We Need Peace in Conflict
Series: WHY DO WE STILL NEED CHRISTMAS?
Speaker: James Barnett
Date: 28th December 2019
00:00:00 --> 00:00:09 Good morning, everyone. Today, as Debbie mentioned, is the last Sunday of the year.
00:00:09 --> 00:00:16 It's the last Sunday of the decade, the end of this 10-year period.
00:00:17 --> 00:00:22 And as we start a new year, we're often thinking about New Year's resolutions.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:31 You know, I want to be reading the Bible more. I want to get healthy. I want to lose weight. I want to get a new job.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:40 But before we can get to our New Year's resolutions, I believe it's important for us to end the year well.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 Not only that, but let's end this decade well.
00:00:44 --> 00:00:52 I'm not sure for you, but the last 10 years has brought a number of different joys and pains for us.
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 I've lost a number of family members.
00:00:57 --> 00:00:59 But there's also been significant joys.
00:00:59 --> 00:01:03 In the last 10 years for us, I finished full-time work.
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 I went and became a full-time student at Moore College.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:10 I started at St. Paul's. I left St. Paul's.
00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 I worked somewhere and then I came back to St. Paul's.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 We have had three children in 10 years.
00:01:18 --> 00:01:21 Much has happened in that period of time.
00:01:22 --> 00:01:25 Now, as we start looking at a new year and a new decade,
00:01:26 --> 00:01:29 we can be thinking about all those things we want to achieve.
00:01:30 --> 00:01:34 But we actually need to deal with this year first.
00:01:35 --> 00:01:38 And all the baggage that it brings.
00:01:38 --> 00:01:42 There's no point setting your sights really high on a new year
00:01:42 --> 00:01:49 if you're dragging 10 years worth of baggage and pain and hurt and sin behind you.
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 Thinking that everything will change just because we've got a new calendar
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 doesn't really make any sense.
00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 And thinking that we'll just have a better relationship with God
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 because I'm going to try harder for a January run
00:02:03 --> 00:02:06 doesn't necessarily make sense either.
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 We need to be dealing with the baggage that we have at this point
00:02:10 --> 00:02:14 to be able to go forward growing and following Jesus.
00:02:14 --> 00:02:19 In a different time, an era was marked.
00:02:19 --> 00:02:25 When Jesus was born, it has changed everything in our world.
00:02:25 --> 00:02:30 So much so that our entire calendars function around when he was born.
00:02:31 --> 00:02:35 But when Jesus was born, it's not just a matter of time being changed,
00:02:36 --> 00:02:37 but of salvation.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 God became man.
00:02:39 --> 00:02:42 And this world will never be the same again.
00:02:42 --> 00:02:46 And so today, as we head to the end of the year and the end of the decade,
00:02:47 --> 00:02:52 we're going to see how two people respond when they meet this baby Jesus.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:58 These two prophets, they're also going to challenge how we come before Jesus
00:02:58 --> 00:03:02 and how he is preparing us for the next 10 years.
00:03:02 --> 00:03:08 We meet these two characters, Anna and Simeon, and they're at the temple.
00:03:09 --> 00:03:13 Jesus' parents had taken him to the temple to obey the law.
00:03:13 --> 00:03:14 Please have your Bibles open with me.
00:03:14 --> 00:03:20 We're in Luke chapter 2, finishing our series, looking at the infancy narrative.
00:03:20 --> 00:03:25 This is the end of the stories about Jesus as a baby.
00:03:25 --> 00:03:30 He's eight days old at this point, and we're in verse 22 of chapter 2.
00:03:32 --> 00:03:37 When the time came for the purification rites required by the law of Moses,
00:03:38 --> 00:03:42 Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.
00:03:43 --> 00:03:44 As it is written in the law of the Lord,
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord
00:03:47 --> 00:03:52 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the law of the Lord,
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 a pair of doves or two young pigeons.
00:03:55 --> 00:03:58 The law stated that there were purification ceremonies
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 that needed to happen after birth.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:07 And here they come and they offer birds to be sacrificed for their corruption and sin.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:12 After birth, Mary would have been ritually unclean.
00:04:13 --> 00:04:17 But the focus is not on Mary here, but it is on Jesus.
00:04:18 --> 00:04:22 And yet it seems strange that Jesus would need to be purified.
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 He was born without blemish or spot.
