How will he save his people?

Don’t become familiar with this story.

Merry Christmas! Are you excited? Boy, I’m thrilled. I love this season. I’ve always loved this season. But I think the reason I love this season has changed over the years. When I was a child, I couldn’t wait for the snow, and for the food, and for the people, and for the presents! Warm fires and hot cider and my favorite friends. I love the long nights of laughter and storytelling. None of that has changed, really. I still look forward to those things. But I think the thing I most love about Christmas is that the story of Jesus is everywhere. Everywhere. It’s pervasive, the light of it illuminates even the dark corners of our society. It’s actually hard to be an American and not know the story of Jesus’ birth, because nearly every song we sing and nearly every story we tell bears its influence.

So there’s this moment in the story of Jesus’

There’s

And that’s good, on the one hand. But there are some drawbacks to general familiarity. For instance, have you noticed that everyone focuses on the least important details. Like the animals in the barn. Or the three kings, and their gifts. You lose something precious when you hover around the margins of the story.

A

But perhaps the most devastating consequence of our culture’s vague familiarity with the story of Jesus’ birth is that we almost never finish the story. It makes sense, right, for our culture to finish telling the story at the manger. Because, unless you keep reading, you wouldn’t know that the story of Jesus’ birth doesn’t stop at Jesus’ birth. It’s a natural conclusion of the story, if you aren’t really familiar with the Bible, especially in a society that doesn’t really have any major milestones after the first week of life, or the first month. And when you’re packaging the story for mass consumption, you wouldn’t really feel any compulsion to be comprehensive.

But the story of Christ’s birth doesn’t end at the manger, or with the shepherds, or with the wise men and their gifts. The story of Jesus ends at the temple. And one of the sharpest consequences of broad familiarity with the story of Jesus is that very seldom are we told the whole story, from start to finish. But that’s what we’re going to do today. We’re going to finish the story.

I love this

Christ’s Birth: The Musical

I mentioned, in the first week of this series, that the story of Jesus is interrupted, four times, by song. An angel promises the birth of Jesus, and Mary bursts forth in song. John, the promised forerunner, is born and his father, Zechariah, bursts forth in song. The Angel explains that a savior is coming, and a multitude of angels shows up out of nowhere and bursts into song. And here, at the end of the birth story, an old prophet and an old prophetess meet the baby Jesus in the temple courts, and what do they do? They burst into song.

So everyone in America has, I think, at least a basic understanding of the Christmas story. The virgin birth, the inn with no vacancy, the child laying in a manger, the wise men and the shepherds - we have a cultural memory of the Christmas story because it’s sort of woven into winter traditions, in a post-christendom sort of way. And that’s not necessarily a good thing.

This is what I mean.

If I called you and told you to drop what you were doing, because we had to meet immediately. And if I sent you an address to a remote location and told you to meet me there without any electronic devices. And when you arrived if I was clearly terrified, falling apart, in all-out panic mode. And if I told you, without a flinch, that the governor of Texas was a space invader wearing a skin suit, and that he was presently rallying his armies of little green men to occupy the great state of Texas as a staging ground for a global invasion, and if I told you that war was inevitable and life would never be the same.

One of two things would happen.

You’d be very concerned. And you’d make a few phone calls. And maybe the authorities would show up to take me to the mad house.

You’d be very concerned. And you’d run to your truck and B-Line to the Gun Store. Because the little green men were coming.

But let me tell you what wouldn’t happen. You wouldn’t patiently listen with a blank expression, kindly smile and say, “That’s a sweet story. Really, thanks for telling me.”

Because either this is life-altering, world-changing news of global significance for all of humanity! Or it’s the fabrications of a lunatic, who likely needs to spend some time in a straight-jacket. But there is no third direction.

See, I think we forget the audacity of the Christmas story. I think we forget the striking audacity of the claims of the Christmas story. And I’m not just referring to the virgin birth, or the angels.

Look, we’ve spent a month reflecting on unhinged claims of the world-changing, creation-shifting significance of a baby. Think about it. Forget that you’ve grown up hearing these stories and think about the claims themselves - claims about a baby.

Mary says, “This child will humble the proud, he will humiliate and bring to nothing the mighty, and he will lift up the helpless and the hopeless and the poor!” And notice that she doesn’t qualify those terms. She doesn’t say, “some of the proud, a significant number of the mighty.” Mary wholeheartedly believes that this baby will change the face of mankind fundamentally, by reversing the fortunes of every single person fundamentally. And anyone who believes that about their child is a nutter. Right?

