Embracing Patient Waiting: The Transformative Birth of Christ

"work to be consoled or to see the the restoration of the the things that were broken and the consolation of israel because israel has been scattered it's messed up and it's dispersed and so what's what is what are you going to do god these are your people what are you going to do so he's righteous and devout waiting for the consolation of israel and the holy spirit was upon him that's pretty cool you know some people like that where it's like wow holy spirit is upon that person what would that feel like what would that experience like it means that when you kind of come into their orbit you're like wow it's almost like we're just talking with god right now this isn't just uh this isn't just a person and it always nice religious person well that's that's good you know and we a lot of us come and we're we show up to church and we are in our bible studies and we show up to our small group meetings and we we open our bibles we pray and this is a really important thing but that's not the whole focus the focus is on the experience of israel and the consolation of israel and the consolation of israel and the that the Spirit of God would just kind of overflow us." [00:06:03] (62 seconds)


"When we were singing earlier, I was thinking about that unspeakable joy, unspeakable joy that rises in my soul. And I was just thinking to myself, well, I wonder if I had a cup this big, could God fill it to overflowing of the joy in my soul? heart could he feel it overflowing if I had a cup this big what about like a teaspoon could he do that okay well maybe it's hard to expand it what if you had a barrel this big do you think god could just fill it the holy spirit could fill it and overflow it and is he limited in any way this isn't it for us isn't it kind of a matter of like enlarging our containers to allow him to just fill us and splash over and let that joy and let the experience of the presence of god just flow out and over spill over the walls and if tonight you're coming in with a thimble praise god let him fill it and then maybe on your way out say could I get something a little bigger it kind of splashed as I left and I lost it all you know I want more and more more this is the kind of guy the holy spirit is just upon him in a way that's like we're talking about so that's pretty awesome it had been revealed to him by the holy spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the lord's christianity christ the lord's christ that'd be like god our master the lord his king messiah who would bring the restoration of israel and so he came in the spirit again" [00:07:13] (90 seconds)


"the Spirit's on him, he's filled with the Spirit, and the Spirit's revealing things to him, and he comes in the Spirit to the temple. This is the dude you want to be with. And when the parents brought in child Jesus to do for Jesus what was according to the custom of the law, he picked up Jesus in his arms and blessed God and said, Lord God, you are now letting your servant depart in peace. According to your word, Lord, for my eyes have seen your salvation. That you have prepared in the presence of all people, not just Israel, a light for revelation to all the nations, all the ethnic peoples, that's what that word means, and for glory to your people, Israel. And Joseph and Mary's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Again, you came into Simeon's orbit. He's filled with the Spirit. Stuff's been revealed, but... By the Spirit. And then he's led by the Spirit and he comes and he speaks by the Spirit and he shows up in Scripture. This is amazing." [00:08:34] (66 seconds)


"So now we've got Simeon, we've got Anna, we've got waiting and hopefulness and being filled with the Spirit. And I'm wondering if there's a way we could just get that mindset as we go into our tomorrow and then all of our tomorrows with a sense of expectation for what God might want to do. Do any of you feel like you could at least aspire to be kind of a Simeon or an Anna type person? Like you could at least sense the aspiration like I would like to be that kind of person. That would have that sort of excitement about just adoring the baby Jesus, adoring Him and just having my heart open to Him. By the way, if any of you were counting, that was three of you. And so you guys will get the jingle bells at the end. No, I think we all would like it. Many of us come with maybe not a lot of faith. Maybe not a lot of expectation. Maybe not like I don't even know how to believe. I'm just here. They just took me here." [00:11:54] (65 seconds)


"But I just want us to, again, a possible throwaway acronym, but just how could you begin to have this watchful anticipation with them that invites a transformation, a real spiritual curiosity? God, are you leading me to do something like Simeon was just led to the temple? Are you leading me into some way that I could even participate with you? Is there any curiosity? Are we left with any curiosity about what gift God might be bringing to us? Or are you kind of like, well, I buy my own gifts. Thank you very much. I have Nordstrom wrap them for me. And the only surprise is, oh, yeah, that was the one. I thought it was that one. Is that kind of your thing? Or do you have a sense of curiosity as it relates to, I wonder what God is up to? Because I'll tell you, he can surprise you. He can surprise you. So if you're in waiting, like how long, oh, Lord, must we wait? How long must we wait? This is a normal thing." [00:12:23] (65 seconds)


"a christian in syria right now or or in iraq or iran china you're asking questions like how long oh lord what is this how long is this going to go on this struggle this strife we don't often ask that here on the east side we're like um could you wait a bit if you return because uh my my 401k is about to mature and it's about to go on this trip and you know like weird right but but in for most of the world for most of the time they're like seriously god when are you going to show up and do do the thing so what are you doing god what can you uh can you invite me into what what are you doing that I could participate in is there any way I can help I just think of these two and just my eyes have seen your salvation that you've prepared in the presence of all people he didn't leave us alone he came near he came near you so cool so as we just think about uh watchful waiting anticipation inviting transformation just let me just work through a couple things we see their their lives of devotion and expectation" [00:13:28] (72 seconds)


"And that is not my life. I'll just say, Aaron Bauer, senior pastor, Iskra Christian Church, does not live this out quite yet. Watchful waiting. Devotion and expectation. Well, there's all sorts of descriptors and most of them are nice, but they're not like that. So that's what I want. I want devotion and expectation. You can see this Holy Spirit's rule in guiding them and their faith. Guiding their faith. Maybe you received an invitation to come tonight, but then there was also something behind that. Have you ever felt that? Where there's like, I also feel like I should. Or there's a move of God. Maybe God is drawing you as well. Take that seriously. Yeah, I said yes to an invitation, but also there was almost like, yeah, you should do that. That's probably God just kind of nudging you along. That's cool. So do you sense Him guiding you?" [00:14:40] (60 seconds)