He’s like a great rock, on which you either take your stand and are firm, or else on which you stumble and fall. Which is he for you, the rising of your life or the falling of your life? He’s always one or the other. Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick, and so Colin, today we’re continuing Simeon’s story. One of the things that Simeon says to Mary, the mother of Jesus, is that this child is destined to cause the falling and the rising of many in Israel. Very interesting. Not just the rising, but also the falling. Two effects of the coming of Jesus into the world. So there are two responses we can have to Jesus this Christmas. Yeah, and the response that a person has to Jesus actually is a huge indication of their spiritual state. So those who are perishing, the Bible says, Jesus Christ is just foolishness and his cross and his coming are foolishness. But to us who are being saved, Christ is the very power and the very wisdom of God. And so it’s a wonderful thing to see what God is doing in Jesus Christ and to see the glory of Christ. And my prayer for the program today is that our eyes will be very open to who he is and what God is doing in him. And we do hope that your eyes will be open. And if you can, also open your Bible and join us in Luke chapter 2 as we continue Simeon’s story. Here’s Colin. One day, something quite extraordinary happened. All I can tell you is that it was revealed to me that the Christ would come before I died. Now, don’t ask me to explain that. God didn’t see fit to tell us in the scriptures, and I’m not going to go into it right now. All I can tell you is that it was revealed to me. I knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that I would not die until I had seen the Deliverer for whom the whole world had been waiting. I sometimes wondered, of course, how I would know him when I saw him, but somehow deep down inside, I just knew that I would know. Well, let me tell you how it happened. It seemed like the whole of my life was a preparation for that day. Strange thing was, it was a day like any other. I was going about my usual business when I felt this inner compulsion that I had to go to the temple. God did not usually speak to me in this way, but on this occasion, it was just like a voice in my head, go to the temple, Simeon, go to the temple, go right now. I knew I had to go. I thought, Lord, I can go when I’ve finished my work, but I knew that would be disobedience. I had to go right there and then, and I’m so glad I did. I arrived in the temple, and of course, crowds of people, as there always were. That place was a constant hive of activity, just like your church, really, except you don’t have the animals. People were making offerings, and children were being circumcised, people asking priests for prayers, confessing sins, others just looking round at the building. I got there just as a young couple were standing before the priest with their baby. They handed over an offering of two young pigeons. Priest circumcised the baby, must have done that a hundred times. Went through the whole routine like nothing really mattered, but as I watched, I just knew that this was the one. Don’t ask me how I knew. I cannot tell you except to say that the Holy Spirit of God revealed it to me. God led me to make the identification. I was never more sure of anything in all my life. He was the one that the whole world had been waiting for. I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed that as you’ve read the story. Nobody worked it out on their own. The angels had to tell the shepherds. The wise men had to be led by the star. Even John the Baptist said, I wouldn’t have known him except that the dove came down upon him when he was baptised. Peter said, you are the Christ, and Jesus said, you didn’t work that out on your own. He said, blessed are you, Peter, because the Father in heaven has revealed this to you. The women went and found the tomb empty, didn’t have the faintest idea what it meant. It was God who had to tell them through the angel, he is risen. Oh, you see, all the evidence for Jesus is there for anyone to examine, and you should. But it is God who opens your eyes to the truth. And if you know who Jesus Christ is today, you give thanks to God because he has opened your eyes. Well, anyway, I walked up to the family. Just a little crowd that were gathered round them for the ceremony, and when the priest was finished, he passed the baby back to Joseph. That was when it happened. And I knew that God was giving me words that had to be spoken at that moment, so I just tapped Joseph on the arm. I told him I felt God had some words he wanted me to say, and I asked if I could hold the baby. He seemed rather surprised, I mean, me, a stranger, a man in Jerusalem, not even a priest, but he agreed. I found myself, think of it, looking into the eyes of this child. And then the words came. I was speaking, but the words I spoke were given. This had never happened to me before, but I knew instinctively that this was what happened when prophets spoke. God was giving me words. By the way, I had a bit of a discussion with Peter about this up there, and he described it rather well. He said to me, Simeon, men spoke from God when they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. Then he laughed, and he said, I know that’s definitely right because these are the very words that God gave me to describe it, and I wrote them down in the second letter in the New Testament. Well, that’s exactly what happened to me. They were not my words. I can only say that I spoke from God as I was carried along by the Holy Spirit. I held him in my arms, and then I said, Sovereign Lord, my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory for your people Israel. Well, of course, Mary and Joseph were absolutely astonished at this. What surprised them