Tuesday 10/14/14

Tuesday’s Recap summarizes the previous evening’s Pizza and Prayer. If you couldn’t join us last night, or if for some strange reason you can’t remember what happened (amnesia?), here’s what you missed:

Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.

Luke 2:29-32

There was an old television show popular in the 90’s called “The X Files.” It was about two government agents, Mulder and Scully who were given all the “X File” cases to work on. These were all the cases that had to deal with the supernatural: ghosts, demons, monsters, aliens, shape-shifters, boogeymen, the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot attacks, and all that. There was a catchphrase that went with the show. They used to say “The truth is out there.”

Tonight’s passage is the meat in a John the Baptist sandwich. Right before this section we read about John the Baptist recognizing Jesus while he is still in the womb. Right after this section we read about John the Baptist preaching the good news and telling everyone that the Messiah is coming. Tonight’s passage itself is about the same thing. Simeon is a righteous man who has been blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit told him that he would not die before seeing the Messiah. When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple, Simeon saw him and proclaimed tonight’s passage.

The gift of John the Baptist and Simeon was their ability to recognize truth when they saw it. When they encountered Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life, they recognized him for what he was. It must not have been easy. There were all sorts of prophets, both real and false in Jerusalem. All sorts of people were claiming to be the Messiah. There was a lot of noise that could easily drown out the whispering truth of an infant humbly born.

Our world still has this noise. All sorts of people and groups are competing for our attention, our minds, and our hearts. Many people everyone else to live like they live, to think what they think, and to believe what they believe. They spread all sorts of lies and half-truths, usually through being misinformed themselves, but sometimes for more sinister reasons. The good news is, the truth is out there. Jesus is the truth, and he wants good things for you. He wants you to follow him. He wants you to have eternal life in Heaven.

The truth is out there. The question is: will we recognize it when we see it, and how? Will we be ready to accept the truth even if it seems unpleasant? Will we accept the truth when it means recognizing some of our own actions that we don’t want to believe are sinful? Will we accept the truth when it means we have to change the way we live our lives?

The truth is out there. As we go forward with our lives this week, it’s my prayer that we would all spend just a little more time and prayer discerning the truth. It’s my prayer that, like Simeon and John the Baptist, we might have the wisdom to know truth when we see it, and the courage to follow it with all our hearts, our minds, and our strength all the days of our lives.


Heavenly Father,
Help me to have the wisdom to know the difference between right and wrong,
Good and evil,
Justice and injustice,
The path to life and the path to death,
Truth from lies.
Help me to hear the quiet whisper of the Holy Spirit so it might guide me to your Son, Jesus.
Amen.


Last night's playlist:
10,000 Reasons – Matt Redman
Open The Eyes of My Heart – Michael W. Smith
Jesus In Disguise – Brandon Heath
Go Light Your World – Chris Rice
Hail Mary, Gentle Woman – Jon Niven
Give Me Jesus – Jeremy Camp
You Are More – Tenth Avenue North
When My Heart Is Torn Asunder – Phil Wickham
Strong Enough – Matthew West
Your Love Is Extravagant – Matt Maher
Take You Back – Jeremy Camp