BECOMING A FRIEND OF GOD – Part 10
“The
example of Simeon and Anna”
Pastor Mike Barnett
Hebrews 12:1 says (pg.
852)
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great
cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that
so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for
us.
Luke 2:21-40 (pg. 725) says:
21On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise
him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been
conceived. 22When the time of their purification
according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to
Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written
in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the
Lord"[a]), 24and to offer a
sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of
doves or two young pigeons."[b]25Now there was a man
in
31which you have prepared in the sight of all
people,
32a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people
·
Under Judaic
law, following the birth of a son, the mother had to wait 40 days before going
to the temple to offer sacrifice for her purification.
·
If she could
not afford a lamb or a pigeon, then two doves were acceptable.
·
The first
born of both man and animal were to be dedicated to the Lord.
·
The animals
were sacrificed, but the human babies were to serve God throughout their lives.
·
The Levites
served in place of all the first born males in
·
This passage
tells us that there was a man in
·
Simeon means
“one who hears and obeys”
·
The Holy
Spirit was upon Him.
·
This Godly
man knew the voice of God speaking through the prophets of long ago who
foretold of the Christ child being born into the world.
·
He was
eagerly waiting for the appearance of the Christ Child as prophesied about for
centuries.
·
God had
revealed to Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Christ child
with his own eyes.
·
Moved by the
Holy Spirit, Simeon went into the temple Courts.
·
When Joseph
and Mary brought their child in to be dedicated as Judaic law required, Simeon
immediately recognized him as the Savior of the world he had greatly anticipated.
·
He then took
the Christ child into his arms and praised God says:
“Sovereign
Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes
have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the sight of all the
people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people
·
Mary and
Joseph were in awe of Simeon's spiritual insights concerning their son.
·
Simeon kept
the lamp of prophecy burning when religion was at a spiritual low in
·
During this
time, many spoke against the claims of the prophets of old regarding the Christ
child being born into the world to be the savior from sin.
·
With godly
Simeon it was different, for He was spirit taught and knew that Mary’s child
was the one through whom the world was to be redeemed.
·
At last, his faith
had been justified and Simeon could die with a clean conscience – he obeyed
God.
1) FRIENDS OF GOD ARE
ABLE TO_______________________(RECOGNIZE) THE LORD WHEN THEY ________________(SEE)
HIM.
·
There was
also a prophetess named Anna who partnered with Simeon in interceding for the
arrival of the Christ child into the world.
·
Anna’s name
meant “favor” or “Grace”.
·
The name of
her husband who died young is not given.
·
Like Anna, he
too, evidently waited for the salvation of God.
·
Anna is the
most renowned of Bible widows even though her biography is one of the briefest
we see in the pages of scripture.
·
Jezebel, the
self appointed false prophet is the only other woman in the Bible to be given
the title prophetess.
·
The scriptures
do not tell us why Anna was given the title of prophetess.
·
It may be
that her long departed husband had been a prophet, or because under divine
inspiration she herself told future events or spent time celebrating the
promises of God.
·
To prophecy
simply means to proclaim a divine message.
·
Anna was
included in the long line of prophets who had heralded the coming of the
Messiah through out the generations.
·
Like Simeon,
as she came upon baby Jesus, Anna knew that this was the Messiah that the scriptures
predicted would come into the world.
·
Through her
long, godly life her mind had become saturated with Old Testament prophecies
about the Christ child.
·
Anna most
likely meditated on and prayed for the completion of such passages as:
Isaiah 11:1 says:
1
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
Micah 5:2 says:
2
"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans [a] of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins [b] are from of old,
from ancient times. [c] "
·
Anna was very
old at this time.
·
She was
married for only seven years and remained a widow for eighty four years.
·
She was well
over 100 years old when her failing eyes beheld the savior she had long expected.
·
She had grown
old in the service of the sanctuary.
·
How
encouraging it is to meet those who through a long life have remained true to
the Lord and whose gray hairs are honorable because of a life lived in God’s
divine will for decades!
·
When they
pass away, they leave a model of righteousness for future generations to
follow.
·
Paul exhorted
young Timothy to honor widows and Anna who was a worthy widow should receive
honor from Christ followers today!
·
If fact we
must wonder if the apostle Paul had Anna in mind when he wrote the words:
1 Timothy 5:3-5 (pg. 840)
says:
3Give proper recognition to those widows who are
really in need. 4But if a widow has children or
grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into
practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and
grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 5The
widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and
continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help.”
2) FRIENDS OF GOD, ALLOW
GOD TO BE THEIR ULTIMATE HUSBAND AND __________________________(PROVIDER)!
Husband – “To manage with
economy” Webster’s Dictionary
·
God is the
best Husband in the world, He knows how to perfectly manage and take care of your
life!
