1 00:00:05,972 --> 00:00:08,942 Luke two verses 22 through 33. 2 00:00:09,943 --> 00:00:12,912 And when the time came for the purification according to the law 3 00:00:12,912 --> 00:00:16,950 of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present it to the Lord. 4 00:00:17,517 --> 00:00:20,053 As it is written in the law of the Lord. 5 00:00:20,053 --> 00:00:23,590 Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord, 6 00:00:23,823 --> 00:00:27,527 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord. 7 00:00:27,827 --> 00:00:30,830 A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. 8 00:00:32,232 --> 00:00:35,235 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. 9 00:00:35,368 --> 00:00:38,371 And this man was righteous and devout, 10 00:00:38,638 --> 00:00:42,842 waiting for the consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit was upon him, 11 00:00:43,043 --> 00:00:46,046 and it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit 12 00:00:46,413 --> 00:00:49,516 that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 13 00:00:49,983 --> 00:00:52,652 And he came in the spirit into the temple. 14 00:00:52,652 --> 00:00:56,156 And when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him 15 00:00:56,156 --> 00:01:00,226 according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed 16 00:01:00,226 --> 00:01:03,496 God, and said, Lord, now you are letting 17 00:01:03,496 --> 00:01:06,499 your servant depart in peace according to your word. 18 00:01:06,533 --> 00:01:10,370 For my eyes have seen your salvation, that you have prepared in the presence 19 00:01:10,370 --> 00:01:13,573 of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, 20 00:01:14,340 --> 00:01:16,409 and for glory to your people Israel. 21 00:01:17,410 --> 00:01:19,913 And his father and his mother marveled 22 00:01:19,913 --> 00:01:22,916 at what was said about him. 23 00:01:24,150 --> 00:01:26,019 Well, good morning and welcome to the weekly 24 00:01:26,019 --> 00:01:28,021 gathering of Christ Community Chapel. 25 00:01:28,021 --> 00:01:29,222 My name is Zach. 26 00:01:29,222 --> 00:01:32,826 I'm one of the pastors here, and I'm so glad you're here with us this weekend 27 00:01:33,159 --> 00:01:36,362 and that we get to be part of your Christmas season. 28 00:01:36,863 --> 00:01:40,767 We have been in a sermon series this Christmas or Advent series. 29 00:01:41,234 --> 00:01:42,802 We're talking about waiting. 30 00:01:42,802 --> 00:01:45,638 That's what these chairs are meant to represent. 31 00:01:45,638 --> 00:01:50,343 The waiting rooms that so often we find ourselves in, in life 32 00:01:50,610 --> 00:01:56,349 waiting to see what's going to happen, waiting to see if God is going to show up. 33 00:01:56,349 --> 00:02:01,888 Life is full of waiting rooms, and waiting rooms are full of questions. 34 00:02:02,288 --> 00:02:05,291 Questions about whether or not God loves us, whether or not God 35 00:02:05,358 --> 00:02:08,228 can be trusted, whether or not God is involved. 36 00:02:08,228 --> 00:02:13,133 Those waiting rooms and those questions pop up in the Bible, very often. 37 00:02:13,133 --> 00:02:14,601 So we've been looking at this 38 00:02:14,601 --> 00:02:19,005 Christmas season are the different times God's people are waiting and asking, 39 00:02:19,005 --> 00:02:23,643 what can we learn about those times for our own waiting? 40 00:02:23,977 --> 00:02:25,111 You know, you guys are great 41 00:02:25,111 --> 00:02:29,215 about giving encouraging feedback to Joe and I when we preach. 42 00:02:29,215 --> 00:02:31,384 My my favorite encouragement 43 00:02:31,384 --> 00:02:35,221 that anyone can give after a sermon is when someone says, Zach. 44 00:02:35,522 --> 00:02:38,491 It felt like you were talking right to me. 45 00:02:39,092 --> 00:02:42,695 It felt like that sermon was just for me. 46 00:02:42,695 --> 00:02:46,833 I love hearing that because you need to know that is not a compliment to me. 47 00:02:47,534 --> 00:02:51,437 That is an encouragement because of the Bible itself. 48 00:02:51,905 --> 00:02:53,873 After all, God made you. 49 00:02:53,873 --> 00:02:55,408 God knows you. 50 00:02:55,408 --> 00:03:01,014 So of course he can speak directly into your life, directly into your experience. 51 00:03:01,014 --> 00:03:01,781 Without knowing it. 52 00:03:01,781 --> 00:03:05,552 You're acknowledging that God sees you and that God cares about you. 53 00:03:05,552 --> 00:03:07,587 And I love being part of that. 54 00:03:07,587 --> 00:03:11,491 I've heard that feedback a lot this series, and that makes sense 55 00:03:11,891 --> 00:03:13,226 because you talk about waiting. 56 00:03:13,226 --> 00:03:14,928 We all can resonate with that. 57 00:03:14,928 --> 00:03:20,833 We talk about waiting and suffering, waiting in despair, waiting in silence. 58 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:25,672 Unfortunately, those are experiences that we are all pretty familiar with. 59 00:03:25,672 --> 00:03:29,709 And so when we hear talks about them, it it can feel very relevant. 60 00:03:29,709 --> 00:03:33,479 Actually, I've been terrified this week that this one would be 61 00:03:33,479 --> 00:03:36,916 the least relevant to you, because today 62 00:03:36,916 --> 00:03:40,019 we're talking about waiting in hope. 63 00:03:40,787 --> 00:03:44,390 The reason I say that is because if you're coming in this weekend 64 00:03:44,390 --> 00:03:48,061 in the midst of a difficult season, it probably resonates with you. 65 00:03:48,061 --> 00:03:53,933 If I talk about suffering or despair or silence, that's your current experience. 