Or listen to Zechariah. He says that God — the GOD of all creation — is literally visiting his people in the birth of this child. God. And this isn’t just a visit. This child who is God will save Israel from her enemies, this child who is God will fulfill all of the promises of the Scriptures, and he will reign as King on a throne that never ends, ever, like ever ever for all time. And anyone who believes that about some baby is a nutter. Right?

Or listen to the angels. An angel — fire and flaming sword and the works — shows up to claim that this baby is not only the future King of Israel and the savior of God’s people, but — and perhaps this is the most ridiculous claim of all — that he will simultaneously glorify god and bring peace to God’s people — an idea unthinkable this side of Eden. And anyone who claims that a baby will fundamentally alter the relationship between God and man, anyone who claims that a baby will bring forever peace to earth and fix all that is broken in all of creation is a nutter. Right?

Don’t become familiar with the Christ story! Don’t do it, because you’ll forget the sheer audacity of these promises. Ridiculous claims, absolutely impossible claims made about a little baby, lying in a barn. You’ve got to see them for what they are, so that you’ll ask the question that you’re supposed to ask — the question that every reader in their right mind would ask at this point.

“How?”

Because, honestly, if you’ve grown up hearing the prophecies of redemption and rescue and restoration, and then all of the sudden you encounter these shocking claims that this little baby will do it all, will fulfill every promise single-handedly, you encounter claims that this baby is the Son of God, the future King of Israel, that this little baby will humble the proud and exalt the humble, that this little baby would crush all of Israel’s enemies and bring peace to God’s people and reign forever on a throne that never ends in a kingdom that never ends, and that, through this child God’s glory would blanket the earth and Peace would be secured forever for God’s people — if you’re all of the sudden faced with the sheer audacity of these claims, surely you’re first response is to ask, “How on earth will a child manage to do all that?”

And I want to suggest to you that they work together in chorus, to teach us the meaning of Christ’s birth.

Here’s what I mean.

Mary’s song answers the question, “Who is this child?”

Mary’s song answers the question, “

She sings, “The offspring of Abraham, who will exalt the humble and scatter the proud.”

Zechariah’s song answers the question, “Why was he sent?”

He sings, “To fulfill all of God’s promises.”

The angel’s song answers the question, “To what end?”

They sing, “The Glory of God, and Peace for his people.”

And Simeon’s song answers the question, “How?”

How. That’s an important question. How? It’s an appropriate question, and it’s the right question, and it’s the question that our passage intends to answer.

The story of Christ’s birth doesn’t end at Christ’s birth, and that’s on purpose. Because Luke doesn’t waste any time to answer that looming question. And this morning we’re going to read this passage together in order to wrap our minds around how this child could possibly fix the world singlehandedly.

So let’s get to it. Open to

Isaiah 52:8–10 ESV

The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Luke 2:21-

Luke 2:21–40 ESV

And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 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 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first 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.” 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. 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. 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, 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 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 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 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” 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, 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. 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. And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

Luke 2:21–38 ESV

And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 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 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first 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.” 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. 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. 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, 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 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 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 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” 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, 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. 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.

-

Luke 2:22-30

Luke 2:22–38 ESV

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 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first 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.” 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. 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. 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, 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 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 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 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” 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, 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. 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.

How?

Okay, so there’s a lot going on in this story, and we’ll need to take it bit by bit.

He will fulfill God’s law.

And my argument is that this passage is answering the question, “How.”

Take a look at the first paragraph.

Luke 2:21–24 ESV

And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 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 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first 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.”

Luke 2:21-2

Okay, so Luke doesn’t skip a beat. He moves seamlessly from the story of the shepherds to this scene, at the Temple. Christ is born, the angels sing praise to God, the shepherds visit, and eight days later Jesus is circumcised and named. And then, take note of how radically the text shifts emphasis.

“According to the Law of Moses...as it is written in the Law of the Lord... according to what is said in the Law of the Lord...”

And later, in verse 27,

“.. when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law.”

And later, in verse 39,

“…and when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord.”

If you’re counting, that’s five times that Luke mentions the Law of the Lord within the framework of this single story. And that cannot be an accident.

