Galatians 4:4 (NKJV) 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

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1 Introduction In this section of Scripture we have a remarkable snapshot of a most impressive woman. Her name is Anna. Her name means gracious or grace. This is a story of a woman named Grace and the day grace showed up in the Temple. Dr. Luke has been telling us about Jesus the Son of Man. Jesus has been born, circumcised and dedicated in the Temple. Paul reminds us in the book of Galatians; Galatians 4:4 (NKJV) 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, Jesus shows up in the Temple fulfilling the Law of Moses. In the Temple Jesus met Simeon, a man faithful to the Lord, who was given a promise by the Lord that he should not see death until he saw with his own eyes God s messiah. During this Temple visit Jesus parents also meet up with this amazing woman Anna. She is called a prophetess. What does that mean? Most simply it means she had a special gift of declaring and interpreting God s message ( Warren Wiersbe; TBEC Vol.1, p.179). Luke s gospel has 43 references to women; there are 12 widows mentioned in the Bible, Luke s gospel contains three (; 7:11-15; 21:1-4). Once again Luke reveals his physician s heart; he cares about the sick, the needy, and the neglected. Widows had a difficult time in the first century. They were often neglected and exploited, in spite of God s clear commandment in the Law (Ex.22:21-22). Exodus 22:21-22 (NKJV) 21 You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. What can we learn from an aging prophetess? Listen. Portrait of a Prophetess (v.36) Luke 2:36 (NKJV) 36 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; There are several women carry the title prophetess. Miriam, Moses sister and a worship leader of Israel (Ex.15:20); Deborah (Jud.4:4); Hulduh (2Kings 22:14); Noadiah (Neh.6:14); and the wife if Isaiah (Isa.8:3). Philip the evangelist had four daughters who were prophetesses (Acts 21:8-9). Anna was a prophetess and you will remember that means a person who has a special gift of declaring and interpreting God s message. 1

2 This woman was a Spirit-filled spokesperson for the Lord. By calling her a prophetess the Holy Spirit indicates she was highly respected, and sought out for advice and honored. Who is the best source of information for guidance in your life? I suspect the answer is still people who have a special gift of declaring and interpreting God s message, men and women of God, who love God s Word and live a life of disciplined consecration to the Lord Jesus Christ. Anna is called the daughter of Phanuel, a word which can also be translated Penuel which means the face, or appearance of God. The name of her husband who died is not given. Her father was of the tribe of Asher, supposedly a lost tribe according to some people but here very much found. She was of a great age How old was she? The passage is unclear. In verse 37 it says, and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years it could mean she was a widow for 84 years, tack on the years before she got married, her marriage years and she may have been well over a hundred years old! Or it could mean she was 84 years old! Age is not important, unless your cheese. An elderly person is a person who is ten years older than you are. As a white candle In a holy place, So is the beauty Of an aged face. Joseph Campbell ( ) It is better to show up for work in the kingdom of heaven at sunset than not to show up at all! Erwin W. Lutzer (1941- ) Persistent in Sorrow and Devoted (v.37) Luke 2:37 (NKJV) 37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. and this woman was a widow Paul told Timothy to honor widows who are widows indeed and Anna was certainly a worthy widow. I wonder if Paul had Anna in mind when he wrote, She that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day (1Tim.5:3,5). 2

3 Anna was desolate which means alone, or solitary. Few people know the pain of loneliness like the man or woman whose husband or wife has died! It would appear that Anna s husband died early on in the marriage. Yet this woman, in the flower of her youth, and in the beauty of her young adulthood, and maturity of middle age, never lost hope. She believed and looked for a Savior, a deliverer, a Messiah. What is it like to be old? Aging brings many things, sometimes a prolonged state of mourning over personal losses, things like independence, health, mobility, hearing eyesight, memory. The elderly experience emotions just like everyone else, guilt, anger, despair, denial, depression, sometimes loss comes so quickly and continually the older person is in a constant state of unresolved grief. Anna looked for the salvation that only God could provide, she never forsook her faith, but held fast, enduring to the end. Matthew 24:12-13 (NKJV) 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. James 5:11 (NLT) 11 We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. Job is an example of a man who endured patiently. From his experience we see how the Lord s plan finally ended in good, for he is full of tenderness and mercy. People who lose loved ones often become introverted and bitter. But Anna does not blame God, for being without a husband or children who can care for her. I suspect Anna was shocked when the Lord allowed her husband to die early on in the marriage. Anna was married a short seven years. In her sorrow and loneliness she turned to the Lord, in complete trust and devotion. She set her affections on the Lord and God s promises and dedicated her life to service to others in the Temple. Frances Vander Velde writes; Anna was steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, instructing others in the work of the Lord and in their sacred duties. She spoke to others of the coming of the Redeemer and of the restoration of Israel s glory ( Women of the Bible p.157). Anna remained a widow. She did not remarry. But she also refused to be swallowed up by bitterness and disappointment. She refused to blame God for her husband s death. Do you know someone who is still in a state of mourning over the death of spouse or the divorce of a spouse? Grief can be a powerful, debilitating, emotion. There is healthy grief and unhealthy grief. Healthy grief does not demand we forget our loved ones. Healthy grief allows room for both old memories and new dreams. Adjustment to loss rarely occurs over night. Today s pain has a vital purpose, to allow us to say good-bye to living in the past so you can live in the present and build a future. 3