66 00:03:53,933 --> 00:03:57,837 But when I talk about hope, you might find that a little detached, 67 00:03:58,504 --> 00:04:03,243 a little hard to touch, and what you might hear me saying, 68 00:04:03,243 --> 00:04:04,877 and I hope that is not the case, 69 00:04:04,877 --> 00:04:08,181 is that I'm calling you to some kind of plucky optimism. 70 00:04:08,881 --> 00:04:12,151 You know, we all have that friend who's relentlessly positive 71 00:04:12,151 --> 00:04:15,188 and relentlessly optimistic, like, you get a flat tire 72 00:04:15,188 --> 00:04:18,157 and you pull over to the side of the road and they look at you and say, well, 73 00:04:18,157 --> 00:04:19,692 at least we have time to talk. 74 00:04:22,462 --> 00:04:23,830 And the truth is, that person 75 00:04:23,830 --> 00:04:27,600 is always very nice, but also a little annoying, right? 76 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,436 Because not every situation is optimistic. 77 00:04:30,436 --> 00:04:33,473 Makes me think of a story I heard once about a dad who had two sons. 78 00:04:33,473 --> 00:04:37,010 One was a pessimist and one was an optimist, and he decided 79 00:04:37,010 --> 00:04:40,046 to use Christmas to regulate them both. 80 00:04:40,046 --> 00:04:43,650 So Christmas Eve, he puts them to bed and after they go to sleep, he sneaks 81 00:04:43,650 --> 00:04:46,819 into their room and in the pessimist room he fills it with presents, 82 00:04:47,453 --> 00:04:50,023 and in the optimist room he dumps a big pile of horse manure 83 00:04:50,023 --> 00:04:51,824 right in the middle of the floor, 84 00:04:51,824 --> 00:04:54,961 and the next morning, Christmas morning, he sneaks to their room 85 00:04:54,961 --> 00:04:57,864 to watch their response, and he opens the pessimist door 86 00:04:57,864 --> 00:05:00,933 and he's just staring at the presents, saying, who put these here? 87 00:05:00,933 --> 00:05:03,036 What do they want from me? 88 00:05:03,036 --> 00:05:04,771 He closes the door. I think, well, that didn't work. 89 00:05:04,771 --> 00:05:07,507 He goes, the optimist room and the boy is digging in the manure. 90 00:05:07,507 --> 00:05:09,709 Big smile on his face. 91 00:05:09,709 --> 00:05:11,311 He says, son, what are you doing? 92 00:05:11,311 --> 00:05:14,847 He says, dad, with this much manure, there's got to be a pony in here somewhere. 93 00:05:19,452 --> 00:05:21,521 So my concern is, when I talk 94 00:05:21,521 --> 00:05:24,524 about waiting and hope you will think that's what I mean. 95 00:05:25,591 --> 00:05:27,727 But it isn't. 96 00:05:27,727 --> 00:05:30,263 It isn't. 97 00:05:30,263 --> 00:05:31,831 Here's what I want you to know. 98 00:05:31,831 --> 00:05:35,134 Hope is most necessary 99 00:05:36,002 --> 00:05:39,005 when it makes the least sense. 100 00:05:39,072 --> 00:05:44,544 Hope is most necessary when it makes the least sense. 101 00:05:44,544 --> 00:05:49,148 If things are going well for you right now, you don't need a sermon on hope. 102 00:05:49,849 --> 00:05:52,185 You might need a sermon on gratitude, right? 103 00:05:52,185 --> 00:05:53,286 You don't need a sermon on hope. 104 00:05:53,286 --> 00:05:54,987 If you're here and you're not doing well, it's 105 00:05:54,987 --> 00:05:57,924 absolutely the right time to talk to you about hope. 106 00:05:57,924 --> 00:05:59,592 Let me let me show you what I mean. 107 00:05:59,592 --> 00:06:02,462 If you have a Bible, would you open it to Luke chapter two? 108 00:06:02,462 --> 00:06:06,232 We're going to look at the passage on Simeon that was just read so beautifully. 109 00:06:06,232 --> 00:06:09,402 If your phone, your tablet, totally okay to take that out. 110 00:06:09,402 --> 00:06:12,238 The verses that I quote are going to be on the screen behind me. 111 00:06:12,238 --> 00:06:14,640 Hey, if you're here and you want to follow along in the Bible, 112 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:15,942 you don't have a Bible. 113 00:06:15,942 --> 00:06:18,878 There's one in the pew in front of you or in the back of the room over 114 00:06:18,878 --> 00:06:23,282 in East Hall, and you can find today's reading on page 805. 115 00:06:23,750 --> 00:06:26,252 This passage is about a man named Simeon. 116 00:06:26,252 --> 00:06:31,491 Simeon is waiting in hope, but not because things are going so well. 117 00:06:31,491 --> 00:06:34,861 Remember, hope is most necessary when it makes the least sense. 118 00:06:34,961 --> 00:06:38,431 Simeon is an older Jewish guy living in a time 119 00:06:38,598 --> 00:06:41,601 when Israel is under Roman oppression, 120 00:06:42,001 --> 00:06:44,971 so politically he is being oppressed. 121 00:06:44,971 --> 00:06:47,373 Religiously, Judaism is a mess. 122 00:06:47,373 --> 00:06:49,976 The Pharisees are fighting with the Sadducees. 123 00:06:49,976 --> 00:06:52,145 There's hypocrisy everywhere. 124 00:06:52,145 --> 00:06:55,915 So politically, religiously, socially, morally, things 125 00:06:55,915 --> 00:07:00,186 are falling apart around Simeon, and Simeon is old. 126 00:07:00,586 --> 00:07:05,691 So the thing is, even if things are going to get better, he isn't going to see it. 127 00:07:05,691 --> 00:07:09,061 Simeon is in a circumstance in which hope doesn't 128 00:07:09,228 --> 00:07:12,331 make a lot of sense, but that's when it's most necessary. 