Christmas Week 4 • Luke 2:22-52

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Thanks for listening.

Well, good morning.

Good morning.

Oh, each of you had a Merry Christmas, Christmas afternoon as we came back to Columbia from

Greenville, kept seeing cars pass by that had snow on it, and I was like, let's turn

around.

Let's go find where that snow is, because, man, I always enjoy seeing snow.

I always enjoy playing in snow.

And ever since we've lived back here in Columbia for the past 20 years, I've only seen snow

one time.

And so, anywho, anywho, it was a Merry Christmas, nonetheless.

We're going to be in Luke chapter 2.

Luke 2 · chapter mention

We're going to be starting in verse 22, so turn to Luke chapter 2.

Luke 2 · chapter mention

We're wrapping up our Christmas series in Luke that Pastor Bo has been walking us through

over the last several Sundays as we have looked at the prophecy of the birth of Christ, the

angel speaking to Mary, and now we're going to look at a brief time in his life from infant

to about 12 years old.

And so, I start thinking about that time frame there of an infant, 12-year-old.

Over the last few months, I've been thinking, and my wife and I have been talking about it,

whatever happened to our baby boys?

As we look and realize in our house, we now got a 21-year-old and a 17-year-old.

And it's like, what in the world happened?

The statement, time flies, has been so true.

Where has it gone?

And I can only imagine for Mary and Joseph, they probably had similar thoughts of, here's

Jesus, and time is going by.

Time is flying by.

So parents, be sure you take a look at your sons, your daughters, your kids, and realize

time will fly by.

One of the things I go back to quite often is when our boys were about somewhere between

the ages of four and nine, it's like time stood still in that moment.

Their bodily and facial features didn't really change a whole lot.

You know, their mannerisms didn't change a whole lot.

Their interaction with mom and dad didn't change a whole lot.

It was just a unique time in that four to nine years old.

And of course, right around the corner was teenage years, and right around the corner was the

early 20s, and so those all have unique characteristics in and of themselves.

And if you've gone through that time or going through that time, you know exactly what I'm

talking about.

Well, let's look at Luke chapter two together.

Look at verse 22.

It's where we'll begin together.

It's right off of where Jesus had been circumcised at the age of, I mean, at eight months.

And now we begin to see more about, or get a glimpse of, of Jesus' early life.

Verse 22.

And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they, Mary and

Joseph, 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 turtle doves, or two young pigeons.

So we quickly see that, that Mary and Joseph are being responsible parents.

We quickly, quickly see that they're doing what God has called them to do, what is laid out

for them to do as parents, and to take Jesus through the various ceremonies that they are

accustomed to as children of Israel to take him through.

Now look with me at verse 25.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.

I don't know how many times I have read through Luke chapter 2 and I've not seen Simeon.

Luke 2 · chapter mention

He's just passed my mind.

We know about the wise men, don't we?

We've talked a lot about the wise men.

We know about the shepherds.

We also know about the angels.

Every single nativity scene that we have has shepherds, have angels, have wise men, don't they?

But where in the world is Simeon?

He's a part of the story.

We see this in Luke chapter 2.

Luke 2 · chapter mention

In a moment we're going to see Anna.

Two characters that Luke takes time to point out.

So there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout.

Luke makes it a point to bring out his righteousness and that he was devout.

That Simeon was sure to do the spiritual disciplines that he was to do as a follower of God.

It says there in Luke that waiting for the constellation of Israel, that Simeon was waiting for the comfort of Israel.

The constellation was the idea of comfort that the Messiah would bring to the people of God.

It also says there, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

See, something was unique with Simeon that already he had the Holy Spirit upon him.

It wasn't an angel that the Lord sends to Simeon to communicate to him what we're about to read.

No, it was the Holy Spirit.

Verse 26.

And it had been revealed to him, to Simeon, by the Holy Spirit, that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

So the Holy Spirit comes to Simeon and said, listen, you're going to live up until the point that you see Jesus.

You're going to live up until the point that you see the Messiah.

And so this is what Simeon is holding on to.

This is what Simeon is anticipating.

This is what Simeon is expecting.

And in verse 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.

Once again, Mary and Joseph were doing what is expected of them and being responsible.

Verse 28.

Simeon took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, now as a parent, my mind quickly goes to, that's a little odd.

How would I approach somebody who walks up to my kid and picks them out of my arms and holds on to them?

And I don't know them.

Could you imagine what maybe was going through the minds of Joseph and Mary as that took place?