Psalm 146:7-10 (pg. 448)
says:
7 The Lord upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free,
8 the LORD
gives sight to the blind,
the LORD lifts up those who are bowed
down,
the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD
watches over the alien
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
10 The LORD reigns forever,
your God, O
Praise the LORD.
·
A widow can
know what it is to face a long, lonly and cheerless life, and solitude can be
more acute because of the remembrance of happier days when married.
·
But this was
not so with Anna.
·
When as a
young motherless wife when God withdrew from her the earthy love she rejoiced
in, she did not bury her hope in a grave along with her earthly husband.
·
Anna found
security in her Heavenly Father – He was now the Husband who would provide for
her.
·
The Apostle
Paul knew the advantage of being a widow
and not being married again.
·
Theologians
believe Paul was most likely married at one time.
1 Corinthians 7:1-40 (pg.
809) says:
1Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a
man not to marry.[a] 2But since there is
so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own
husband. 3The husband should fulfill his marital duty to
his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4The
wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same
way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. 5Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a
time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so
that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own
gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.
8Now to the
unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am.
9But if they cannot control themselves, they should
marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
10To the married
I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her
husband. 11But if she does, she must remain unmarried or
else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
12To the
rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a
believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is
willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14For
the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the
unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise
your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
15But if the
unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such
circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16How
do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know,
husband, whether you will save your wife?
17Nevertheless,
each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to
which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. 18Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should
not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should
not be circumcised. 19Circumcision is nothing and
uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts. 20Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when
God called him. 21Were you a slave when you were called?
Don't let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the
Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is
Christ's slave. 23You were bought at a price; do not
become slaves of men. 24Brothers, each man, as
responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.
25Now about
virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by
the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. 26Because of the
present crisis, I think that it is good for you to remain as you are. 27Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife. 28But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin
marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in
this life, and I want to spare you this.
29What I
mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives
should live as if they had none; 30those who mourn, as
if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy
something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31those who
use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its
present form is passing away.
32I would
like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the
Lord's affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33But a
married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his
wife— 34and his interests are divided. An unmarried
woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted
to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the
affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. 35I
am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in
a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
36If anyone
thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if she
is getting along in years and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he
wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. 37But
the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion
but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry
the virgin—this man also does the right thing. 38So
then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does
even better.[b] 39 A woman is bound to her husband as long
as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes,
but he must belong to the Lord. 40 In my
judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is – and I think that I too have
the Spirit of God”. 1 Corinthians 7:1-40
·
Paul urges
widows to remain unmarried for the one distinct advantage of being focused on
pleasing God instead of having their interest divided by having to please an
earthly man and a Holy God at the same time.
·
The Widow
could read scriptures, pray and worship God all day, while the married woman
with a family would have to squeak out a marginal quiet time each day while
trying to serve her husband and children in countless ways.
·
Instead of
spending time with God all day in prayer, meditation and worship, a house wife
these days usually works at least part-time, cooks dinner, cleans the house,
does laundry, has sex with her husband, helps the kids do their homework, takes
care of the kids when their sick, and is their on call personal taxi service
among other things.
·
Where is
there time to spend with God?
·
The Apostle
Paul said she would be happier if she stayed unmarried.
·
Like wise,
Paul says the same of a married man in Vs 32-33 of 1 Corinthians 7.
“I would like you to be
free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs – how
he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of
this world – how he can please his wife and his interest are divided”. 1
Corinthians 7:32-33
·
An unmarried
man can pray, study scriptures be focused on obeying God all day long.
·
But a married
man is responsible to “Love His wife as Christ loved the church” and this takes
a lot of energy and sacrifice.
·
When a man tries
to “love his wife as Christ loves the church”, he will spend money buying her
flowers, chocolate, ice-cream and Hallmark cards in an attempt to cherish her.
He will spend time listening and talking to her. He will be busy doing little
projects around the house on top of working a full-time job. In addition to
loving his wife, He will disciple the kids, spend time with them and also speak
their love languages. He will even go on an occasional cruise with the In-Laws
just because he loves his wife so much!
·
Loving a
Spouse takes a lot of time, energy, sacrifice and commitment.
·
The Apostle
Paul encourages people who are single to stay that way because they have more
time to worship God and to focus on him all day through Prayer, Bible Study,
Meditation, Praise, and Obedience to the Word.
·
If a person
decides to get married after the Apostle Paul’s warning, then they are stuck
and obligated to “love their spouse as Christ loved the Church” whether they
feel like it or not.
Ephesians 5:22-33 says:
22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head
of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now
as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands
in everything. 25Husbands,
love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
26to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the
word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or
wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way,
husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife
loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and
cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body.
