Todd's Road Grace Church would
like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd
Neiber. We are located at 4137 Todd's
Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are
at 1030 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at
945 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services.
For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com.
Now here's our pastor, Todd Nyberg. In the second chapter of Luke,
we read of a man whose name was Simeon. We don't know if he was
an old man or a young man or middle-aged. The text doesn't
tell us. But he was a man who was ready
to die. In Luke 2, verse 29, he says,
Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace." And he's talking
about dying. Now, let us thou thy servant
depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. Now, when Simeon says this, he's
not wanting to die because he's so miserable with life. He's
not wanting to die because his circumstances are so troublesome
that he just thinks I can't deal with this anymore. He was a happy
man. He was a man at peace. And he
says to the Lord, let me go now. Let me die in peace, for mine
eyes have seen thy salvation. Now, what did he see? On that
day, a peasant woman who was too poor to offer up a lamb When
she brought her son in after eight days, she was offering
up two turtle doves because she didn't have the money to offer
up a lamb. She was a peasant. And she came in to the temple,
as every Jewish woman did, to offer up on the eighth day their
son to the Lord and to offer a sacrifice and to have him circumcised,
perhaps many people had gone in the temple that day. And if
you would have looked at this woman, you wouldn't have thought
of anything unusual. But Simeon saw something that
no one else saw. Let's begin reading in verse
25 of Luke chapter 2. And behold, there was a man in
Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. And the same man was just and
devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Ghost
was upon him. Now, listen to this description
of Simeon, just and devout. Now, sometimes when we read in
the Scriptures and we read those kinds of descriptions of people,
we think, well, they were just really righteous, good, moral
people who never did anything wrong and always did that which
was right, and that's the way they lived back in those days.
Well, that is commendable if someone does live that way, but
that's not what this is talking about. When it says Simeon was
just, that means he was justified before God. He was a righteous
man. The very righteousness of Christ
was his, and that's how he was justified before God. Before
God, he was absolutely just. There was no sin on him because
of the Gospel. Now, not only is he described
as just, he's described as devout. The word means cautious. reverent. Oh, he had a reverence for the
Lord. And the scripture says he was
waiting for the consolation of Israel, waiting for the comfort
of Israel. He's waiting on the gospel. Christ
Jesus himself is the consolation of Israel, but he was waiting
on him. Now, what does it mean to wait? Well, we have many examples in
the scriptures of people who failed to wait. And if we can
see in what manner they failed to wait, maybe we can understand
something about what it means to wait on the Lord, because
how often do we read this phrase, wait on the Lord? And he was
waiting for the consolation of Israel. King Saul, in 1 Samuel
15, was waiting for Samuel to come to offer a sacrifice. You see, in the Old Testament,
only the priest could offer a sacrifice. If someone else tried it, they
were judged. I think of Uzziah, the king.
He offered up a sacrifice when only the priest should offer
the sacrifice, and he took it upon himself to do it, and the
Lord turned him into a leper, and he killed him. Now, Saul,
he's waiting for Samuel to arrive so Samuel can offer up the sacrifice. And Samuel doesn't come when
he said he would come. He was hindered somehow. So Saul
became afraid. He thought, well, we have to
offer up the sacrifice, so I'll do it. So he offered the sacrifice
without being the priest. Remember, only the priest can
approach God. But he offered the sacrifice,
bypassing the priest, and God rejected him. He failed to wait. Now, I'm waiting on the Lord
to represent me before the Father. I'm not going to come on my own.
I'm not going to bypass Christ. I'm going to wait on Him. You
know, if you've got a key to the door, and that's the only
way I can get in, I'm going to wait on you to get there. We're
waiting. I'm waiting on the Lord to bring
me into glory. I'm waiting on Him to bring me
into the Father's presence. I'm not coming on my own. I'm
waiting on Him. And it says He was waiting on
the consolation of Israel. Let me read to you from the Old
Testament just what the consolation of Israel is. Isaiah says, Comfort
ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God, And this message is
not to everybody, this message of comfort, it's to His people,
those who believe. There's no comfort for the unbeliever,
but for the believer there's comfort. He says, speak ye comfortably
to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished. The battle's over. Christ has
won. All sin has been put away. Nothing
to strive for. Her warfare is accomplished.