Chances are they didn't know Simeon.

Yet here is Simeon coming up to them, taking, of all people, taking the Christ child out of their arms.

But yet Mary and Joseph get to witness such an amazing thing.

As it says, 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.

So at that moment, it comes full circle for Simeon that he realizes that the Holy Spirit had made the promise that he would see the Messiah.

He would see the Lord's Christ and then he would die.

But he would hold on to life up until that point.

And at that very moment, Simeon realizes the time has come.

I've received the peace of the Lord because I am now in the presence of his son.

I am now in the presence of the Messiah.

So what the Lord has promised is going to happen.

Again, as children of God, you and I see that what God promises God carries out.

He is faithful.

But I want us to look very carefully at what Simeon, how he responds in this in verse 30.

Simeon says, for my eyes have seen your salvation.

Listen to that for a moment.

Simeon is not necessarily saying, my eyes are seeing the Messiah.

My eyes are seeing the Lord's Christ.

My eyes are seeing Jesus.

No, he goes further than that because he knows who Jesus is.

He says, for my eyes have seen your salvation.

He knew that God's gift of Jesus to the world was salvation for man and for woman.

That was salvation, the forgiveness of our sins.

And Simeon recognized that.

And he expresses that in this song.

In verse 31, that you have prepared in the presence of all people a light for revelation to the Gentiles.

Speaking that Jesus would be a light to the Gentiles, would be the message to the Gentiles.

And for glory to your people Israel.

And then in verse 33, and his father, Jesus' father and mother, Mary and Joseph, marveled at what was said about him.

You know, Mary and Joseph knew that Jesus was special, right?

Because the Lord sends an angel to speak to each one of them individually about the son that they are about to have.

So they had to know something was special about that, wouldn't you?

If an angel comes to you and gives you a message of God, wouldn't you kind of realize, okay, there's something big here, right?

He says, and they marveled at what was said about him from Simeon.

And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother.

In verse 34, behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel.

And for a sign that is opposed.

And a soul will pierce through your own soul also, so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.

Simeon has given them an insight of who Jesus is and what Jesus will bring about to his people.

And then in verse 36, again, another character that Luke brings into this passage that so often is overlooked.

Be it an amazing woman, as we see in the description that Luke gives.

And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phenel, 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 84.

And here's what stands out to me about her in the second part of verse 37.

Luke says, she did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer day and night.

Listen to that.

She did not depart from the temple, but instead, as she stayed there day and night, she worshiped through fasting.

She worshiped through prayer.

Can you and I wrap our minds around that?

That day and night, we would not leave the sanctuary.

Day and night, we would not leave the temple of the Lord.

But instead, our presence would be known because we would be worshiping God day in and day out.

And not only worshiping, but Luke says here in this passage that she also fasted and she prayed.

It was a constant in her life.

You know, I know sometimes we're caught looking at our watch.

There's a clock in front of me and I'm making sure I finish on time, right?

And we're thinking about where we're going.

But yet, that element didn't even pass through Anna's mind because she was constant in prayer,

constant in worship, constant in fasting.

And as a result of that, we look and see in verse 38, then it coming up at that very hour.

I can only imagine what that phrase is saying there is that at that very hour in which Mary and Joseph bring Jesus in,

and at that very hour when Simeon is there in their presence doing what we just read,

Anna gets to witness all of that in that moment.

Anna gets to see the Messiah enter the temple.

Whatever she had heard, whatever she had been taught, her understanding of the scriptures at that point,

her understanding of the Messiah, her understanding of the birth of Jesus,

it all comes together in that moment.

And what it says to you and I is this.

She began to give thanks to God.

Can you imagine?

You've been told that there is a Messiah, God with us, coming to you and your people.

That there is one who is bringing salvation.

There is one who is bringing comfort.

And in that moment, you're in the temple when he is brought in.

And her response is to give thanks.

Thanking God for his promise.

Thanking God that she was right there in that midst.

How many times when I pray about something, when I'm seeking something and God does it,

that I move on to the next thing that I want God to do and not stop and be thankful for what God did.

You know, it's a challenge for me to realize, you know, David, be in the moment that God is there.

Be in the moment that God delivers.

And be grateful and be thankful to God for who he is and what he does.

But not only that, we also continue to read that giving thanks to God, she also spoke of him to all.

So everybody that's around the temple, everybody that's moving, all the pieces that are going, all the people that are there,

she is speaking to them about God.

