How Simeon Had Peace At His Death Series

READY TO GO? What would make you say, “Now I can die in peace”?

- I ask this question in the half-joking way that we usually use this phrase. Someone meets their sports hero and then says, “Now I can die in peace.” Some teen girls go see Shawn Mendes in concert and leave saying, “Now I can die in peace.”

- It’s connected to things that might be on someone’s bucket list. For me, a couple things I might jokingly say that about would be seeing a Packers game at Lambeau and seeing Springsteen in concert. Both of those are things I’d like to do before I die.

- Pretty much everyone has things they might half-jokingly say, “Now I can die in peace” about.

- That leads us out of the half-joking statements into the realm of serious pronouncements. Look with me at v. 29b. That phrase really struck me, so I want to center what we talk about this morning around it.

- Simeon has received a promise from God and when it comes to its fulfillment with seeing the child Jesus, Simeon responds with a lovely sentiment: God can now “dismiss your servant in peace.” It reminded me of the “Now I can die in peace” statement that we often make, only Simeon isn’t saying it as a joke. It arises from deep within him.

- This morning I want get back to that statement and its implications for Simeon and for us. First, though, I want to look at a couple other things in the passage that set up the full weight of what Simeon says.

SOME IMPORTANT TRUTHS:

1. SIMEON KNEW THAT GOD IS BOTH SOVEREIGN AND LORD.

- Luke 2:29.

- In v. 29, Simeon addresses God as “Sovereign Lord.” That’s a title that we don’t use much these days. I want to take a moment to unpack each of the two words.

a. Sovereign.

- The idea of the sovereignty of God is the idea that He is the highest ruler in the universe. It also brings forward the idea that God has things He wants to accomplish and that He works to bring those about.

- It’s essential that we understand that this does not mean that God is dictating everything or that everything that happens is God’s will. People do evil that God does not desire, but we have been given freedom to choose. Our freedom is essential because it’s the only way that our love for God is meaningful.

- Having noted those important conditions, it is also essential to know that God is sovereign and will accomplish His will.

- How do you bring those two truths together?

- One example. I preached an extensive sermon series last fall about what the Bible says about end times. There are things in the future that God has said are going to happen. He will orchestrate things so that those things come to pass, but do so in a way that doesn’t override individuals’ free will.

- This is a fascinating idea worthy of a sermon all its own, but one analogy I find helpful is the chess master. My chess skills are mediocre at best. If I were to play the #1 ranked chess player in the world, I would definitely lose. The chess master is so much more talented at that game that I am and can see so many more moves ahead. He could use his pieces to push me in certain directions. I would be making my responses by my own choice and yet because of his superior knowledge and skill I might end up doing exactly what plays into his plans. I think that’s a helpful analogy for how God in His sovereignty accomplishes His will.

- It’s also worth noting that the fact that God is sovereign doesn’t mean that God has specific wills when it comes to every little thing.

- Some people presume that every little detail of our lives is something that there is an absolute yes or no answer to when it comes to God’s will. I think that’s an overstatement. There may be a number of things – even fairly significant things – in our lives where God may not have a definite will one way or the other. This could include things as substantial as what college to go to or what job to take or what person to marry. Certainly it’s a good idea to pray through those things and seek His direction, but sometimes the lack of an answer on those matters is an indication that God does not have one direction He is absolutely in favor of.

- Having said all that to set the table, the big idea of God’s sovereignty within this passage is obviously bringing Jesus into the world. His birth had been prophesied in the Old Testament and is part of the grand plan of God. This is one of those things that had to happen and God in His sovereignty brought it about.