Her iniquity is pardoned. It's all put away, for she hath
received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. Now, that's
the message I'm waiting for, and I'm waiting for the Lord
Himself to bring me into the presence of the Father because
of this message of comfort. Now, this Simeon is just and
devout, and he's waiting. for the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Ghost was upon him,
the third person of the Blessed Trinity. And we'll see what happens
when the Holy Ghost is on someone as we go on reading about this
man, Simeon. Verse 26, And it was revealed
unto him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death, before
he had seen the Lord's Christ. The Lord appeared to him and
revealed to him that he was not going to see physical death until
he had actually physically seen the Lord's Christ. Now what is meant by Christ or
the Christ? It's not Jesus Christ's last
name. The Christ means the anointed. It's the New Testament word for
the Old Testament word Messiah, the anointed. Now, in the Old
Testament, there were three people who were anointed. First, God's
prophet was anointed. Second, God's priest was anointed. And third, God's king was anointed. This speaks of the offices of
the Lord Jesus Christ. He is God's prophet. He brings the Word of God. He
is God's priest. He is the one who brings men
to God. He brings me into the presence
of the Father. He makes me acceptable because
of His priesthood. He is God's King, the ruling,
reigning Lord of Lords and King of Kings. And He is the Lord
Christ. Man-made prophets and man-made
priests and man-made kings, and what good can they do us? Nothing
at all. But He's the Lord's Christ. And it was revealed to Simeon
that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ. Now let's go on reading. Verse
27, And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the
parents brought in the child Jesus, remember they were very
poor, They couldn't offer up a lamb. They were just offering
up two turtledoves to do for Him after the custom of the law.
Then this man Simeon took Him up in his arms. When he saw the
child Jesus, he knew who He was. Everybody else didn't. They just
saw a young child of a peasant. But he saw Him as the Lord's
Christ, as the promised Messiah. Then took He Him up in His arms,
and bless God, He was so thankful, and said, Lord, now lettest Thou
Thy servant depart. I love the way the death of the
believer is called a departure. Now lettest Thou Thy servant
depart in peace according to Your Word. I'm ready to die.
I don't want to live anymore. I'm ready to die rejoicing. And here's why, verse 30, for
mine eyes have seen thy salvation. Jesus Christ is God's salvation. When Simeon held that baby up
in his arms, he said, this is God's salvation. Salvation is a person. Salvation
is not a plan. Salvation is not something you
do. It's not something God helps
you with. Salvation is a person. He Himself is God's salvation. If I'm saved, it's because I'm
in Him. Because He Himself is God's salvation. Listen to what He said about
Himself. In John 14, verse 6, He said, I am the way. Not, I'll show you the way. I
am the way. I am the truth. Not, I'll tell
you the truth, or I'll teach you the truth, but I Myself am
the truth. I am the life. Not, I'll give
you life, but I myself am the life. I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. No man comes to the Father but
by Me." Now in John chapter 11, he was speaking to Mary, and
we read beginning in verse I'm sorry, I'm speaking to Martha.
In verse 23, Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know
that he shall rise again in the resurrection of the last day.
I already understand the doctrine of the resurrection, and I know
that on the last day, when everybody's raised, he'll be raised up also.
She had her doctrine down straight. But look at our Lord's reply.
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection. and the life. He that believeth in Me, though
he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth
in Me shall never die. Believest thou this? Do you believe
that I Myself am the resurrection? It's not an event. I am the resurrection. And I am the life. Christ Jesus is God's salvation. I wish I could say this the way
it ought to be said. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 3 says,
He hath blessed us, speaking to every believer, God the Father
has blessed us with all spiritual blessings. All spiritual blessings. There isn't any spiritual blessing
that I do not have. He has blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ. In Christ, not in
you. In Christ, all of God's mercy,
all God has for the sinner, all of God's salvation is in the
Lord Jesus Christ. Now, when you speak of God's
salvation, you've got to start with election. God's ancient
choice of His people before time began. Now, the Bible without
doubt teaches that the saved are those who God elected to
be saved before time began. Now, I'm not going to apologize
for God for this. I'm glorying this. This is who
God is. He chose who would be saved. But listen to this Scripture.
