"The Revealing of God's Perfect Gift to the World!"

“The Revealing of God’s Perfect Gift to the World!”

 

 

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout.  Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.  When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him what the custom of the law required, Simeon took Him in his arms and praised God, saying:  “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace.  For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.           

Luke 2:20, 25, 27-32

 

The very first messengers on earth to bring the GOOD NEWS that God’s MOST EXTRORDINARY GIFT had arrived, was a handful of lowly shepherds watching over their flocks of sheep at night, on a nearby hillside.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them and delivered the NEWS.  The shepherds, being in a state of bewilderment, went to check things out for themselves.  And when they saw that BEAUTIFUL, EXTRORDINARY, FOREVER GIFT, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the flesh, as a tiny newborn babe wrapped in cloths and lying in a bed of straw, in a manger, they were AMAZED, and went their way, GLORIFYING and PRAISING God for ALL they had heard and seen, just as they had been told.  God’s MOST AWESOME GIFT, for ALL mankind had been delivered.

 

Now there was a very elderly, devout and religious man named Simeon, who lived in Jerusalem.  He had been waiting for this GIFT from God for a long time, and it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would NOT die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.  Being moved by the Spirit, he went to the temple courts at just the right time, Mary and Joseph brought Baby Jesus to the temple to do for Him what their custom of the Law required.  Simeon and Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus met.  Simeon took Jesus in his arms and PRAISED God.  Then he REVEALED the MOST EXTRORDINARY GIFT, EVER given. 

 

He said to Father God, “I’m ready to die now, for my eyes have seen your SALVATION, which you have prepared in the sight of ALL nations:  a LIGHT for REVEATION to the GENTILES, and the GLORY of your people, Israel.”   Simeon recognized the GIFT for whom he had waited so long to see and NOW he was ready to be taken to his Heavenly home.

We wait with great anticipation, the unwrapping of gifts, on Christmas morn, to see if we have received what we have been waiting for.  God has given to this lost and dying world a GIFT, which will SUPERSEDE, and NEVER be DUPLICATED in any way.  A GIFT that will give HOPE, and SECURE our eternity.  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you will not receive the GIFT of HOPE, the GIFT of His PRECIOUS and ONLY SON, the Lord Jesus Christ, our SALVATION.  Instead you will spend an eternity in a place called HELL, with NO HOPE.  Unless you come to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His GIFT of SALVATION, and spread the GOOD NEWS that God’s PERFECT GIFT to ALL mankind, has been REVEALED in Jesus Christ.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!