ADORE

Part 3: Worship With Hope

Scripture

Luke 2:21-38

²¹ And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

²² And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” ²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷ And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, ²⁸ he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

²⁹ “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; ³⁰ for my eyes have seen your salvation ³¹ that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, ³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

³³ And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed ³⁵ (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

³⁶ And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, ³⁷ and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. ³⁸ And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Sermon Recap

This week, Dennis Kim continued our Adore Advent series with “Worship with Hope”, calling us to anchor our hearts in the promised Savior rather than in the shifting circumstances of life. Walking through Luke 2:21–38, he highlighted how even as a baby, Jesus perfectly fulfills the Law—circumcision, presentation, and sacrifice—all pointing to His role as the true firstborn, the perfect sacrifice, and the living sign of God’s covenant faithfulness. Luke’s details aren’t throwaway background; they frame Jesus as the long-awaited “consolation of Israel” (Isaiah 40) and the comfort for a people who had spent generations under oppression, yet still clung to God’s promises.

We then watched Simeon step into the story: likely a common, older man with no special title, yet righteous, devout, and waiting—day after day—for God’s word to come true. When he finally holds the 40-day-old Jesus, his response is overflowing worship: “My eyes have seen your salvation… a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” Simeon hasn’t seen any miracles, healings, cross, or resurrection—just a baby—and still he’s ready to “depart in peace.” That is biblical hope: not wishful thinking, but rock-solid confidence that God will do what He has promised. Anna reinforces this picture: a widowed, elderly prophetess who refuses to drift into spiritual retirement, instead worshiping, fasting, and praying daily in the temple. When she sees Jesus, she gives thanks and announces hope to all who are waiting for redemption.

Dennis challenged us to examine where our hope really lives. So often we anchor it in relationships, careers, goals, or material comfort—good things, but temporary and uncertain. In contrast, Jesus is the consolation for sinners, the One who carries the crushing weight of our sin (Psalm 38), the returning King who will come in glory (Matthew 24), and the Lord who will one day dwell with us forever, wiping away every tear (Revelation 21). Advent invites us into Simeon and Anna’s posture: to worship with eternity in view, to wait with active, daily expectation, and to let true hope sing—overflowing into visible, embodied, joyful worship. The

One Thing: Worship with hope in our promised Savior.

Discussion
Questions

Connecting

When you think about the Christmas season, what usually stirs up the most emotion in you—joy, stress, nostalgia, something else? Why?
Can you remember a time when you were waiting a long time for something good? How did that waiting shape you?

Considering

Simeon was content to see only a baby and still call it “salvation.” What does that tell you about his understanding of God and His promises?
Anna worshiped, fasted, and prayed “night and day.” How does her example challenge or encourage your own rhythms of seeking God?
Where do you notice yourself most tempted to place your hope—in circumstances, achievements, people, or in Christ Himself?

Confessing

In what ways have you been putting more hope in temporary things than in Jesus’ finished work and future return?
Are there places where disappointment or cynicism have quietly replaced hope in your heart? How might you bring those honestly to God?
What fears make it hard for you to live with an eternal perspective rather than a “right now” perspective?

Committing

What is one concrete way you can worship with eternity in mind this week (for example, a specific practice, Scripture, or habit)?
How can you build a small but consistent rhythm of expectant waiting—like Simeon and Anna—into your Advent (daily prayer, fasting, journaling, Scripture reading, etc.)?
Who around you might need encouragement or a word of hope, and how will you intentionally point them to Jesus, the consolation for sinners, this week?

Next Steps

As part of our annual theme, Deep & Wide, we invite our church family to go deeper in relationship with God so that we can be the greatest blessing to one another and the world around us. Each week, we will follow up from the sermon with simple, practical steps to help us receive God’s blessing and apply the truths of the gospel more deeply into our lives.

Part 3: Worship with Hope

What is one concrete way you can worship with eternity in mind this week (for example, a specific practice, Scripture, or habit)?
How can you build a small but consistent rhythm of expectant waiting—like Simeon and Anna—into your Advent (daily prayer, fasting, journaling, Scripture reading, etc.)?
Who around you might need encouragement or a word of hope, and how will you intentionally point them to Jesus, the consolation for sinners, this week?