1. The Final King
The King is Born

2. What are you waiting for?

5. STORY OF SIMEON 25 Now there as a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.

6. 25 Now there as a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.

7. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

8. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,     and the glory of your people Israel.”

9. Waiting for … Consolation of Israel

10. Waiting for … Consolation of Israel Redemption of Jerusalem

11. Consolation = comfort

12. Consolation / Comfort  that which is given to people in sorrow, because of some loss.

13. Presence “I will never leave you. I will never forsake you.”

14. Empathy. Jesus enters into your pain.

15. Healing / Restoration. Now and Resurrection

16. How did we get into a situation in which we need comfort
How did we get into a situation in which we need comfort? Most times, it’s through our failures.

17. Moral failures Non-moral failures

18. Consolation / Comfort from … the presence of our final king empathy of our shepherd-king healing & restoration of our victorious king

19. STORY OF ANNA 36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.

20. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

21. Israel – Jerusalem Metonymy

22. Consolation – Redemption

23. Redemption – buy back, take back what is originally yours.

24. Redemption  deliverance from the wicked enemy who keeps you from where you ought to be with God in your life.

25. Consolation is deliverance from our own failures
Consolation is deliverance from our own failures. Redemption is deliverance from the clutches of the evil one.

26. Burst into songs of joy together,     you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people,     he has redeemed Jerusalem. Isaiah 52:9

27. Rebellion is total or practical repudiation of God’s kingship
Rebellion is total or practical repudiation of God’s kingship. Disobedience in the acceptance of kingship but refusal to obey when our wills clash with God’s will.

28. The Good News of Christmas: THE GREAT EXCHANGE

29. Isaiah 61 He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,     to proclaim freedom for the captives     and release from darkness for the prisoners,

30. Isaiah 61 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor     and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 

31. Isaiah 61 3     and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty     instead of ashes, the oil of joy     instead of mourning, and a garment of praise     instead of a spirit of despair. 

32. Isaiah 61 They will be called oaks of righteousness,     a planting of the Lord     for the display of his splendor.

37. Ash is the reduction of anything, regardless of worth, to the same indistinguishable heap of gray.

38. What are you waiting for?

39. Ashes (Sufficiency in Christ)  Beauty (Distracted by Plenty)  Beauty & Sufficiency in Christ.

40. Christmas: Your life is not defined by what we own or what you owe.

41. Christmas: Beauty for ashes Joy for mourning Praise for despair Righteousness for sin