00:04:26 --> 00:04:31 He doesn't need the death of birds to keep him in relationship with God.
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 He has no sin that needs to be forgiven.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 And he's been with God for eternity.
00:04:38 --> 00:04:42 And yet here, just like when Jesus is baptized,
00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 he is identifying with us.
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 And it's a reminder of how contagious sin is.
00:04:48 --> 00:04:52 We catch it from our mother and father in our birth.
00:04:53 --> 00:04:57 Jesus here, even at the age of eight days old,
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 is directing us to God's grace.
00:05:00 --> 00:05:03 The pollutions that we all come into the world with
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 are going to be washed away because of the birth of Jesus,
00:05:07 --> 00:05:08 through the grace of God.
00:05:08 --> 00:05:13 And as they come into this temple to do this ceremony,
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 they speak to two people, Anna the prophetess and Simeon.
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 Neither of these people have official roles.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 They're not the Pharisee.
00:05:23 --> 00:05:24 They're not the Sadducee.
00:05:24 --> 00:05:25 They're not the high priest in the temple.
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 They're both described as old.
00:05:30 --> 00:05:35 And culturally, that means that they're well-respected, reliable witnesses.
00:05:35 --> 00:05:39 And there's a certain completeness that comes from having
00:05:39 --> 00:05:44 both a male and a female witness to the fulfillment of Jesus.
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 And so we're going to briefly look at Anna,
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 who's at the end of the passage,
00:05:48 --> 00:05:51 and then come back and spend some more time on Simeon.
00:05:52 --> 00:05:53 Verse 36.
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 There was also a prophet, Anna,
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 the daughter of Penuel of the tribe of Asher.
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 She was very old.
00:06:02 --> 00:06:05 She had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage.
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 And then was a widow until she was 84.
00:06:08 --> 00:06:13 Now, it's not exactly clear whether Anna was 84 years old
00:06:13 --> 00:06:17 or whether she had been a widow for 84 years.
00:06:17 --> 00:06:21 But what is clear is this woman was a faithful follower of God.
00:06:21 --> 00:06:22 Verse 37.
00:06:22 --> 00:06:23 She never left the temple,
00:06:24 --> 00:06:27 but worshipped night and day,
00:06:27 --> 00:06:28 fasting and praying.
00:06:28 --> 00:06:34 And she has finally seen what she has been fasting and praying for.
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 Coming up to them at that very moment,
00:06:37 --> 00:06:37 verse 38,
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
00:06:40 --> 00:06:44 to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 The redemption of Jerusalem.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:49 This is what she's been looking forward to.
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 And she makes this public expression of gratitude.
00:06:52 --> 00:06:53 Gratitude.
00:06:54 --> 00:06:58 This is a wonderful picture of an old and frail woman
00:06:58 --> 00:07:03 who has been patiently waiting for the Lord.
00:07:04 --> 00:07:05 And she meets Jesus.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 And she goes off to all who are like her,
00:07:09 --> 00:07:10 looking for God to act.
00:07:11 --> 00:07:15 I think she is a wonderful challenge to us.
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 She was fasting and praying in the temple,
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 waiting to see God act.
00:07:22 --> 00:07:26 Do we have that same kind of patience and persistence with God?
00:07:27 --> 00:07:31 Fasting is a very helpful spiritual practice.
00:07:32 --> 00:07:33 I've fasted before.
00:07:33 --> 00:07:37 But what it helps someone to do is to focus on God
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 and focus on your dependence on God.
00:07:40 --> 00:07:44 It's a reminder that God is the one who sustains and feeds.
00:07:45 --> 00:07:46 It gives you more time,
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 because you're not doing things like preparing food and cleaning up.
00:07:49 --> 00:07:52 It gives you more time to read the Bible,
00:07:52 --> 00:07:53 more time to pray.
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 When you feel hungry, you pray.
00:07:57 --> 00:08:00 And it's a wonderful discipline to do.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 Let me know if you'd like to find out more
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 about the spiritual discipline of fasting.
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 And so Anna had been praying and fasting.
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 And Luke says she never left the temple.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 Now, I'm not necessarily going to encourage you
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 to come in here.
00:08:16 --> 00:08:19 You need to sit down in the front where Abby is.
00:08:19 --> 00:08:22 You need to be fasting and praying every day of the week.
00:08:22 --> 00:08:26 We don't need to go to a holy place anymore to do that.
