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Jesus - The Boy With a Purpose - Part 1
Luke 2:1-52; Matthew 2:1-23
Skip Heitzig

Matthew 2 (NKJV™)
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
2 saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
6 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"
7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."
9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."
14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt,
15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more."
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."
21 Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."
Luke 2 (NKJV™)
1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.
3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.
6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
11 "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."
16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.
17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.
18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord
23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the LORD"),
24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."
25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law,
28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:
29 "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word;
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation
31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel."
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."
36 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;
37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
38 And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
39 So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.
40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
41 His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.
42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.
43 When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it;
44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances.
45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.
46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.
48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously."
49 And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"
50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.
51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Rediscovering Our Foundations

Jesus' upbringing and boyhood has been the subject of much speculation and endless controversy throughout the centuries. Myths have developed about Jesus based (interestingly enough) on what isn't written. The Bible gives us five cameo glimpses of Jesus from early boyhood to age 30. We'll look at three of these today and then two more next week. We discover that Jesus' whole life was marked with purpose.

We live in an age where truth has become a relative term. But the Bible leaves no room for doubt when it comes to the absolute nature of truth. Unfortunately, our culture is vastly biblically illiterate. In this series, Pastor Skip Heitzig gets back to the roots of our faith, looking at what the Bible has to say about God, Christ, the Trinity, mankind, the church, heaven, and hell. Learn to stand on a firm foundation in the midst of an unstable culture.

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Outline

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  1. The Circumcision (Luke 2:21)
    A. His Heritage
    B. His Name
  2. The Dedication (Luke 2:22-38)
    A. Simeon's Excitement
    B. Anna's Evangelism
  3. The Visitation (Matthew 2:1-12)
    A. The Givers
    B. The Gifts

Transcript

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Having a boy myself I found this really good, Dale Evans Rogers wrote this. Some of you know that Dale and Roy when they were alive adopted a number of children and really had a love for kids. And they were my neighbors actually, a couple miles away. So I take great interest in what she writes. She says, "Between the innocence of babyhood and the dignity of manhood, we find a delightful creature called a boy. Boys come in assorted sizes, weights, and colors. But all boys have the same creed: To enjoy every second of every minute of every hour of every day and to protest with noise, their only weapon when their last minute is finished and the adult males pack them off to bed at night. Boys are found everywhere. On top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on, swing from, running around or jumping to. Mothers love them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers tolerate them, adults ignore them and heaven protects them. A boy is a composite. He has the appetite of a horse, the digestion of a sword swallower, the energy of pocket-sized atomic bomb, the curiosity of a cat, the lungs of a dictator, the imagination of a Paul Bunyan, the shyness of a violet, the audacity of a steel trap, the enthusiasm of a firecracker, and when he makes something he has five fingers on each hand. Nobody else gets so much out of trees, dogs, and breezes. Nobody else can cram into one pocket a rusty knife, a half-eaten apple, three feet of string, two gumdrops, six cents, a slingshot, a chunk of unknown substance and a genuine supersonic code ring with a secret compartment. A boy is a magical creature. You can lock him out of your workshop but you can't lock him out of your heart. You can get him out of your study but you can't get him out of your mind. You might as well give up, he is your captor, your jailer, your boss, your master. A freckle-faced pint-sized cat-chasing bundle of noise. But when your dreams tumble down and the world is a mess, he can put together the broken pieces in just a twinkling with a few magic words, "I love you."

I love that because I have a boy but the last part of that could also be said, in fact probably isn't any truer of anyone than Jesus Christ, the boy from Nazareth who grew up to become our Savior. That last part fits him well, don't you think, when your dreams tumble down, your world is a mess, he can put together the broken pieces in just a twinkling with a few magic words, "I love you."

Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem. He spent his early childhood there as we'll discover tonight, before he fled to Egypt for a number of years because a king named Herod sought his life. And then he moved back and lived and grew up in a place called Nazareth. Thirty years of his life, some call the silent years, the obscure years, the years that are shrouded in darkness. And it's interesting, as we mentioned in our video, that there's lots of speculation, all sorts of stories and myths have emerged as to what Jesus did for those thirty years, where he was living, that he healed baby birds with broken wings, that as a child he placed his swaddling cloths on a demon-possessed boy and healed him, that he'd walk by idols and they would disintegrate in his presence. And that he spent a lot of time in Egypt growing up learning occultic practices in order to impress people so that when he got back home he could convince them that he was the Messiah.

All of that's fable as you know. But these years though not a lot is written about him, some is. And there are five I found cameo appearances from his birth to his presentation at thirty years of age to the nation of Israel. Three of which we're going to cover tonight. Two take place in Jerusalem, one of them takes place in Bethlehem. I've had you turn to Luke chapter 2 and I'm going to begin in verse 21 tonight. The three things out of his upbringing this evening are his circumcision, his dedication, all that took place in the temple in Jerusalem which is only five miles from Bethlehem, an easy walk. And then finally his visitation by those three famous visitors we sang about tonight.