Ephesians 1, verse 4 says, "...according as He hath chosen us in Him."
There's where election is. "...according as He hath chosen
us in Him before the foundation of the world." God never looked
at His elect apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. I've always been
viewed in Christ. I've always been united to Christ,
even though I was born into this world dead in sin with no love
for God. I was born a child of wrath,
even as others, as far as my nature goes. But if I'm one of
God's elect, I've always been viewed in the Beloved. He said,
Behold, I've loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore,
with loving kindness, Have I drawn thee?" God loves me as I'm in
Christ. God accepts me as I'm in Christ. God sees me in Christ. I'm united to Him. He Himself
is salvation. I was chosen in Him. I am justified
by His righteousness. His righteousness became mine.
On the cross, my sin became His. That's why He died. He became
guilty of my sin. And His righteousness becomes
mine so that I'm actually justified by His righteousness. My sins are washed away by His
blood. I'm given new life and regenerated
by His Spirit. I'm preserved in Christ Jesus. Every aspect of salvation is
in Christ. The reason God forgives me of
my sins is not because I'm sorry, although I am. It's not because
I've asked for forgiveness, although I do. The reason God forgives
me of my sins is for Christ's sake. Wholly for Christ's sake. Ephesians 4.32 says, Be ye kind,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's
sake hath forgiven you. He Himself is God's salvation. He's the whole of it. Not 99%
of it. He is the whole of it. Don't look for it. Don't expect
it anywhere else. Listen to this Scripture. Colossians
2, verses 9 and 10 says, In Him, in the Lord Jesus Christ, dwelleth
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily in His body. And you, this is every believer,
and you, are complete in Him. You lack nothing. All that God
requires you have, because all you have, you have in the Lord
Jesus Christ. You see, the Scripture says He
was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him, in Him is no
sin. All I have is Christ, but what
else could I possibly want What else could I possibly need? He himself is God's salvation. And now Simeon says, I'm ready
to die. Let me depart in peace, for mine
eyes have seen thy salvation. And it says in verse 31, which
thou hast prepared. Which thou hast prepared. This
is the salvation of God's preparation. Now this preparation began before
time began. Remember when the Lord said,
Come ye, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world? In time, our Lord
prepared this salvation on the cross. Remember when he said
I go and prepare a place for you in John chapter 14 He didn't
mean I'm going up to heaven to tidy things up and get you ready
to be there No, he says I'm going to the cross to prepare a place
for you Salvation's of God's preparation. It's what he does
he says which thou has prepared before the face of of all people,
Jew and Gentile as well, all fleshly distinctions have been
dropped." He says in verse 32, a light. This salvation He's
holding in His arms at this time that makes Him feel like, I could
die in peace. He says He's a light to lighten
the Gentiles. He's the light as to how God
can save Gentiles, Jews, or anybody else. I have light as to why
a holy God can look at me and be pleased with me and embrace
me and accept me. And that light is the Lord Jesus
Christ. He is that light that shows us
how God can be just and holy and yet justify the ungodly in
a way that honors His justice. He's a light to lighten the Gentiles,
and He is the glory. He Himself is the glory of His
people, Israel. Now, in John 17, verse 22, He
said, "...the glory which thou gavest Me," He's praying to His
Father. He says, "...the glory which thou gavest Me, I have
given them, that they may be one, even as We are one." Now,
Christ Jesus is my glory. Truly, he the glorious. Let him
glory in the Lord. And we do glory in the Lord in
that he is the glory of the Lord. Now, verse 33. Now, Simeon had been saying these
glorious things regarding this child in his arms. And Mary and
Joseph are sitting there listening. Now, they had already heard from
an angel. They'd heard from the wise men. They'd heard from the shepherds. They'd heard glorious things
about their Son. They heard through Elizabeth
and Zacharias all the things they heard about the Lord Jesus
Christ. But listen to what it says in verse 33, And Joseph
and his mother Mary marveled at those things which were spoken
of him. They saw this infant that seemingly
seemed to be so helpless held up in somebody else's arm. And
they find out, this is the Lord's Christ. This is the promised
Messiah. This is God the Son. They marveled
at Him. And Simeon goes on to say, verse
34, And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother,
Behold, This child is set, is ordained. This child is set for
the fall and the rising of many in Israel and for a sign which
shall be spoken against. He's going to have a lot of people
speaking against him. Yea, a sword shall pierce through
thine own soul also. that the thoughts of many hearts
may be revealed." Now, Simeon is speaking prophetically, and
he's telling Mary, a sword is going to pierce through your
soul. And I have no doubt what he's referring to is the fact
that your son is going to be nailed to a cross. He knew this
is the Lamb of God. Not only is He God's Christ,
He's God's Lamb, and He's going to die for the sins of His people. And Mary's going to witness that.