00:08:26 --> 00:08:31 But at this time, that's what Anna is doing.
00:08:31 --> 00:08:34 She's been fasting and praying.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:39 And finally, after 84 years, God has answered her prayer.
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 Now, I'm not sure what you're praying for.
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 I'm not sure what God is putting on your heart to be praying for.
00:08:47 --> 00:08:51 But Anna is an encouragement for us to do two things.
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 Firstly, to pray and keep praying,
00:08:56 --> 00:08:59 even when it's hard, even when our hearts give way.
00:09:00 --> 00:09:04 But also, that God does answer our prayers.
00:09:04 --> 00:09:07 It might not be in our timing.
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 But God does answer our prayers.
00:09:10 --> 00:09:11 It might not be a yes.
00:09:11 --> 00:09:12 It could be a yes.
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 It could be a no.
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 It could be a wait.
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 And Anna certainly waited 84 years.
00:09:19 --> 00:09:21 But now she has seen Jesus.
00:09:21 --> 00:09:23 She has seen the redemption of Jerusalem.
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 And what a huge prayer that is to ask.
00:09:26 --> 00:09:30 I want to see your redemption in this country.
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 And she has gotten to see it.
00:09:33 --> 00:09:40 But even then, to wait another 30 odd years to see his crucifixion and resurrection.
00:09:40 --> 00:09:45 And even now, we are waiting to see Jesus return.
00:09:45 --> 00:09:49 So let me encourage you to pray like Anna.
00:09:50 --> 00:09:53 Pray with dependence on God brought about by fasting.
00:09:53 --> 00:09:57 And be saturated in God's Word as you do it.
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 So that's Anna.
00:09:59 --> 00:10:03 What a wonderful encouragement to pray and to be dependent on God.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:07 And the second character we meet is a gentleman called Simeon.
00:10:07 --> 00:10:08 Verse 25.
00:10:09 --> 00:10:12 Now, there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon,
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 who was righteous and devout.
00:10:15 --> 00:10:18 He was waiting for the consolation of Israel.
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 And the Holy Spirit was on him.
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit,
00:10:23 --> 00:10:27 that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah.
00:10:27 --> 00:10:30 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 It's really interesting here that in these three verses,
00:10:35 --> 00:10:40 it's mentioned three times that Simeon either has the Holy Spirit on him,
00:10:40 --> 00:10:43 or is moved by the Holy Spirit.
00:10:44 --> 00:10:48 This is in marked contrast to the entire Old Testament.
00:10:48 --> 00:10:51 The Holy Spirit came on people sparingly.
00:10:52 --> 00:10:55 But now, something has changed.
00:10:56 --> 00:11:02 Jesus has been born, and God is pouring out his Holy Spirit just as he promised to do.
00:11:02 --> 00:11:06 Not only is God with us, Emmanuel, in Jesus,
00:11:06 --> 00:11:09 but he is dwelling inside people in the Holy Spirit,
00:11:09 --> 00:11:12 in numbers that we just had not seen before.
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 And Simeon, like Anna, is waiting on God.
00:11:17 --> 00:11:21 Waiting because he'd been promised that he would see God's Messiah.
00:11:21 --> 00:11:25 Simeon, he's waiting for this Messiah.
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 He's waiting for God's chosen one.
00:11:28 --> 00:11:34 Because faith in Jesus, it's the fulfillment of all of his hopes and expectations of his people.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:39 And there's this beautiful moment when Joseph and Mary bring Jesus in,
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 and Simeon sees the baby Jesus.
00:11:42 --> 00:11:48 He meets him, and he sings the last of these songs in the infancy narratives.
00:11:48 --> 00:11:51 There's a number of songs all throughout these first two chapters.
00:11:51 --> 00:11:53 This is the last of the songs, the shortest of them,
00:11:53 --> 00:11:55 but it's still quite lovely.
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 Verse 28.
00:11:56 --> 00:11:59 Simeon took him, that is Jesus, in his arms,
00:11:59 --> 00:12:01 and praised God, saying,
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
00:12:05 --> 00:12:08 you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
00:12:12 --> 00:12:14 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations,
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
00:12:17 --> 00:12:20 and the glory of your people Israel.
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 That's this lovely song.
00:12:22 --> 00:12:24 I kind of feel like I should be singing these songs,
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 as we've been going through them.