Verse 21, "And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb." Circumcision you might say was the heritage of Jewish males. It was the cutting of the foreskin of the flesh to symbolize a covenant God made with Abraham. In a sense, God was saying, "You are marked out, my mark is on you. You are my child, you are in my covenant." It was a mark of promise but it speaks of Jesus' purpose in a sense. I found it interesting that Donald Gray Barnhouse wrote, "Circumcision was Jesus' first suffering for us." You might say in his case it was predictive of the cross, the ultimate suffering he would face. Circumcision took place on the eighth day. On the eighth day of a boy's life he was brought into the temple or a synagogue as it is done today. And it was the cutting away of the flesh that spoke of the cutting away of the sin nature. Which is what the cross was all about, wasn't it? It was the cross that ultimately was God's method of dealing with our sin. Also, I think that his cicumcision speaks of his M.O., his modus operandi, the way he operated in life. He made a statement in the sermon on the mount where he said, "Don't think that I've come to destroy the law or the prophets. I haven't come to destroy, I have come to fulfill." So we have a Jewish boy raised in a Jewish home going through the Jewish rituals according to the laws of Moses, not the traditions of the Pharisees or the scribes but the laws of God, keeping the law, born as Paul writes in Galatians, born under the law, born of a woman. I would, before we move on, make a note here and say, likewise in your life the first step for you and I to live a life with purpose, to live a life with purpose, is to make sure that God has his mark on you. His imprint in your heart, that God has you in his grip. God has his mark on your life. Notice also, his name. His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. On the eighth day of circumcision, that was the day that the boys in Israel got their names. Jesus already had a name, didn't he? Before he was even born, it was what the angel told Joseph, "You will call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their sins." So Joseph got the name, Mary also got the name from an angel, so in a sense for them it was easy. They didn't have to sit around and get the book 1001 Names for your Baby," and say, "How does that sound?" "Oh, I like that one." The angel said, "This is his name, Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." In the name of Jesus is the purpose for his birth and his life and his death.

I read a article some time ago, an Associated Press article, of a couple in England who gave their daughter 139 names. That's a lot of options when you grow up, I suppose. They call her Tracy but her official name is Tracy Lisa Tammy Joyce Samantha Christine, I'll stop there, I'm not going to go 139, you get the idea. The father was asked, "Why are you doing this?" And he said, "Because I want to leave my child something when she grows up." Now I don't know what that means and certainly he's not thinking of a meaningful name for his child, with 139 of them, it was just some unusual novel thing to do. Whereas with Jesus, the name is very meaningful. It's the name Joshua, or Yeshua, Yahoshuah, the name means Yahweh is salvation. Yahweh(God) is salvation. You will call this baby Jesus. That is his purpose, he will save his people from their sins. God is salvation. So that's his purpose, really, right from the start, at his circumcision and his name. It tells us why he came, which we ought to remember every Christmas. Why did Jesus come? He didn't come to give merchants a way to get a few more profits by painting manger scenes on their glass windows. He didn't come to give kids two weeks off of school or people a few days off of work. He didn't come to become a good moral teacher and a fine example for humanity. This baby's purpose was to save people from their sins. Did you hear that? Not from their insecurities, not from their hang-ups. Did you know God doesn't forgive hang-ups, he forgives sins. And the sooner we come to grips and call it sin, the sooner we'll get forgiveness for it. He didn't come to save us from our inner child or our karma. He came to save people from their sins. His purpose was marked out in his name.

I thought about this a lot, I do every Christmas and I bring it up that Jesus Christ was the only one born with the specific purpose of death. Now think about that for a minute. You who have children, what are your plans for your kids? Anything but death. You have plans of life, of where they're going to go to school, of what they'll be when the grow up, who they'll marry, where they'll move or what they'll do. But God's plan, the Father's plan was to send his son to save people from their sins which included his death.

I found this little short poem, "A baby's hands in Bethlehem were small and softly curled but held within their dimpled grasp, the hope of all the world." You might say, "Mary had a little Lamb, the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world."

Now look at the next few verses. We come to his dedication. It's sometime later. They go back to Bethlehem after he's circumcised and named. It says, "Now when the days of purification according to the law of Moses were completed they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. As it is written in the law of the Lord, 'Every male who 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." Now we have combination of things going on here. Number one, there is a purification and number two, there is a redemption of the firstborn. And I've lumped them together and called it a dedication. This is how it worked: A woman was considered unclean if she birthed a boy for forty days. At the end of the forty days, she'd march to Jerusalem and she'd bring a lamb as an offering of purification. But lambs were expensive and so there was the stipulation in the law that if you were poor you could bring a couple pigeons or turtledoves. And guess what? They were poor. They brought the Lamb of God but they brought these turtledoves or pigeons as their sacrifice. But then there was mentioned in the same verse, the redemption of the firstborn. And I want you to understand this. The firstborn child was brought to the temple for dedication. You had to pay God five shekels to buy him back. You're dedicating him to God, "God, this is your child, he will live a life for your purpose. Use him." And then you would give the temple five shekels. And you would bring him back into your home. His life is dedicated to God but I'm going to raise him in the fear and the admonition of the Lord." That is never truer than of Jesus Christ, who lived his whole life in dedication of the Lord. Who said later on, "My food is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish the work." Who when he was twelve years old said to his mother, "Don't you know that I must be about my Father's business?" So this is the dedication.

