Text: Luke 2:25-33, “And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.”
The singing of Silent Night is over
The time of placing gifts under the tree is over
The time of last minute shopping is over
Already merchants are getting ready for next year, already children are preparing their Christmas list for 2003
This is the week after Christmas
But my text this evening focuses not upon our modern Christmas’ but rather the Christmas of 2000 years ago when the Christ child was born in the town of Bethlehem. Luke and Luke alone provides us a picture of the event. Luke with his prolific pen captures not only the exaltation of the Lord’s birth in a barn but continues to follow the story as Joseph, in strict adherence to local custom and law, relocates Mary and the child to the city of David, the capital of Jewelry, Jerusalem. It is there in Jerusalem that Luke details the “mysterium tremendum”, the mysterious hand of God as it moves once again to fulfill Old Testament prophecy concerning the arrival of the messiah.
This is the subject and context of our textual environment this evening. Allow me to introduce to you the man that the Bible calls Simeon. If there ever was a man who could exemplify waiting on God – it’s Simeon.
He is a temple priest who is called a devout man. He has been waiting on the favor of the Lord – after all he was caught up in that inter-testamental a period along with everyone else of his day. For 400 years, the period between the concluding words of the Old Testament, to the opening of time in the New Testament. The children of Israel had suffered as a political volleyball first from the Syrians and now to the Romans. Over the last 400 years the people of Simeon had seen leadership shift from Mathias Maccabee and his sons, to the Hasmonean Dynasty that had included John Hyrcanus and Aristobulus. In recent years they had watched an Edomite family by the name of Herod marry into the royal lineage and become kings themselves.
Yet in the midst of the political unrest and strife, Simeon and others like him had patiently waited on the Lord to send his favor and true king to the people. Simeon had lived his entire life waiting on God to move just as he said he would.
Through the guerilla fighting of the Maccabees, Simeon waited on God
Through the political maneuverings of Johnathan and Jude, Simeon waited on God
Through the crafty manipulations of politically ambitious families, Simeon waited on God
Through the topsy turvy economy of the Jews, Simeon waited on God
Through the cultural transition from Greek Hellenism to a world dominated and controlled by Roman Caesars, Simeon waited on God
Sometimes saints you have to wait on God through all that you are going through. As we approach these waning moments of 2002 somebody here is waiting on God to move and do just what he has promised to do in their lives.
God has shown favor Simeon. He was a "just" and a "devout"
man. He was a man who was righteous, observing divine laws and he was one who reverenced God and was pious.
It is this same Simeon who lived in the New Testament age but was still under the Old Testament paradigm. Note that the Bible says two things about him. First, he was waiting for the consolation of Israel. He was waiting for the comfort, solace and consolation that only God can bring. Somebody here needs to understand that the world can bring you some pleasure – but there are only some things that God can bring you.
The world can give you advice – but God can give you direction.
The world can give you a high – but God can give you joy.
The world can give you a temporary hug – but God can wrap his arms around you.
The world can give you a few moments of happiness – God can give you joy.
Simeon is waiting for God to send the consolation. The one
prophesied by the Prophets of old. He is waiting for God to send a King, a counselor, a monarch, the consolation, the truth, the way, the light.
He’s waiting for the Old Testament prophecy to move from words into flesh. He’s waiting for the prophetical to become the physical.
Not only is he waiting for the consolation he is also one who is not baptized of the Holy Ghost. He is from the Old Testament anointing of the Spirit, but not in the New Testament church age. In the Old Testament, the Spirit of God would fall on a man or a woman. Matter of fact, David discovered when he shook himself, he wist not that the Spirit of God would have left him. However, those of us in the New Testament age, we are not waiting for the baptism of the Holy Ghost, we HAVE the baptism – we are FILLED with the Spirit; He does not
land and light upon us – we are FILLED with the Spirit. He does not work on the outside; he lives and operates from the Inside.
Simeon has the Holy Ghost on Him. But I’m glad that I have the Holy Ghost on the inside:
I don’t shout because of what’s on the outside, I shout because who’s on the inside.
I don’t shout because of what I feel on the outside, I shout because what I feel on the inside.
I don’t shout because of what I hear on the outside, I shout because of what the Spirit agrees with on the inside of me.
The Holy Speaks to Simeon and says that he won’t see death until you’ve seen the Lord’s Christ. Now, here are some things to ponder. First off, we know from inference that Simeon must have been up in age. However, we don’t really know when he heard this word from the Holy Ghost. But we do know there was some time spent in waiting to see the fulfillment of Israel, but to hear that you won’t die until you see the Christ, that’s good news.