Look, I searched the entire book of Luke, right? He uses two phrases here - Law of Moses and Law of the Lord. And he uses them so much in these few paragraphs that I’m inclined to think he’s making a point. But I don’t want to read too much into this, so I check to see how many times he uses these phrases in Luke, and maybe in Acts. Maybe this was his favorite way to reference the Scriptures?

So I looked. And do you know what I found?

Nothing. Nothing. Luke NEVER again uses this phrase, Law of the Lord. Never.

And Law of Moses? He uses that turn of phrase once more, at the end of Luke. You know, when Jesus is claiming that he fulfills the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms.

So what’s going on? Why would Luke shift, all of the sudden, radically into a hyper-focus on the mandates of the Law?

Notice that it was time for “their purification.” That’s puzzled a lot of people, because nowhere else do we find any evidence that the law demanded that anyone give sacrifice for purification except the Mother, and that’s because she’s been bleeding after the birth of her child. But here the text reads “their purification.” And that should give anyone pause because any reader of the Scriptures would ask, “What do you mean?”

And then the passage says that they’re going to the temple to present Jesus to the Lord. This is a reference to the law’s demands that all firstborn children are to be given symbolically to God. Remember Samuel? This is just like Samuel. Hannah cries out to God for a child because she was barren. And he answers her prayer and she gives him in service to God. Just like that. Jesus is being presented to the Lord, or you could say set apart for the Lord, as Mary and Joseph’s firstborn son. This was an act of obedience that is referred to as consecration.

And when you consecrated your firstborn, because very few people actually left their child with the priest to serve before God in the temple all their lives, the law demanded that, in lieu of that sacrifice, families pay five shekels. It was a way to demonstrate to the Lord that their firstborn belonged to him, and his service was due him. But rather than spend all their days away from him while he served the LORD, they were required to redeem him. The five shekels were for their firstborn’s redemption.

Three acts of obedience to God’s law, situated in the midst of Luke’s overt attempt to go out of his way, with blinking neon red arrows, to demonstrate that the Law of the Lord was being fulfilled.

Purification.

Consecration.

Redemption.

Now was that on accident? Purification, consecration, redemption - three works that Jesus finishes on the cross. Three works fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Christ.

We don’t need to purify ourselves any longer. We’ve already been consecrated, set apart by the blood of the lamb, we’ve been redeemed by the blood of the lamb.

I think that’s why the text says, “their purification,” and not “her purification.” Because her individual purification is not the point of this passage. And his individual consecration as a baby Israelite is not the point of this passage. And his individual redemption from temple service is not the point of this passage.

This child will purify, will consecrate, will redeem God’s people. This child will fulfill the Law of the Lord. That’s how. That’s how he’ll glorify God. That’s how he’ll bring peace to God’s people.

Keep reading.

He will fulfill God’s law.

Take a look at the first paragraph.

Luke 2:21–24 ESV

And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 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 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first 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.”

Okay, so notice that Luke doesn’t skip a beat. He moves seamlessly from the story of the shepherds to this scene, at the Temple. Christ is born, the angels sing praise to God, the shepherds visit, and eight days later Jesus is circumcised and named. And if this were like John’s story, it’d be over at this point. But take note of how radically the text shifts emphasis.

“According to the Law of Moses...as it is written in the Law of the Lord... according to what is said in the Law of the Lord...”

And later, in verse 27,

“.. when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law.”

And later, in verse 39,

“…and when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord.”

If you’re counting, that’s five times that Luke mentions the Law of the Lord within the framework of this single story. And that cannot be an accident.

He uses two phrases here - Law of Moses and Law of the Lord. So I searched the entire book of Luke for these two phrases, right? Because he uses them so much in these few paragraphs that I’m inclined to think he’s making a point. But I don’t want to read too much into this, so I checked to see how many times he uses these phrases in Luke, and maybe in Acts. Maybe this was his favorite way to reference the Scriptures?

So I looked for the Law of the Lord in Luke and Acts. And do you know what I found?

Nothing. Nothing. Luke NEVER again uses this phrase. Never.

And Law of Moses? It’s there, once more, at the end of Luke. You know, when Jesus is claiming that he fulfills the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms.

So what’s going on? Why would Luke shift, all of the sudden, radically into a hyper-focus on the mandates of the Law?