Now in verse 25 we have, it's the same scene but a human interest story is given. There's two people that walk up to this couple during this purification, during this redemption, and they have something to say. And we read about them. The first is Simeon, the second is Anna. "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 (that is the Messiah) to come. And the Holy Spirit was upon him. 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. And 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, he took him in his arms and blessed God and said, 'Now Lord, you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.' And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him." You can imagine that, can't you? This is their firstborn and then this guy breaks into a hymn of praise. Joseph and his mother marveled. Verse 34, "Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, 'Behold this child is destined for the fall and the rising of many in Israel. And for a sign which will be spoken against. Yes, a sword through your own soul also that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." Simeon is usually pictured in art as a very old man. Tradition assigns him the age of a hundred and thirteen. Now here's the scoop: We don't know that, it doesn't say how old he is. People infer that because the Lord told him that he won't die until he sees the Messiah. But he could be in his twenties. It doesn't say that he was old. In fact, what's interesting about this guy is we don't have a description at all of his physical outward appearance but we do have great description of his inward appearance, don't we? He was devout, he was just, he was waiting for the consolation of Israel. And notice that the Holy Spirit is mentioned about him three times. Notice, verse 25, "There was a man in Jerusalem, blah blah blah waiitn for the consolation of Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him." "It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ." "So he came by the Spirit." Now this sort of jumped out at me when I studied this. And this is how I would like to apply it to us. How are you regarded? If somebody is to describe you, what things about you would come to their mind? An outward appearance? Probably that would be part of it. Blonde, tall, thin, short, hunched, fit, not fit. Or would they say things like, "Oh devout, in love with God, filled with his Spirit, loving the things of God." Your unsaved friends might say, "Very religious and that bothers me." But would it be an outward or and inward attribute that would be most noticeable about you toward other people? I love this description. It shows what the Bible says in the Old Testament that man looks at the outward appearance but God is the one who looks at the heart. And this guy's heart is filled with the Spirit.

Well, it seems like this guy would go to the temple every day and just sort of walk around, this was his job, he'd just sort of walk around and look and look at babies coming in and think, "Well is that the Messiah? I guess not. Well maybe this is." Okay, I'll call it a day. Come back the next day, "Okay, where's the Messiah?" The one day, this poor couple comes in. And he walks over to them, maybe with one of those prophetic grins and says, "Excuse me, can I hold your baby for just a moment?" "Okay, sure. Give him back. Here." And this guy breaks into this wonderful song that tells of the purpose of this boy. Just like his name spoke of the purpose, the circumcision spoke of the purpose, this song of Simeon speaks of Jesus' purpose. You see, the Lord told him and you'll notice in verse 30, Simeon said that he had seen salvation. Right? "Mine eyes have seen your salvation." Mark that word. What did he really see? He saw a baby. Okay, now think about this. "Lord, I can depart in peace. I've seen your salvation. I'm holding your salvation. Your salvation is a baby." Salvation is a person. Salvation is a person. That's why evangelical questions preach the need of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Salvation is found in a person. Not a process, not a montra, not a set of rules and regulations. Jesus didn't say, "Follow my teachings. Here's my code of ethics. My teachings are they way, the truth, and the life. He said, "Follow me, I am the way, the truth, and the life." So there's Simeon, "I can die a happy man, Lord, I've seen your salvation. I'm holding him." He has a purpose.

Also, notice that he is called the light. Verse 32, "A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel." Jesus Christ is God's flashlight so that men and women can get out of their darkness.

Now let's say that you and I would have been back there two thousand years ago and we were to walk over to Herod's palace and say, "Hey, are you guys in darkness? Do you need a way out?" They would have scoffed and said, "Are you kidding? Darkness? Why Rome has brought light to the world. Look at our laws. Look at the Pax Romana which gives freedom for travel all over the world. We're not in darkness. It was Rome who brought you light." And let's say you were to go over to the Jewisn Jerusalem and say, "Hey, are you guys in darkness? You need a way out of it?" They would have said, "Are you kidding? We have the great teachings of the pharisees and the scribes, these great tutors and teachers of the law. They have enlightened us through the years. If you could make it over Athens, Greece and say, "Hey, you guys in darkness? You need a way out of it?" They would have said, "Are you kidding? We have the great philosophies of Plato and Socrates and Aristotle. We brought light to the world. But Simeon by his very words imply the world is in darkness and Jesus Christ is God's light. Why? Here's why and here's the purpose again of Jesus. The world is infected with a virus. All of us are, we're born S-I-N positive. Every man and every woman. It is a fatal disease that takes eternal life from everyone. And that's why two thousand years ago this baby was born, because Isaiah predicted, "All we like sheep have gone astray but the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Or Romans 3, "There is none righrteous, no not one." Same theme, back to salvation. The angel said, "You will call him Jesus, he will save his people from their sins." Simeon said, "I've seen your savation, it's this little baby." A light to get people out of darkness. Of course, that's the message, that's the truth. But not everyone will agree with it. Psychologists or psychiatrist might say, "the problem isn't sin. That's old fashioned, the problem is simply a behavioral disorder and we can fix that. We can fix your guilt complex. A sociologist might say, "Well it's just a cultural lag. A minority group might say, "Well the real problem in the world is racism." Socialist might say, "It's class struggle.

