Luke 2:33-35

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 2:25-32. Here was the conclusion:

While Mary and Joseph were in Jerusalem, there was a man who was told by the Holy Spirit that he would see the Messiah before he died. Simeon, by the Holy Spirit, stated Jesus was the Messiah and that He would reach out to the Gentiles.


Luke 2
"33 And his father and his mother were marvelling at the things which were spoken concerning him;"

(This was another example of confirmation, coming through a person via the Holy Spirit, about Jesus being the Messiah. Mary and Joseph marvelled at this latest confirmation.)

(Notice, the Holy Spirit and angels played a HUGE role before JESUS was able to speak for Himself:
-John the Baptist's father was visited by an angel
-Mary was visited by an angel
-John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit
-John the Baptist's mother was filled with the Holy Spirit when she heard Mary's voice
-John the Baptist's father was filled with the Holy Spirit when he agreed to naming his son John.
-Joseph was visited by an angel during a dream
-The shepherds were visited by an angel
-The Magi were warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod
-Simeon, via the Holy Spirit, confessed Jesus as Messiah)

"34 and Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel; and for a sign which is spoken against;
35 yea and a sword shall pierce through thine own soul; that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed."

(Simeon blessed them...and then specifically spoke to Mary. Would Joseph be dead before Jesus began His Public Ministry? The word to Mary concerned the suffering Jesus and even her would feel so that peoples' hearts would be revealed. One of the purposes for Jesus' suffering was to get people to state their will about what they believed concerning Jesus: Was He the Son of God or not?)


CONCLUSION
Simeon stated one purpose for the Messiah's suffering was for people to reveal what was in their hearts.

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