ridiculed and attributed to the work of Satan, .
His character was called into question, ; ; .
They mocked Him as He died, .
They lied about His resurrection, .
Even today, men still doubt the Miracle Man by questioning His promise to return to the earth again, .
Then, Simeon talked about a “sword.”
Of course, this was Mary’s pain!
She suffered as she watched Jesus fulfill His Father’s plan.
The ultimate hurt came the day she watched Him dying on that cross for sinners.
The bottom line of all this is that Jesus Christ entered this world to provide salvation for the lost.
Thank God for that wonderful truth!
So, do you know the “Miracle Man”?
Is Jesus the “Chief Cornerstone” of your life?
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