The Bible calls it sin, the sin nature and the only solution for the sin nature is the new birth. Isn't that what Jesus said to Mr. Religion, Nicodemus, "unless you're born again you will never see the kingdom of heaven?" And that's the reason God stepped out of heaven, out of eternity onto the earth two thousand years ago: To deal with the sin problem, that's the purpose. Life is short, death is sure, sin the cause, Christ the cure. That's his purpose.

Before we move on, you'll notice there is a personal note to Mary, let's not skip over that. Verse 34, "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 literally a miracle, which will be spoken against.'" Let me give you my translation on that. "This boy will the most loved and the most hated individual ever born." Things haven't changed, have they? He's the most loved and most hated. Some people hear the name Jesus, "Oh yeah, love Jesus." But go into an elevator Monday and say, "Jesus Christ." (in a nice way not a gruff way because other people might think you're swearing. Or say, "Have you heard about Jesus Christ? Do you know that Jesus loves you?"

I was speaking to a friend of mine a couple weeks ago out in California and he said, "I was at this place and these guys were just kind of being ornery and I said, 'Hey guys, Jesus loves you.' And he said, 'They went from slightly agitated to absolutely irate. Irate.'" Now Buddha doesn't incur that kind of reaction nor does Muhammed nor does Krishna. But Jesus does. And actually, it's the height of bigotry is it not, to hate someone you've never met? "I hate Jesus." You've never met him. Invite him in, "I will not." Bigot. Find out what he's like before you hate him so much. "But he will be a miracle, God's sign, which will be spoken against. And then here we have the first hint of Jesus suffering on the cross, yes "A sword will pierce through your own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." In other words, "Mary, there's coming a day when you're going to see your son die on a cross, you'll be there and you're going to get ripped up inside as any mother seeing her baby dying like that." It will pierce your own soul.

So this is Jesus' life so far, a life with purpose. And let me sum it up so far by saying if you want your life to be filled with purpose, number one make sure your life is marked by God, dedicated to Go. And if your life is marked by God and your life is dedicated to God, you'll find that you have the enemies of God against you, like Jesus.

There's somebody else we want you to meet, verse 36, she's really cool. "Now there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Fanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years old, who did not depart from the temple but served God with fastings and prayers, night and day. And coming in that instant (notice there was no lag time) she gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of him (Jesus, that baby, that infant, forty days old) to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem."

The New Testament scholar William Barkley informs us that there was a group of people living in Israel at the time called The Quiet of the Land. And The Quiet of the Land were a group of Jews who, they weren't interested in politics as much, they weren't interested in overthrowing the Roman government like the zealots, they weren't interested in pushing their agenda and getting rid of the Romans. They would piously and quietly wait for God to fulfill his promise through the Messiah. The Quiet of the Land. And he tells us that probably Simeon and this eighty-four year old woman Anna were members of this group, The Quet of the Land waiting for the consolation of Israel. What I want you to notice about this old gal. Is she's eighty-four but she has not stopped hoping. She is still waiting, she is still hoping, she hasn't given up hope. And I find that encouraging because often with old age comes a jaded outlook, a bitterness that can come with age. But not this gal. I love what James Garfield wrote, he said, "If wrinkles must be upon our brows, let them not be upon the heart. The spirit should never grow old." Young at heart, she becomes one of the first evangelists. She's in the temple, it's probably the hour of prayer, "Hey come here, I want to show you God's Messiah." "Hey, you, I know you've been waiting for God to do his thing. Here he is." So Simeon said, "I've seen God's salvation." And Anna was there to go, "Yep, come over here, let me point you the way," pointing to this child.

Well, if Barkley is correct and she is among The Quiet of the Land, her quietness just ended, didn't it, because the Bible tells us she's telling everybody about him. What a model for you and I isn't it of evantelists, evangelism? We think, "Oh, I'm not really gifted to be an evangelist, that's for Billy Graham, I don't have that gift. I'm not an extrovert." Rebecca Pippert said, "Being an extrovert is not essential to evangelism, obedience and love are. So here's a boy marked by God at circumcision, given the name Jesus because he'll save his people from their sins, dedicated to God's purpose and acknowledged by other people who say, "Yep, this is God's anointed."