I want you to notice something. The text says that it was time for “their purification.” That’s puzzled a lot of people, because nowhere else in the Bible do we find any evidence that the law demanded that anyone give sacrifice for purification except the Mother, and that’s because she’s been bleeding after the birth of her child. But here the text reads “their purification.” And that should give anyone pause because any reader of the Scriptures would ask, “What do you mean?”

And then the passage says that they’re going to the temple to present Jesus to the Lord. This is a reference to the law’s demands that all firstborn children are to be given symbolically to God. Remember Samuel? This is just like Samuel. Hannah cries out to God for a child because she was barren. And he answers her prayer and she gives him in service to God. Just like that. Jesus is being presented to the Lord, or you could say set apart for the Lord, as Mary and Joseph’s firstborn son. This was an act of obedience that is referred to as consecration.

And when you consecrated your firstborn, because very few people actually left their child with the priest to serve before God in the temple all their lives, the law demanded that, in lieu of that sacrifice, families pay five shekels. It was a way to demonstrate to the Lord that their firstborn actually belonged to him. But rather than give him up to spend all his days away from his family , they chose to pay a redemption price for his life. The five shekels were for their firstborn’s redemption.

Three acts of obedience to God’s law, situated in the midst of Luke’s overt attempt to go out of his way, with blinking neon red arrows, to demonstrate that the Law of the Lord was being fulfilled.

Purification.

Consecration.

Redemption.

Now was that on accident? Purification, consecration, redemption - three terms that summarize Jesus’ finished work on the cross. Three works fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Christ.

We don’t need to purify ourselves any longer, because we are purified by his blood. We’ve already been consecrated, set apart by the blood of the lamb, we’ve been redeemed by the blood of the lamb.

I think that’s why the text says, “their purification,” and not “her purification.” Because her individual purification is not the point of this passage. And his individual consecration as a baby Israelite is not the point of this passage. And his individual redemption from temple service is not the point of this passage.

This child will purify, will consecrate, will redeem God’s people. This child will fulfill the Law of the Lord. And that’s our first answer to the question. That’s how. That’s how he’ll glorify God. That’s how he’ll bring peace to God’s people.

Keep reading.

A light to Gentiles, Glory to Israel!

Luke 2:25–32 ESV

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. 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. 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, 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 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

: 25-

So this shouldn’t strike you as odd, because literally every scene of the birth story is interrupted by seemingly random passersby and their Spirit-filled songs. We’ve got many witnesses here, all of them testifying to the God-ordained mission of Jesus, who will fulfill the Scriptures.

But I want to show you briefly how this song and this scene are special, because this is perhaps the only scene in the birth story that is, from start to finish in one passage, clearly and explicitly a fulfillment of prophecy. Turn with me for a moment to .

Most evangelical believers begin to study Jesus in the New Testament, which is kind of like starting the story at the end and reading backwards. And if you do that, you’ll notice that a lot of Jesus’ behavior, or the behavior of those around him, seems odd. And then, as you continue to study the Bible and get around to the Prophets, you’ll find sentences or paragraphs that sort of remind you in a lot of ways of those odd statements and behaviors in Jesus’ story. And that’s a neat experience.

But the thing about it is, if you had started from the beginning of the story and read in the proper order, you’d notice that many of the words or behavior in Jesus’ story that strikes you as odd or peculiar are actually fulfilling the prophecies given to Israel hundreds or thousands of years before.

And this is one of those moments. Read with me from verse 8.

Isaiah 52:8–10 ESV

The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

The first — and I think perhaps the most beautiful aspect of this prophecy — is that the Lord has set watchmen. Let me explain. In ancient cities, on the walls and towers of the cities, generals would station watchmen — soldiers specifically tasked with watching the horizon, to either warn the guards of approaching enemies, or to celebrate the return of a King securing the peace of his people. The watchmen would do just that — they’d faithfully scan the horizon until clouds of dust would stir, until the royal banners would be just visible, and then, at just the moment that they were certain that the King had safely returned to his people, they would shout and sound the horn to open the gates and begin the celebration of victory.

The LORD, too, set watchmen, to await the return of the true King of Israel. And this song prophecies of the day that the watchmen of Israel will shout praises and sound the horn, because emerging from the dusty horizon, his banners are visible. The LORD has returned to ZION!