129 00:07:12,331 --> 00:07:16,169 But what you will find in this pages is Simeon is hopeful, 130 00:07:16,169 --> 00:07:21,040 and the reason he's hopeful is because he believes the story of the Bible. 131 00:07:21,574 --> 00:07:25,778 He believes the story of the Bible, the Bible is a story 132 00:07:25,878 --> 00:07:28,281 that is meant to give us hope. 133 00:07:28,281 --> 00:07:29,982 Now, let me say two things for this. 134 00:07:29,982 --> 00:07:34,487 One is, what I mean is that the Bible comes to us in narrative form. 135 00:07:34,487 --> 00:07:39,091 If God had wanted to give us a text book, he could have, if God had wanted us to 136 00:07:39,091 --> 00:07:43,296 give us a collection of of witty sayings, he could have, he gave us a story. 137 00:07:43,329 --> 00:07:46,132 Now, when I say story, I don't mean fiction. 138 00:07:46,132 --> 00:07:49,902 I hope you know that if you were to go to dinner, your spouse 139 00:07:50,069 --> 00:07:54,207 and you with my wife and I, we sat down and we didn't know each other very well. 140 00:07:54,207 --> 00:07:57,210 I know my wife would lead with this question. 141 00:07:57,243 --> 00:07:59,812 Tell me the story of how you met 142 00:08:00,913 --> 00:08:01,180 the. She 143 00:08:01,180 --> 00:08:04,417 doesn't mean make something up unless your story's boring. 144 00:08:04,417 --> 00:08:05,852 Then do us all a favor. 145 00:08:05,852 --> 00:08:06,986 Make something up. 146 00:08:06,986 --> 00:08:08,788 No, she means tell me the actual story. 147 00:08:08,788 --> 00:08:12,358 If I came in from a crazy weekend, I come in the office on Monday 148 00:08:12,358 --> 00:08:17,630 and I'll say, boy, have I got a story for you. 149 00:08:17,630 --> 00:08:18,798 I don't mean I'm making it up. 150 00:08:18,798 --> 00:08:21,634 I mean, I'm going to tell you what happened in narrative form. 151 00:08:21,634 --> 00:08:27,840 The Bible is the story of what God is doing in human history, and it is a story. 152 00:08:27,874 --> 00:08:29,876 He meant to give us hope. 153 00:08:29,876 --> 00:08:31,577 Simeon understood this. 154 00:08:31,577 --> 00:08:33,212 That's where his hope came from. 155 00:08:33,212 --> 00:08:35,581 It wasn't internal or intrinsic. 156 00:08:35,581 --> 00:08:38,150 It came from the story of the Bible. 157 00:08:38,150 --> 00:08:41,153 In fact, let me show you three things that Simeon understood 158 00:08:41,220 --> 00:08:45,591 about stories that gave him hope in a difficult time. 159 00:08:45,591 --> 00:08:46,759 Three things. Here they are. 160 00:08:46,759 --> 00:08:49,862 Number one, stories have arcs. 161 00:08:50,696 --> 00:08:53,699 Number two stories have heroes, 162 00:08:54,066 --> 00:08:57,370 and number three stories have room for us. 163 00:08:57,370 --> 00:08:58,337 Stories have arcs. 164 00:08:58,337 --> 00:08:59,372 Stories have heroes. 165 00:08:59,372 --> 00:09:01,207 Stories have room for us. 166 00:09:01,207 --> 00:09:02,208 Let's start with the first one. 167 00:09:02,208 --> 00:09:04,143 Stories have arcs. 168 00:09:04,143 --> 00:09:06,445 Now, by this I mean arcs. 169 00:09:06,445 --> 00:09:08,481 They have narrative trajectories, 170 00:09:08,481 --> 00:09:12,218 not big boats, although some stories do have big boats. 171 00:09:12,218 --> 00:09:13,452 But that's not the point. 172 00:09:13,452 --> 00:09:16,489 Every story is going somewhere, 173 00:09:17,657 --> 00:09:17,857 right? 174 00:09:17,857 --> 00:09:21,093 There's a plot, there's a through line, there's a direction. 175 00:09:21,093 --> 00:09:24,030 A story is moving in a particular direction. 176 00:09:24,030 --> 00:09:25,097 And here's what's true. 177 00:09:25,097 --> 00:09:28,668 Good stories are headed somewhere good. 178 00:09:29,235 --> 00:09:32,338 Good stories are headed somewhere good. 179 00:09:32,338 --> 00:09:35,508 And Simeon knew that the the story of the Bible, the story of 180 00:09:35,508 --> 00:09:38,978 what God is doing in human history, is a good story. 181 00:09:38,978 --> 00:09:41,647 And he knew it was headed somewhere good. 182 00:09:41,647 --> 00:09:43,983 Look with me at verse 25. 183 00:09:43,983 --> 00:09:49,021 This is what it says now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, 184 00:09:50,156 --> 00:09:53,159 and this man was righteous and devout, 185 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:56,462 waiting for the consolation of Israel. 186 00:09:56,462 --> 00:09:58,698 And the Holy Spirit was upon him. 187 00:09:58,698 --> 00:09:59,632 The words righteous 188 00:09:59,632 --> 00:10:03,836 and devout there mean that Simeon believes the story of the Bible. 189 00:10:03,836 --> 00:10:09,842 But I want you to notice it's a story, he believes of consolation, of good news, 190 00:10:09,842 --> 00:10:14,146 for hurting people, of encouragement, for people who need it. 191 00:10:14,146 --> 00:10:15,748 He's read the story. 192 00:10:15,748 --> 00:10:19,785 He knows it's a good story, headed somewhere good. 193 00:10:19,785 --> 00:10:24,690 And you know this about stories that Luke Skywalker will bring down the Empire. 