Introduction
Well, I was really thinking about another carol for all of us to sing together this morning but I thought maybe I would give you a break. The only reason is because I want your voices rested so you can join us for caroling at the Golden Living Center and Bristol Manor after church today.
Let me also express my thanks for those who planned, baked and attended her birthday celebration last Sunday evening. We are thankful for your kindness and the demonstration of love.
As many know, we have been studying the four songs recorded in the first two chapters of Luke. Each song was sung about the promise of or the reality Christ’s coming to earth. We have heard Elizabeth’s song of praise that her son John would be used to announce the Christ. We heard Mary’s song of gratitude for being chosen of God to carry the Christ. We heard the angels sing to shepherds proclaiming the birth of Christ.
Today, we will hear the final song of Luke’s record of Christ’s birth – Simeon’s Song.
The Story
Mary and Joseph had travelled to Bethlehem as part of Caesar Augustus’s decree that the whole Roman world be taxed and counted. But more importantly they were fulfilling the prophetic word of Micah that the Savior would be born in Bethlehem
While in Bethlehem Mary gave birth to her son. Magi from the East and shepherds from the hills surrounding Bethlehem visited the child. Gifts were offered. Angels sang. Stars appeared in the sky. It was an event like no other in history. Emmanuel – God with us – had arrived and the world would never be the same.
After the Magi left and the shepherds returned to their flocks, Mary and Joseph were left to raise the child they had now been blessed with.
As we all know Mary and Joseph were devout Jews. Because of their faith they knew there were certain obligations they would have to fulfill in order to satisfy the Law of Moses. We find the first of these obligations in Luke 2:21
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
On the eighth day Joseph, or a hired rabbi called a Mohel, circumcises the newborn child.
• Even though the child was the Son of God – it was proper for Him to fulfill all the Law so His later testimony among the people would be legitimate.
• He was circumcised as an outward sign of His separation from the Gentiles and entrance into the community – he was “made like unto his brethren.” He was truly God incarnate in flesh.
• He was given the name JESUS – JEHOVAH IS SALVATION!
The second rite Joseph and Mary were obligated to fulfill is called Redemption of the Firstborn (cf. Exodus 13:2, 11-16; Numbers 18:15-16).
Look at Luke 2:22-23.
When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”
Mary and Joseph travelled to Jerusalem from Bethlehem (6 or 7 miles) in order to present Jesus at The Temple. By this time Jesus is 40 days old.
• According to the Law of Moses, Mary was considered unclean for 40 days after giving birth to a boy. Because she was considered ceremonially unclean she could not enter the Temple until those 40 days had passed.
• But now her purification was complete and she, along with Joseph could “present” Jesus.
When the child was presented at the Temple Mary and Joseph were to “redeem” or “buy back” their firstborn son with an offering of 5 shekels (cf. Numbers 18:15-16).
• God had instituted this as a way to remind Israel of their deliverance from Egypt. It was to remind them of how God gave them the lives of their firstborn sons because of their obedience to place blood over their doorframes during the final plague.
• In reality God was pointing forward to a time when this child who is being presented at the Temple would REDEEM ALL OF MANKIND through repentance and faith.
The third thing Mary and Joseph were required to do was Purification of the Mother. Let’s look at Luke 2:24
24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
After Mary had completed her 40 days of purification the couple was required to offer a lamb (cf. Leviticus 12) and then the priest would declare her clean. However, Leviticus 12:8 tells us that if a woman could not afford a lamb then she could bring a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
• This is exactly what Luke tells us that Mary and Joseph brought to the Temple.
• Luke seems to indicate they were too poor to afford the price of a lamb.
• I think though they went above and beyond the Law of Moses and brought all three sacrifices. The doves and the pigeons but also THE LAMB OF GOD.
Now, while all of the parents were bringing their children to the Temple Courts to be presented and offer the necessary sacrifices something else was going on.
A priest by the name of Simeon was going about his daily business. Simeon was considered a “righteous and devout” man.
He had received a promise from God that before he died he would be allowed to be witness to JEHOVAH’s SALVTION – Jesus – the Christ.
Get the scene – families are coming in and out of the Temple Court. Babies are crying. Lambs are – doing whatever lambs do. People are trying to keep the doves and pigeons from flying away. The priest is pronouncing blessing on the children. Families are celebrating with one another.
