A Light for the Gentiles

December 15

(Luke 2:28-32 NIV) "Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: {29} "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. {30} For my eyes have seen your salvation, {31} which you have prepared in the sight of all people, {32} a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.""

(Isaiah 42:5-7 NIV) "This is what God the Lord says-- he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: {6} "I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, {7} to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness."

(Isaiah 60:1-3 NIV)  ""Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. {2} See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. {3} Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn."

(Acts 13:47 NIV)  "For this is what the Lord has commanded us: "'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'""

Light, and glory, and salvation go everywhere Christ goes. When Jesus came to Earth, light, and glory, and salvation came to all mankind. It is ours to claim -- a gift of that first Christmas. Jesus came as a Light of Revelation -- the Light of the World. He was born a Jew, to the Jews, but He came also for the Gentiles, because “God so loved the world”. Simeon saw the light, and if we wait upon God and pray for eyes to see, we can see the light too. The Creator of the universe has come to open our blind eyes, free us from our bondage, and bring us into His glorious light. Our Light has come. He came not only to bring us light, but to make us light -- light that the world can see. As we reflect His glory, people will be drawn to His light, and we will be His partners in bringing “salvation to the ends of the Earth”. What a great gift we’ve been given! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

My Eyes Have Seen

December 14

(Luke 2:27-30 NIV) ""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, {28} Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: {29} "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. {30} For my eyes have seen your salvation,""

(Luke 2:20 NIV) "The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."

(Isaiah 52:8-10 NIV) "Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes. {9} Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. {10} The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God."

Simeon had been waiting for Christ to come. He had believed God’s word, and spent his life in anticipation. When he finally saw the Lord, he was filled with joy and praise. He had seen God’s salvation, and now was ready to die in peace. He had met Jesus. When the shepherds were told about Jesus, they went to see. When they saw the Christ, they too were filled with joy and praise for God’s salvation. One day we will all see God’s salvation. Jesus will come again “in the sight of all nations”. Some will attain salvation because they have believed God, and have been anticipating Christ’s arrival. But many will not attain God’s salvation. They have spent their lives in self-focused unbelief. There will be no peace in their eternity. Have you met Jesus? Have you seen God’s salvation? Are you waiting for Christ to come? If not, come to Bethlehem and see. Salvation has come. Believe God! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Waiting is Good

December 13

(Luke 2:25-26 NIV) "Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. {26} It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ."

(Luke 12:35-36 NIV) "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, {36} like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him."

(Hebrews 9:27-28 NIV) "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, {28} so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."

(Lamentations 3:22-26 NIV) "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. {23} They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. {24} I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." {25} The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; {26} it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."

Waiting is good. You may have heard the saying: “Good things come to those who wait.” Some even mistake this prominent sales slogan for a Bible verse. It certainly has some biblical wisdom attached to it. One of the disciplines of Christmas is waiting. As the day approaches, anticipation builds. Simeon had been waiting for a long time, but was content because God had told him he would see the Christ before he died. God did not disappoint Simeon. We too, are waiting to see the Christ. Jesus lives in those who have believed through the Holy Spirit, but we anticipate His bodily return like children waiting for Christmas to come. As we wait, we do our best to be righteous and devout. We keep our lamps burning. Christ is coming in person to bring salvation to those who have been waiting for Him. Waiting is good. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Dedicated to the Lord

December 12

(Luke 2:22-24 NIV) ““When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord {23} (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"), {24} and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons.””

(Exodus 13:2 NIV) “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal.”

(Leviticus 12:1-6 NIV) ““The Lord said to Moses, {2} "Say to the Israelites: 'A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. {3} On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. {4} Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. {5} If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding. {6} "'When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering.””

(Numbers 8:14-16 NIV) ““In this way you are to set the Levites apart from the other Israelites, and the Levites will be mine. {15} "After you have purified the Levites and presented them as a wave offering, they are to come to do their work at the Tent of Meeting. {16} They are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to me. I have taken them as my own in place of the firstborn, the first male offspring from every Israelite woman.””

After Christ’s birth, Joseph and Mary were obedient to the Law of Moses. Mary went through the forty day process of purification required by the Law. Then they took Jesus to the Temple for dedication. Firstborn sons were considered “first fruits” of the marriage, and like Samuel, were to be presented at the Temple as God’s property. After the Levites were instituted, firstborn could be redeemed by an offering brought by their parents. Joseph and Mary came to the Temple with an offering for her purification, and for Christ’s redemption. It’s ironic that God’s Son, sent to give His life to redeem mankind, would need to be redeemed and dedicated to the Lord. Today, let’s dedicate our children to the Lord who gave them to us. Let us pray that He will save them from sin and death, and redeem them for His holy purposes. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day