Many of the key “characters” in the Christmas Story had an important promise of God affirmed to them, which enabled them to “take heart.”

Because of learning, remembering or hearing a FACT. “Take Heart” To be more hopeful To be more joyful To feel encouraged To feel confident Because of learning, remembering or hearing a FACT.

---------------------------------- Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” ---------------------------------- Psalm 31:24 “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”

---------------------------------- Matthew 9: 2 & 22 “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” ---------------------------------- John 16:33 “Take heart! I have overcome the world.”

After the conclusion of the Old Testament, there was approximately 400 Years of “Silence” from God in terms of prophecy.

Out of this history, we meet Simeon the Priest. Many Israelites lost hope that God would send the Messiah that He promised to. Out of this history, we meet Simeon the Priest.

Simeon’s story represents the story of Israel… In many ways, Simeon’s story represents the story of Israel… Trying to remain faithful to God and hold on to hope in His Promises, even while waiting longer than desired.

Luke 2: 22-35 Simeon the Priest Meets Mary & Joseph with the newborn Jesus in Jerusalem

Simeon is described as: Righteous Devout Spirit-Guided Hopefully Waiting

wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:3 “For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it;     it will certainly come     and will not delay.”

Because Simeon remained faithful to God in his time of waiting and stayed “in step” with the Spirit, he had “eyes to see” when the Messiah finally appeared to him.

As Simeon held the infant Jesus in his arms, he was suddenly awakened to the FULL promise of God… that the Christ would be rejected by Israel and die for all humanity.

His Promises; we must remember that He keeps all of them. Although we certainly can and should “take heart” in the fact that God always keeps His Promises; we must remember that He keeps all of them.

Jeremiah 23:29 “Is not My Word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”

Hebrews 11:13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.

Whether we take God’s Promises “in our arms” and see them, or if we only welcome them from a distance… we can take heart and find hope in God’s faithfulness.