Now go over to Matthew's gospel, chapter 2, where we will end tonight. Matthew chapter 2. We've seen the circumcision, the dedication, and this is sometime later, the visitation. And it's recorded by Matthew. I'm not going to read it all because we alluded to it last week in our series. But it says in verse 1, "Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold wise men from the East came to Jerusalem saying, 'Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east and we have come to worship him.' When Herod the king heard this he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him." God down to verse 7, "Then Herod when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, 'Go and search carefully for the (notice) young child.' (He's not a baby any more, he's grown a bit) And when you have found him bring back to word to me also, that I may come and worship him also.' When they heard the king, they departed and behold the star which they had seen in the East went before them until it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. I wonder how you picture it, exceedingly great joy, in your mind. Like, 'Wow, that's wonderful.' Can you see them just jumping around a bit? Hootin' it up a little bit? Exceedingly great joy. It stopped, they've arrived. "Whe they had come into the house, they saw (there it is again) the young child with Mary his mother and fell down and worshipped him. And when they opened their treasures, the presented gifts to him, gold, frankincense and myrrh. Then being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way." The wise men, we call them the magi because of the Greek word, ma-gos. People think, "Those are magic workers." The word magistrate comes from magi, somebody who tendered in the law, in fact they were lawmakers as well as stargazers. They watched the heavens. The came from the East the Bible tells us. Now tradition tells us there were three of them. And tradition again tells us that they were kings, it's because of the Christmas carol, "We three kings of orient are." We just sang the Christmas carol. That's a cool song but we don't now there were three, there could have been twenty. We think there's three or they say there's three because of three gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. But there probably was a bunch of them because Herod was troubled by them. I don't think three guys on donkeys would have troubled Herod much, do you? They probably had an entourage and an army. We don't know they were kings, they're called magi, wise men. But then we have traditions and songs and so we get our ideas. There was a teacher in Stone Mountain, Georgia going through the Christmas story with the kids in the class and the teacher said, "Can anyone tell me what we call the wise men?" And the little five-year-old said, "Yes, the three maggots." The teacher unimpressed said, "Can anybody tell me what gifts they brought to the baby Jesus?" And without batting an eyelash the same child said, "Gold, Frankensteins and Smurfs." That might as well be another tradition. Now scripture is silent about them, but we can read the lines and figure out they were highly regarded because Herod was troubled. And all of Jerusalem it says was also troubled. They come from the East, probably MedoPersia, that's what the Greek historian Heroditus tells us, that they were the MedoPersian empire, a priestly caste of Medes. But listen to this, "Some believe that the magi began in Babylon. When King Nebuchadnezzor, "I want to get the very best of all of the peoples that I conquer and I'm going to groom them in the ways of the Babylonians, the gods of the Babylonians, the practices, the culture and language; and they became is magistrates, his magi. And then the MedoPersian empire who took over the Babylonians continued this. And many people believe that it began in Nebuchadnezzar's court and that Daniel was among them. And Daniel eventually became the chief magi which would account then for the question they pose, "Where is the one who is to be born king of the Jews." How did they know about Jews and a king unless they had been reading Daniel's prophecies? Who spoke about the Messiah, who would be born in Judah. And maybe they had gone through a copy of the scriptures, many copies were left in Babylon. When the Jews returned, in fact there were pockets of Jews still in Babylon. But maybe these guys read Numbers 24 where there is a prediction that says, "A star will come out of Jacob and a scepter or king will rise out of Israel." Could it be that these magi ever since Daniel said, "Where is that and when is that going to be?" And then this star appeared. And this was a smart star (like a smart bomb) that can be turned and you follow it. This star moved. Now what was it? I don't know. Some think a supernova which when the star explodes gives off an enormous light. Some have conjectured that it's Halley's Comet because there are some charts that point back to Halley's Comet being visible in the sky around this time. Others have thought an unusual alignment of the planets that they can trace back to this time. Others have thought the shekinah glory of God that led the children of Israel as a fire by night in the wilderness. Whatever it was, we don't know. It led these magi from the east all the way to Jerusalem and then to Bethlehem. And these guys were absolutely surprised when they got to Jerusalem and nobody knew. "Well we followed a star, I'm sure all of you guys know what's up." "No, what's up?" "Where's the king of the Jews?" Herod called himself that so he didn't like that idea. They went to Bethlehem and talk about purpose, they came and they worshipped this little baby. These great elite magi, these lawmakers, these kingmakers; came and worshipped a baby. Now keep in mind these were Gentiles looking for the king of the Jews. Again it shows us his purpose. He would come as the king of the Jews and the Gentiles. He would be the Savior of the entire world. It wouldn't be a Jewish religion or a western religion. Salvation would be offered and open to everyone. The Gentiles are coming to worship the king of the Jews.

In verse 11 there's the mention of a house. So Jesus isn't in the cave any more, not in the manger any more. He's now a young child living in some kind of house in Bethlehem. They decided to stay there for a while. Now again I don't want to ruin your nativity set but I'm going to do it anyway. The whole concept of a nativity set where you've got shepherds and three kings at the same time is erroneous. It was far removed. One was when he was a baby, that's the shepherds. Much later on, perhaps years, the magi came to worship the child. He was probably around two. That's why Herod said, "Every baby two years and younger will be killed."