00:12:26 --> 00:12:29 But you can write a melody for me for next year.
00:12:30 --> 00:12:32 But Simeon's emphasis is on God's timing.
00:12:33 --> 00:12:35 Now I can die.
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 Now you may dismiss your servant in peace.
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 Now, because everything has changed.
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 Now a new era has begun.
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 Now, God, your story of salvation,
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 I can see it unfolding.
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 Simeon, he's a trusting servant,
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 and God is a faithful master.
00:12:55 --> 00:12:57 And Simeon can say,
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 God, look, I'm ready to die now.
00:13:00 --> 00:13:02 I hand myself over to you,
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 because I've seen your goodness,
00:13:03 --> 00:13:07 I have seen your salvation for my people,
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 and for all of the world.
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12 And then Simeon, full of the Holy Spirit,
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 prophesies about the work of Jesus.
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 Verse 34.
00:13:17 --> 00:13:37 Can you imagine being Mary at this point,
00:13:38 --> 00:13:38 hearing this?
00:13:39 --> 00:13:43 Her little eight-day-old baby
00:13:43 --> 00:13:46 was going to cause people to rise and to fall,
00:13:47 --> 00:13:50 to cause a sword to pierce her heart,
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 her soul.
00:13:53 --> 00:13:56 Simeon is saying that Jesus is going to be
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 a tool of division.
00:13:58 --> 00:14:01 He would cause division amongst people,
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 two different types of division.
00:14:03 --> 00:14:07 He would divide those who follow him
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 and those who don't,
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 and he would divide people's hearts
00:14:11 --> 00:14:15 so that their hearts would be revealed.
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 Jesus is going to come and divide people
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 into those who follow and don't follow,
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 and for those who follow,
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 their very hearts are going to be divided
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 and revealed.
00:14:26 --> 00:14:28 When we are confronted by Jesus,
00:14:28 --> 00:14:30 we can't remain neutral.
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 We can't have no opinion of him.
00:14:34 --> 00:14:37 He will either confront our need for God
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 and lead us to faith in him,
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 or we will push against Jesus
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 and reject him.
00:14:44 --> 00:14:47 Simeon's prophecy points to Jesus' dividing nature.
00:14:48 --> 00:14:49 He will split families,
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52 some believing, some not,
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 brother against brother,
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 sister against mother,
00:14:56 --> 00:14:59 because you can't remain neutral to Jesus.
00:15:00 --> 00:15:03 He pierces to the very heart
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 and reveals what is within.
00:15:05 --> 00:15:08 And when we are confronted with who we are,
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 we can admit our fault
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 and our need for God,
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 or we can flee.
00:15:15 --> 00:15:17 Simeon says that Jesus has come
00:15:17 --> 00:15:19 so that the thoughts of many hearts
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 would be revealed
00:15:20 --> 00:15:24 and a sword would pierce Mary's soul too.
00:15:25 --> 00:15:25 Now,
00:15:26 --> 00:15:29 the heart in the ancient world,
00:15:29 --> 00:15:32 that was the place where the thoughts
00:15:32 --> 00:15:34 and the feelings and the desires
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 and the attitudes dwelt.
00:15:36 --> 00:15:36 You know,
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 it's fairly similar for us.
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 We might think things,
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 but we feel things.
00:15:40 --> 00:15:43 This is the location of our heart.
00:15:43 --> 00:15:45 Maybe we might even say in our gut,
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 a little further down.
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 But in the ancient world,
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 it was the heart
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 where the thoughts
00:15:50 --> 00:15:50 and the feelings
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 and the attitudes,
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 the hidden things,
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 were.
00:15:54 --> 00:15:57 And the Bible as a whole
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 presents Jesus
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 as the Word of God
00:15:59 --> 00:16:02 and the Word is like a sword.
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 So a little later in Hebrews,
00:16:05 --> 00:16:07 it says that the Word of God is,
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 again, like a sword,
00:16:10 --> 00:16:12 sharper than any double-edged sword.
00:16:13 --> 00:16:15 It penetrates even to dividing
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 soul and spirit,
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 joint and marrow,
00:16:17 --> 00:16:19 and it judges the thoughts
00:16:19 --> 00:16:22 and attitudes of the heart.
00:16:22 --> 00:16:25 Jesus is going to function
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 like a double-edged sword.