194 00:10:25,391 --> 00:10:28,394 Frodo will bring down Sauron, throw the ring 195 00:10:28,527 --> 00:10:31,831 into Mordor, Paula traders will bring down the harken. 196 00:10:31,831 --> 00:10:34,066 And somebody likes science fiction. 197 00:10:35,568 --> 00:10:38,137 Good stories are headed somewhere good. 198 00:10:38,137 --> 00:10:43,576 But here's what Simeon also knew stories make sense of hard moments. 199 00:10:44,310 --> 00:10:47,279 Stories make sense of hard moments. 200 00:10:47,279 --> 00:10:50,282 Simeon is in a difficult scene. 201 00:10:51,417 --> 00:10:54,086 The world around him is not good, but he knows this. 202 00:10:54,086 --> 00:10:57,456 You don't understand the story through one scene. 203 00:10:57,456 --> 00:11:02,461 You understand a scene in the context of the larger story. 204 00:11:02,495 --> 00:11:03,829 Like, let me give you an example. 205 00:11:03,829 --> 00:11:07,166 When you watch a movie with a little kid, like a little little kid, 206 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:11,103 always early on in the movie, the bad guy is winning. 207 00:11:11,103 --> 00:11:13,639 That's what builds the plot tension, right? 208 00:11:13,639 --> 00:11:17,343 And sometimes a little kid will get really distressed by that because 209 00:11:17,476 --> 00:11:20,746 they're worried where you're headed is that the bad guy is going to win. 210 00:11:20,746 --> 00:11:24,183 And so the little kid, one of my kids, for instance, will stop it and say, whoa, 211 00:11:24,183 --> 00:11:26,118 wait, wait, I don't want to watch this anymore. 212 00:11:26,118 --> 00:11:28,587 I don't like this movie. I don't want to watch. 213 00:11:29,755 --> 00:11:30,890 Because in their minds, if 214 00:11:30,890 --> 00:11:33,893 we pause it right now, the bad thing that's coming won't happen. 215 00:11:33,959 --> 00:11:37,063 And what you have to say to that kid in that moment is, hey, hey, 216 00:11:37,063 --> 00:11:40,066 hey, hey, hang in there. 217 00:11:41,033 --> 00:11:43,135 The story keeps going. 218 00:11:43,135 --> 00:11:46,472 This scene will make sense in the larger story. 219 00:11:46,472 --> 00:11:50,042 Sometimes to keep that kid going, you got to call them over and say, 220 00:11:50,142 --> 00:11:53,145 you want me to tell you what happens, and they'll say. 221 00:11:55,748 --> 00:11:56,849 Because you know that 222 00:11:56,849 --> 00:12:01,020 the power of the story will help them get through that scene. 223 00:12:01,020 --> 00:12:04,023 Listen, if I'm the pastor here long enough, 224 00:12:05,057 --> 00:12:07,426 it will be my privilege to sit with you 225 00:12:07,426 --> 00:12:10,429 in hospital rooms. 226 00:12:11,063 --> 00:12:13,232 And funeral homes. 227 00:12:13,232 --> 00:12:15,201 In living rooms 228 00:12:15,201 --> 00:12:17,336 where we're mourning the loss of a family. 229 00:12:17,336 --> 00:12:21,540 Or the disintegration of your of your family. 230 00:12:23,242 --> 00:12:26,245 We're grieving a bankruptcy. 231 00:12:27,680 --> 00:12:30,416 You're struggling through an addiction. 232 00:12:30,416 --> 00:12:32,985 And in those moments, you will probably want me 233 00:12:32,985 --> 00:12:37,022 to explain why that particular scene is happening. 234 00:12:37,022 --> 00:12:39,992 And I have to tell you, I won't be able to do it. 235 00:12:40,693 --> 00:12:43,829 In fact, more than that, you should run from anybody who tries. 236 00:12:46,132 --> 00:12:47,767 You see, the hope that Simeon had 237 00:12:47,767 --> 00:12:51,337 didn't come from having all the answers of his particular scene. 238 00:12:51,670 --> 00:12:55,040 The hope that Simeon had was knowing where the story was 239 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:58,043 going. 240 00:12:59,612 --> 00:13:02,681 It's the story that gives us hope in the scene. 241 00:13:02,681 --> 00:13:05,684 It's the trajectory, the arc, the direction. 242 00:13:05,684 --> 00:13:09,221 Simeon knew that God had promised to put the world back together. 243 00:13:09,221 --> 00:13:14,193 God had promised to right the wrongs to the good, would defeat evil. 244 00:13:14,193 --> 00:13:16,862 That in the end we would be with him forever. 245 00:13:16,862 --> 00:13:21,867 And Simeon was saying to God, I just need a glimpse of the story 246 00:13:21,934 --> 00:13:24,937 so that I can keep moving through my scene. 247 00:13:26,605 --> 00:13:27,173 In fact, he 248 00:13:27,173 --> 00:13:30,309 understood that we need glimpses of the ending 249 00:13:31,377 --> 00:13:33,646 to get through the story. Is that not true? 250 00:13:33,646 --> 00:13:35,281 Is that what you're telling that little kid? 251 00:13:35,281 --> 00:13:36,982 Hey, you want me to tell you what happens? 252 00:13:36,982 --> 00:13:41,487 Simeon says to God, just give me a glimpse and I can die. 253 00:13:41,587 --> 00:13:45,991 Because then I know the story is bigger than my scene. 254 00:13:45,991 --> 00:13:48,661 Listen, the hope of Christmas, friends, 255 00:13:48,661 --> 00:13:51,564 is not that you'll get all the answers to your particular scene. 256 00:13:51,564 --> 00:13:54,867 The hope of Christmas is that it is a reminder 257 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:58,003 that it is just a scene. 