THE EVERLASTING ONE

LUKE 2:21-24

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. SIMEON [2:25-35]

1. He was a Man of Piety [2:25] “the quality of being religious or reverent”

2. He was a Man of Patience & Faith [2:26-29, Titus 2:13,  Jude 1:21]

-Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

-Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

3. He was a Man of Understanding [2:29-35, 1 Chr. 12:32, Luke 24:44-47]

-And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.

- And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

 

Yes, Simeon was a man of piety, of patience and faith, of understanding: but he was not the Everlasting One.

 

II. ANNA [2:36-38]

1. She was a Woman of Perseverance and Prayer [v. 36-37]

2. She was a Woman of Praise [v. 38]

3. She was a Woman of Proclamation [v. 38]

 

Yes, Anna was a woman of perseverance, prayer, praise and proclamation- and she was old: but she was not the Everlasting One.

 

III. THE EVERLASTING ONE

1. Forty Days Old & “from of Old, from Everlasting” [2:21-24, Micah 5:2, Habakkuk 1:12]

- But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting .

- Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.

2. The Consolation of Israel [Lk. 2:25, Is. 40:1-5, 1 Cor. 2:8]

- Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

-Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

3. The Lord’s Christ [2:26-29, 11]

4. The Saviour, the Lord’s Salvation [2:30, 3:4-6]

5. A Light to Lighten the Gentiles [2:32, Is. 42:6]

I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

6. The Glory of Israel [2:32, Is. 60:1-3]

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

7. Redemption [2:38, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Hebrews 9:12]

-But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

- Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.