She is speaking to them about all that she knows.

And it says, she speaks to all who are waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Jesus was special.

We know that.

We're students of God's word.

We understand that.

We see that.

And in this moment, Anna gets to rejoice.

And then in verse 39,

when they had performed, when Mary and Joseph did everything that was a custom for them to do,

and they carried through with it,

according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

In verse 40,

And the child grew, Jesus grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.

The favor of God was upon him, was upon Jesus.

We'll look at that more at the last verse, verse 52,

as basically Luke restates this in a little bit different way.

But let's keep going in verse 41.

Now, his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover.

Mary and Joseph probably didn't just go to the feast of the Passover,

but they also went to the other two feasts that happened during that year as well.

Again, they were very obedient.

They were very faithful in their relationship with the Lord,

in their understanding of their relationship with the Lord.

It was a practice for them that they showed Jesus.

Again, Jesus was not only God in human form,

His divine aspect, His divine nature,

but yet Jesus was also human.

He came as you and I come into the world.

Verse 42,

And when He was 12 years old,

they went up according to the custom.

In verse 43,

and when the feast was ended,

as they were returning,

the boy Jesus.

And that caught my attention.

Luke states it this way.

Instead of just stating,

Jesus stayed behind,

Luke says,

the boy.

And it gives us the fact that He's 12 years old.

Now, the first place my mind went to

is I started calculating in my head.

12 years old,

okay, that means He would be,

what grade?

7th grade.

My youth minister day goes,

a 7th grade middle school boy?

Okay, now I get the picture, right?

Think about it.

Any teachers in here,

anybody in the school system,

any parents,

any men in here who've been recall,

can recall their 7th grade year,

your mind is filled with all kind of things,

isn't it?

But yet remember,

this is God in human form.

This is divine.

So yes,

He's Jesus' human side,

but yes,

He's God's divine side.

When the feast was ended,

as they were returning,

the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.

We don't get any indication,

or yes we do get an indication,

that Jesus never told Mary and Joseph

what He was doing.

He never said where He had to go,

and why He had to go there.

He just stayed behind.

And off in the distance,

Mary and Joseph,

His mom and dad go.

And it says there in the last part of verse 43,

His parents did not know it.

In verse 44,

but supposing Him to be in the group,

they went a day's journey.

So they're traveling for a day.

Now it's not uncommon that as they travel together,

it'd be like all of us in this room right now,

when we decide we want to travel to Atlanta.

We're going to pray,

and we're going to get in our cars,

and we're going to go down to Atlanta.

Okay?

Ride with whoever you want to ride with,

because we all trust each other, right?

We know each other for the most part.

We trust each other.

So ride with whoever you want to ride with.

Okay?

Well, that's kind of how it was.

You travel together,

because you're traveling with family.

You're traveling with acquaintances.

And it didn't bother you where your child may be

until you go looking for Him.

But supposing Him to be in the group,

they went a day's journey,

but then they began to search for Him

among their relatives and acquaintances.

And when they did not find Him,

uh-oh, where is Jesus?

Can you imagine that?

You're the parents, and you lost Jesus?

You know?

I might be a little all right

if I don't see my son for a moment,

but I've been given the responsibility of Jesus.

That probably weighs out a little more,

wouldn't you think?

And they look around.

It's like, where is He?

And when they did not,

in verse 45,

and when they did not find Him,

they returned to Jerusalem

searching for Him.

And listen to this, verse 46,

after three days.

Man, I can't imagine.

You know, I've had those moments

in the department store,

in the Walmart, wherever,

and I can't see one of my sons

back when they were young,

and your heart just sinks.

It just drops.

I mean,

I recall a time when,

um,

Mike and Jennifer might remember this.

Mike and Jennifer had gone with me

to Montreal, Canada.

We took a group of students.

It was, I think,

my second trip here.

We took a group of students

to Montreal for a mission trip.

And all my years of youth ministry,

man, I just became

a professional head counter.

I mean, if we were on a bus,

we were on vans,

it's just natural.

You leave with 50,

you return with 50.

No more, no less.

If you return with less,

oh no.

If you return with more,

oh no.

But you always counted heads.

You know,

it's just what you did.

No matter,

however many stops,

calling a van ahead.

You got your 15,

you got your 13,

you got your 12.

You just made sure.

I remember when,

in Montreal,

we,

we were walking on a Wednesday.

We had the Wednesday off,

and I counted heads.