Simeon and Anna are the promised watchmen of Israel. Notice how Luke describes them.

Luke 2:25 ESV

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.

Luke 2:25

Luke 2:36–37 ESV

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, 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.

Luke 2:36

There they are, faithfully watching, waiting for the consolation of Israel. And notice how closely Simeon’s song mirrors the song of Isaiah.

Luke 2:30–32 ESV

for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

And when they sing, notice that their song

Luke 2:30-

God’s salvation is — listen carefully — prepared in the presence of all people. A light for revelation to the Gentiles. Glory to your people Israel.

He will glorify the remnant of Israel.

It’s just like Isaiah’s song. God has comforted his people — that very thing which Simeon was waiting for — by redeeming Jerusalem. But this redemption isn’t done in secret. Isaiah says that the LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations. So that all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of God.

Now this global, international emphasis may seem like a new dynamic in Jesus’ birth story, but it isn’t. From the first paragraph of Luke’s story, the nations are involved. According to Luke, there’s never a moment that begins with Israel’s redemption and doesn’t end in Global Rescue. Let me prove it to you.

First, Luke is writing this letter to a gentile. And that alone is evidence that redemption isn’t exclusive to Israel. But if you turn the page, when Luke is giving record of Joseph’s lineage, he doesn’t stop at Abraham, as Matthew does, he keeps going all the way back to Adam, the father of all of us. And when he situates the birth story historically, he chooses to anchor it in global historical figures, not only local historical figures. And Mary’s song and Zechariah’s song proclaim that this baby is the promised offspring of Abraham who will — do what? — bless every family of the earth. And when he records the angels words, he doesn’t write, “Glory to God and Peace to Israel!” He writes, “Glory to God and Peace to those with whom God is pleased!”

So we shouldn’t be surprised that this story is ever more explicitly missional. The gospel begins with Israel but doesn’t end there. In fact, Simeon suggests, with Isaiah, that the global nature of the gospel — the fact that the gospel begins in Jerusalem and shines, from Israel, to every dark corner of the globe — Simeon suggests that the global nature of the gospel is Israel’s glory! Israel is glorious because the Lord saw fit to save the world through her.

And when he situates the birth story historically, he chooses to anchor it in global historical figures, not only local historical figures.

Keep reading.

He will be a sign opposed and a sword that pierces.

Luke 2:33–35 ESV

And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 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 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Do you remember Mary’s words? Her song was simple.

This child will exalt the humble, and feed the hungry, and lift up the oppressed.

But as for the mighty and the proud — they’ll be humiliated.

And do you remember Zechariah’s words?

God has visited his people in this child! He will save God’s people, and he will fulfill God’s promises of rescue and peace and a forever kingdom for his people.

But as for their enemies — they’ll be crushed.

And fo

And do you remember the Angel’s song?

This child will bring glory to God, and peace to those with whom God is pleased!

But what about those who don’t please God?

We often make assumptions about what side we’re on, don’t we? We often read these stories without a hint of trembling. Without skipping a beat, when we read these songs, when we hear their words we leap to conclusions that surely we’re counted among the humble, the oppressed, the poor, the faithful, those who please God.

But Simeon won’t let you go there. Simeon demands that you think twice. Simeon demands that you recognize the crushing weight of God’s redemption for those who are not in Christ.

He says to Mary, “This child will be a sign opposed.” Do you know what that means? That means that when this child does his work, when he speaks the words of God among the nation of Israel, some will reject him, some will trip over him. He is the promised stumbling block of ancient prophecy, which will lead the the fall of many who call themselves Israelites.

And we see now the unity of all four of these songs. Not one mentions the redemption of God’s people without suggesting the wrath of God against sin. Not one mentions the rescue of the oppressed without implying the destruction of the oppressor. And Simeon is explicit — not all who call themselves Israel will rise with the promised Son of David. Some will trip over him, and fall.

And then this general warning because painfully precise.

“You, too, Mary. You aren’t immune. Your heart, too, will be pierced with the Son of David’s sword.”

What terrifying words of warning! What a striking prophecy! You, too, Mary, will oppose this sign. And this child of yours will bear a sword that will pierce your very heart.

Mary had her doubts. Do you remember? When Jesus’ ministry was at the height of controversy, when Jesus’ brothers were ironically undermining his message. Do you remember what happened when Mary and her sons went to see Jesus?