31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to
his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32This is a profound
mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of
you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her
husband. Ephesians 5:22-33
·
A Christian
who marries will lead a divided life – How to please God and how to please
their spouse and sometimes the two will conflict!
·
But when
married, this pleases God because he wants us to please our spouse and “love
them as Christ loved the Church”.
·
When
Christians couples are selfish and do not sacrificially give lavish love to one
another, it breaks God’s heart and dishonor’s his name.
·
So if you are
going to get married, them you better be prepared to give everything to you
spouse and then some because that is the price tag for a healthy marriage!
·
The point
Paul was making is: A married person has decided interest – how to please my
spouse, kids and God.
·
Whereas a
single person can just focus on loving and pleasing God!
·
Paul
understood that a Christian did not need to get married to have security
because their security and provisions come from God – their ultimate husband!
·
In response
to God’s husbandry to her, Anna desired to have God’s house (the sanctuary) as
her dwelling place all the days of her life.
·
For 84 years,
Anna met her God and husband in the Sanctuary where she prayed, read the
scriptures and communed with God, her ultimate husband!
3) FRIENDS OF GOD DO NOT
LEAVE THE __________________________(SANCTUARY) OF GOD’S __________________________(PRESCENCE).
·
Before the crucifixion
of Christ, God could only be experienced in the confines of the
·
Today, we
have access to God in our prayer closets and wherever we go through the
ministry of the Holy Spirit.
·
When death
ravaged her own home, Anna turned away from all legitimate worldly concerns to
join a band of holy prayer warriors who devoted themselves to continual
attendance at the “night and day services of the temple”.
·
She was no
occasional member, but a constant, devout worshipper.
·
Her seat in
the
·
What an inspiration
worshippers of this magnitude are to a pastor -
He/she can minister more effectively when they are present because of
their prayer support.
4) FRIENDS OF GOD ARE
MORE __________________________(DEVOTED) TO GOD AND HIS CHURCH THAN TO THE
THINGS OF THIS WORLD.
·
Anna was one
of God’s elect who cried out to Him day and night.
·
Anna fasted
and was willing to miss a meal in order to spend more time with God without
distraction.
·
Anna lived a
life of Godly self-control.
·
She had
learned how to crucify the flesh in order to serve God.
5) FRIENDS OF GOD
FAITHFULLY _____________(PRAY) TO GOD AND ________________(THANK) HIM WHEN HE
ANSWERS PRAYER AND __________________(PRAISES) HIM EVEN WHEN HE SEEMINLY DOES
NOT.
·
Day after
day, she went to the
·
Then one day
it happened – as she entered the
·
From the
words of her prayer partner Simeon, all these years she heard the words: “Now,
Lord let your savant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation”.
·
Gazing upon
the Holy Child who was none other than the long looked for Messiah, Anna too,
was ready to depart in peace and be joined with her God in Heaven!
6) FRIENDS OF GOD ________________(WAIT)
LONG ENOUGH ON HIM TO SEE HIS PROMISES _________________________(FULFILLED).
·
Her 84 years
of faith in God’s promises were finally rewarded.
7) FRIENDS OF GOD __________________(PRAYERFULLY)
AND ____________________(OBEDIENTLY) AWAIT CHRIST’S __________________(SECOND)
COMING AS SIMEON AND ANNA DID THE FIRST.
·
Christian’s
today join forces with Simeon and Anna as they pray and fast for the rapture of
the church and the second coming of Christ.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (pg.
836) says:
3Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about
those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe
that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who
are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not
precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord
himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the
archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise
first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left
will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore
encourage each other with these words. 1
Thessalonians 4:13-18
1 Corinthians 15:51-58 (pg.
815) says:
51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep,
but we will all be changed— 52in a flash, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead
will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For
the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with
immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with
the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is
written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."[c]
55"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"[d] 56The sting of death
is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be
to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58Therefore,
my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves
fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is
not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-58
·
Simeone and
Anna prayerfully and obediently waited for the first coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
·
·
Simeone, Anna
and the other faithful who fasted and prayed daily were the cover of the book,
and perhaps God will use this generation of Christian to be the back cover.
·
Sandwiched
between the covers, are all the fulfilled prophecies of Christ and God’s
promises delivered and finalized!
·
As Simeon and
Anna anticipated Christ first coming, are we Christians today found patiently
waiting his second arrival back into this world?
·
When Christ
does come again and we see him, will we be as thrilled as Simeon and Anna when
they gazed upon the Christ?
1 Thessalonians 5:16-21 (pg.
837) says:
16Be joyful always; 17pray
continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for
this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 19Do not put
out the Spirit's fire; 20do not treat prophecies with
contempt. 21Test everything. Hold on to the good.