We were ready to leave.

We stopped and got a drink.

Counted heads.

Made sure everybody was good.

We're good to go.

Let's go.

And as soon as we counted heads,

and I turned my back,

I didn't notice that

one of them had slipped away.

After we had already said,

go to the restroom,

everybody go to the restroom,

one of them slips away

to the restroom,

and we're out.

Now we're in Montreal.

Nobody knows where we are.

I mean,

this is the first time

we've ever been there together.

And we're walking

the streets of Montreal.

We had probably gone 30 yards,

and this student comes

running up behind me,

panning with this fear

in his face,

and goes,

you left me.

I went,

what do you mean we left you?

Where were you?

We counted.

Well,

I had to go to the bathroom.

So you go through

all that story.

Just the fear

of realizing

you've left somebody.

I can only imagine

what Mary and Joseph

were thinking and feeling.

So after three days,

they found him.

They searched everywhere.

The place they found him

was in the temple.

And listen to these words.

Students,

kids,

listen to this.

adults,

adults,

sitting among the teachers.

Sitting among the ones

who were telling stories

that we now call

the Old Testament.

Teaching about

what the relationship

of God was

with the children

of Israel

and the exes.

All those things

that they would sit

among each other

and talk about

and teach about.

Not only that,

but Luke makes

a point that says

that Jesus

was also listening

to them.

Not only sitting

in their midst,

but listening

at every word

they have to say.

And I get that picture

of Jesus

just sitting

maybe with his elbows

on his knees

looking them in the eye

and just hearing

all that they're saying.

Same time,

he's God.

Yet he's sitting

and listening

to what they're saying.

Luke also says

to us in this verse

in asking them questions.

Man,

wouldn't it be great?

This is one of those,

when I read this

in scriptures,

it's where my mind goes,

Lord,

why didn't you just

give us a few more chapters?

Why didn't you just

give us a few more chapters

of what Jesus' life

was like?

Maybe the questions

that he asked these

that he stood among.

For whatever reason,

Jesus doesn't.

God doesn't.

But Jesus is asking questions.

Verse 43, 47.

And all who heard him

were amazed

at his understanding

and his answers.

We know why

they were amazed.

Because God was sitting

in their midst.

in the form of Jesus.

We know that.

They did not realize that.

And they were amazed

at who he was.

Verse 48.

And when his parents

saw him,

they were astonished.

And his mother said to him,

Son,

why have you treated us

so?

Now,

I don't know about you,

parent,

but I've had those moments

run through my head

thinking,

you know,

why are you acting this way?

Why are you acting this way?

I know how we've taught you.

I know how we've tried

to guide you.

Why are you doing this?

There's that moment

that she has

with Jesus as well.

She goes on to say even,

behold,

your father and I

have been searching for you

in great distress.

You've stressed us out.

I know as a parent,

I've been stressed out

by my sons.

I mean,

if you're a parent,

at some moment in your life,

you have been stressed out

by your kids.

If not,

it will happen.

Okay?

It will happen.

If not,

I want to sit down with you

and know what you've done

because I want to share that

with a bunch of other parents

coming along

because they need to hear it.

But can you imagine

what Mary and Joseph,

we see what they were experiencing.

Verse 49.

And he said to them,

and when I read this,

I don't read this

as if Jesus was being boastful.

I don't read this

as if Jesus was being disrespectful.

I read this

because Jesus knew

what he needed to do.

Verse 49.

And he said to them,

why were you looking for me?

As if they should know,

they should know

that Jesus will be at the temple.

And then Jesus says,

did you not know

that I must be

in my father's house?

Mom, dad,

why are you surprised?

Why are you surprised

that you would find me

of all places

sitting here

in the temple?

Listen to what it says there

in your translation,

hopefully your translation,

the word father

is capitalized,

showing you and I

that his mention

of father here

is father God,

not father Joseph.

He is talking about

his creator.

He is talking about

God the father.

Did you not know

that I must be

in my father's house?

And they did not understand

the saying

that he spoke to them.

Again,

they're just,

you know,

even like young parents,

you're trying

to figure it out.

You're trying to do,

what do I do

with what I have

in my hands now?

And then,

you know,

nine years old,

what am I supposed

to do now?

Teenager,

what am I,

20 year old,

what am I,

what am I supposed

to do now?

And they did not

understand the saying

that he spoke to them.

Verse 51,

And he,

Jesus,

went down with them

and came to Nazareth

and was submissive

to them.