258 00:13:58,103 --> 00:14:01,340 If there is a larger story of what 259 00:14:01,340 --> 00:14:05,945 God is doing in the universe, it was happening long before you. 260 00:14:05,945 --> 00:14:09,548 It will continue long after you and you can have a part in it. 261 00:14:09,548 --> 00:14:14,587 Stories have arcs and the arcs help us find a hope. 262 00:14:14,820 --> 00:14:19,892 Even if, like Simeon, we are in the midst of a difficult scene. 263 00:14:20,526 --> 00:14:22,494 I don't know what this week holds for you. 264 00:14:25,197 --> 00:14:25,664 Whether it 265 00:14:25,664 --> 00:14:28,667 will be an amazing week or an awful one, 266 00:14:28,701 --> 00:14:34,240 whether you want the minutes to go by slowly or as quickly as possible. 267 00:14:34,673 --> 00:14:39,211 But this week is just a brief moment 268 00:14:39,211 --> 00:14:42,214 in the story that God is writing. 269 00:14:44,383 --> 00:14:47,052 Here's the other thing Simeon understood about stories. 270 00:14:47,052 --> 00:14:48,520 Stories don't just have arcs. 271 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:50,222 They have heroes. 272 00:14:50,222 --> 00:14:53,192 Stories have heroes. 273 00:14:53,259 --> 00:14:57,096 You know, the great thing about the great stories is that heroes 274 00:14:57,096 --> 00:15:00,099 carry the story forward. 275 00:15:00,466 --> 00:15:02,701 You know, when I when I read Lord of the rings, well, 276 00:15:02,701 --> 00:15:04,803 not when I read it, because I think those books are boring. 277 00:15:04,803 --> 00:15:07,806 But when I watch it. 278 00:15:07,806 --> 00:15:10,809 I don't want to be Frodo. 279 00:15:10,943 --> 00:15:13,312 That seems stressful 280 00:15:13,312 --> 00:15:15,180 and I'm not sure I would accomplish it. 281 00:15:15,180 --> 00:15:18,317 I don't want the weight of the story to be on me. 282 00:15:18,317 --> 00:15:21,520 I don't want the plot to move forward on my bravery 283 00:15:21,654 --> 00:15:24,623 or my strength that would feel crushing to me. 284 00:15:24,623 --> 00:15:27,259 I want to be like Hobbit 712, 285 00:15:28,460 --> 00:15:30,829 just minding my own business, right? 286 00:15:30,829 --> 00:15:33,098 Raising my crops back in the Shire, saying, 287 00:15:33,098 --> 00:15:36,101 tell me when Frodo gets the job done. 288 00:15:36,268 --> 00:15:38,537 Heroes carry the story forward. 289 00:15:38,537 --> 00:15:41,540 Paula tradies brings down the Harkin owns Larry. 290 00:15:41,907 --> 00:15:44,777 Larry, I called Larry Skywalker. 291 00:15:44,777 --> 00:15:47,146 That's the guy with high school with 292 00:15:47,146 --> 00:15:48,814 Luke Skywalker. 293 00:15:48,814 --> 00:15:50,649 He defeats the Empire. 294 00:15:50,649 --> 00:15:52,785 You see, heroes carry the story forward. 295 00:15:52,785 --> 00:15:54,720 Let's get what it says in verse 26. 296 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:57,723 Simeon, this is his prayer now, 297 00:15:57,957 --> 00:16:01,260 and it had been revealed to him, verse 26, by the Holy Spirit 298 00:16:01,727 --> 00:16:04,830 that he would not see death before he had seen 299 00:16:04,830 --> 00:16:07,833 the Lord's Christ. 300 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:11,236 Simeon says, I'm old, I I'm not changing anything. 301 00:16:11,470 --> 00:16:14,473 I need to know, God, that there's a hero. 302 00:16:14,940 --> 00:16:18,510 I need to know you're sending someone who will carry this story forward. 303 00:16:18,577 --> 00:16:20,779 Here's what Simeon knows. 304 00:16:20,779 --> 00:16:24,383 It's not just that heroes carry this story forward, it's that everyone else 305 00:16:24,383 --> 00:16:28,387 finds their success, their hope in the hero's success. 306 00:16:29,088 --> 00:16:30,456 Is that not true? 307 00:16:30,456 --> 00:16:33,459 When Luke Skywalker brings down the Empire, we all win. 308 00:16:33,625 --> 00:16:36,795 When Frodo throws the ring into Mordor, we all are 309 00:16:36,795 --> 00:16:40,165 set free from the evil of Sauron. 310 00:16:40,165 --> 00:16:44,970 Simeon knows that the hope of the Bible, the hope of the story, 311 00:16:44,970 --> 00:16:48,874 is not that he's heroic, but that God will send the hero, and that 312 00:16:48,874 --> 00:16:53,979 Simeon can link himself to the hero so that when the hero wins, he wins. 313 00:16:53,979 --> 00:16:56,482 Look at what he says. Verse 29, 314 00:16:57,616 --> 00:17:01,620 Lord, now you are holding Jesus right? 315 00:17:01,620 --> 00:17:05,924 And he says, Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace. 316 00:17:06,158 --> 00:17:09,161 That's a really romantic way of saying, what 317 00:17:09,395 --> 00:17:11,597 now I can die, 318 00:17:11,597 --> 00:17:14,033 now I can die 319 00:17:14,033 --> 00:17:15,000 according to your word. 320 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:19,471 For my eyes have seen your salvation, that you have prepared in the presence 321 00:17:19,471 --> 00:17:23,876 of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory 322 00:17:24,009 --> 00:17:25,611 to your people, people, Israel. 323 00:17:25,611 --> 00:17:28,614 Simeon says, now I know there's a hero, 324 00:17:30,082 --> 00:17:32,151 so it's okay if my scene is over. 325 00:17:32,151 --> 00:17:33,886 It's okay if my chapter end. 326 00:17:33,886 --> 00:17:37,723 It's okay if my little bit part in this play is over 327 00:17:37,723 --> 00:17:40,926 because the hero is here, and when he wins, I will win. 328 00:17:40,926 --> 00:17:43,462 Listen, the Bible isn't just a story. 