Look at the gifts. They give him gold. Gold is the king of metals and the metal of kings. It was customary never to enter a king's chamber without giving him some kind of golden gift. Here's the king of kings. They gave him frankincense, that's a costly incense used by the priests in temple worship. The priests when they would offer sacrifices in Jerusalem would put this costly scented incense, frankincense, with some of the sacrifices, like the meal offering. And both of these speak so well of Jesus, do they not and his purpose? Jesus the king of kings, the Lord of lords, Jesus our great high priest. But then there's myrrh, which is to me the most curious gift because myrrh was an ancient embalming fluid. Remember when Jesus was taken off of the cross and placed in a tomb. They buried hime with a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes. So gold, frankincense and embalming fluid? Have you ever given a gift that just sort of bombed? You give it to the person, they go, "Thank you. I don't know what it is, I don't know why you gave it to me. But it's a gift. The interesting thing about myrrh is it gives off a cent when it's crushed. It has no scent on its own but when it is crushed, it gives off a beautiful scent, that's why it was used in burial to counteract the decay of the body, the corpse. Crushed, hmmm? Isn't that what Isaiah said, that he was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities.

So, every cameo so far of Jesus early life shows his purpose. His circumcision, God's mark is upon him. His name given, he will save his people from their sins. His dedication and her purification in the temple. Simeon was there who said, "Ah, I can now die a peaceful happy man, I've seen your salvation. He is salvation." And Anna was there to go, "Yep, what he said. Now all you guys come, check it out." And then his visitation. These kingmakers from the East, worshipping the king of the Jews who would be the suffering king, who would be crushed for sin.

Years ago, a doctor told of a young woman who was dying from tuberculosis. The doctor said, "Every day her condition grew worse. She clung to life. Toward the end of February, she was nauseous and I was stumped. A senior medical consultant asked me if she perhaps was pregnant. To my astonishment it was true. The chest x-ray showed the growth of tuberculosis cavity had stopped. The reason? Her diaphragm was pushing up against her diseased lung to make room for the child she bore." And the doctor concluded by saying, "The child saved her." The child saved the woman's life.

This child Jesus can save you. This child Jesus can stop the disease of sin. You are S-I-N positive, I was born the same way. We all are, we all need a savior. That's the good news of the cradle. "Call him Jesus for he will save his people from their sins."

Before we pray, we've talked about a boy with purpose. Does your life have purpose? Could you say, "My life is marked by God. God's imprint is in my heart, in my life." Could you say, "My whole life is dedicated to God. I live my life for his glory." And could you say just like Simeon and Anna noticed it, "Other people in my life also notice and would regard me as one dedicated to God."

Father, as we close tonight in prayer, we think of Jesus whom we are to follow. He said, "Follow me." He said, "Be my disciples." And as the disciples of Jesus Christ, we want people to be able to notice you in us. Lives dedicated to you. The mark of god in and upon our life, our heart. Lord, may we be people of purpose. Lord, we hear so many sermons, so many messages, here, on the radio, in books, on tape, on CD, on television. Lord, we are glutted with truth. But Father, would you please never let us forget some of the things we have heard tonight. Lord, we would never be satisfied unless our life is lived with purpose as Jesus' life was. And may the purpose be to fulfill your purpose. In Jesus' name.