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 It's interesting that
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 in Simeon's prophecy,
00:16:30 --> 00:16:32 he uses this idea of a sword
00:16:32 --> 00:16:34 piercing to the heart.
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 Now, in the ancient world,
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 in the Roman world in particular,
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 there were two types of main swords
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 that they used.
00:16:40 --> 00:16:44 They used a sword called the makara
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 and the gladius.
00:16:46 --> 00:16:49 The makara was a single-bladed
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 hacking weapon.
00:16:50 --> 00:16:52 I have the Chinese version here
00:16:52 --> 00:16:54 because, you know,
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 props are always good.
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 So this is the Chinese dao.
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 So this,
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 similar type of weapon
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 to the makara,
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05 it's a good hacking weapon, okay?
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 You know, think about a rider
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 on the top of a horse
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 hacking down.
00:17:09 --> 00:17:11 You don't need both sides
00:17:11 --> 00:17:11 to be sharp.
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 It has a single focus.
00:17:14 --> 00:17:16 And the other was the gladius.
00:17:16 --> 00:17:21 The gladius was a double-edged weapon.
00:17:22 --> 00:17:24 So this is the Chinese jen.
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 The gladius was shorter,
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30 but also double-edged.
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 These weapons are used
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 not for hacking,
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 these are used for piercing.
00:17:35 --> 00:17:39 This tool was a much more
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 delicate weapon.
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 You don't hack
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 because you'll break the blade.
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45 You try and pierce armor
00:17:45 --> 00:17:47 and go between the ribs
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 to get to organs.
00:17:49 --> 00:17:49 That's the function
00:17:49 --> 00:17:51 of a double-edged weapon.
00:17:51 --> 00:17:53 That's what it does.
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 It's designed to pierce.
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 So there's a nice little
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 weapon lesson.
00:17:57 --> 00:18:05 Jesus, as the word of God,
00:18:05 --> 00:18:08 is the double-edged sword.
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 He's not a hacking tool.
00:18:10 --> 00:18:13 He comes to penetrate
00:18:13 --> 00:18:16 to our inmost being.
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 He gets through
00:18:18 --> 00:18:20 all of our defenses
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 that we have made.
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 The feelings of security
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 in our job,
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 our feelings of happiness
00:18:25 --> 00:18:27 in life that we have made,
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 the idea that we're
00:18:28 --> 00:18:30 good people generally
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 and God should love me
00:18:31 --> 00:18:33 and God should bless me.
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 He cuts through
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 all of that to the heart
00:18:36 --> 00:18:39 and He judges our thoughts
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 and our attitudes.
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 Have you ever had that moment
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 sitting in church
00:18:44 --> 00:18:46 or maybe reading the Bible
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 at home thinking,
00:18:48 --> 00:18:51 He's talking to me right now.
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 He's talking to me.
00:18:52 --> 00:18:54 Why is He picking on me
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 out of all these people?
00:18:55 --> 00:18:58 When that happens,
00:18:58 --> 00:19:00 when we feel like
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 the preacher
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 or the Bible reading
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 is targeting us,
00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 that is the word of God.
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 That is Jesus Himself
00:19:06 --> 00:19:08 piercing our defenses,
00:19:09 --> 00:19:11 cutting between them all
00:19:11 --> 00:19:13 and getting to our very soul.
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 Simeon is prophesying
00:19:16 --> 00:19:18 that Jesus would come
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 and He would cut people
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 to the heart.
00:19:20 --> 00:19:22 He would divide
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 their very thoughts
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 and feelings
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 and attitudes
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 and souls
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 and when that mess
00:19:27 --> 00:19:29 is revealed,
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 people will be divided.
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 I think our hearts
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 can be like this plastic bottle.
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 I've got lots of props
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 today actually.
00:19:36 --> 00:19:41 I think our hearts
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 can be like this plastic bottle.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 There's a little bit of oil
00:19:43 --> 00:19:45 and mainly food dye in there.
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 But I think this is
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 what our hearts are like.
00:19:50 --> 00:19:52 All throughout the last decade
00:19:52 --> 00:19:52 in particular,
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 it's been filled
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 with all kinds of things.
00:19:57 --> 00:19:57 Sin,
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 resentment,
00:20:00 --> 00:20:00 anger,
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 sexual temptation,
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 lust,
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 frustration,
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 frustration and pain
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 because I didn't get the job,
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 anger because I can't afford
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 the house I want,
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 lust is damaging
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 my relationships
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 with other people.