329 00:17:43,462 --> 00:17:44,830 Jesus. 330 00:17:44,830 --> 00:17:47,599 Jesus is our hero. 331 00:17:49,134 --> 00:17:52,137 Now, I know some of you are here because it's Christmas 332 00:17:52,371 --> 00:17:57,109 and you came for grandma or grandpa or mom or dad or your aunt or your uncle. 333 00:17:57,276 --> 00:18:00,279 And by the way, I think that's awesome of you. 334 00:18:00,279 --> 00:18:03,615 That's incredibly kind for you to step out of your comfort zone 335 00:18:03,615 --> 00:18:07,019 and come to something that's not really your thing because you love them so much. 336 00:18:07,019 --> 00:18:10,022 I'm really that's an amazing thing for you to do. 337 00:18:10,789 --> 00:18:13,792 And I know we might not see each other for another year, 338 00:18:14,827 --> 00:18:16,528 and that's okay. 339 00:18:16,528 --> 00:18:19,531 But while you're away, I want to make sure that as you think 340 00:18:19,531 --> 00:18:22,501 about Christianity, you're thinking about it rightly. 341 00:18:22,701 --> 00:18:25,104 Christianity is not the idea 342 00:18:25,104 --> 00:18:29,241 that if you will get serious about fixing your life, God will help you. 343 00:18:29,575 --> 00:18:32,578 It is not the idea that God has given you a path and 344 00:18:32,644 --> 00:18:36,482 and you need to walk down it and you need to, you know, the Lord will help those 345 00:18:36,482 --> 00:18:39,451 who help themselves get your life together, get sober, 346 00:18:39,451 --> 00:18:43,222 get clean, get serious, get right, and God will show up. 347 00:18:43,222 --> 00:18:45,090 Christianity is the belief 348 00:18:45,090 --> 00:18:50,696 that the hero Jesus does for us what we could never do for ourselves. 349 00:18:52,498 --> 00:18:55,267 It's not my life, but he is. 350 00:18:55,267 --> 00:18:57,136 That is righteous. 351 00:18:57,136 --> 00:19:00,539 It's not my death, but his that pays for my sin. 352 00:19:00,539 --> 00:19:04,877 It's not my resurrection, but his that gives me hope, his ascension, 353 00:19:04,877 --> 00:19:08,080 his authority in heaven, his coming again. 354 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:11,583 Simeon is holding Jesus in the midst of a world that is broken 355 00:19:11,583 --> 00:19:17,289 under Roman oppression with a broken religion, a world decaying around him. 356 00:19:17,289 --> 00:19:18,657 Politics are a mess. 357 00:19:18,657 --> 00:19:19,658 Religion is a mess. 358 00:19:19,658 --> 00:19:24,129 Stop me if this sounds familiar and he's holding Jesus and he's saying, 359 00:19:24,129 --> 00:19:27,132 now I can die 360 00:19:27,533 --> 00:19:29,468 because I'm just Hobbit 712. 361 00:19:29,468 --> 00:19:32,471 But this is the hero. 362 00:19:34,173 --> 00:19:37,242 And friends, you need to hear this because it's possible that this week 363 00:19:37,242 --> 00:19:40,379 is going to be awful for you and it's your fault. 364 00:19:44,483 --> 00:19:47,653 That you'll be alone because of the choices you have made. 365 00:19:52,691 --> 00:19:53,992 That you'll be struggling 366 00:19:53,992 --> 00:19:57,362 because of the decisions you are making now. 367 00:19:58,830 --> 00:20:03,268 But the hope of the biblical story is not that you get your act together. 368 00:20:03,302 --> 00:20:06,104 The hope of the biblical story is you say to God, 369 00:20:06,104 --> 00:20:11,043 is there any way you could do for me what I could never do 370 00:20:11,043 --> 00:20:14,046 for my self? 371 00:20:14,947 --> 00:20:17,382 And the answer to that is Jesus. 372 00:20:17,382 --> 00:20:21,486 That's what God is saying to you every Christmas. 373 00:20:24,423 --> 00:20:24,890 Don't you see? 374 00:20:24,890 --> 00:20:27,192 Every Christmas you come and we seem to say, you know. 375 00:20:27,192 --> 00:20:28,293 So you come back once a year. 376 00:20:28,293 --> 00:20:31,296 You think not much is changed. 377 00:20:31,530 --> 00:20:34,566 We sing the same songs, we tell the same story. 378 00:20:34,633 --> 00:20:36,368 We say the same things. 379 00:20:36,368 --> 00:20:39,371 Because every year God is saying to you, 380 00:20:39,438 --> 00:20:44,009 would you stop trying to be the hero and just let me do it? 381 00:20:44,109 --> 00:20:47,012 My story is headed somewhere good. 382 00:20:47,012 --> 00:20:53,885 Just grab hold of Jesus and let him do for you what you cannot do for yourself. 383 00:20:57,155 --> 00:21:00,058 That brings me to the third thing that Simeon knew about stories, 384 00:21:00,058 --> 00:21:03,228 which is that stories have room for us. 385 00:21:04,930 --> 00:21:06,531 Stories have room for us. 386 00:21:06,531 --> 00:21:09,568 In fact, great stories include us. 387 00:21:09,735 --> 00:21:10,502 That's why. 388 00:21:10,502 --> 00:21:14,373 That's why It's a Wonderful Life resonates more with us than Die Hard, 389 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:18,243 even though both are Christmas movies. 390 00:21:18,510 --> 00:21:18,977 I said, why? 391 00:21:18,977 --> 00:21:21,647 I said. 392 00:21:21,647 --> 00:21:25,384 It's because, listen, it's because I can't resonate with going up 393 00:21:25,384 --> 00:21:29,788 Nakatomi Plaza to rescue my wife from the terrorist that decided 394 00:21:29,788 --> 00:21:33,225 for whatever reason, her staff Christmas party was the right party to crash. 