<TITLE>07. Par 27-31</TITLE>L-27 The world showed what is was when they said, "Give us Barabbas, and away with Jesus." And what was that that said that? The church, not the outside world, the church said that: "We do not want Jesus; we would rather have a murderer." It well expressed itself then. And it does till yet.
But the true believer says, "I want Jesus. We wish to have Him."
Now, we find out that... Let's give it a drama; they've got some little children. And let's make this just simple so that the little ones could understand. They'll be the generation of tomorrow if there is one.
Let's notice... We would say that Simeon, it was on a Monday morning. There had been a great day on the Sabbath. And now, it's on Monday morning and Simeon is in his study, a studying the Word of God. Let's say he was looking at the scroll of Isaiah. And he comes to the--the 9th chapter and the 6th verse. And it says this: "Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulders: and His Name shall be called Counselor, Prince of Peace, the mighty God, and the everlasting Father."
And as he read the Scriptures, at that same time, Mary and Joseph stepped into the temple, packing the Christ Child. For it was a law, that every eight days after a child was born, that a mother had to come to the temple and offer an offering for her purification and the circumcision of the child, if it be a male. And Mary steps in with the Child.

L-28 Israel was some three million in those days in Palestine. How many children would be borned in the space of twenty-four hours with that many people? Hundreds of little children were born. And the mothers would line up to have their children circumcised and offer for purification of the mother. And the offering was either a--a little lamb (the rich people could afford that), and the poor peasant offering was two turtle doves.

L-29 And here stands the Christ then. Here is the Christ in the temple for the first time in all history in a form of flesh as a little baby on Mary's arm. And as the mothers had their line, waiting their turn as they went into the priest, they were waiting.
Now, if God told Simeon that he was not going to die until he saw the Christ, then it's up to God to let Simeon know that Christ is at the temple, for the Holy Spirit gives the promise; it's up to the Holy Spirit to keep that promise true. And here He was for the first time.

L-30 Now, in an imaginary mind, as Simeon is reading the Scripture, all of a sudden the Holy Spirit spoke to him and said, "Simeon, rise up to your feet." He lays the scroll down. He did not know just which way to go, but the Bible said that sons of God are led by the Spirit of God. It isn't necessary to know where you're going, just as long as you're being led by His Spirit.
And here is the Christ in the temple. Simeon walks out the door. He doesn't know just which a way to go, but there's Something in him leading him, which is the Holy Spirit that gave him the promise. "When the deep is calling to the deep..." Simeon believed the Holy Spirit, no matter what the people said; he believed it.

L-31 And if there is a hunger in here for something, there's got to be something first to respond to that hunger or you would not have the hunger. May I say this: before the was a fin on a fish's back, there was water first, for him to swim in, or he would have no fin. Everything's for a purpose. Before there was a tree to grow in the earth, there must be an earth first for it to grow in, or there would been no tree. In other words I'm saying this: before there can be a creation, there has to be a Creator.


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