Students,

parents,

I mean students,

kids,

Jesus was submissive

to his earthly parents.

Adults,

if your parents

are still living,

there's moments

that you need

to be submissive

to your mom and dad.

It doesn't change.

And then we see

in the last part of 51,

and his mother

treasured up

all these things

in her heart.

You know,

we get that,

we see that beautiful

saying again earlier

where Mary pondered

what had happened

with what she was

a part of.

You know,

Mary storing up

all these thoughts,

all these emotions,

holding on to them,

learning from them

because God has done

something special

in her life.

we see it

in the scriptures

that God says,

you are my favored one.

Mary,

you are favored.

That's why I'm coming

to you.

Something special

that Mary is experiencing

all every step

of the way.

Last Sunday,

we laughed.

I don't remember

who it was

I was laughing with

about,

you know,

I've got a brother

that's 10 years

older than me,

so he's 64 years old

and growing up,

man,

I saw all about

his life.

I mean,

I saw pictures,

black and whites,

you know,

that's basically

what it was.

You know,

even there's black

and whites of me,

that shows you

how old I am.

You know,

black and whites

of him,

lots of them.

My sister,

maybe a little less

photographs.

Me,

brother might have

had 10 albums

filled with pictures

of him.

I got lucky

if I got three-fourths

through an album.

You know what I'm saying?

It's just,

you know,

the more kids

that come along.

But Mary pondered

all these things

up,

not wanting to forget

what she was experiencing.

But in verse 52,

Luke kind of brings

it all together.

These 12 years

of Jesus' early life,

and I really

lend to think

that in verse 52,

Luke is also

thinking about

all the years

in between,

from age 12

to when Jesus

began his ministry

at age 30.

It culminates that

in verse 52,

and it says,

and Jesus increased

in wisdom

and in stature

and in favor

with God and man.

That's the verse

right there

that just kind of

brings me to a place

to go,

okay,

all that you just

read, Dave,

here's the one

that's really getting.

To a point for you

and to a point

for all of us.

If Jesus is our example,

which I believe he is,

and scripture tells us

that he is,

how am I doing

in those areas

in my life?

Most specifically,

the area of wisdom,

favor of God,

and favor of man.

And that's where

I want to leave us

this morning

is with that.

You see,

Jesus grew,

as Luke says,

Jesus grew

in wisdom.

Jesus' wisdom

grew in his understanding

of humanity,

the humanity

that he walked among,

that he lived with.

He grew in his wisdom

and understanding

of that.

But more importantly,

he grew in his wisdom

and understanding

of the things

of his father,

God.

We see that

because he's set

among the teachers

learning.

I don't think

that aspect

ever changed

with Jesus.

Why do I believe that?

Because Jesus is God.

There is not an aspect

about him

that changes.

It would be safe

to say that

the character

and attributes

and the attitudes

of who Jesus was

at age 12

were the very same

ones of him

at age 30

when he began

his ministry

because he was

who he was,

he is who he is.

He grew in wisdom.

So I ask myself,

David,

are you growing

in wisdom?

Are you wiser today

than you were

three months ago?

Are you wiser today

than you were

five years ago?

Or are you stumbling

over the same things

humanly

as well as spiritually

that you've stumbled

over before?

And so I have to

evaluate and ask

myself honestly,

where am I growing

in my wisdom?

If Jesus grows

in his wisdom,

why shouldn't I?

And it says,

Jesus grew

in favor with God

over the last,

I don't know,

maybe about a year,

the whole idea

of God's favor

just,

it just seems

to keep popping up

in scripture

and popping up

on things that I hear.

And it's like,

you know,

God brings favor

on his people.

Do you realize that?

Even though it says

this about Jesus,

it says in multiple

places in the scripture

that God brings

his favor on others.

That God can bring

his favor on you.

Now,

I don't completely

understand that,

100%.

I've not wrapped

my mind fully

around God's favor

and how that comes

to you and I

as followers of Christ,

but I know it

from what I read

in scripture.

It's not favoritism.

It's like,

God doesn't love me

any more

than he loves

anybody else

in this room.

He's not going to

choose me

just because

I'm his favorite.

But God shows

his favor.

I think God's favor

is connected

to you and I

and how much

we follow him

and how much

we are obedient

to him

and how much

we are living

according to his word.

Because listen

to what it says

in Exodus 33

Exodus 33:13

verses 13.

Verse 13.

Moses is having

a conversation

with the Lord.

