Title: People Waiting for Jesus 4
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*** People waiting for Jesus 4 / Luke 2:1-7
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Luke 2:8-14 8 At that time shepherds were outside watching their flocks by night, 9 and an angel of the Lord stood by, and the glory of the Lord shone about them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 And the angel said, "Do not be afraid; behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will come to all the people. 11 Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you, that you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great host of heavenly hosts were with the angel, praising God, saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and His delight on earth. peace among those who wear it.
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It is the last Sunday of Advent where we give thanks for Jesus’ “coming” and renew our mindset while waiting for the “coming” of Jesus again. Have you lived your life grateful for the Lord's coming over the past week?
‘Joy’, the last theme of Advent, means ‘the coming of Jesus is the most joyous tidings given to all mankind’. This is the Gospel, that is, the Gospel. So, in today's text, the angels delivered the news of the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, saying, "Do not be afraid. Purple. I bring you good news of great joy that will come to all the people.” What could be more joyful news than to say that a way has been opened for those who have lost their heavenly homeland?
There were many circumstances that darkened our minds this year. Even now, the political and economic conditions are still not good. The prospects for 2005 are not very good either. Perhaps the Judean region at the time of Jesus' birth was a much more painful life environment than ours. Now we have freedom, and there are no major difficulties in living and eating. However, the land of Judea at the time of Jesus' birth as a Roman vassal had no freedom, and it was a difficult environment to live and eat.
The news of the Messiah's birth, delivered in such a dark and difficult environment, must have been the joy of meeting the 'Saviour' right before his death. That is why the angel said, “Good tidings of great joy to all the people. Indeed, the Jews were eagerly waiting for the ‘Messiah’ who would save their people, the ‘Messiah’ promised through the prophets of the Old Testament. This is because it has already been over 400 years since God did not send prophets, did not answer any prayers, and remained silent.
Past the text, two people appear in verses 25-38. There are two people: Grandfather Simeon and a female prophet named Anna. These were righteous and pious believers. The words told through them give us an idea of how much the Jews of that time looked forward to the Messiah. Verse 25. “There is a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, who is righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him.” They were waiting for “the comfort of Israel,” the Messiah. Verse 36 contains the testimony of the birth of Jesus through the prophet Anna. “At that time he came and gave thanks to God and told all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem about this child.” In this way, the Jews eagerly waited for the Messiah to save them from suffering.
What is the ‘good news of great joy’ for you now? What are you most looking forward to and wishing for? We have already received the gift of eternal life through Jesus. This will be the greatest joy in our lives. Not only that, but the Lord also makes good news in our real life now. In other words, it is to fulfill the “joy of life because of the Lord” today to the believers who hope, expect, and depend on the Lord. Then, what kind of joy will come from Jesus' coming to those who are waiting for him?
1. The coming of Jesus is the joy of proclaiming freedom and restoration.
When Jesus was born, the land of Judea was a Roman colony. They had no freedom, but living in poverty, heavy taxes, and forced worship of the emperor was painful. That suffering was God's punishment given to those who left Him.
Northern Israel, who lived in disobedience to God, was already destroyed by Assyria in 721 B.C.E. Even after seeing the destruction of Israel in the north, Judah in the south, which gradually turned away from God, was eventually destroyed by Babylon in 568 B.C.E. After 70 years of discipline, the remaining 100,000 people returned to Jerusalem and began to raise the nation again. However, the people's faith was not fully restored. My faith in serving God faded and I lived my own life. God did not send any more prophets after the prophet Malachi, and He closed the door of answer.
After that, the Jews struggled to survive in the turbulent Middle East winds. Until the Persian Empire, which was favorable to the Jews, was destroyed by Alexander, and Rome, a superpower, was established, the Jews had to be humiliated. Idols were erected in the temple in Jerusalem, and the altars of the temple were defiled. Those who served God were subjected to terrible torture and suffering. It was the pain and humiliation that God's people suffered because they had left God. In the midst of such suffering and oppression, the Jews waited eagerly for the Messiah that God had promised through the prophets. Let's look at Isaiah 61:1-3.