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 And as we look
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 into the new year
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 and to the new decade,
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 we have a heart like this.
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 And one of my favorite
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 new sayings is
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 new year,
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 new me.
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 Have you heard this saying?
00:20:26 --> 00:20:26 New year,
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 new me.
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 And we think,
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 oh, it's a new year.
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 It'll be a new me.
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 But we are carrying
00:20:32 --> 00:20:34 a heart that is like this.
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 And what we do
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 is we just think,
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 oh, I'm just going to try
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 really hard
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 at the start of the year.
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 I'm going to give it
00:20:40 --> 00:20:40 a good shake.
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 And this year's going
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 to be totally different.
00:20:43 --> 00:20:43 Everything's going
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 to be totally different.
00:20:44 --> 00:20:44 Look,
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 I've tried really hard
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 all throughout January
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 and it's
00:20:48 --> 00:20:50 still the exact same.
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 And we wonder
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 why when it comes
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 to February,
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 nothing has changed.
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 What we need
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 is
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 a puncture wound.
00:21:02 --> 00:21:04 What we need
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 is a sword
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 to pierce us.
00:21:07 --> 00:21:07 I don't know.
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 I don't want to damage
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 one of my swords
00:21:09 --> 00:21:09 but I do have
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 a Stanley knife.
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 What we actually need
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 is a sword
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 to come in.
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 Let's not make
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 too much mess.
00:21:15 --> 00:21:15 We need a sword
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 to come in
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 and
00:21:17 --> 00:21:20 get the gunk out.
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 We actually need
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 it
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 to be released.
00:21:24 --> 00:21:24 Otherwise,
00:21:25 --> 00:21:28 we're just going
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 to keep pretending
00:21:29 --> 00:21:31 that everything
00:21:31 --> 00:21:31 is fine.
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 We're going
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 to keep pretending
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 that we've got
00:21:33 --> 00:21:35 this rotten heart
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 but we're going
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 to ignore it
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 and we're going
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 to think,
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 I can go into
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 this new year
00:21:38 --> 00:21:38 and everything
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 will change
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 and I'm going
00:21:40 --> 00:21:40 to be the best
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 Christian next year.
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 We need that
00:21:42 --> 00:21:44 sword of Jesus.
00:21:46 --> 00:21:46 Miami,
00:21:46 --> 00:21:46 you're looking
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 very stressed there.
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 We need that
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 sword of Jesus
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 to pierce
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 our hearts
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 and let the gunk,
00:21:53 --> 00:21:55 let the horrible
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 sin out.
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 Jesus comes
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 to pierce us.
00:21:58 --> 00:22:00 He is sharper
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 than any
00:22:00 --> 00:22:02 double-edged sword.
00:22:03 --> 00:22:03 He comes
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 to divide
00:22:04 --> 00:22:04 our hearts
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 and our thoughts
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 and our attitudes.
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 Without that
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 sword piercing us,
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 we could trick
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 ourselves into
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 thinking that
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 everything was fine
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 but we actually
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 need this
00:22:14 --> 00:22:16 so it reveals
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 who we are
00:22:17 --> 00:22:17 but let me tell
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 you what,
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 this is not fun.
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 You know,
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 stabbing that bottle,
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 you know,
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 if that bottle
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 could scream,
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 it probably would have.
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 A little while ago
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 I had some sin
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 pointed out to me
00:22:30 --> 00:22:32 and it was like
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 a stab wound
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 straight between
00:22:34 --> 00:22:34 the ribs.
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 It was really
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 painful
00:22:37 --> 00:22:39 being confronted
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 with what
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 had been
00:22:41 --> 00:22:41 a hidden sin.
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 A sin that
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 had been
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 filling up
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 within me
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 for years.
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 And I very much
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 wanted to keep
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 this sin hidden.
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 It wasn't until
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 it was pointed out
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 and lanced
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 like a boil,
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 like a stab wound
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 into a plastic bottle
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 filled with food
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 colouring,
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 did the gunk
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 start pouring out
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 the secretiveness,
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 the evasiveness.
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 But it took
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 that initial
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 stab wound
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 and confrontation
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 with what was
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 inside.