Let me suggest, that today when you meet the Christ:
He’s able to change death from a dying experience to an enter into glory experience.
He’s able to change the perception of death into a glimpse into glory.
He’s able to move you from worrying about this world to rejoicing about the world to come.
And after Christmas – matter of fact, eight days after the birth of Jesus in a manger, his earthen parents, Mary and Joseph carry the child Jesus to the priest Simeon. It’s interesting – he was born in Bethlehem of Judea. But he’s carried to Jerusalem. Now in comparison, Bethlehem would today be considered “country” or “rural” while Jerusalem is urban and “downtown”. This suggests further that Jesus is not just for those in the country, He’s for those in the city as well!
He’s not just for the rich; He’s for the poor too.
He’s not just for the educated; He’s for the uneducated too.
He’s not just for the old; He’s for the young too.
He’s not just for the ones in the know; He’s for the disenfranchised.
He’s not just for the ones in multimillion-dollar homes; He’s for the ones who slept on the sidewalks last night.
They carry him in for the custom of the law – he is brought in for circumcision. The separation of flesh that would unite him with those who came before him: Circumcision was: Instituted by God, enforced by the law, called the covenant of circumcision, called circumcision in the flesh, called concision, it was a painful and bloody rite, it was a seal of the covenant, it was one of the introductory Jewish ordinances, it was an outward sign of inward grace, you needed it to enjoy the privileges of the Jewish State, it was performed on males, on the eighth day, even on the Sabbath day, with knives of flint, by the heads of families, by persons in authority, in the presence of the family, accompanied with naming of the child.
But this day was unusual. As they bring the child to the Temple priest Simeon, and put the child in his possession – he blessed God. The job of the priest at circumcision was to proclaim a blessing upon a child – but how can a priest proclaim a blessing upon someone who is already blessed? His job was to consecrate the child with solemn prayers – but how can a priest consecrate someone who is already blessed? His only option was to eulogeo – to praise or celebrate with praises.
Somebody here needs to understand remembers that at the moment you came to Jesus – the first time when you possessed Jesus and Jesus possessed you – matter of fact, if you haven’t shouted by now, you should think about how HE kept you, from dangers seen and unseen, when you think of all that HE has done for you – and how he kept you and He wouldn’t let go. But when I remember how the devil had me, but now I possess Jesus – you WILL – It’s not an option, you WILL praise God and CELEBRATE with praises.
My brothers and sisters – when you’ve been waiting on God – when you possess the promise – you will praise God and celebrate with praises.
When you’ve been praying for your child and those F’s turn into A’s – you will praise God…
When you’ve been praying for a job and an application turns into employment – you will celebrate with praises…
When you’ve been praying for your health and your doctor’s prognosis turns into God’s healing – you will praise God….
When you’ve been hooked on drugs and messed up and tore up from the floor up and then you give your life to Jesus – you will celebrate with praises…
Simeon realizes that what he’s been waiting for is now in his hand. Can I tell somebody here that favor means that you may have to wait for what you’ve been promised for God – been when you receive it – you should praise God.
I can’t understand how some people can come to church after God gives you what He promised and you sit there and refuse to praise God. It must be understood that when you’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and God comes through – that’s praising God time.
Praising God is not that polite "hummf" and a little Queen Elizabeth wave of the hand. It’s some, I got to make some noise in here, it’s I want to hush my mouth, but I can’t do it.
He says, Lord, let me die in peace. I know that the minute I saw Jesus, the clock started ticking for me. He says mine eyes have seen they salvation. Even before Jesus saw the cross, Simeon saw that he was already the Saviour. Oh my brothers and sisters, before Jesus went to the cross he was already the savior. Before he marched through the streets of Jerusalem, he was already the savior.
My brothers and sisters, if Simeon can bless God with foresight, we should be able to praise God even more in hindsight.
You should be able to bless God when you think about the cross that he carried…
You should be able to shout when you think about the journey up the hill to Calvary….
You should be able to jump for joy when you think about the nails in His hands…
You should be able to weep for joy when you think about him dying from the sixth to the ninth hour…
But praises…..they should come….when you think about that early Sunday morning……He got up with all power in His hand.
But more than that you should praise him when you stop to think about what he has done for you this past year.
Funeral on the day before the New Year!
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