“1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; 2 Preach the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance for our God, to comfort all who mourn; 3 And to all who mourn in Zion, wreaths are given for their ashes; so that he might take the place of their sorrows, that they might be called the trees of righteousness, those who will show their glory, which the LORD has planted.”
When Jesus began his ministry, quoting the words of the prophet Isaiah about his ministry, he said, “This writing has been fulfilled in your ears today” (Luke 4:21). In this way, the coming of Jesus was to achieve freedom and restoration. He freed those who were oppressed by sin through his cross, and restored the kingdom of God to those who lost the kingdom of God by becoming enemies of God.
But what about today's Christmas customs? It's an unbelieving world, there's nothing more to question. It is only natural for them to do so because they do not know. But what about the church that has become God's people? Are you free from sin and living with the joy of restoring the kingdom of God?
Those who truly wait for Jesus must first be freed from sin and enjoy the joy of being a people of the kingdom of God. And we must help those who are still oppressed, who are not free from sin, and who live in captivity to the lusts of the flesh, to gain freedom. There are many people in the world who are not free because they are confined to material things, and there are many people who are enslaved by power, fame, and pleasure. We must preach to them true freedom from the Lord and the restoration of the kingdom of God.
2. The coming of Jesus is the joy of lightening the burden.
Whether you're going to the market or carrying a heavy load, if someone lifts it up, you'll be relaxed and feel better. So, when I was doing terminal missions in the past, I reached out to people with heavy luggage from the intercity bus terminal, picked up the luggage and delivered it to the bus or taxi to preach the gospel. Instead of carrying heavy burdens, they willingly listened to the gospel.
Jesus came to this earth to lighten our heavy burdens. Matthew 11:28-30. “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden. I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart. Then your hearts will find rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” In addition, 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxieties on the Lord. For he is admonishing you.” Hymn 363:1 says, “If I bring all my trials and burdens before the Lord Jesus, He will look after the days of sorrow and take all my sorrows. Only Jesus, the Lord of this grace, who will take pity and save me when I fall down because I cannot bear a heavy burden alone.”
The world's heavy burdens can be lifted or taken away for you. But no one can lift or take away the burden of our lives. Because there are heavy burdens that they cannot all solve on their own. That is why God said in Psalm 146:3-4, “Do not trust in princes, nor in men who do not have the strength to help, for when their breath is cut off, they return to dust, and their plans perish in the same day.” Verse 22 says, “Do not depend on life. His breath is in his nose, so what is it worth to number?”
When people have difficulties or urgent matters, the habitual first thing they think about is someone who will help them. Sometimes we pray to God, but there are many times when we can't really rely on Him. Or, more often than not, I have already set up my thoughts and plans and begged God to pay according to my will (Jeremiah 42 / Johanan and the rest of the people came to the prophet Jeremiah and asked for God’s will. But they already knew God’s will. Refusing to be captive to Babylon, making a plan to flee to Egypt, and asking God's will.) Relying on God means asking God for a way entirely without my own plans or thoughts.
There is a story the pastor told me when I was an evangelist. Just then, a young man visited the pastor and returned. The pastor said that the young man came to counseling because of his marriage. And what you say
“In the future, when you are in the ministry, you have to be careful when you get married or have any counseling. Because most people come to their conclusions before consulting, if they don't answer what they think, problems will arise.”
He advised me to understand the counselor's intentions well.
If we are to have the joy of the Lord lifting our burdens, we must rely entirely on God. Before you make a plan, tell God. And even if you have a plan, you must obey the Holy Spirit's guidance. If you disobey when things don't go the way you want them to, you can never enjoy the joy that life's burdens are lightened.
If we are not free from sin and do not enjoy joy, then the coming of Jesus is in vain. And this Christmas will be meaningless. Ladies and gentlemen, let us now consider the coming of Jesus meaningfully, and let our lives be filled with hope, peace, and love and joy because of the Lord. I bless you in the name of the Lord that you may enjoy a happy life without shame as a person who waits for Jesus until the day when Jesus comes back into the world.