Ian Thompson led the worship again today with additional musical support from Jonny Hyde. Our pastor, Tim Hyde brought the word again today with the latest instalment on our journey through Advent. Tim started by asking us if we’ve been singing songs this week?
The focus this morning is on the song of Simeon. Simeon was righteous and devout. He’d been promised that he wouldn’t die until he’d seen the Messiah. He told Mary that her son would see the rise and fall of many things. Another elderly but devout person ,Anna, spoke about the child Jesus to all. Tim asked whether anyone was fans of “One born every minute” or that other family favourite, “Call the midwife”. Even if you are not a fan there is something about the birth of a child that is compelling.
It has been said that the greatest forces in the world are babies. They offer hope and life and a future. Babies have the power to change the world, Tim illustrated this point by showing three paintings by Rembrandt. Simeon’s Song of Praise was painted in 1631. 
Focus is on the centre where Simeon encounters this couple with a child. It shows clearly two young people on the fringes of Jewish life. These two teenage peasant parents cannot even afford the normal purification offering. They offer two doves because they could not afford the more customary sheep . The simplicity of the offering doesn’t stop folks celebrating. Anna and Simeon, though clearly the old and the widowed do not hold back. Simeon means “hearing one” or “one who obeys”. Unusually Luke is lavish in his description. He outlines two whole descriptive verses. This invisible old man was inspired. Luke is beside himself with excitement in the retelling of this encounter . Three times Luke outlines the Holy Spirit’s role here. We have to think about Simeon and how many hopeful prayers had he prayed over different children over the years. Then Simeon finds the one, he has the saviour of the world in his arms.
Nunc dimittis is the name for this song. It has been used for over 1500 years and used in daily prayer by many traditions. Calvin’s church sang this during communion. It is a part of daily liturgy and often used as the final song in a service. Three themes are explored in Simeon’s Song ready to die, identify the child in his arms, descriptive and prophetic this child will be a light. He anticipates the reach of Jesus, and his role asthe comfort of Israel.
Rembrandt paints another picture 38 years later. Nowadays we would say that Rembrandt zoomed in on a key feature of the scene he pictured earlier. Simeon is the often described as the God-Receiver. His faith and actions remind us we too can receive the Saviour. Simeon takes us back to Isiah . Every phrase of the song is like pieces of a jigsaw, a jigsaw that revolves around and describes this child in his arms . In between those Rembrandt also paints Simeon’s Prophecy to Mary. Simeon changes key here sharing dark work about the sword. Anna reinforces this message.. These old people were filled with hope in their years of waiting and believing. They were f0lk who devoted their lives to prayer and hope. Some of the people who encourage us have been prayerful hopeful people, filled with the Spirit. Even when darkness is around God sends his son to experience this. We met Elizabeth and Zechariah. We’ll hear Mary’s own story at Christmas.
No matter who you are this story can be your story. Luke is keen to show a new era has dawned. As we live in the now in the darkness of advent, there is a need for ordinary people be waiting watching and praying.
That same spirits that inspired Simeon and Anna should inspire us. We need to reflect and pray on what chances will we get this season to bring light into darkness.
Will our words be filled with praise and hope? Tim prayed that we may we be willing and open to receive the coming one. We closed by offering thanks that we’ve been chosen and that we will be guided to bring hope and light to others
ourney. He started by thinking about the songs and tunes we hear whilst out shopping at this time of year. Have you found what you’re looking for by U2 was playing in one store and seemed sadly apt as people become increasingly desperate to find a particular gift for someone.
s leaders definitely show what happened as the American business and finance sectors went into decline. Within a few short years some of these men were poverty stricken, some had committed suicide, some were in prison for criminal acts committed trying to hold on to their “success”. They did not experience the peace that Jesus brings. They were measuring success in terms of financial riches. We’re all rich in Jesus. We need to unleash the lion of our faith and belief. We need to fight the uncommon fight that often flies in the face of how others measure success. God sends us brothers that become warriors along side you. They may not look like it at the time but they will be the ones who will stand shoulder to shoulder through the tough times. Understand what it is you are prepared to fight for. Make a list, family, friends, beliefs, principles, be clear in your own mind. Success depends on faithfulness to God but you also need to be wary. Success can breed complacency and lead you to try to rely on your owns strengths and talents. We see Saul deep in fear contrasted against David’s courage. So many strive for wrong success. Success is being a man after God’s own heart. In 1 Chronicles we see David on the threshold of a huge decision. This is the point at which Saul’s influence is over. Saul wanted all the trappings of richness. David on the other hand remembers his humble beginnings. Remember the simple things in life, serving at tables, washing dishes. Fill your life with great purposes and great things. Get things under control get rid of addictions. Remember that whatever Jesus is not Lord over is what the devil will try to break you with. Remember Jesus was raised as the son of a working man as well as being the son of God.
These were all questions posed to the Filling Station team by a relatively new visitor. Our friend had been to Filling Station before and he professed to be a believer who’d had a faith encounter earlier in his life but now “wasn’t living right” to use his own words. It’s easy to lose sight of how difficult it can be to pluck up the courage to enter a church. The even tougher part is that even if you get through the first set of doors there’s often another set or two to negotiate before you enter the church hall or worship space. One of the reasons we like our new inside doors in West View is that you can at least see through them and have a peek at what you’re getting into before you push the door open. Our doors are there simply to keep the heat in, nothing more. They’re not there to put people off from joining us, and I hope they’re not there to keep the public safe from us. Our services are at 10:30 on a Sunday, children are very welcome and do let us know if you need help getting to church.
Excellent service at West View Baptist Church this morning. We began with the Thanksgiving video from Pastor Dwayne Burks. Jonny Hyde did a great job leading worship, aided by Amanda, Roy and Pastor Tim Hyde. Jonny introduced some new ways to think about worship and prayer including placing a candle on a map of the world to pray for issues and people in different countries. He also got folks to use a stone to symbolise an issue to pray for and then place the stone in a bowl of water as a way to demonstrate asking God to take away troubles. Tim provided the word today which rang true with people from Luke 1, with Mary’s belief in the message she was given and the relevance to the issues and struggles people face today. We learnt that this Song of Mary was known as the Magnificant, one of the oldest Christian hymn traditions.
