Christmas Prophecy | Luke 2:21-40

None of us like to wait. Still, waiting is a normal part of daily life. We wait at a red light, the grocery check-out, in traffic. But there is another kind of waiting that can be frustrating. When we have to wait for something we look forward to. Like children having to wait to open their presents until Christmas day.

That’s the kind of waiting the faithful in Israel, like Simeon and Anna, were doing (Luke 2:21-40). To put their waiting in perspective, they had waited hundreds of years for God to fulfill his saving promises. And now, in Jesus, God revealed his promised salvation to his faithful remnant.

Jesus, The Revelation of God’s Salvation
God revealed his promised salvation to both Simeon (vv.25-32) and Anna (vv.36-38). They were both older saints who were faithfully awaiting God’s promises. And in the baby Jesus, God allowed them to see his promised salvation.
  • It was a salvation for Israel (vv.29-30). That is, it was the consolation of Israel Simeon had hoped in (v.25) and the redemption of Jerusalem that Anna had waited for (v.38).
    • God promised through his prophet Isaiah that he would send a messenger to announce the good news of salvation and bring peace. Israel’s hope has now been realized in a baby.
  • But it was not the salvation Israel expected:
    •  It included the Nations or Gentiles – all peoples (v.32).
    • It reverses fortunes – the first will be last and the last will be first (v.34).
    • It divides people – family and friends will be divided over this Jesus (v.34; see 12:51-53).
    • It brings suffering – beginning with Mary herself (v.35).
      • And, of course, Jesus would face the greatest suffering on the cross.

Jesus was not the savior Israel expected, but he was the savior Israel needed. Jesus is the savior we all need, and God revealed him at the right time in history. Luke teaches us two important lessons in how to wait for God to work. In fact, I would say we see two marks of a wholehearted follower of Jesus

Mark 1 | Wholehearted Obedience
Luke emphasizes that Mary, Joseph, Simeon, and Anna were faithful Jews who kept the law of the Lord (vv. 22, 23, 24, 27, 39). And Luke invites us to see ourselves in their reflection – like a mirror. When you look in this mirror, do you see a wholehearted follower of Jesus like Mary, Joseph, Simeon, and Anna?

Jesus sent out his apostles to share the good news, baptize those who believe, and teach them to obey all he commanded. This is discipleship. And this is what it means to be a wholehearted follower of Jesus. May be too be marked by the obedience that flows from genuine faith in and love for Jesus.

Mark 2 | Patiently Waiting on the Lord
Simeon and Anna had been waiting for the revelation of God’s salvation their entire lives. God rewarded their faithful, patient waiting by allowing them to see his salvation in Jesus before their deaths.

Again, none of us likes to wait, but wait we must. Mark Vroegop, in his new book “Waiting Isn’t a Waste,” reminds us that the issue is not if we will wait but how we will wait. And he encourages us to wait in the following manner:
  • Honestly – We must admit that waiting is hard. It’s not fun. But we will wait.
  • Frequently – Waiting is a normal part of life, and we will do it often.
  • Thoughtfully – Waiting is biblical. Just look at Moses, Abraham & Sarah, Israel).
  • Patiently – Waiting is slow. We can’t speed along what God is doing.
  • Intentionally – Waiting is commanded of us in Scripture. Read Psalm 37 and the book of James.
  • Collectively – Thankfully, we don’t have to wait alone.

We can learn a lot from one another what it means to wait. Those of you who are young, learn from those who have gone ahead of you. They have experienced much and are wise. Let them help you. They will teach you to wait.

And all of us should lean on one another. We can wait together. Waiting is not inactivity but active worship and serving the Lord. Keep doing what the Lord has you doing until he makes it clear he is moving you to the next thing. Waiting on the Lord is never a waste because God is faithful, and he will keep his promises. But remember. God doesn’t always answer our waiting in the ways we expect. Regardless, because he is wise, good, and faithful, we know what he has for us is better than what we could obtain for ourselves.
Resources of the Week




Opportunities to Serve and Grow at High Pointe
(For Opportunities to Serve at High Pointe, click HERE)
Meaningful Membership Class | Sunday, January 12 | 1:15 PM to 4:30 PM  
If you’re interested in learning more about High Pointe or pursuing membership with High Pointe, please mark your calendars Membership Class. This class will cover three main questions: What is the church and why should I join, what does High Pointe believe, and what do we expect of church members at High Pointe. Click here to register.
 
DiscipleNow Youth Conference | January 17-19  
Save the date for the DNOW Youth Conference happening at High Pointe from January 17 to January 19. The theme this year is discipleship, and it will be a fun time of teaching, games, and fellowship. For more information and to register click here.  
 
Life Classes | Life Classes will resume on Sunday, January 26, at 9:00 AM
 
Sunday AM Preaching Schedule: Pray regularly for the ministry of the Word at High Pointe. Also, prepare for our gatherings by reading the sermon text, thinking it through, and asking questions about the text before Sunday. Here is our (tentative) preaching schedule designed to help you prepare for Sundays:  
  • December 22 | Luke 2:22-40 | Christmas Prophecy | Pastor Juan 
  • December 29 | Luke 2:41-52 | What Child is This? | Pastor Juan 
  • January 5 | 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13 | A Long-Distance Relationship | Pastor Robert 
  • January 12 | 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 | The Good Life is a Holy Life | Pastor Robert 
  • January 19 | Luke 3:1-20 | What Does Repentance Look Like? | Pastor Juan 
  • January 26 | Luke 3:21-4:13 | Lead Us Not into Temptation | Pastor Juan 
 
Begin praying as you prepare to gather with us this Sunday at 10:00 am.

Year-End Giving & Contribution Statements
Contribution statements will be emailed on or before Tuesday, January 21st, 2025. Please make sure your email address is current.
  • Statements are automatically emailed to anyone who has an email address on file with the church. The email will contain a link to access your statement that is only active for a short period of time.
  • Anyone who does not have an email address on file with the church may request their statement by emailing finance@highpointeaustin.org or by calling the church office at 512-837-7725.
  • If you file your federal income tax return before receiving a qualified contribution statement from the church, you may not be able to deduct individual contributions of $250 or more.

Year-end contributions must be submitted or mailed by December 31, 2024.
The general rule is that a contribution is considered received or effective when delivered. A check dropped in a church offering box in January of 2025 cannot be deducted in 2024, even if it is backdated to 2024. One exception – checks mailed and postmarked in 2024 are deductible in 2024, even if they are not received until 2025.

High Pointe, thank you for your generosity! The Lord continues to show himself faithful year after year. He provides for his workers and people through the generosity of the church. May God continue to bless us richly so that we may be a blessing.
 
 Gospel Partner of the Month: Reaching and Teaching International Ministries – B.M.
Reaching & Teaching International Ministries (RTIM) seeks to advance the gospel by partnering with local churches as they send qualified missionaries to make mature disciples, establish healthy churches, and train local leaders around the world.
 
You may know of RTIM because we sent Davey and Callie Davis and Jonathan and Elizabeth Painter through this sending organization. This month, we want to highlight our support for B.M. B and his wife served for seven years as missionaries in Central Asia, working in evangelism, discipleship, and church planting. After returning to the US, B spent six years as a global trainer, traveling around the world to equip international church leaders for ministry. He desires to see the gospel spread and churches established among the nations of Central Asia. B is a graduate of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife have three children.  
 
On-Call Pastor
To better care for you, High Pointe, we have an “on-call” pastor available for emergencies after office hours and on weekends. To reach the on-call pastor, call 512-837-7725, extension 1. 

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