Additional Messages in this Series

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9/15/2002
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Does the Truth Really Matter?
2 Timothy 4
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Today I begin a new series I am calling Rediscovering Our Foundations. I am concerned about the vast biblical illiteracy that exists in our country in general and in our churches in particular. Truth is commonly seen by our culture as relative and not fixed. Often sentiments such as, "Well, that is your truth, but it's not my truth," are expressed by many. But if truth is absolute, then why not stand up for it? Why be embarrassed about it? What do you really believe about God, the Trinity, Christ, mankind, the church, heaven, and hell?
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9/22/2002
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Is Anybody Up There?
Hebrews 11:1-40;Romans 2:1-29
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We all remember the scene in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy and her three friends come to approach the Great Oz. Out of the corner of their eye they notice a man pulling levers behind a curtain, working the mechanical, smoke-breathing Oz. The man then reacts by announcing, "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!" But how can they not? The man is the explanation for everything to them. They discovered that Oz didn't really exist! So how do we know that God exists and isn't a fabrication or projection of our own imaginations?
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9/29/2002
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The Bible - From God or From Men? - Part 1
2 Timothy 3:15-17
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In this series, Rediscovering Our Foundations, it's time to consider your own personal foundation. What is the final resting place for your cares, concerns, griefs, surprises and sorrows? Where do you turn for answers to life's deepest questions? What is your authority? How sure are you that the Bible is the inerrant and inspired Word of God? Can you articulate to others the difference between the Bible and other "sacred" religious works?
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10/6/2002
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The Bible - From God or From Men? - Part 2
2 Timothy 3:15-17
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Last week, we discovered exactly what the designation "Scripture" referred to and how books of the Bible were considered as part of the inspired text. We also learned what inspiration means and how God used humans in His process of having exactly what He wanted written down. But anyone can claim inspiration for their work. Yet how do we know that the Bible is the authentic Word of God? Moreover, how can we share with others its uniqueness so they, too, may listen to its message and apply it?
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10/13/2002
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The God Who Knows It All!
Psalm 139:1-6
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A little boy climbed his neighbor's apple tree when he saw their car leave. He didn't realize that while he was stuffing his pockets full of apples, another neighbor was watching through a pair of binoculars and saw the whole thing! God isn't spying on people, trying to catch them doing something wrong; but God is aware of everything. Such a truth has a profound effect on us: it can either be very comforting or else extremely unsettling.
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10/20/2002
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Are You a Big-Godder or a Little Godder?
Psalm 139:7-24
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11/10/2002
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Wholly Holy!
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In this current series, Rediscovering Our Foundations, we've considered some key attributes of the God we know and love. He is omniscient (knows everything); He is omnipresent (everywhere present); He is omnipotent (operates at full power). But there is another key attribute that is seldom considered, yet is fundamentally key in understanding the Bible—God's holiness. Let's observe one man's encounter with this holy God and what it means to us.
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11/17/2002
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Good Man, Mad Man, Con Man, or God-Man?
Matthew 16:13-17
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No other person from history has generated so much controversy and speculation, as well as written literature, as Jesus Christ. Theologians, philosophers, poets and pundits have all weighed in concerning who Jesus is. What is often forgotten is that Jesus can never be overestimated! John said that the, "world itself could not contain the books that should be written" (John 21:25) about His accomplishments.
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12/1/2002
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A King Among the Critters
Luke 2:1-7
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In our current series, Rediscovering Our Foundations, we've come to the person of Christ. Last time, we considered His identity; today, we contemplate His nativity. For the next few weeks, we'll look closely at Jesus' birth, His early years, ministry, and death on the cross, which was the very purpose of His birth. It's my hope that we'll all emerge with a fuller understanding of Jesus and a deeper desire to worship and serve Him. Today, let's look at the strange circumstances of His birth.
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12/15/2002
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Jesus - The Boy With a Purpose - Part 2
Luke 2-3
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We don't give much thought to Jesus growing up, developing into adolescence and then into manhood. But of course He did. Luke is really the only New Testament author who gives us information about these early years. He speaks generally about Jesus' growth as well as specifically about Jesus' capacity as a young boy of 12. At each stage of His life, Jesus demonstrated He knew His purpose for His life on earth.
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12/22/2002
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A Lamb at the River
Matthew 3:1-17; John 1:1-51
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When Jesus turned 30, He presented Himself to the nation of Israel in public ministry. His first appearance, however, seemed so out of character for the kind of Messiah that people were anticipating. What was He doing getting baptized in a river with everyone else? John was about to find out—and so was everyone else.
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1/12/2003
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The Holy Spirit: Invisible, Personal, Powerful
John 14-16
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Today in our series Rediscovering Our Foundations, we consider the Holy Spirit. Most of us have heard of Him, but who is He exactly? What does He do? How important is the Holy Spirit to your personal life, your family life, your work or your leisure time? Perhaps A.W. Tozer was right when he said, "For multitudes of Christians profess today the Holy Spirit is not a necessity. They have learned to cheer their hearts and warm their hands at other fires." It is my sincere prayer that will change for us in the few weeks ahead.
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1/19/2003
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The Gracious and Holy Hound of Heaven
John 16:5-11
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Having understood Who the Holy Spirit is (Person, not just power; Deity, not just dignitary), we now find out what He does, specifically what He does in the world of unbelievers. Since the greatest gift God ever gave to the world was His only Son (John 3:16), it stands to reason that the greatest sin one can commit is to reject the Son (John 16:9). How does the Holy Spirit both sentence the world as prosecutor and yet lead people away from judgment? And what role do we play in all of this?
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1/26/2003
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I Need Somebody, Help! Not Just Anybody
John 14-16
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To live one's life for God in an ungodly world sounds like mission impossible, right? It would be as if we had to do it without help. But be strengthened by this thought: God never intended for us to do it alone! That's why He has provided His people a Helper, the Holy Spirit. This ever-present divine Person is very busy helping God's people become all He wants them to be.
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2/2/2003
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Brand-Spankin' New Apostles!
Acts 1:1-8
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The legendary missionary to India, William Carey, didn't see obstacles; he saw opportunities. He was the "Let's go for it!" kind of guy. In fact, one of his most famous sayings was, "Attempt great things for God; expect great things from God." Carey did both and saw results! The Holy Spirit can take ordinary men and women and do extraordinary things with them. He is the God who "makes all things new" (Revelation 21:5). Such a truth can only create a sense of wonder and excitement in the heart of a child of God. After all, what new thing could God do through you?
