Renewing the Mind - #6

This is the sixth and final sermon in a series of messages focusing on the importance of having a Christian/biblical worldview of life. We are bombarded every day with the philosophies and values of the secular, godless world in which we live. Far too often, Christians have accepted the views and assumptions of the secular world rather than applying biblical truth to every area of life. This sermon addresses the topic of history. 

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Today I intend to conclude the series of messages I have been giving on the subject “Renewing the Mind.” This has been a series intended to remind us of the importance of living with a biblical view of life and the world rather than an atheistic or secular view of life. We refer to that as having a “biblical/Christian worldview.”

I have talked about a number of general topics trying to explain some of the differences between the way a Christian understands the subject and the way it is viewed by someone who doesn’t believe in God or the Bible. Our final topic in the series is the subject of history.

History – (dictionary.com)

1.      the branch of knowledge dealing with past events.

2.      a continuous, systematic narrative of past events as relating to a particular people, country, period, person, etc., usually written as a chronological account …

3.      the aggregate of past events.

4.      the record of past events and times, especially in connection with the human race.

How important is it to have a biblical worldview in regard to history?

Some of you may remember a story I shared a few weeks ago regarding Attorney David Gibbs (Christian Law Association) and his conversation with Pastor Levi Whisner who was in court fighting for his church’s right to operate a Christian school. (Studied world history in school and completely missed the first man and woman.)

For the remainder of our time this morning I want to speak to you about the topic of history. With God’s help I intend to consider:

I.          Foundational Principle for Recording History

II.        Secular Assumptions about Understanding History

III.       Thoughts about Bible History

I.          Foundational Principle for Recording History

Truth

At the beginning of this series, I preached a sermon in which I tried to emphasize the importance of truth. In that message I started out sharing some thoughts from various authors regarding the definition of truth. We also tried to explain the difference between “subjective truth” and “objective truth.”

Subjective truth is based on personal experience/opinion, changes – e.g. “It is hot!” “church is boring.”

Objective truth is based on an objective standard of reality, doesn’t change – e.g. “It is 95 degrees Fahrenheit.” “church is the body of Christ.”

Finally, we discussed truths from the Bible: God is a God of truth. Jesus is the way, the TRUTH, and the Life. God’s Word is truth.

What does all this have to do with history? It ought to be universally accepted that recorded history must be based upon and grounded in truth, or it is simply meaningless. We probably already know that some historians do not always stick to the truth when recording events. When we discover a historian, who does not adhere to the truth, we generally lose interest in what he/she has to say or has written.

When we read about history by any author, we expect the author to portray the facts accurately – not worse than they are; not better than they are. (Just like the Bible; “bad” with the “good.”) It seems logical to assume that all people would cherish the truth in regard to history whether they are secular or Christian. But, sadly, that doesn’t always seem to be the case. Regardless of what non-Christians may think, a Christian worldview of history certainly must include the principle of truth as one of the most crucial characteristics. 

Many people are extremely disturbed, and rightly so, over the ways that our nation’s history has been revised to fit a politically correct framework of thought. Historical record that is based in truth does not need to be revised in order to conform to any particular framework. If you have been paying attention to current events over the last few decades, you know that certain elements of our society are trying to completely erase all historical reference to the kinds of spiritual and religious values many Americans hold dear.

Why does it disturb us? There are many reasons, no doubt, but one reason is because it simply is not based in truth.

II.        Secular Assumptions for Understanding History

When I worked at New Destiny Treatment Center, I taught a class we called “Spiritual Formation.” One of the topics I presented every year was called, “Evidence for Faith,” and was based on a video series with the same title recorded by Josh McDowell. In that video series McDowell addresses five misconceptions held by some people about Christianity. One of those misconceptions included this allegation: “The Christian’s faith has no historical basis.”

As Josh tries to defend the historical basis of the Christian faith, he takes time to describe the assumptions that atheists and other non-Christians make regarding history. (These are assumptions used to interpret or understand history.)

