{"id":1621,"date":"2022-01-02T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-02T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/?p=1621"},"modified":"2022-01-09T12:21:50","modified_gmt":"2022-01-09T20:21:50","slug":"new-years-day-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/2022\/01\/02\/new-years-day-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"New Years Day 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/New-Years-Day-01-02-22.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Luke 2:21<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who Are You?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. (NIV1984)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dear fellow worshipers of the Child of Bethlehem,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a story about a 13-year-old orphan who was about to be adopted.&nbsp; He had been abandoned as an infant and no one knew who his parents were.&nbsp; All his life he was known only as Mark because he had no last name of his own.&nbsp; He was nobody\u2019s.&nbsp; But now he was going to be Mark Somebody.&nbsp; He could be Mark Smith, or he could be Mark Johnson.&nbsp; It didn\u2019t make any difference to him!&nbsp; He would finally have a name!&nbsp; Having a name meant that he was wanted.&nbsp; Having a name meant that he was chosen.&nbsp; Having a name meant that he was somebody\u2014 and that he was somebody\u2019s!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, New Year\u2019s day, is when the Christian church traditionally looks at the naming of the Child of Bethlehem.&nbsp; If there is any Person and if there is any Name that causes questions to arise it is the Person and the Name of the Child of Mary.&nbsp; Today as we gather together to usher in the year 2022 let\u2019s use this simple yet powerful verse from Luke chapter two to address one simple yet powerful question.&nbsp; The question is:&nbsp; <strong><em>Who Are You?<\/em><\/strong>&nbsp; Let\u2019s first address this question in reference to Mary\u2019s Child.&nbsp; Then let\u2019s address this question in reference to ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The question of <strong><em>Who are you?<\/em><\/strong> was asked in reference to Mary\u2019s Child pretty much throughout His entire life here on this earth.&nbsp; To help you see this let\u2019s start at the end of His life and work our way back to the time of our text, shall we? &nbsp;As the Roman soldiers nailed Mary\u2019s Child to a cross on a hill called Calvary (Pointing to the cross) people would undoubtedly want to know who this man was and what He had done to deserve crucifixion.&nbsp; So a sign was placed above His head\u2014 a sign which clearly answered the question of <strong><em>Who are you?<\/em><\/strong>&nbsp; (See John 19:19) &nbsp;When the Child of Mary stood before the Roman governor named Pontius Pilate the religious leaders of God\u2019s Chosen People <strong>insisted<\/strong> that He must die because of the claims He was making concerning who He is.&nbsp; (See John 19:7)&nbsp; This put so much fear in Pilate\u2019s heart that he asked Jesus, <em>\u201cWhere do you come from?\u201d&nbsp; <\/em>In other words Pilate was asking Mary\u2019s Child, <strong><em>Who are you?<\/em><\/strong>&nbsp; On the Sunday before He died the Child of Mary rode triumphantly into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey.&nbsp; Matthew tells us that as Jesus entered the city <em>\u201cthe whole city was stirred and asked, \u2018Who is this?\u2019\u201d <\/em>(Matthew 21:10).&nbsp; When the Child of Mary told His enemies that if someone keeps His words, they will never see death the enemies responded by saying, <em>\u201cWho do you think you are?\u201d<\/em> (See John 8:53)&nbsp; One day as Mary\u2019s Child was walking with His disciples He asked them the question, \u201cWho do people say I am?\u201d&nbsp; (See Matthew 16:13)&nbsp; His disciples responded, <em>\u201cSome say John the Baptist, others say Elijah; and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets\u201d<\/em> (Matthew 16:14).&nbsp; When Mary\u2019s Child came home to Nazareth He was asked to deliver the sermon in His home synagogue.&nbsp; After reading from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah He said, <em>\u201cToday this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing\u201d<\/em> (Luke 4:21).&nbsp; For all practical purposes the people of Nazareth responded by saying, \u201cWho do you think you are?\u201d&nbsp; When the Child of Mary was twelve years old He sat amidst the religious teachers of Israel in the Temple of the Lord at Jerusalem <em>\u201clistening to them and asking them questions.\u201d<\/em> (Luke 2:46)&nbsp; Scripture very clearly tells us that these religious teachers were <em>\u201camazed at his understanding and his answers\u201d<\/em> (Luke 2:47).&nbsp; It wouldn\u2019t surprise me at all if one of those religious teachers looked at this twelve-year-old boy and asked the question\u2014 <strong><em>Who are you?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That brings us back to our text for today, <em>\u201cOn the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; Having just celebrated Christmas we are all very well aware of the fact that when the angel Gabriel appeared to the virgin Mary to reveal to her that she had been chosen to give birth to great King David\u2019s Greater Son, the <em>\u201cSon of the Most High,\u201d <\/em>he also told her, <em>\u201cYou are to give him the name Jesus\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; (Luke 1:31).&nbsp; We also remember that when Joseph learned that Mary was pregnant he contemplated divorcing her because he knew that he was not the father of Mary\u2019s Child.&nbsp; But an angel of the Lord came to him in a dream and said, <em>\u201c\u2019Joseph <\/em><em>son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.&nbsp; She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins\u2019\u201d<\/em> (Matthew 1:20-21).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In and of itself the name <em>\u201cJesus\u201d<\/em> was not an unusual or an uncommon name for a Jewish boy back in this day and age.&nbsp; It was simply a variation of <em>\u201cJoshua\u201d<\/em>\u2014 a very common name among God\u2019s people.&nbsp; The name itself means, <em>\u201cthe Lord saves.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; But when this name is given to Mary\u2019s Child it proclaims a gloriously unique truth!&nbsp; As the angel made clear to Joseph, Mary\u2019s Child had <strong>one<\/strong> goal, <strong>one<\/strong> purpose, <strong>one<\/strong> reason for coming into this world.