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 I need Jesus
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 to keep piercing
00:23:13 --> 00:23:13 my soul,
00:23:14 --> 00:23:14 getting between
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 my ribs,
00:23:16 --> 00:23:16 my armour
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 that I set up
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 to pretend
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 that I'm actually
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 a good guy
00:23:19 --> 00:23:21 so that I can
00:23:21 --> 00:23:21 be made
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 more like Jesus.
00:23:22 --> 00:23:25 God's work
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 when it
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 pierces
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 causes a
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 response.
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 You can't
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 stay indifferent
00:23:31 --> 00:23:31 to Jesus
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 at that moment.
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 You will either
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 fall on your
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 knees and
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 repent
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 for what is
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 coming out
00:23:36 --> 00:23:38 or you're
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 going to
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 slap sticky
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 tape on it.
00:23:40 --> 00:23:40 You're going
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 to build
00:23:41 --> 00:23:41 bandages
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 around yourself.
00:23:43 --> 00:23:43 You're going
00:23:43 --> 00:23:43 to build
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 walls
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 to try
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 and protect
00:23:46 --> 00:23:46 yourself.
00:23:46 --> 00:23:48 But we
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 don't need
00:23:49 --> 00:23:49 to protect
00:23:49 --> 00:23:49 ourselves
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 because we
00:23:50 --> 00:23:50 have a
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 God who
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 has died
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 to protect
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 us.
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 As we
00:23:56 --> 00:23:56 come to
00:23:56 --> 00:23:56 the end
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 of the
00:23:57 --> 00:23:57 decade,
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 the 2010s
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 are closing
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 out,
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 it is important
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 to take a
00:24:03 --> 00:24:03 moment and
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 stop,
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 to spend
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 some time
00:24:06 --> 00:24:06 doing business
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 with God
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 and seeing
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 what our
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 hearts are
00:24:10 --> 00:24:10 like and not
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 just assuming
00:24:11 --> 00:24:11 that everything
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 will be fine.
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 There's no
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 point going
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 into the 2020s
00:24:15 --> 00:24:15 with a
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 heart full
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 of arrogance
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 and sin
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 and sexual
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 immorality
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 and selfishness.
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 Book some
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 time over
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 the next
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 couple of
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 days to
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 do some
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 business with
00:24:25 --> 00:24:25 God.
00:24:26 --> 00:24:26 It's likely
00:24:26 --> 00:24:29 that a lot
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 of us have
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 time before
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 Sydney kicks
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 back in.
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 I want to
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 congratulate you
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 all on
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 remembering what
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 day it was
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 to come to
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 church today.
00:24:37 --> 00:24:37 It's often
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 hard between
00:24:38 --> 00:24:38 Christmas and
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 New Year's to
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 remember what
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 day it is.
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 But it's
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 likely that we've
00:24:42 --> 00:24:42 got a little
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 bit of time.
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 Go and spend
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 some time
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 with God.
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 Ask him,
00:24:48 --> 00:24:48 God,
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 pierce my
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 soul.
00:24:52 --> 00:24:52 Let me
00:24:52 --> 00:24:54 know how
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 I need to
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 change.
00:24:55 --> 00:24:55 Ask for
00:24:55 --> 00:24:55 help from
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 a friend.
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 If you
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 invite a
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 friend,
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 they will
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 tell you.
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 Ask God
00:25:02 --> 00:25:02 and ask
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 your friend,
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 God,
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 what is the
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 one biggest
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 sin that I
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 need to
00:25:07 --> 00:25:09 confront to
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 leave in
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 this decade
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 before I
00:25:12 --> 00:25:14 start 2020?
00:25:14 --> 00:25:16 take a
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 look at
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 your sin,
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 own it
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 and acknowledge
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 that it's
00:25:19 --> 00:25:21 yours and
00:25:21 --> 00:25:21 that Jesus
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 came to
00:25:22 --> 00:25:22 get rid of
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 it so
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 that we
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 could have
00:25:25 --> 00:25:25 peace,
00:25:26 --> 00:25:26 trusting in
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 him and
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 peace with
00:25:27 --> 00:25:29 him because
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 he loves us
00:25:30 --> 00:25:30 and he died
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 for us.
00:25:31 --> 00:25:31 Let me pray
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 for us.
00:25:32 --> 00:25:42 with
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 peace
00:25:42 --> 00:25:44 of
00:25:44 --> 00:25:46 him
00:25:46 --> 00:25:56 too