was not that I should make these great statements about their child. They already knew his greatness. What surprised them was that a complete stranger, a layman, should walk into the temple, ask for permission to hold their baby in his arms, and then prophesy the very words of God over him. Of course, I’ve enjoyed talking with Mary about it up there, too. She told me, I wondered who on earth you were, but we knew that God was speaking through you. I was about to hand the baby back to Mary, and then more words came, like wind blowing into your body on a cold day. You folks should know what that’s like. Words forcing themselves on me, and I knew that there was more that God had for me to speak. Still holding the baby and standing right next to his mother, I said, this child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel. The words seemed strange to me, rising I understood, but why falling? The words kept coming, and to be a sign that is spoken against so that the thoughts of the hearts of many will be revealed. I could hardly believe the words I was speaking now. How could this child be a light to the Gentiles and the glory of Israel, and then be spoken against? I looked at Mary at that moment, there was a beauty in her eyes that spoke of the depth of her soul. And as I looked at her, still holding the child, these words came, and a sword will pierce your soul, too. We all stood rooted to the spot. We understood every word that had been spoken. We could not begin to fathom what they meant. Just at that moment, an old lady arrived. Just as I’d spoken these words to Mary. Her name was Anna, and anyone who was regularly around in the temple knew her well. She was from the tribe of Asher. By the way, Asher was one of the so-called lost tribes. You know, the ten tribes in the north that were scattered when the king of Assyria invaded, and they were referred for years after that as being the ten lost tribes. Well, Anna was from the tribe of Asher, and she was a reminder that they were not totally lost. God knows his own people, you see, and he does not lose any who have faith in him. You’re listening to Simeon’s story on Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. And if you ever miss one of our messages, don’t forget you can always catch up or go back and listen again online. Just go to our website, that’s openthebible.org.uk, and you can listen to any of our previously broadcast messages there. Let’s get back to Simeon’s story now. Here’s Colin. Well, Anna was known as a woman of prayer. She gave herself to worship and fasting, and she went into the temple. You knew that you could count on finding her there. Wonderful lady, never underestimate the prayers of older people. And she was a prophetess, which is interesting because, of course, a true prophet could only speak words that came from God. And the fascinating thing is that there had not been a true prophet for 400 years. Well, here we are, standing, the group of us, I’ve just been given these extraordinary words about a sword piercing Mary’s own soul. We’re all rooted to the spot, wondering what on earth this could mean. And up comes old Anna. And as she approaches us, she begins speaking out words of praise and of thanksgiving. And it’s so obvious that she’s prophesying. These words, again, are coming from God, and they’re welling up in her soul and being expressed to his praise and his glory. And I’m thinking to myself, God’s just given me words that indicate a sword will pierce Mary’s soul. And now God’s giving her words that are words of praise and of thanksgiving. And I can’t hold these two things together in my mind. How can it be that this child who’s a light and the glory of Israel will be spoken against? And that a sword will pierce Mary’s soul? And yet that this can be an occasion of praise and of thanksgiving at the same time? You know, I think Anna knew then what I understand now. I knew that the Lord’s Christ had come to deliver us. But now I know that he delivered us through his suffering. He was despised and he was rejected. He became a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. We thought that God would punish him, but he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. And the punishment that would bring us peace fell on him. It would be by his wounds, terrible wounds, that we would be healed. It reminds me of the last thing I want to tell you this morning. When I held him in my arms, I knew that I could die in peace. People had all kinds of hopes and dreams about what the Lord’s Christ would do for them, but I knew that to bring me through death itself was the biggest of all. He made death safe for all his people. I don’t say he made it painless, I don’t say he made it desirable, it’s still our enemy, but he has made death safe. That’s why when I held him in my arms, the very first words I said were, Sovereign Lord, now let your servant depart in peace. I knew that my death would be like a loosing from this old body I’ve been dragged back into to speak to you today. And of course, that’s what happened a short time later. It all seems a long time ago now. It won’t be like this for you, but when I died, I went to a place of waiting. It was like being drowsy, like being barely awake. I don’t know how long I was there. Time isn’t the same on the other side, you understand. But I know when it ended, oh, what a day that was. We didn’t know what was happening, of course, seeming barely conscious. We suddenly were, as it were, awakened, everything shook, and then we saw Jesus. And suddenly we found ourselves entering into his presence, the presence of God, without fear. It was overwhelming joy, I wish I could tell you more. So there’s nothing in this world that even comes close. I’ve been there for 2,000 years now, though nobody is counting. And of course, now I know how my prophecy was fulfilled. I