A. There is no God.

For secular historians, all references to God are “categorized” as religious opinions that are not verifiable, so they do not belong in any discussion of history. “History only deals with humanly verifiable facts.” It almost seems as though they think, “Since God’s existence cannot be proven, we’ll just assume He’s not real.”

B. We live in a closed, self-caused system.

Since “there is no God,” then it can be assumed that we live in a world/universe which is not impacted in any way by anything outside the universe.

C. There is nothing supernatural.

If we live in a system (universe/world) that is closed off from any type of outside intervention, then everything exists due to natural causes, and all events are to be understood as naturally generated (by/within this closed world system).

D. There are no miracles.

If every event is generated by natural causes rather than supernatural causes, then there can be no “miracles.”

There may be other assumptions that secularists hold, or there may be other ways of expressing them, but these four are the ones I discovered as presented by Josh McDowell. I think we can all understand how secular assumptions like these would totally affect one’s view of history and interpretation of historical data. Assumptions, such as these four I’ve mentioned, provide the basis for non-Christian historians to claim large portions of the Bible are fiction or mythological.

III.       Thoughts about Bible History

The third point I want to explore today relates to Bible history.

A. The Bible is not a history textbook.

There are many details regarding the history of the world that are not included in the Bible. However, whatever the Bible records about historical events is reliable.

John Oswalt – The Bible doesn’t exist to give us a history of Israel. It gives us enough data about [such events as] the Exodus that we can say it really occurred, but it has no interest in giving us all the data so we can reconstruct the event. [The Bible is] not interested in reconstructing an event. It is interested in [helping] us know God, who was revealed in the event.        (YouTube, AdventNext Theological Podcast)

B. The Bible is not filled with myths and fables.

In regard to the OT, Dr. John Oswalt does an excellent job of arguing how the OT is drastically different than other ancient literature and myths. (The Bible Among the Myths)

Speaking about the NT, (especially about the resurrection), Josh McDowell stated, “Even though similar things, such as rising from the dead, are attributed to the mythological characters, the readers (or hearers) knew it was in reference to a mythological character. However, in biblical Christianity, the … events occurred in time and space (or history) in the person of Jesus Christ, an event that was witnessed and verified by hundreds of individuals who were still living when the testimony/record was written. (Evidence for Faith Video Series)

C. The Bible is very clear about the reliability of the written record.

In our Scripture reading earlier in the service, we heard a number of verses that describe various individuals writing down what the Lord instructed them to write and inspired them to write. (For those able to see the screen, here is a list of those references again.)

Notice these additional passages:

John 21:24 (NKJV)  This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.

1 John 1:1-3 (NKJV) ¹  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life-- ²  the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us-- ³  that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

D. Jesus Christ is the focal point of all human history.

When looking at Christianity and history, Christians view history through the concepts of creation, fall, and redemption… God’s ultimate plan for divine intervention, redemption, and restoration. (Allaboutworldview.com)

Conclusion:

• A Christian worldview of history places a high value on truth. The study and recording of history should be solidly based on the truth.
• A Christian worldview of history places a high value on the biblical record. Historical data in the Bible needs to be interwoven in the history of the world.
• A Christian worldview accepts supernatural intervention as a normal phenomenon in this world.
• A Christian worldview looks at Jesus Christ as the central figure of all history. When time is no more and history is complete, Jesus Christ will stand as the central figure receiving worship from all creation and every creature. Hallelujah!

If all of this is true, then Christians need to be serious about telling the story. People in this world will not get the whole story from the secularists. If they get it, they’ll get it first from a believer.

Closing Song:

Tell the Blessed Story

Renewing the Mind - #5

This is the fifth sermon in a series of messages focusing on the importance of having a Christian/biblical worldview of life. We are bombarded every day with the philosophies and values of the secular, godless world in which we live. Far too often, Christians have accepted the views and assumptions of the secular world rather than applying biblical truth to every area of life. This sermon addresses the topic of economics. You may view a video recording of the worship service in which this sermon was delivered by clicking here. 

