Waiting for you while waiting on God

Welcome to our series Emotional Faith: a journey with Joseph, Mary, and Jesus

(Journal. Bible.)

Faith is a life-long journey.

Half of the battle is to keep marching on…all along the way meeting and traveling with God and the people of God.

I find this journey full of emotion—and not the same emotion but different emotion.

And I find the faith journey to consistently shape and re-shape me—my perception of myself, thoughts about the world, thoughts of God.

In the passages we’ve read over the past several weeks we have considered the life of Jospeh, Mary and Jesus.

Joseph and Mary are betrothed (similar to being engaged to be married).

Mary is with Child by the Holy Spirit.

Mary gives birth to a son Jesus who is the Christ—Savior and soon-coming King the people of Israel were waiting for...

because it was prophesied to them that Jesus would come…

that the kingdom of their ancestor King David would be a never ending kingdom.

Joseph, Mary, the people of Israel (the Jewish people), and, I argue, all of the world around are on a journey of faith.

Our opening text finds Jesus just born. Mary just delivered.

The family is in Bethlehem, Joseph’s ancestral home.

Joseph and Mary live in Nazareth and traveled to Bethlehem to be counted for the census. The distance traveled was about 90 miles, a 3-day journey.

—for a pregnant woman to travel, not good timing, but divine timing.

While there, Mary’s time came to deliver.

Jesus was born.

Luke 2:21–32 NKJV

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. 22 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 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who 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 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. 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 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, 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 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, 32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”

Chief Question: Who’s waiting for you?

(Let’s pray.)

Luke 2:21 NKJV

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 the Jewish ritual:

After eight days, it was Jewish practice for parents to circumcise newborn sons as an outward sign to say, “I am a member of Israel, the people of God.”

Joseph and Mary name their son Jesus as instructed by the angel Gabriel.

Luke 2:22–24 NKJV

22 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 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who 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.”

For 40 days Mary is in a process of purification. According to Jewish law Mary had to undergo a time of purification after giving birth to a male child.

Also, for the law, Joseph and Mary consecrate Jesus as their first born son—dedicating their son to God.

They offer sacrifices in (accordance to what they could afford).

In the temple, while Joseph and Mary are doing all of this—their rituals and fulfilling the Jewish law of their covenant with God—they meet a man, Simeon.

Luke 2:25 NKJV

25 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.

Simeon enters the temple at a time that is far from coincidental. God’s Holy Spirit is with him.

Simeon see them. Simeon sees baby Jesus.

Simeon recognizes Jesus as the Messiah, whom God sent to save the world.

But, how did Simeon recognize them and Jesus?

Simeon was waiting for the “Consolation of Israel”—the Savior.

But why was Simeon waiting?

Luke 2:26 NKJV

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.

God revealed to Simeon that God would bring forward a savior for all people. God promised Simeon that Simeon would see the Christ before Simeon died.

So Simeon lived with this expectation, he lived with this hope.

And when God caused Simeon’s path to cross with Christ’s —even in Christ’s infancy, Simeon recognized Jesus, and Simeon recalled the prophetic vision he received.

Luke 2:27–33 NKJV

27 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, 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 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, 32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” 33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him.

From this text, I believe two things:

1. God has people waiting for me.

Primarily because of who you represent.

You are a prophecy fulfilled.

You are light in someone’s darkness.

You are hope for someone’s future.

You may ask, “Well, what do I bring, because I am not God”? True.

You bear the Good News of Jesus Christ—the Gospel. You carry with you the Good News.

People are looking for good news—they may or may not know that it is Jesus.

They may not know what it is specifically about you but they notice that you being where you are is making all of the difference.

As God’s Holy Spirit operates in your life, those around you benefit.

Galatians 5:22 NKJV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Q: In my future, who is waiting for me?

Do you have a sense?

Might you know who?

Mark 16:15 NKJV

15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Romans 10:15 NKJV

15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

The second thing I believe from the text:

2. Who I am today, in God’s plan for my life, can be in the infancy stage, and God will still position me to bless others and to be blessed.

Luke 2:34–35 NKJV

34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

I love my family and others I have met, because people would cry over me because I represented a better future already in motion. They are overjoyed because of who God created me to be, because I am the living example of God’s promise.

It is interesting what people recognize.

Q: What will people recognize when they meet me?

To whom might God be sending me? Has God called me to a particular people?

Who, already, has recognized God in me and God with me?

Remember: when people meet me:

Some won’t recognize who I am.

(Say to your neighbor, “They just won’t know. I’ll forgive’em.”)

Don’t feel bad. People didn’t recognize Jesus either.

Luke 9:18–19 NKJV

18 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 So they answered and said, “John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.”

Some will recognize me and hate on me.

Remember, you are blessed, regardless of what others say about your God.

Matthew 5:11–12 NKJV

11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Some will recognize me and thank me, praising God…and even offer you further clarity of what God is doing.

Luke 2:30–35 NKJV

30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation 31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, 32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” 33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Luke 2:36–38 NKJV

36 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; 37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

People are looking for a better way forward. You have the answer in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.