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for all peoples

And [Simeon] 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, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,  "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel."  (Luke 2:27-32 ESV)
 
To see Jesus is to see the salvation God has prepared for all peoples. 

Earlier the angel who spoke to the shepherds said, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."  (Luke 2:11)  But Simeon, holding and gazing upon the baby Jesus, prays, "my eyes have seen your salvation."   The Savior is the Salvation.  Salvation is a Person.  Jesus did not come just to show a way, or the best way, but to be The Way. 

And this Person is himself the salvation prepared for all people groups, whether Jew or non-Jew.  Light for the Gentiles, glory for Israel.  Abraham's blessing has come to all families (Gen. 12:3)

To see Jesus rightly, then, is to see that he has come to accomplish salvation in the presence of, and available to, all nationalities and ethnic groups.  This salvation is trans-cultural.  If I see or believe that Jesus is my Savior, my salvation, but believe that other ways may work for other people, then I do not see Jesus clearly. 

To see Jesus is to see the salvation prepared for all peoples.  


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