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2/9/2003
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Unholy Responses to the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 4:30
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You might say that we live in the "Age of the Holy Spirit." Jesus promised Him to us after He was done with His own earthly ministry. We have seen that He is very active both in the world among the unconverted and in the church among God's own people. But He has one overriding goal-to bring glory to Jesus Christ in every life. What does that mean to us? It means a total surrendering to Him. As Oswald Chambers said, "The Holy Spirit cannot be located as a guest in a house. He invades everything." But what happens when people don't respond to Him rightly? Then what?
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2/16/2003
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How Can Three Be One?
Matthew 28:16-20
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1+1+1=1. Is this new math? No, it's the doctrine of the Trinity. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. At the very heart of the Judeo-Christian faith is the belief that there is only One God. Yet the Bible clearly teaches the plurality within the Godhead—three persons who are distinct from one another yet perfectly One in essence. What are we to make of all this? Why is it important? And more fundamentally, how should it affect us personally?
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2/23/2003
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The Exceedingly Un-Holy Spirit
1 John 5:19
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Satan, the prince of darkness, has been around a long time. He has studied mankind for thousands of years, marking his strategies according to what he sees in us and what God's plan for the world is. He hates what God loves; he fights what God establishes. And let's remember, he's got help! Other spirit beings have joined his rebellion and control the system known in Scripture as the world. John even said, "the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:19). What should we know about this arch-nemesis of God in order to stand against him?
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3/2/2003
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Touched by an Angel
Luke 1-2
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As even the title suggests, angels have become popular in modern culture. But whether we know it or not, we've all been "touched an angel." Martin Luther helped us to understand their role by remarking, "An angel is a spiritual creature created by God without a body, for the service of Christendom and of the church." He was partially correct, but angels serve an even greater role than being strictly for the church. Their ministry goes beyond us and is principally concerned with the glory and majesty of God.
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3/9/2003
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Man, Has God Got a Plan For You!
Genesis 1-3
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Alexander Pope once remarked that, "the chief study of man is man himself." That may be true, especially in our culture, but this could also be the reason why mankind is so desperate and spiritually thirsty. Looking only to ourselves rather than beyond ourselves can get pretty lonely! But why are we here? What is the purpose of mankind inhabiting this planet? How can I fulfill the God-given destiny that He originally designed for me?
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3/16/2003
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From Creation to Corruption
Genesis 2-3
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How did we, as the human race, get into the colossal mess we find ourselves in? Was it always this way? And what do Adam's actions, acted out so long ago, have to do with us in this modern technologically advanced age? Am I at all responsible? Can the effects ever be undone? Let's look at these issues in the opening chapters of Genesis.
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4/27/2003
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Church-Building 101
Matthew 16:13-20
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The church was God's idea; it was never man's notion. Jesus Christ is the founder, director, architect, owner and builder of the church. But there is an awful lot of confusion about what a church is supposed to look and function like. Today, we look at the first New Testament mention of the church and look at our spiritual origins. As we are Rediscovering Our Foundations, let's also rediscover our spiritual roots as the people of God.
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5/4/2003
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What Jesus Wants His Church to Be - Part 1
John 17
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The church is not a place, but a people (a called-out assembly of people who gather together and whose heartfelt conviction is that Jesus is Lord). Jesus laid claim on the church—it belongs to Him ("I will build My church"). So then, what does He want His church to be like? What should mark us overall? In Jesus' longest recorded prayer before His crucifixion, He prays for four characteristics that are to mark the people of God. Today we look at the first two.
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5/25/2003
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What Jesus Wants His Church to Be - Part 2
John 17
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Church shopping and church hopping have become one of American Christians’ favorite pastimes. We want a church that suits us, helps us, and pleases us. But since Jesus paid for it, it’s His church (Acts 20:28). So what does He want from us? What should the people of God be like? What ingredients and activities ought to be part of our makeup? In this series, Rediscovering our Foundations, we must rediscover the foundational purpose for our existence as His church.
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6/1/2003
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How to Build a Beautiful Body
1 Corinthians 12:3-22
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6/22/2003
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The Last Days
2 Peter 1-3
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On October 30, 1938, the day before Halloween, the novel War of the Worlds was made into a radio broadcast featuring Orson Welles. As millions of Americans were listening, the play was performed so it would sound like a news broadcast about an invasion from Mars. Many thought they were hearing an actual news account of an invasion from Mars and concluded this was the end. Some even committed suicide as their final fatal act! In Rediscovering Our Foundations, what can we know about the last days of this world and what can we do to prepare?
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6/29/2003
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I'll Be Back
John 13:31-14:6
Skip Heitzig
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A little boy was trying desperately to tell his friends about what Jesus' return would be like. He described Jesus' coming in glory as being "greater than Superman, Batman, and the Power Rangers put together!" Of course even that would be an understatement. Jesus came here 2000 years ago and then left; but He promised to return. What will it be like? What difference should it make to us right here, right now?
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7/6/2003
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The Burning Question
Revelation 20:11-15
Skip Heitzig
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Hell is an eternal and biblical reality that has been relegated to the junk pile of modern myths. Woody Allen once said that hell is the abode of all people who annoy him. The word hell is used on a daily basis in people's dicey language patterns—usually as a fill-in expletive. Of all the Christian doctrines unfolded in Scripture, hell is the toughest one to handle. Most love the notion of a blissful heaven awaiting them; few cling to the idea of a literal hell to punish the lost.
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7/13/2003
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Heaven: Our Final Frontier
Revelation 21:1-27
Skip Heitzig
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Captain Kirk and his starship Enterprise weekly traversed the galaxies on the famed Star Trek episodes. That was fiction! But one day you will inhabit the recreated millennial earth in a glorified body and then explore the vast kingdoms of heaven in the eternal state. That is reality! It will be so different than what you're used to that it's linguistically impossible to convey its vastness. But there's enough here to whet the appetite for heaven!
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There are 29 additional messages in this series.
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