&nbsp; As the true Son of the of the one and only living God Mary\u2019s Child would <em>\u201csave his people from their sins.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; For Joseph the question of <strong><em>Who are you?<\/em><\/strong> when asked in reference to Mary\u2019s Child was now answered.&nbsp; Mary\u2019s Child <strong>is<\/strong> the long-awaited Promised Messiah.&nbsp; Mary\u2019s Child<strong> is<\/strong> the <em>\u201cImmanuel\u201d<\/em> spoken of by the prophet Isaiah. &nbsp;Mary\u2019s Child<strong> is<\/strong> this world\u2019s <strong>only<\/strong> Savior from sin!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also need to make sure that we do not overlook how both the circumcision and the naming of Mary\u2019s Child brings us back full circle to the cross on Calvary\u2019s hill.&nbsp; (Pointing to the cross) &nbsp;Not only did the circumcision of Mary\u2019s Child on the eighth day after His birth bring Him into the covenant relationship that the Lord had established with Abraham, but the blood that Mary\u2019s Child shed in His circumcision is a vivid reminder to us of <strong>how <\/strong>Mary\u2019s Child would <em>\u201csave his people from their sins.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; (Pointing to the cross)&nbsp; As the apostle Peter so beautifully remind us, <em>\u201cFor you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect\u201d<\/em> (1 Peter 1:18-19).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After Joseph and Mary had finished fulfilling all the requirements of the Law of their God, what did they do next?&nbsp; They went home.&nbsp; They went home and continued living a devout and God-fearing life.&nbsp; Imagine what it must have been like for Joseph and Mary to raise Jesus and watch Him grow.&nbsp; There were no temper tantrums.&nbsp; There was no disobedience.&nbsp; There was never any disrespect.&nbsp; Joseph had the privilege of teaching Mary\u2019s Child the Word of God.&nbsp; They worshiped and they prayed together.&nbsp; And if ever\u2014 if ever\u2014 either Joseph or Mary looked at their Child in pure amazement and wonder and said in their hearts <strong><em>Who are you? <\/em><\/strong>they undoubtedly remembered the words that the angel had spoken to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We all, of course, realize that the question of <strong><em>Who are you?<\/em><\/strong> in reference to Mary\u2019s Child is still being hotly debated to this very day\u2014 just <strong>not<\/strong> by us!&nbsp; By the grace of God we know who Mary\u2019s Child is.&nbsp; By the grace of God we know that on the cross of Calvary\u2019s hill (Pointing to the cross) Mary\u2019s Child <strong>has<\/strong> reached His goal\u2014 His goal of saving us from our sins!&nbsp; At the same time, today is a very good day for us to reflect on how Mary\u2019s Child has impacted how the question <strong><em>Who are you?<\/em><\/strong> is answered in reference to us.&nbsp; Outwardly people might look at us and answer the question <strong><em>Who are you?<\/em><\/strong> by saying that we are a husband or a wife, a parent or a child, a brother or a sister etc., etc., etc.&nbsp; But that is<strong> not<\/strong> how Mary\u2019s Child answers the question of <strong><em>Who are you?<\/em><\/strong> in reference to you, my friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As we close yet another chapter in our journey through this world and as we step once again into the unknown future we can\u2014 and we need\u2014 to do so with the full confidence of knowing that through faith in what Mary\u2019s Child has accomplished for us we <strong>are<\/strong> the saved children of God.&nbsp; Through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism we were \u201cadopted\u201d by the heavenly Father and brought into a special unique covenant relationship with the one and only true God. &nbsp;Through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism the God of heaven gave us a new name\u2014 the name \u201cChristian.\u201d&nbsp; As His adopted children we have the comfort of knowing that no matter what may have happened last year, no matter what we may have done, no matter what we may have failed to do we have the freedom to turn to our heavenly Father in prayer and know deep down inside that we <strong>are<\/strong> forgiven.&nbsp; As His adopted children we have the confidence of knowing that no matter what the New Year may or may not bring we can always lift our heads high and know that we <strong>are<\/strong> the redeemed children of the God of heaven.&nbsp; Yes, my friends, because we know who Mary\u2019s Child is we also have the confidence of knowing who we <strong>are<\/strong>\u2014 in His eyes! (Pointing to the cross)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My prayer then this morning is that you journey through the year 2022 you will take the time to contemplate the question <strong><em>Who are you?<\/em><\/strong> on a regular basis.&nbsp; When you contemplate that question as you look at the Child of Mary, I pray that you are filled with the same awe and the same wonder that filled the hearts of Mary and Joseph as they brought the Child of Bethlehem to be circumcised and given His official name\u2014 Jesus, <em>\u201cthe Lord saves.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp; When you contemplate that same question as you look at yourself in the mirror I pray that you are filled with the joy and the confidence of knowing that through faith in Mary\u2019s Child you <strong>are<\/strong> a saved, a forgiven and a redeemed child of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>May you all have a truly blessed New Year!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To God be the glory!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Amen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Luke 2:21 Who Are You? On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. (NIV1984) Dear fellow worshipers of the Child of Bethlehem, There is a story about a 13-year-old orphan who was about to be adopted.&nbsp; He had been abandoned as [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1621","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-worship-service-podcast"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1621","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1621"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1621\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1622,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1621\/revisions\/1622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}