She's going to see her son nailed to a cross, and a sword's going
to pierce through her soul as she beholds that. But you know,
that's the only way Mary could be saved. if her son is nailed
to a cross, because her son is the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the only way a sinner can be saved is for Christ to die
for their sins and for Him to give His righteousness to them.
But still as Mary beholds this, oh, a sword will pass through
her soul. But notice He says this child
is set for the fall of many. He's set for the fall of many. In Romans chapter 9, I think
we can see what this means. He said, for the fall of many. In verse 30 of Romans chapter
9, we read, what should we say then? That the Gentiles, which
followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness,
even the righteousness which is of faith. They weren't seeking
God, but God sought them and did something for them. He intervened
in their life. They weren't seeking God. They
were fine without Him, but He did something for them. Verse
31, But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness,
they thought, well, we're working for God. We're seeking God. We're
seeking to serve Him. But Israel, which followed after
the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore, because they sought
it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law, for
they stumbled at that stumbling stone. They fell and tripped
over the Lord Jesus Christ. As it's written, Behold, I lay
in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense. and whosoever
believeth on him shall not be ashamed." Now, I could say a
lot of things about the offense of the Lord Jesus Christ, why
men are offended by Him, but here's the bottom line. Men cannot
deal with salvation being altogether in Him. They can't deal with
them having no control in this thing of salvation, but you don't.
Salvation is in Christ. Salvation is for those God gave
to Christ, and there's nothing you can do to save yourself.
You're in God's hands. It's up to Him as to whether
or not He'll save you. You know, people use the phrase,
accept Jesus as your personal Savior. You're not going to find
that kind of language in Scripture. The question is not, will you accept
Him? The question is, will He accept you? Now, people are offended
by the fact that they have no control in this thing of salvation. He's set for the fall of many.
Many are going to stumble. Many are going to fall. But not
only is He set for the fall of many, He's set for the rising
of many. Now, what does it take to rise? Well, first you have to be fallen.
You have to be fallen. Have you ever seen that you fell
in Adam, and you fell in your own sin, and that the mess you're
in is all your fault, and you're at the very bottom, and you have
no claims on God? If He wills, He could send you
to hell with no infringement on His justice. Whatever He does
is right. You're on the bottom. You've
fallen. You're fallen. You're helpless. to that fallen
person, He set for the rising of many. You see, when He was
raised from the dead, everybody He represented was raised from
the dead too. And He gives spiritual life to
those people. And when He ascended back into
glory, they all ascended with Him. He set for the rising of
many. And then it says in our text,
Verse 35, Yea, a rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which
shall be spoken against. Yea, a sword shall pierce through
thine own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be
revealed. Now, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ, the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, what are your thoughts
concerning the cross? That will show what you really
are before God. Do you know what it is to glory
in the cross? Do you know what it is to glory
in God's salvation and you rejoice that He Himself is salvation?
Or do you find it irritating and annoying? You see, it's the
gospel that will reveal the true state of our heart. Now, we have
this message. On DVD and CD, if you call the
church or write or email, we'll send you a copy. This is Todd
Knightman, praying that God will be pleased to make Himself known
to you. That's our prayer. If you request a copy of the
sermon you have just heard, send your request to messages at toddsroadgracechurch.com. Or you may write or call the
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