1 Corinthians 1:20 ^(NKJV) Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

Introduction:

We have been working our way through a series of messages about the importance of having a Christian worldview – a biblical way of looking at life and making important life decisions. I have repeated the assessment that many Christians have assumed that the Christian faith is only about asking God to forgive my sins so that I can go to heaven. However, the Bible is clear that following Christ as His disciple means that we are not only forgiven, but we are endeavoring to think and behave in a way that is consistent with the principles and values of His Word. Logically, that means Christians will have viewpoints, opinions, values and lifestyles that are often contradictory to those commonly held by non-Christians. Sadly, that is not always the case.

There have always been Christians who rejoice that their sins are forgiven, and they have hope of going to heaven, but their viewpoints and opinions about life are not all that different from other people who make no profession of faith. (Having said that, I must honestly admit that there are non-believers who think and act in ways that are consistent with biblical truth, not because they care about what the Bible says, but only because they’ve learned that it works.)

When the Apostle Paul says to the Romans, “Do not be conformed to this world, by be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” he is implying that there is such a “thing” as “worldly thinking,” or a “worldly mindset.” When Paul writes to the Corinthians, “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” He is clearly showing that the thoughts and ways of God are contrary to the ways and thoughts of the world.

We have been trying to examine several topics or areas of study in which the biblical viewpoint differs from that which is commonly approved and accepted in the world. Today we are going to continue our discussion by looking at another field of study – the topic of economics.

Economics

In preparing for this message, I thought it might be nice to see what I could find by looking for some jokes about economics to lighten up our spirits a little here at the beginning. These are some I found:

·         What do plumbers, garbagemen, and economists all have in common? They all deal with gross domestic product.

·         Banker - The fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining and wants it back the minute it begins to rain. (Mark Twain)

·         Economist - An expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn't happen today. (https://upjoke.com/economist-jokes)

·         Why was astrology invented? So economics would seem [more] like an accurate science. (https://www.equities.com/news/a-look-at-some-of-the-best-jokes-about-economists)

·         The same people who laugh at fortune tellers take economists seriously. (https://www.johns-jokes.com/economic-one-liners)

What is economics anyway?

Miriam-Webster.com - a social science concerned chiefly with description and analysis of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

Ronald Nash – (adds this) Economics covers a much larger territory. Economics studies the choices human beings make with regard to scarce [limited?] resources.

Today, I will attempt to name some important biblical principles that may be applied to the field of economics and, in doing so, will include some of the errors of a secular/atheistic approach.

Let me begin by sharing a quote from Ronald Nash (former professor of philosophy at Western KY Univ., and later at Reformed Theological Seminary): “I make no effort to deduce a system of economics from the Bible. Such an activity strikes me as muddle-headed as an attempt to deduce a theory of the solar system from the Bible.” (p. 12, Poverty and Wealth)

So, it might be accurate to say that there is no such thing as “Christian Economics.” However, I believe that there are some basic biblical principles that can impact the economies of any nation for good or ill depending on whether they are followed or ignored.

I.          The Principle of Freedom

A number of years ago I preached a sermon with the title, “Liberty is God’s Idea.” In that message I tried to show from Scripture that the very concept of freedom and liberty comes from God Himself. Liberty was woven into the very fabric of creation.

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

One of the essential characteristics of the “image of God” is free-will.

2:15-17 ¹⁵Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. ¹⁶And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; ¹⁷but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

God spelled out the boundaries and the consequences, but He did not coerce their obedience. They had the freedom/free-will to make whichever choice they wanted.

Many economists argue that those nations or societies experiencing the greatest benefit for the greatest number of people are the same ones where people are free to engage as they see fit in the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Freely means they may do so without coercion or violence from fellow citizens or their government. In economies where the citizens are not free, people are generally poorer, services and goods are harder to obtain, and exchange.