spoke with Peter and John, and they told me what happened on that day when everything shook, even in the world of the dead. He began his ministry, this Christ, at the age of 30, and they did speak against him. And they plotted his death. They took him to a cross, and nails pierced his hands. And Mary was there, and that’s when the words I spoke came true, that the sword would pierce her soul. The life that I held in my arms was laid down. He entered death, and when he entered death, he opened the gates of life. No wonder Anna was praising God. So his coming has been for the falling and for the rising of many. There is a sense in which every person who has ever lived will either fall or rise on him. He’s like a great rock on which you either take your stand and are firm, or else on which you stumble and fall. Which is he for you, the rising of your life, the falling of your life? He’s always one or the other for every person who has ever lived. Well, that’s my story. By the way, I’m determined to finish on time this morning. I’ve heard the guy you normally have never does. So, let me just tell you this in closing. I had one chance to speak to you today, so let me make it as crystal clear as I possibly can as to how you should respond to him. Number one, become a believer. I saw God’s salvation. Jesus is God’s salvation. He will save everyone who believes. Paul told me how he put it. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. He will save everyone who believes. Don’t let him be the stumbling block on which you fall. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and take your stand, as it were, putting your trust in him. Become a believer. Second, become a follower. He’s the light to the Gentiles. That’s all of you. You’ve got nothing without him. And neither have we Jews. Become a follower because he is the light. And here we are trying to find our way through life in this world, not really knowing what it’s about, why we’re here. We’re kind of stumbling around in darkness. That’s what Isaiah said, people who walked in darkness. And now God has lit a light. That’s who Jesus Christ is. So come into that light and follow the light. Become a believer. Become a follower. Live in the light of his teaching, of his instruction, of his direction. Let him be the one who shapes and molds and leads and guides your life. Follow him. And here’s the last thing. Become a worshiper. He’s the glory of Israel. When you have seen his glory, you will fall before him in worship. What a fantastic perspective in the Christmas story today. Just imagine Simeon holding God in his arms. You’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and Simeon’s story today. The Christmas stories over the next few days will include the Christmas story from a number of different perspectives, from King Herod to the angel Gabriel, Mary and Joseph. So tune in if you can to that. If you ever miss one of our broadcasts, you can always catch up, go back and listen again on our website, that’s openthebible.org.uk. Also you can find our messages as podcasts, if that’s a more convenient way for you to listen to Pastor Colin Smith’s teaching. And you can find the podcasts on your regular podcasting site, just search for Open the Bible UK. There are a number of other resources on our website. You can find Open the Bible daily, that’s a series of short two to three minute reflections based on the teaching of Pastor Colin Smith and read in the UK by Sue MacLeish. You can find them on the website, that’s openthebible.org.uk. Also you can find them as a podcast in the same way that you can find all of our messages as podcasts. While they’re on the website, why not check out some of our other resources, for example Open the Bible Story, which is a journey through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, always pointing to the central figure, Jesus Christ. Open the Bible is supported by our listeners, and this month if you’re able to begin supporting Open the Bible with a new donation in the amount of £5 per month or more, we’d love to thank you by sending you a book of prayers called Valley of Vision. Colin, who would you say this book is for? Oh, for every Christian who wants to pray, and it’s beautifully laid out to help us in different areas of prayer. So there are prayers here that will help you in expressing worship to God. There are prayers here that will help you in confessing sin to God. Prayers here that will help you in bringing your own needs to God. And they’re beautifully crafted. These are prayers that have come down to us over centuries from Christian believers who have crafted words that really help us speak from the heart to God. I just love this. I mean, for example, here’s one of the prayers speaking about how the broken heart is the healed heart. The contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit. The repenting soul is the victorious soul. To have nothing is to possess all, and to bear the cross is to wear the crown. Well, you know, you read things like that. They’re not only prayers that you can offer to God, but they stimulate and they enrich the mind and the heart. This is a marvellous resource for a Christian to have. I would love that there was a copy in every Christian home, because it’s really going to help stimulate prayer to God. Well, we’d love to send you a copy of this book if you’re able to set up a new donation to the work of Open the Bible in the amount of £5 per month or more. Full details of this offer and lots of other information and resources on our website openthebible.org.uk. You’ve been listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick, and I very much hope you’ll join us again soon. If you find it difficult to believe in the virgin birth, then you need to hear from a man who found it almost impossible. That’s next time on Open the Bible.