Message
Luke 2:22-35
Simeon’s Song
Today we are going to look at the last song in our “Advents Song” – this is the Song which Simeon sings.
We find it in Luke 2.
Lat’s start reading and look firstly at the context of the song Luke 2:22-24
As we read through these verses we see some thing very interesting – this is just an ordinary event that happens on any ordinary day at the temple. Joseph and Mary, like many Jewish parents before them, are just going about their daily lives and doing daily activities because the Law of Moses or the Law of the Lord required it from them.
Purification after childbirth.
Leviticus 12:1-8
It is part of the law that is connected to the purification rites of the temple.
On the 8th Day the baby boy is circumcised.
Then after another 33 days it is time to go to the temple and the mother of the child would make an offering for purification.
The regular offering was to sacrifice a lamb. But the purification law gave special permission for poor families
If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.
Leviticus 12:8
Since Jesus was the first born there was another law which applied.
Consecration of the Firstborn
Exodus 13:1-16
This law was put in place as a reminder an event when, during the Passover, the first born of the Israelites were not put to death because of the blood of the lamb on the entrance to their homes.
From that point on the firstborn were consecrated to the Lord and the firstborn males belonged to the Lord.
It is just an ordinary day – following the law.
Nothing Joseph and Mary were doing would make them stand out or draw attention to themselves.
Yet they did get the attention of someone.
Let’s keep reading Luke 2:25-35
Simeon is waiting for the promised Messiah because Simeon had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the promised one.
In this specific case the Messiah is described as The Consolation of Israel.
It is not a well-known description of Jesus.
We are more familiar with names such as Rock, Good Shepherd, Almighty, Son of Man, Immanuel.
Maybe if I pronounce the name in Greek some of us will be a bit more familiar.
pa?????s?? t?? ?s?a?? (parakleesin too Israel)
I’m going to put 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 on the screen - the underlined word is parakleesin.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
You can see that some of the “comfort” words have not been underlined. That is because there are a few different Greek words that translate to “comfort”.
The comfort here is not “comfort” we offer to one another as human beings.
It is a comfort that has it’s foundation in the power and work of God.
When Simeon is looking for the Consolation of Israel … the one who brings comfort … he is looking for God to work in a powerful way.
God does that all the time
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:1-4
1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
Isaiah 40:1-2
The powerful work of God giving comfort in the middles of circumstances which can be difficult.
In Psalm 23 … the valley of the shadow of death.
In Isaiah 40 … looking ahead days of punishment which will come as a result of guilt and sin.
Yet, in those situations and many more, there is the promise of comfort.
A comfort that only the coming of the Messiah, the Consolation of Israel, can bring.
Joseph and Mary have coming into the temple to fulfil the law, as any ordinary Jewish parents would, but when Simeon sees the child Simeon knows this is the fulfilment of the promise.
Simeon is seeing the Messiah.
Then Simeon sings.
Salvation has come.
A light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.
The Gentiles were the outsiders … the others … the godless.
They were in spiritual darkness because they worshipped many ‘gods’, or no ‘gods’.
Unless they repented, and were circumcised, and converted to Judaism the Gentiles did not have any of the promises that the Israelites were given – nor did they have any hope of escaping Hades.
But now the Consolation was here.
Now the work and the power of God were going to bring comfort – and it is a comfort that would bring the Gentiles into the light.
A comfort that would enable people to have hope for eternity.
The consolation … the comfort … the light will come at a great cost.
The child is destined to be a sign that would be spoken against.
When he drove out demons, they accused him of being the prince of demons.
When he healed on the Sabbath they accused him of breaking God’s law.
When his ministry was causing the crowds to follow in droves, they plotted to kill him.
When he was arrested they falsely accused him.
When he was declared innocent Pilate still crucified him.
When he hung on the cross they mocked and scoffed at him.
When the tomb was empty they paid the soldiers to make up a story.
Even today he is spoken against.
The consolation … the comfort … the light will come at a great cost.
But what a blessing the payment of that cost gives us.
Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace
Luke 2:29
My guess is that
… if God spoke directly to us
… and if we saw a direct promise being directly fulfilled with our own eyes.
My guess is that, if this happened to us, we would find it easier to be at peace.
But here is something that we can sometimes forget.
God does speak to us. Every time we pick up the Bible - every time - it is God speaking to us.
Through the Word Jesus grabs hold of a questioning heart and makes us see a Saviour who died.
Through the Word Jesus takes a straying child and confronts that child with the devotion of Christ's holy love.
Through the Word Jesus encourages a weakened saint by showing them the love of a Saviour who looks beyond failure.
Through the Word Jesus draws near to the one who is desperately seeking to serve a Lord of grace and He makes that desperation bear the fruit of grace.
Through the Word all your questions of eternity, purpose and goals are to be found.
Through the Word there is … comfort … consolation.
Ultimately that is what we all need.
Comfort … consolation … that comes from the Word. Especially as we are here today on the last Sunday of 2020.
What a year it has been … unprecedented.
That is the word of 2020 … unprecedented.
But for all that has happened during the year isn’t it true that we were able to get through because of the Comfort
… the work and power of God.
… the consolation.
… the comfort.
That comes because we have the Word of God which is a light of revelation to us … we who are Gentiles. We who are of the nations.
Yes it is true, in one sense, that when Joseph and Mary came to the temple for the purification and the consecration of the first-born … it is true that this was an ordinary event.
But there was also a lot which was happening in the world at the time which was not ordinary.
Israel was not meant to be conquered by a foreign nation, yet here they were under the authority of the Romans. When we were at church celebrating the last year of 2019 – we had no idea.
So much happens in life that is unexpected.
There is difficulty …
Times when we feel broken and insecure …
Days when we are overwhelmed or had enough …
When we have been struggling with guilt and sin.
Simeon knew that. Simeon knew what the world was like. Simeon knew how hard the journey could be.
BUT he has seen the baby.
That makes all the difference.
Simeon can go in peace because of the comfort … the consolation … the work and power of God.
We can all have that you know.
Comfort … “real work and power of God comfort”.
We can all have the light for revelation for the Gentiles has come.
And, even though his work on earth for the moment has finished.
And even though he has ascended into heaven.
We still have the - parakleesis
15 ‘If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you for ever – 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
John 14:15-18
25 ‘All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:25-27
Those words I have underlined … advocate … they are a translation of the Greek word pa?????t?? (parakleetos)
Jesus is pa?????s?? t?? ?s?a?? … the Consolation of Israel.
The Holy Spirit … the Advocate … some translations call him “the Comforter”
The Holy Spirit is the pa?????t??.
And that is a powerful thought that should strengthen us all.
We all need comfort.
We all have struggles.
We all go through the guilt and the sin.
Jesus has given us the pa?????t??.
Literally … the consolation of Israel living in us.
I don’t know what you are going through today … or what you will go through tomorrow.
I don’t know if 2021 will be better than 2020 … or worse.
There is so much that is unknown – even on days we like to describe as ordinary.
But I do know this.
If you have seen the baby … knowing Jesus … there is nothing that you will go through that can stop you from having comfort … God power and work comfort.
That is what Jesus … the light for revelation to the Gentiles … promises.
Prayer