But off to the side Simeon is just doing his thing. Then this righteous man feels the Holy Spirit. Suddenly he recognizes that something special is about to happen. At that same time Mary, Joseph and Jesus enter the Temple Court.
Simeon steps into the Temple Court and takes the baby Jesus in his arms. His mind is racing with promise. His heart is about to burst with anticipation.
“Could this be the promise? Could this child be the one I have waited and longed for?”
As Simeon looked on the tiny face of Jesus he knew that all he had been promised was staring back at him.
And he did the only thing anyone can do when they meet Jesus and recognize that salvation has come – he began to PRAISE GOD. Simeon’s praise was in the form of a song.
29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
Simeon is apparently an old man who has been waiting may years for this moment. As he sings he utters these words… you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
In other words, “You can take me home Lord I have seen it all! I can go in peace knowing that you have made a way for Israel and the whole world to be redeemed!”
The Application
As we head full-throttle into the Christmas Season let us not forget that Christmas is primarily about anticipation and fulfilled promise.
We see this symbolized in the giving of gifts. How many remember how hard it was (or is) to not sneak a peek into the packages under the tree?
ILLUSTRATION: I remember a kid I went to school with telling us about how he had gotten into the packages then tried to sow the paper back together
But do you remember the anticipation of wondering if the contents of that brightly wrapped and bowed package was the thing you wanted so bad?
Oh come on you know what I am talking about. There are few of you who are not guilty of picking up a package and giving it a shake – trying to guess what is in it.
Every parent in the room knows how hard it is to get kids to go to sleep on Christmas Eve. And every parent knows the startling screams of children running into your bedroom at 4am!
Where does all that come from? It comes from the anticipation. We made our request for a particular thing, our parents listened and we anticipated the result. Then in the dawns light of Christmas morning we tore into those packages and SOME of our anticipation was fulfilled – AND SOME OF US GOT SOCKS!
Sure, sometimes Christmas can be a letdown. We anticipated a certain thing and it wasn’t there on Christmas morning. As a parent I know the tension of wanting to get that thing my kids want and the reality of a tight budget.
ILLUSTRATION: I remember having Christmas with a family and after all the presents had been opened their boy starts crying and says, “Is that all!” The floor was covered all sorts of toys and clothes. But apparently he was disappointed because he had not got a particular item he was anticipating.
I think Simeon had long anticipated seeing the Messiah. He had walked by the Temple Court hundreds of time wondering if today would be the day. He must have stared into the faces of precious and wonderful children but they were not the One. Day after day, month after month and year after year he navigated the cycle of anticipation and disappointment.
But one day all that changed. He looked into the face of God’s anointed. He was so excited and so filled with wonder that he no longer wanted to live. He wanted to go on and be with God so that life could never again be tainted with disappointment.
Do you ever feel that way? I do! There are days in my life that are so wonderful that I think, “Lord, just let this be the end because I don’t think it can any better.” But the truth is it does get better and we live in the cycle of promise and anticipation and fulfillment that gives us some wonderful memories.
In the midst of all of our Christmas celebrating let’s not forget that we need to be anticipating the same thing Simeon was – the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sure, He already came to a manger in Bethlehem – but we have also been given the promise that He would return and take us home with Him.
Are we anticipating and living for the day when Christ will split the Eastern skies and make His appearance to the whole world?
His first appearance was in a manger in an obscure town to a poor and obscure family. But His second coming will not be so low-key.
He will descend from heaven in the midst of trumpet blasts and angel armies. He will thunder from the heavens and everyone will know who He is and all will bow their knees and their tongues will confess that He is LORD!
But like Simeon we are living in that time of anticipation. So what do we do? Well, until He comes we…
We must be looking for Him
We must be longing for Him
We must be living for Him
We must be laboring for Him
Are you living for Him today? Have you made your peace with God? Have you asked Him to be the Lord of your life?
Today, while there is still time, while there is still opportunity – call upon His name.
Call out to Christ in repentance and place your faith in Him.
If you are already a believer and follower of Christ my challenge to you is to ask Him to restore the anticipation of His coming.
If you are not a believer and follower of Christ I invite you to come to Him today and receive your personal salvation. That way you can live the rest of this life with peace knowing that you have seen the salvation of the Lord.