4 Clearly this woman never ceased to worship the Lord, who did not depart from the temple. The text leaves us with the impression she is always at the Temple, she never misses a service, a godly woman, a woman to whom the Lord meant everything. This silver saint was sold out! She was completely devoted to the Lord, and to the Lord only! She fasted day and night. This does not mean she never ate but rather she had a regular regimen of fasting, prayers, devotions, disciplines. Even though she was at least 84 years old, she did not use her age as an excuse to indulge the flesh. Anna refused to waste her time overeating or oversleeping, indulging her senior fantasies, or immoral activities. This woman, this elderly woman, devotes herself to praying, and serving and hoping in God! Anna possessed a consistency in devotions that so many people lack! If anyone ever had a right to complain, to make manipulative demands for attention, excuses about her age, it was Anna! She refuses to allow fear of rejection, loneliness, illness, poverty even homelessness to dissuade her from trusting, completely in the Lord! Perseverance in Gratitude and Hope (v.38) Luke 2:38 (NKJV) 38 And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. Anna s presence in the Temple was not an accident. It was an act of perserverance. She was always there, ready to serve, but in her service she received a special treat. Jesus showed up in the Temple. This elderly woman began to sing and praise the Lord. She gave thanks to God for the child and spoke about redemption in Jerusalem. Anna prophesied and proclaimed the same message spoken by Simeon, the child Jesus is the glorious hope of man s redemption. Look carefully at verse 38. The expression and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption The Greek word translated looked for prosdechomai can be translated waiting for It has a future outlook and can be translated looking forward to Redemption or the best Greek manuscripts have the redemption of Jerusalem which means the coming of the Messiah to deliver His people. Don t miss the most simple and powerful point of this old woman s message; To see Jesus is to see God s salvation (Darrell Bock p.96 The NIV Application Commentary). To see Jesus is to see the light, to see the source of deliverance, and redemption. To see Jesus is to see the source that buys us back from the marketplace of sin. 4

5 There are important applications we can draw from this passage of Scripture. The importance of women in ministry, the importance of perserverance even when our marriage unexpectedly fails either in divorce or death. The importance of Seniors or the elderly in ministry. Being grey does not mean go away. As I consider this passage, I can t help but note Anna s praise for the Son of Man. She spoke of Him. She spoke of Him to all who looked for redemption. In other words, she spoke of God s promise of deliverance and salvation in the human form of a baby, this baby was God s messiah. Salvation has many nuances in the Bible, it means redemption, being bought back from the marketplace of sin. Salvation is something we can never accomplish on our own. Salvation is the assurance of God s presence within us. Jesus in the flesh means the hope of Israel had arrived on earth. She spoke of redemption to those who looked for redemption. A way out. This is interesting to me. Anna could have easily used this as an opportunity to bring attention to the plight of widows and the elderly. She could have easily used this as a platform of how people twist the Scriptures and misuse them to keep women in spiritual bondage, and rightful, appropriate leadership in the church. But she doesn t. She points people to Jesus. She speaks to those who look for redemption. Anna knows the pain and sorrow of a love cut short by the tragic death of her husband. Anna knows the aches and pains of old age. Anna knows the insecurity and uncertainty of senior citizenship and the terrifying fear that can grip a heart as you wonder who will take care of me? Most women dread middle age and old age. It is hard to relinquish beauty and energy. That is because some women have a twisted view of what constitutes beauty! Ladies-life does not end when the kids leave home! What do you think Anna did when she turned 50? Do you think her friends bought her black balloons, prune juice and depends? The tragedy of old age is not that one is old, but that one is not young! Wait a minute. That didn t come out right. You are Senior Citizen if you remember when a senior citizens were called old-timers. Old age is like everything else; to make a success of it, you ve got to start young. Conclusion Everyone faces at all times two fateful possibilities: one is to grow older, the other not. 5

6 Anna grew old. Anna remained faithful. Because she was faithful, she saw the Lord in the Temple. We live in a world where we value old wine, old things, antiques road show more than we care about elderly people. Many people confuse the lack of youthfulness with uselessness, and our senior saints are shuffled aside or forgotten. It ought not to be that way. Psalm 71:9 (NKJV) 9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age; Do not forsake me when my strength fails. Proverbs 16:31 (NKJV) 31 The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness. Proverbs 23:22 (NKJV) 22 Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old. Those gray heads hold treasures of insight; those wrinkled lips can speak priceless wisdom. That weary heart has learned lessons we can only guess at. Are you young? You may still have time to gather precious gems of wisdom from your elders! Are you a Senior saint? An amazing grey? Perhaps you need to reconsider your service to the Lord! Perhaps you to rethink that your age is not an excuse to do less, but an opportunity to serve more! I ve paid my dues! I ve put in my time! It s time to let young blood do the word of ministry! Can you imagine Anna having that attitude in the Temple? Do you have special skills? Do you have a desire to minister to the elderly? Can you visit? Can you shop? Can you pray? Can you be a volunteer grand-parent? Can you serve in the children s ministry? The women s ministry? The men s ministry? Are you able to start a ministry to our silver saints? Have you ever thought about a serving vacation? Do you realize between 80 and 90 % of people living in apartments do not attend any church? Have you ever thought about helping in our assisted living ministries? Have you thought about going on a spaghetti feed with Bob and Crystal? How about backpacks for the homeless? How about a food pantry? How about a yellow bag grocery collection for the needy and the elderly? Let me grow lovely, growing old- So many fine things do; Laces and ivory and gold, And silks need not be new. And there is a healing in old trees, Old streets a glamor hold; Why may not I, as well as these, Grow lovely, growing old? Karle Wilson Baker 6