Obviously, I do not have personal knowledge of these general statements that I have just made. I haven’t examined the economic practices and living standards of the world’s nations. I have made these statements based on the numerous examples offered by respected authors who have described the benefits of free economies over centrally controlled economies. – e.g., Ronald Nash, Poverty & Wealth; Social Justice and the Christian Church.

II.        The Principle of Property Ownership and Stewardship

Exodus 20:15   Thou shalt not steal.

A. Negative Meaning: Do not take anything that belongs to another person without his/her consent.

B. Positive Principle: Personal property is sacred.

If it is wrong to take anything that belongs to another person, then it seems obvious that God recognizes and endorses the idea of personal ownership of private property. This may seem like a pretty simple point to make, but it is very basic to an orderly and civilized society.

(Keil & Delitzsch) “Property was not to be violated just as the sacredness of marriage was not to be violated.”

If the 7^th commandment prohibits the taking of another person’s spouse, then the 8^th commandment prohibits the taking of another person’s property.

What does this have to do with economics? People cannot exchange personal property for goods and services they desire if they are not permitted to own property. Even in societies where limited property ownership is permitted, the limitations necessarily restrict what choices and decisions people can make in order to obtain goods and services or provide goods and services. The principle of ownership is also applicable to economics because if it’s wrong for one person to steal what belongs to another person, then it is wrong for government to steal from one person in order to give it to another person.

The biblical position not only includes the principle of ownership, but it also promotes the principle of stewardship.

Psalm 24:1 (NKJV) The earth is the LORD'S, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.

Psalm 50:10 (NKJV) For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills.

1 Corinthians 4:2 (NKJV) Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

Those who attempt to live by a biblical worldview and biblical standards of conduct recognize that even though the Bible teaches private ownership of property, yet ultimately, everything belongs to God and I will give an account to Him. The government planners in a centrally controlled economy become the “all-knowing” owners of property to which we must give an account.

III.       The Principle of Labor and Reward

Ephesians 4:28 (NKJV) Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.

The implication of this verse is that the purpose for stealing was to gain what he needed/wanted. But rather than stealing property that belongs to another, he should work for the rewards he desires, not simply take them. Not only will the labor provide for the necessities desired, but it will also provide the excess necessary to give away for others in need. 

Without the previous principles of freedom and private ownership, this verse makes no sense.

IV.       The Principle of Love

There are all kinds of biblical references about the need for people to care for the less fortunate and to demonstrate love for them. We are admonished to love our neighbor as ourselves.

1 John 3:16-18 (NKJV) ¹⁶ By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. ¹⁷ But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? ¹⁸ My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

Economies cannot express love. Governments cannot express love. People express love. If the economy is centrally controlled causing freedoms and property ownership to be limited, then people will have very little if any means to demonstrate love for others.

Conclusion:

A couple of observations:

1. Ronald Nash and others have adequately argued that the abuses of free enterprise and capitalism that people often point to in order to support their call for socialist/Marxist economies are not faults of the free enterprise/capitalistic system, but failures of intervention methods economic planners have mandated.

2. The classic passage in the Bible that is used to support socialism or “Christian Communism” is Acts 2:44-45 (NKJV) ⁴⁴ Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, ⁴⁵ and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

Two things true about this text that are not true in Socialist/Marxist economies: 1) It was property they owned. 2) It was willfully sold and divided, not coerced.

If you have been listening, you can tell that I have presented principles and arguments that favor free market economics rather than government-controlled economics. More thorough arguments and multiple examples of principles at work can be learned through some of the books I’ve studied and would be happy to share information for.

Any fair study of history will reveal that free markets, private ownership, and labor opportunities produce more benefits for the whole society than any other system of economics. These are principles that are firmly rooted in Scripture.

I want to close the service today by singing a hymn that emphasizes the calling we have from Christ to be different than the world.

Jesus Calls Us

Renewing the Mind - #4

 This is the fourth sermon in a series of messages focusing on the importance of having a Christian/biblical worldview of life. We are bombarded every day with the philosophies and values of the secular, godless world in which we live. Far too often, Christians have accepted the views and assumptions of the secular world rather than applying biblical truth to every area of life. This sermon addresses the topics of law and government. You may view a video recording of the worship service in which this sermon was delivered by clicking here. 