395 00:21:33,959 --> 00:21:38,330 I would be dead in the first sweep, or I'd be hiding in the bathroom shivering. 396 00:21:38,330 --> 00:21:38,463 Right? 397 00:21:38,463 --> 00:21:42,134 I'm not John McClane, but when I watched George Bailey deal 398 00:21:42,734 --> 00:21:45,737 with broken dreams, 399 00:21:46,171 --> 00:21:50,042 when I watch his life not quite become what maybe he had hoped when I. 400 00:21:50,142 --> 00:21:55,047 When I see him buckling under the weight of pressure and expectation and 401 00:21:55,147 --> 00:22:00,652 and when I see him fail and and deal with failure, I can resonate with that. 402 00:22:01,820 --> 00:22:02,187 That's why 403 00:22:02,187 --> 00:22:05,190 the end of Die Hard, I just go to bed. 404 00:22:05,190 --> 00:22:07,893 But at the end of It's a Wonderful Life, when his brother holds up 405 00:22:07,893 --> 00:22:11,163 that stupid cop and says to my brother George, you know what? 406 00:22:11,163 --> 00:22:14,132 How what? He say? The richest man in town. 407 00:22:14,433 --> 00:22:17,402 I cry like a baby every time 408 00:22:17,869 --> 00:22:20,872 because I want people to say that about me. 409 00:22:21,707 --> 00:22:24,710 Because great stories always include us. 410 00:22:26,611 --> 00:22:28,547 Simeon gets a promise from God. 411 00:22:28,547 --> 00:22:34,119 Simeon, you won't die until you see the hero, until you know for sure. 412 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:37,389 But I believe he gets that promise because he won't stop asking for it. 413 00:22:39,758 --> 00:22:41,660 Simeon says, the God of you're doing something. 414 00:22:41,660 --> 00:22:45,864 If there's a story you're writing, if there's a hero who's coming, can I just 415 00:22:45,864 --> 00:22:46,998 get a glimpse? 416 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:51,436 Can I just know for sure there's a place for me? 417 00:22:51,436 --> 00:22:54,439 It makes me think of a time I was on a work trip. 418 00:22:54,506 --> 00:22:57,042 I don't even remember where I was by myself. 419 00:22:57,042 --> 00:22:58,310 And I went to see a movie. 420 00:22:58,310 --> 00:23:00,245 It was one of those times where I was just trying to kill time. 421 00:23:00,245 --> 00:23:02,047 So I just bought a ticket for the next movie. 422 00:23:02,047 --> 00:23:04,082 Whatever it was ended up 423 00:23:04,082 --> 00:23:08,053 being this movie about a mom and her son and their relationship in the midst 424 00:23:08,053 --> 00:23:11,857 of some pretty difficult circumstances, and it was a good movie, not a great one. 425 00:23:11,857 --> 00:23:15,060 But at the end, there was this powerful scene that wrapped the movie 426 00:23:15,060 --> 00:23:19,164 up, and this little boy said something to his mom that just wrecked me. 427 00:23:20,699 --> 00:23:22,801 When I say it wrecked me, I don't mean like the single tear 428 00:23:22,801 --> 00:23:26,037 that goes down here, guys that we wipe away and say allergies. 429 00:23:27,406 --> 00:23:28,774 I mean, like for five minutes. 430 00:23:28,774 --> 00:23:30,075 I'm the only one in the theater. 431 00:23:30,075 --> 00:23:31,610 I am just crying. 432 00:23:31,610 --> 00:23:33,211 Like the guy who came to pick up the popcorn. 433 00:23:33,211 --> 00:23:36,181 Probably left because it was awkward for both of us, 434 00:23:36,581 --> 00:23:37,416 like I was. 435 00:23:37,416 --> 00:23:40,419 I mean, I was just wrecked. 436 00:23:40,652 --> 00:23:42,854 I went back this week to watch the scene of that movie 437 00:23:42,854 --> 00:23:44,489 because I was thinking I would tell you more about it, 438 00:23:44,489 --> 00:23:47,025 or I would show it to you even to bring the point home. 439 00:23:47,025 --> 00:23:49,327 And you know, what's crazy is I watched it like five times. 440 00:23:49,327 --> 00:23:50,829 That little boy never said the line. 441 00:23:50,829 --> 00:23:53,832 I heard. 442 00:23:53,899 --> 00:23:55,767 I mean, it's the sentiment of the scene. 443 00:23:55,767 --> 00:23:57,169 It's the point they're making. 444 00:23:57,169 --> 00:23:57,869 But he never 445 00:23:57,869 --> 00:24:01,540 I mean, I can remember hearing him say it, but he never actually said it. 446 00:24:01,540 --> 00:24:02,641 Do you know why? Because 447 00:24:04,309 --> 00:24:04,943 I heard it. 448 00:24:04,943 --> 00:24:07,946 Because it hooked into my own story. 449 00:24:13,118 --> 00:24:16,121 Friends, Christmas points to a larger story. 450 00:24:18,723 --> 00:24:21,726 It's a promise God is keeping, 451 00:24:21,893 --> 00:24:23,762 and it invites you to go backwards. 452 00:24:23,762 --> 00:24:27,632 Well, why did God make that promise and invite you to go forward? 453 00:24:27,632 --> 00:24:30,268 Well, does he keep it? What happens to the little boy? 454 00:24:30,268 --> 00:24:31,403 Who does he grow up to be? 455 00:24:31,403 --> 00:24:32,704 What does he grow up to do? 456 00:24:32,704 --> 00:24:36,575 Christmas invites you into a larger story, but more than that, 457 00:24:36,575 --> 00:24:39,878 Christmas is your invitation into that story. 458 00:24:45,050 --> 00:24:47,853 It's your chance to hear the line 459 00:24:47,853 --> 00:24:50,856 that is just for you. 460 00:24:52,157 --> 00:24:55,494 But if I think about it long enough, I can put myself in that theater. 461 00:24:55,494 --> 00:24:58,163 I can feel the moment that little boy says that. 462 00:24:58,163 --> 00:24:59,731 I can remember why I cried. 