How Jesus Christ was Honored in Anna's Life

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

How Jesus Christ was Honored in Anna’s Life

Text: Luke 2:36-38

At the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are probably familiar with the shepherds, the wise men, Mary, and Joseph, but Anna is a little more obscure. She is only there when Jesus Christ is a baby and brought to the temple. Anna sounds like a lady who became sweeter and more motherly as she grew older. There’s not a lot written about Anna, but there is much said about Anna. You’ll see the transformative power of Jesus Christ in her life. She sanctified the LORD in her heart and her life was a demonstration of the good work of God in someone’s life.

Anna is called a prophetess because she cares about God’s kingdom

The first prophet to speak in the New Testament is not a prophet, but a prophetess.
- Israel is 400 years removed from the voice of a prophet.
- From this moment in time, it will be 33 years and God will fully pour out his Spirit on all flesh as the prophet Joel said it and as Peter would explain it in Acts to the believing Jews in Jerusalem.
  - (Moses had this desire 1500 years before this when he told Joshua, I wish all of Israel were prophets!
  - Numbers 11:29 Moses said to Joshua, Do you think these people preaching are a threat to my office and me? No way! I wish that all Israel were prophets like them that the LORD would put his spirit on!)
- But before the Spirit is poured out in Jerusalem, it begins to drip out.
Anna was a prophetess who was a part of the preparation for this spiritual outpouring
- Some might say, Anna, a woman prophet?
- God’s Spirit is not racial or limited to gender as Joel said and Peter repeated, your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, starting in Jerusalem.
- We know she is a prophetess because she has the testimony of Jesus, this is the spirit of prophecy.
  - Statements about Jesus Christ and his work are prophetic statements and no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation because these are pronouncements about Jesus Christ.
  - So prophecy is not about the United States of America or the end times. Prophecy has at its core the testimony of the LORD Jesus Christ.
Notice she speaks of Christ to all who look for redemption in Jerusalem.
- She preaches redemption in Jesus Christ.
- These are her people because she is God’s people and they are God’s people.
Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. We all talk about what we’re full of. We don’t need to look at your heart, we just need to listen to your words. Anna is full of the redemption found in Jesus Christ.

Anna is from the northern tribe of Asher

Another detail worth noting here is Anna’s heritage. There are things said in the Bible that a Jewish person would understand much better than an outsider like you and I.
Anna is the daughter of Phanuel who is of the tribe of Asher. What makes this significant? Two things here.
- Asher was a tribe in the northern part of Israel, in the region known as Galilee, which was considered a filthy place by the Jews.
  - Many of the apostles would be from Galilee.
  - Jesus himself would grow up in Galilee.
  - But who you are is a moral question. It’s not a geography question. It’s not a vocational question. It’s not a biology question. It’s a moral question.
- Anna’s family is from the northern part of Israel, so why is she living in Jerusalem?
  - It means that she lives in Jerusalem waiting for the Messiah by choice.
  - She has chosen to place herself in a position to see the work of God.
  - Whatever she does for a living, whatever she does to feed herself, whatever she does to manage her day-to-day life, all of that is in submission to her seeing the work of God.
  - Someone asked a musician how did they know God called them to be a musician? The guy said God didn’t call me to be a musician. He called me to redemption. He called me to reconciliation and service to the kingdom of God. Being a musician is what I do. It’s what I’m good at. It’s what people pay me for, but I’m a Christian.
  - Paul said, Whatever you do, do to the glory of God. Solomon said whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your heart in honor of God.

Anna’s presence is how she honors the LORD

…departed not from the temple…
She was there because it was supposed to be God’s house of prayer.
- Her consistency is admirable.
- It’s like the children at this time of year going to the window on Christmas Eve trying to see Santa Claus. Some children certainly LOVE his appearance.
Prayer and fasting are two parts of one ministry. Fasting humbles the soul and prepares the heart to approach God.
This is how she served God! Next time you fast or pray understand that this is an act of service to God.
She made her life a prayer to God. This is how she waited on the LORD.
- Anna prays and fasts night and day. What a prayer warrior!
- Paul said to Timothy a true widow without any family trusts in God and continues in and prayers night and day.
- These are special folks to the LORD: widows and orphans, desolate people without family.
  - Moses’ law demanded care for these folks.
  - James says real religion, real spirituality is care for desolate people like this because these folks have no one but God to look to.

Anna’s family is God’s family

She never remarried. She never had children. She doesn’t have siblings. But she has family because God’s family is made up of all those who seek the LORD.
Notice she speaks of Christ to all who look for redemption in Jerusalem. Her family isn’t those who go to the temple, it’s those who look for redemption.
John said, You also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.