Written excerpts:

Introduction:

Wow, here it is already the second Sunday of January in a brand new year! With the cancelation of our services the past two weeks, it seems like “forever” since we worshiped together.

Back in November, I had gotten started in a series of messages that we were calling: “Renewing the Mind.” In those messages we were trying to emphasize the fact that it is not only important for us to confess our sins and put our faith in Jesus Christ to be “Born Again,” but also that this new birth is intended to impact our whole lives. That is, it not only changes our relationship with God, but it changes our patterns of thinking and our manner of living. We tried to explain how our lives will be shaped by the way we view the world around us – either from a biblical perspective or from a secular/atheistic perspective.

Romans 12:2 urges believers to do not be conformed to the world (squeezed into its pattern or mold), but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. i.e., Let God completely change us so that we think and act like Christ rather than thinking and acting like someone who doesn’t even know Christ.

We broke away from that series for a few weeks in order to focus on Advent and the Christmas season. As we prepare to consider a couple more topics or themes today that are included in our study of a Christian Worldview, I wanted to start by looking at a passage of Scripture that I had used about 4 years ago.

In Matthew 13:33, Jesus is using a parable to give us a lesson about the Kingdom of God and how it grows.

Matthew 13:33 ^(NKJV) Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."

Even though the immediate lesson from this verse is regarding the growth of God’s kingdom in the world, yet I believe it can also be used to illustrate how the message of the gospel and the message of God’s kingdom is meant to permeate our individual lives. Being a Christian and being born again by His Spirit doesn’t simply mean that we have this new little compartment in our lives that will be devoted to God from now on and therefore we will add a few religious activities to give expression of that new compartment of faith. No, being born again means letting the seed of gospel truth get planted in our heart and soul so it can grow and develop and impact every area of our lives. Jesus compares the kingdom to yeast that is mixed into the dough until it has its effect upon the entire amount. The truth of righteousness will have the same effect upon every person that is truly born again.

For our Scripture reading earlier this morning I chose the first chapter of Daniel because of the implications in that story regarding those Hebrew men and how they stood out in stark contrast from the rest of the “wise men” of Babylon. They were educated in all the various fields of study, but they maintained their godly convictions and commitment to divine revelation. (Some scholars have even suggested that these men were largely responsible for the knowledge that the Magi had regarding the birth of Hebrew king.)

After that lengthy introduction, let us pick up our previous discussion of different topics that are impacted when we have a biblical/Christian worldview. The topics or disciplines that we have already discussed are: truth; theology; philosophy; ethics; science; psychology; and sociology. We just briefly defined each area and tried to describe how our understanding of each one is shaped either by a worldly/ secular/ atheistic viewpoint or a Christian and biblical viewpoint. 

With the Lord’s help, I want to speak to you today regarding two more disciplines or fields of study, which I am going to consider together because they are so interrelated.

Law and Government

Our consideration for today is the area of law and government. As with all of the previous topics we have considered, we will merely “scratch the surface” in discussing these two subjects (law & government).

Those who look at the world and at life from a secular perspective, not taking into consideration the existence of God, generally look at law as something that is strictly man-made and continually evolving. If there is no God, then laws are nothing more than the invention of men to provide for a safe and orderly society. And it is the conventional opinions of society that form the basis for laws. This obviously means that there is no absolute standard for the formation of laws and therefore, what is legal not only DOES change from one era to another, but it MUST change in order to reflect the changes in social standards. 

Government comes into the picture as the means of creating the laws and enforcing them. Again, when the basis for government is strictly humanistic and atheistic, then government power and limits of power are constantly changing as public standards change.

I am keenly aware that these statements are very general and broad. But I think we can understand that nothing is certain when the general prevailing view of government and law leaves out any possibility for divine authority and standards.

