...But God

Luke 2: 21-35

Creators and Guests

Host
Chad McBeam
Business Leader, Foster Advocate and Fighter of Human Trafficking, Chad enjoys hosting this podcast channel as a way to spread and highlight the great examples of those who live out their faith daily. He can also be seen on occasion on your TV or Film Screen or be heard narrating one of your books as his love of acting has stuck with him since his childhood.
Writer
Aaron Marcarelli
After getting his under-graduate degree from Cal State University San Bernardino where he played college baseball and received all American honors. he was a graduate assistant baseball coach at both Trevecca Nazarene College in Nashville, Tennessee, and at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington.  He received his master’s degree in Teaching from Whitworth, with plans to someday be a head baseball coach at a university.  However, God had other plans.  Aaron started teaching English and History and coaching baseball and other sports at the high school level and found out how much he loves high school kids, and he has been doing that for the past 27 years.     Personally, heI has been married to his wife Sharon for 32 years, they have one daughter, Amanda Parrish, who has been married to Austin Parrish for 2 years. Aaron also has two grandsons Travis age 2 ½ and Aden who is 13 months and are blessed to have another on the way due in May. Aaron loves reading, golfing, and spending time with his wife and grandkids.
LC
Designer
Linda Cowen
Linda Cowen of San Antonio Christian School is our gracious and talented art designer for the But God, weekday morning devotional series.

What is ...But God?

A weekday morning devotional series written by Aaron Marcarelli and hosted by Chad McBeam

“And when eight days were completed so that it was time for His circumcision, He was also named Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. And when the days for their purification according to the Law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what has been stated in the Law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves or two young doves.” And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel; 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 he came by the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him in his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Now, Lord, You are letting Your bond-servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You have prepared in the presence of all the peoples: A light for revelation for the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and as a sign to be opposed— and a sword will pierce your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
Luke 2:21-35 NASB2020

Lots to go over. Jewish custom says that a woman was “unclean” for her 1st 7 days after giving birth. On the 8th day Jesus was circumcised. (According to most of my studies he was circumcised in Bethlehem). Then according to Jewish custom Mary would have been unclean for 33 more days. Then, she would offer a ceremonial sacrifice to be cleaned. This happened in Jerusalem. Bethlehem is about 5 miles from Jerusalem. After this, is when Simeon, a Hasidim approaches Mary and Joseph. The Hasidim were devout worshipers of God who kept his Law in Spirit as well as deed. God had told Simeon he would not die until he saw the Messiah. God must have told Simeon that Mary, Joseph and Jesus were who he was waiting for. Simeon then prophesied over Jesus in a psalm like poem referencing the prophets and the fact that the Messiah would not just be for the Jews but for all. He then gives Mary the bad news that even though Jesus is the Messiah she would suffer sorrow because of Him.
What an incredible act of worship by Simeon. We don’t know how long Simeon waited to see the Messiah. This man was a Hasid, a follower of the law and yet God chooses Him to be the first to prophesy that the Messiah would also be for the Gentiles. This would have been difficult for him to hear. Yet he acted in accordance with what God had told him to do. Doing God’s will in this way is also an act of worship. Yes, Simeon was a rule follower, but this was not easy for him because he had been brought up all his life to know that the Jews were set apart from the Gentiles. Now he had to tell the Messiahs parents that he would not only save the Jews but also the Gentiles.
God asks us to do things that are contrary to what the world thinks is right. Part of worshiping our Lord is doing what He asks no matter the cost!
Lord, thank you for giving us men like Simeon. Thank you for letting us see the beauty of this type of worship. Thank you for using us! Help us to be tuned in to your word and your calling upon our lives. Help us to have the courage to do and say things that are contrary to what the world thinks. Help us to care only about what You think. We ask all these things in Jesus Name Amen…
Shalom Blessings and Press In and Press On!