Luke 8:19–21 ESV

Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

Luke

The sword of Christ pierces the heart of all! Nobody — not even Mary the mother of God — nobody is immune the piercing sword of Christ. It will cut to the heart of your sin or it will slay you in your sin.

And listen, if Mary herself couldn’t make assumptions about the

The sword of Christ pierces the heart of all! Nobody — not even Mary the mother of God — nobody is immune the piercing sword of Christ. It will cut to the heart of your sin or it will slay you in your sin.

Do you want to know the secret of the Kingdom of God?

The secret of the Kingdom of God is that the humble are made humble by the sword of Christ. The righteous are made righteous by the sword of Christ. Nobody comes to Christ ready for the kingdom of God. He makes them ready! And he does it by a sword that pierces their very heart!

Hebrews 4:12–13 ESV

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Hebrews 4:12-

No creature is hidden from his sight. And those who would enter his kingdom must be ready for his sword.

Stop assuming that you’re the beneficiary of all of the Christmas promises. You probably aren’t the humble, the oppressed, the poor, those who please God. At the very least you didn’t start out that way. To the degree that you’re humble before God, to the degree that you please God, you have encountered the piercing sword of Christ, which cuts to the heart of your idolatry. If following Christ hasn’t yet been painful, if it hasn’t yet been a humiliating work of seeing the darkness of your thoughts, facing your sin and confessing it and pleading for the righteousness of Christ, you need to start asking some serious questions.

Because the Christ who has been promised, the offspring of Abraham who will bless the world, he comes as a sign opposed, bearing a sword that pierces hearts.

But there is great hope for those who persevere. Keep reading.

He will redeem those who wait upon God.

Luke 2:36–38 ESV

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, 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. 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.

Luke 2:36-

Anna, the faithful widow who waited for 84 years to see the promised redeemer, she cries out to those who have been pierced by the sword of Christ. And she promises redemption to those who wait. Redemption is coming! Redemption! Trust Anna the faithful! Redemption is coming for those who wait, just as she’s been waiting. 84 hard and lonely years, waiting for the redeemer. But here he is, because God is faithful to keep his promises!

Trust faithful Anna, redemption to those who wait! Trust her, redemption is coming to those who persevere! Rescue is coming to those who have been pierced by the sword of Christ!

How will this child save? That’s how. That’s the answer to our original question.

How, Mary? How will this child humble the proud and exalt the humble?

How, Zechariah? How will this child save God’s people and crush her enemies? How will he fulfill all of God’s promises?

How, heavenly hosts? How will this child bring Glory to God and Peace to God’s people?

This is how.

This child will fulfill the law, he will singlehandedly accomplish the purification, and consecration, and redemption of Israel. And he will be a light to the gentiles and glory to Israel, he will be a sign opposed and a sword that pierces even the hearts of his people, but he will redeem those who persevere.

So what are you going to do about it?

So what are you going to do about it?

Stop treating the Christmas story as holiday decoration, man. This story demands a response. If these claims are true — if the claims made by these songs and these promises and these prophecies are true — then this is world-shattering news. You don’t just listen with a blank expression, and smile kindly,. That is an inappropriate response to the message I just gave to you.

You can walk away from here and assume that I’ve been fooled, that this book is madness, that Christianity is ridiculous nonsense.

Or you can rush home and begin preparing for the Kingdom and the Sword.

There is no third direction.

This child fulfills the law! Stop trying to prove yourself righteous! Stop pretending that you’re spotless, stop white knuckling obedience! Christ is your purification, your consecration, your redemption!

This child is light to the nations! Stop searching elsewhere for light and life and joy! He is our light and glory! He is the hope we’ve been searching for. Everything else in this world that offers light or life or hope or purpose will fail you! Not this child! Not this baby!

This child bears a sword that pierces! Ready yourself. Your thoughts will be exposed, ready yourself. Don’t trip and stumble over the sign of Christ. Prepare yourself for the pain of a heart pierced through by the sword of Christ. He will stifle your pride, he will crush you independence. He will teach you of the darkness in your heart, and he will crush it!

But don’t be afraid. For this child is redemption for those who wait. Wait on him. Wait and hope in Christ, our King, who will wipe away every tear, who will restore the oppressed and lift up the crushed and exalt the humble. Wait on him, for he is the intersection of God’s glory and man’s peace.