What are some of the important principles regarding law and government for the person that is a Christian and desires to see a society that functions the way God intended?

A. God is the source of all law.

2 Chronicles 20:6 … "O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?

Acts 17:24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.

Isaiah 33:22 (For the LORD is our Judge, The LORD is our Lawgiver, The LORD is our King; He will save us);

(Some have suggested that this verse provides the basis for the different branches of government that our forefathers created in the founding of our form of government – judicial, legislative, and executive.)

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

For the Christian, God and His righteous/holy nature is the basis and foundation for all law. He is unchanging and therefore, His law does not change. His nature and His law is the final authority by which all human laws and government rules must be judged.

B. Laws and standards for governing must acknowledge both the dignity and the depravity of mankind.

We have frequently mentioned various passages of Scripture that support these truths.

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

The dignity of “man” is rooted in the image of God and must be cherished by the laws of governments to protect human life.

The depravity of “man” is established in scripture and in human history, so left unchecked, humans will abuse power and produce great harm upon each other.

Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

This is not only true in individual, interpersonal relations, but it is also true of government entities, which are prone to acquire more and more power that becomes abusive and totalitarian.

(Allaboutworldview.org) Our founding fathers also grappled with the problem of protecting ordinary citizens from the sinful inclinations of those in authority.

From a biblical and Christian perspective, public behavior must never be allowed to destroy the value and dignity of human personhood. It was a belief in a Law and a Law Giver, which superseded human laws, that gave men the moral courage to change laws that were clearly unjust and wrong, e.g., slavery. Many of those who fought against the slave trade appealed to a moral law that was higher than the current laws of the land.

Next Sunday is “Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.” Those who continue to appeal for changes in our laws regarding abortion, do so for the same reasons we have already mentioned:

·         There is a higher law and higher moral standard by which we will be judged.

·         Human life should be protected in all stages of life because all humans are formed in the image of God.

C. Laws and government need a permanent, non-changing foundation.

Because we believe that God is the source of all moral laws and He never changes, we believe that the foundation for government should not change. Peripheral laws will change and need to change in order to conform to a higher law that is permanent. But, the foundation must remain the same or there is no restraint from great abuses of power.

Two philosophies regarding those who should serve on the Supreme Court – a) those who believe the Constitution is firm and should be interpreted in light of the creators’ original intent; b) those who believe the Constitution is a living, changing document that must reflect the current standards of the society.

The Christian believes that there is a higher standard or law to which both individuals and government entities must be held accountable to. Because of our national departure away from biblical foundations, we are witnessing more and more abuse of power by those in positions of authority. More and more freedoms are being taken away by authorities who are becoming intoxicated with power.

D. Government primarily has two main responsibilities: national security and equal justice for all.

In Scripture, the two primary responsibilities of government are these:

1. Provide for the security of its citizens against enemies.

2. Protect the innocent and punish the guilty.

As we all know, there are a myriad of other duties and benefits that our government has determined to be its responsibility, which all require more and more tax revenues.

Conclusion:

I actually had intended to cover more than just this area of law and government for today, but as I worked on it, I could tell that I would not have time for another topic. In closing, I just want to remind us what the Bible says, When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. (Proverbs 29:2 NKJV) We need to intercede in prayer for God to raise up more and more godly/righteous people to positions of authority. We have surely seen the damage that the wicked can do to the moral fiber of the nation when they are in power. We need to pray more, not less!

For our closing song today, I chose the hymn:

O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee

Eyes to See His Salvation

 This is a brief message that was recorded and uploaded to our church's YouTube channel due to the illness of Pastor Les and some other church leaders. It is based on the account in Luke 2 about Joseph and Mary taking Jesus to the temple where Simeon declares that he has seen God's salvation and is now ready to depart from this life in peace. Out of all the people who would have been in the temple that day, why is Simeon the only one who was able to see Jesus as God's salvation? To watch a video recording of this message, click here.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Good morning, and Happy New Year to all of our Wayside church family. We are coming to you this morning by means of this video because several of our people are still recovering from recent sickness. I want to personally thank all of you for your prayers while I was sick. I am almost back to full strength for which I am very thankful to the Lord.