It says this,

Now therefore,

if I,

Moses,

have found favor

in your sight,

please show me

now your ways

that I may know you

in order to find

favor in your sight.

Two things

that Moses says there.

Your ways.

Show me your ways.

Show me how to live

my life

in relationship

to you.

Show me how to live

my life

in relationship

to the other.

Remember,

what God gives

the people of Israel,

the children of Israel,

he gives them

the Ten Commandments.

The Ten Commandments

are broken down

half towards

the relationship

with God,

the other half

towards relationship

with man

and each other.

Moses says,

Show me your ways.

I want to know you,

Lord.

I want to know you more.

And then he finishes

that off

saying,

That's how I find

favor in your sight.

And then in Psalms

we see this,

For the Lord God

is a sun and a shield.

The Lord bestows

favor and honor.

No good thing

does he withhold

from those

who walk uprightly.

So favor is found

in those

who walk uprightly,

who walk righteously,

who live righteously

obedient to the Lord

and to his word.

The other thing

we see in the last part

of verse 52

is that Jesus grew

in favor with man.

That's easier

for me to understand.

Favor with man

is when

you're that person

that folks

want to come to.

You're that person

that people

want to be around.

You're that person

that when you walk

in a room,

folks are glad

to see you.

Folks want to have

a conversation

with you.

You're that person

that everybody knows

and the reason is

because everything

that is true,

everything that is

trustworthy,

everything is honorable,

that represents you

and you win

favor of others.

Think about that.

In your neighborhood,

you find favor

with your neighbors

when they want

to come to you

and ask for your help

or ask for your assistance

or they know

that there's something

different about you.

You find favor

with your fellow man.

Even before the miracles,

Luke saw and heard

that Jesus connected

with others.

Jesus connected relationally.

That's who he was.

That's how he found favor

because he cared

about others.

He had compassion

for them.

We see later

in Jesus' ministry

that he had compassion

for people.

I guarantee you

at age 12

that still showed up

where he had compassion

for others.

People want to be

around people

they know

care about

who they are.

in 1 Peter

verses 2

I mean chapter 2

verse 21

it's kind of been

a life verse for me

and as I try to think

about wisdom

and favor of God

and favor of man

this is where

my mind went to.

It says,

for to this

you have been called

because Christ

also suffered for you

leaving you an example

so that you might

follow in his steps.

As I look at this verse

the call for my life

the call for your life

our lives as believers

in Christ

is to follow

in the steps of Christ

and one of the ways

in which you and I

can do that

is found in Luke 2 52

grow in wisdom

increase in favor of God

increase in favor of man.

Then the last thing

is this

longing for Jesus

longing for Jesus

when you think

about Simeon

when you think

about Anna

that's what they did

they longed to see

the Messiah

in the flesh

they longed to be

in his presence

they wanted to take

the things

that they had heard

the prophecy

and see the reality

man what would it be like

for your life

and for my life

if we were marked

with the thoughts

and the attitude

of longing for Jesus

that every morning

every morning

when we wake up

we long to be with him

we long to see him

work in our life

we long to see him

work around our life

the psalmist writes

in chapter 63

verse 1

he writes these words

oh God

oh God

you are my God

I earnestly search

for you

my soul

thirsts for you

my whole body

longs for you

in this parched

and weary land

where there is no water

man do you hear

the psalmist's voice

do you hear

his desire

to be in the presence

of God

to walk daily

in the presence

of God

for he to be

consumed

with who God

is

I search

I thirst

I long

because this life

is sucking life

out of me

the weary land

that has no water

Lord I need you

every day

every hour

longing for Jesus

as we look

at a new year

fresh

may we pray

and may we

reach towards

being the persons

that God desires

for us to be

each and every day

of our life

as we continue

to follow him

each and every moment

Lord thank you

for your word

Lord every time

your word is open

it brings truth

it brings

understanding

Lord it gives us

direction

Lord it shows us

who you are

Lord it also

shows us

who we are

it shows us

the things

that we need

to work on

it shows us

the things

that we can

glorify you

with

so Lord

thank you so much

for your love

for us

within that love

you showed us

your word

you showed us

your heart

you brought us

salvation

through your

son Jesus

you also

showed us

how to live

life

through your

son Jesus

so Lord

we thank you

and we ask this

prayer in your name

amen

thanks again for

listening to the

Willow Ridge Church

weekly podcast

we hope that you

enjoyed listening to

this week's message

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