Simeon and Anna sermon #3

Start - so what?

1. Value of personal eye witness testimony

'Come and see' (Woman at well)

'My eyes have seen' (Simeon)

Eye witness most valuable in law

Rabbi Hugo Grinn

Moral maze (radio)

Look me in the eye and tell me I didn't see my parents and my little brother walk to the gas chambers

Personal testimony v powerful

'This is what happened to me'
What is God doing in your life?

e.g Barbara - a child of God

Great encouragement

2. Something about age

Major characters in Luke's story

All old (and the wise ones are women)

Elizabeth/Zechariah

Anna/Simeon

Is there a time to stop witnessing?

I'm realizing my life is in transition

Building? will come to an end

Wise people stop building

Accept slowing down

Accept eventual decline prep death?)

Like Simeon

Great to depart in peace

Let go of striving

Relax into Jesus' arms

But should we ever be satisfied that so many people don't know Jesus?

3. Individual - what about Collective?

The church

Should we allow it to depart in peace?

It'll probably see us out

Or should we do all we can to reverse the decline?

What would Anna do?
What would Jesus say?

Next year could be critical

Roof won't collapse

But unless something changes

Great to relax into understanding how much God loves you

We will be asked about plans for growth

Decline will continue

As we enter a new year we gratefully accept that God is still at work in us, building our hearts, making us more like Jesus?

What can we say about our fellowship here at Berkswich? Do we accept decline, or do we build?