463 00:24:59,731 --> 00:25:01,366 I can remember what I was longing for. 464 00:25:01,366 --> 00:25:03,568 I can remember how vividly it hit me. 465 00:25:03,568 --> 00:25:05,904 But it was. It didn't even happen. 466 00:25:10,108 --> 00:25:12,110 And I've come this weekend to tell you that 467 00:25:12,110 --> 00:25:15,814 I think that God wants to speak to many of you in just the same way. 468 00:25:18,717 --> 00:25:21,152 As though you're the only one in the room. 469 00:25:21,152 --> 00:25:22,621 As though you're the only one. 470 00:25:22,621 --> 00:25:25,891 Hearing the line of him saying, I know your scene is hard, 471 00:25:27,559 --> 00:25:30,629 but there's a place for you in the story that I'm writing. 472 00:25:30,629 --> 00:25:32,497 You do not have to accomplish it. 473 00:25:32,497 --> 00:25:38,003 Jesus will grab Ahold of him and watch where he takes you. 474 00:25:38,003 --> 00:25:40,338 I want to end by reading you 475 00:25:40,338 --> 00:25:44,142 a section from one of my favorite books, The Jesus Storybook Bible. 476 00:25:44,142 --> 00:25:46,211 I talk about this all the time. I hope you know I love this. 477 00:25:46,211 --> 00:25:49,214 If you're still looking for Christmas gifts, buy this. 478 00:25:49,447 --> 00:25:50,248 Buy it for your kids. 479 00:25:50,248 --> 00:25:51,182 Buy it for your grandkids. 480 00:25:51,182 --> 00:25:54,252 52 stories, one a week. They're awesome. 481 00:25:54,753 --> 00:25:56,688 But even if you don't have kids, buy it for yourself. 482 00:25:57,956 --> 00:26:00,592 I mean it, buy it for yourself. 483 00:26:00,592 --> 00:26:03,628 But this is how Sally Lloyd-Jones, the author of this book, puts this. 484 00:26:03,628 --> 00:26:06,231 I'm going to end with this, she says, 485 00:26:06,231 --> 00:26:09,234 man, and if you're just here for Christmas, you need to hear this. 486 00:26:10,869 --> 00:26:13,872 No, the Bible isn't a book of rules 487 00:26:14,105 --> 00:26:16,374 or a book of heroes. 488 00:26:16,374 --> 00:26:19,377 The Bible is most of all a story. 489 00:26:20,078 --> 00:26:22,213 It's an adventure story about a young hero 490 00:26:22,213 --> 00:26:25,650 who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. 491 00:26:26,885 --> 00:26:29,888 It's a love story about a brave prince who leaves his palace, 492 00:26:29,888 --> 00:26:32,991 his throne, everything to rescue the one he loves. 493 00:26:32,991 --> 00:26:37,295 It's like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life. 494 00:26:37,295 --> 00:26:40,799 You see, the best thing about this story is it's true. 495 00:26:42,133 --> 00:26:42,767 There are a lot 496 00:26:42,767 --> 00:26:46,137 of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one big story, 497 00:26:46,571 --> 00:26:49,741 the story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them. 498 00:26:50,041 --> 00:26:52,043 It takes the whole Bible to tell this story. 499 00:26:52,043 --> 00:26:54,813 And at the center of the story, there is a baby. 500 00:26:54,813 --> 00:26:57,816 In every story in the Bible whispers his name. 501 00:26:58,483 --> 00:27:00,452 He is like the missing piece in a puzzle. 502 00:27:00,452 --> 00:27:04,389 The piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly 503 00:27:04,623 --> 00:27:07,292 you can see a beautiful picture in this. 504 00:27:07,292 --> 00:27:09,661 This is no ordinary baby. 505 00:27:09,661 --> 00:27:13,932 This is the child upon whom everything would depend. 506 00:27:16,201 --> 00:27:19,204 There is no hope in a story that is about you. 507 00:27:20,005 --> 00:27:22,841 Simeon knew that. 508 00:27:22,841 --> 00:27:25,610 But there is hope that transcends 509 00:27:25,610 --> 00:27:28,613 even your own death. 510 00:27:29,447 --> 00:27:30,181 In Jesus. 511 00:27:31,883 --> 00:27:32,884 Let me pray for us. 512 00:27:32,884 --> 00:27:34,052 Father God, 513 00:27:34,052 --> 00:27:37,088 thank you so much for the story that you are writing in human history. 514 00:27:38,423 --> 00:27:42,761 Thank you even more that right now your Holy Spirit is whispering his name. 515 00:27:42,761 --> 00:27:46,297 As the book says to people in this room, some of them for the first time 516 00:27:48,199 --> 00:27:49,968 somewhere, there's somebody in this room saying, 517 00:27:49,968 --> 00:27:53,071 I can't believe I did this for grandma, grandpa, mom, dad. 518 00:27:53,071 --> 00:27:56,041 And and here I am 519 00:27:56,041 --> 00:27:59,010 actually connecting with God. 520 00:27:59,244 --> 00:28:00,178 I don't make that about. 521 00:28:00,178 --> 00:28:02,547 It's not about the sermon. 522 00:28:02,547 --> 00:28:05,216 Let them know that just as you wanted 523 00:28:05,216 --> 00:28:08,253 Simeon to know, he had a part in the story you were writing. 524 00:28:08,420 --> 00:28:11,423 You want them to know that even now, 525 00:28:12,157 --> 00:28:14,626 some of us are hearing this for the thousandth time. 526 00:28:14,626 --> 00:28:18,163 But amidst the busyness of Christmas, we need to be reminded that 527 00:28:19,064 --> 00:28:22,200 our hope is that there's a larger story. 528 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:24,936 We are not the hero. Jesus, you are. 529 00:28:26,471 --> 00:28:29,708 And we win because you have won. 530 00:28:30,975 --> 00:28:32,877 In your name we pray. Amen.