Well, here it is – the very first Sunday in a brand-new year, 2021.

As I was thinking about what God wanted me to share with you today as a word of encouragement and inspiration, I kept thinking about this phrase that appears in Luke 2:30, “My eyes have seen Your salvation.”

Let’s begin by reading the context to get the whole picture.

Luke 2:22-35 (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." 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." 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."

Tyndale New Testament Commentaries – Two quite separate ceremonies are involved here, the presentation of the child and the purification of the mother. The attendance of the child was not necessary, but it was natural when they were all so close to Jerusalem. The presentation of the baby follows from the fact that every male that opens the womb (i.e. the first-born of a mother, not necessarily of the father) shall be called holy to the Lord (Luke’s quotation is not exact but gives the sense of several passages: Exod. 13:2, 12, 15; Num. 18:15). Though Luke does not mention it, doubtless the usual five shekels were paid to redeem the first-born (Num. 18:15f.)

The Levitical law provided that after the birth of a son a woman would be unclean for seven days and that for a further thirty-three days she should keep away from all holy things (for a daughter the times were doubled; Lev. 12:1-5). Then she should offer a lamb and a dove or pigeon. If she was too poor for a lamb a second dove or pigeon sufficed instead (Lev. 12:6-13).

There are several things spoken about Jesus by Simeon, but I was struck by the words in v. 30 – “My eyes have seen your salvation.”

These words were spoken by a man who saw the baby Jesus approximately 40 days after his birth. In all likelihood, there were throngs of people in the temple that day when Joseph and Mary brought Jesus with them to the temple. With the exception of Anna, who is mentioned just a few verses later, no one else notices the new baby or recognizes His importance.

I asked myself, “How is it that one man, out of all the people in the temple, can look at a new baby and know that he has just witnessed God’s salvation for his nation?” “How is that man able to be so keenly aware of spiritual realities that he is able to understand the significance of this child?”

As we stand at the threshold of a new year, I am struck by the great value in being able to see what God wants me to see this year; maybe even things that most other people will overlook and miss. There were so many people and so many other activities taking place in that temple courtyard that day, and yet this man knows he has just witnessed the Lord’s “salvation” – the “Consolation of Israel” – the Anointed One (Christ). What was his secret? Well, this is what the Bible says about Simeon.

He was just and devout (v. 25)

Tyndale New Testament Commentaries – Righteous shows that he behaved well towards people, while devout (eulabēs; used by Luke alone in the New Testament) signifies ‘careful about religious duties’ (in the classics it means ‘cautious’).

Luke 2:25 (AMP)  …this man was righteous and devout [cautiously and carefully observing the divine Law], and looking for the Consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

The Holy Spirit was upon him. (v. 25)

One writer indicates that this description implies more than the occasional empowering by the Holy Spirit for some immediate task or event, but an ongoing presence.

We see here how much the Holy Spirit is active in this story. The Holy Spirit revealed that he would see the Christ before his death. (v. 26) The Holy Spirit directs him to go to the temple on the same day that Mary and Joseph go. (v. 27) (It’s implied that the HS pointed out the baby to him too.)

These qualities that describe Simeon may seem to be simple and insignificant, but I believe they give us an important clue as to how he, out of all people in the crowd that day, could testify, “My eyes have seen Your salvation!”

I don’t know about you, but I desire to be the kind of person that can recognize God’s message and God’s work in my life and in my world. I want to continue living my life carefully and intentionally following God’s Word. I want to experience the tender presence of the Holy Spirit in greater measure so I too can be directed by Him to be in the right place at the right time; and so that I can also discern His message that I need when its needed.

Living daily in careful obedience to the Lord requires determination and commitment. Being filled with His Spirit requires constant submission to Him, recognizing that His presence is a divine gift; it cannot be worked up or imitated. He comes when He is truly welcome.

Let us pray.