This week, we’ve become acquainted with the prophetess Anna and have seen how she dedicated her life to God and responded to trial and pain by wholeheartedly pursuing God. Finally, let's consider where Anna placed her hope.
Read moreAnna Responded to Pain by Wholeheartedly Pursuing God (Luke 2:36-38)
Yesterday, we were introduced to Anna, a widowed prophetess, and we observed how she spent her life in dedicated service to God. Next, let's consider how Anna responded to pain. Seven years into marriage, her husband died, and she responded by heading to the temple. And she never stopped. You might wonder if her husband was secretly a nightmare and his death, though painful, was actually a welcomed reprieve for Anna. I suppose it's possible, but a culture like theirs didn't produce as many violent or twisted men as ours does. Her society's weakness was that it made life very hard for unmarried women, making Anna's husband's death a very severe trial.
Read moreAnna Spent Her Life in Dedicated Service to God (Luke 2:36-38)
As we approach Christmas, we’ll consider Anna this week, a prophetess who modeled a life dedicated to God despite living in the pain of widowhood. Anna’s story unfolds forty days after Jesus' birth. Since Mary and Joseph were godly people, they wanted to observe the Old Testament law. It said a new mother should bring an offering to God after giving birth and that the new parents should present their firstborn son to God (Luke 2:22-24, Lev. 12:6-8, Ex. 13:2).
Read moreWomen Of Christmas: Anna (Luke 2:36-38)
Sermon: Women Of Christmas-—Anna (Luke 2:36-38)
Read moreJesus' First and Second Comings -- Humble vs. Glorious (Luke 2:8-9)
Ancient Israelites didn't have a romanticized view of shepherds. Their life was not glamorized or coveted. But someone had to do the job, and outside of Bethlehem during the year of Augustus' census, a small group of unnamed shepherds gathered to do theirs. (3 Minutes/900 Words)
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