Simeon's Praise

Luke 2:22-39

Simeon’s Praise

Woodlawn Baptist Church

December 11, 2005

Introduction

Children’s Choir Cantata

This morning we have been invited to listen: to listen to the story of a holy child sent to us down from heaven’s glory many years ago. He truly is Immanuel, the Son of God, the Messiah who came to redeem His people from their sins, and it has been such a great joy to hear these kids sing of that wonderful night long ago when the Word of God was made flesh and dwelt among us.

The birth of the Messiah was an event that had been anticipated for hundreds of years as it was foretold through the prophets and in the Scriptures. God had promised a Savior, and as we have heard He gave that Savior in a most magnificent way, but so many people missed it. The reason they missed it was because they were not listening and they were not looking.

The Scriptures tell us though that after the days of Mary’s purification, when Jesus was about 40 days old his parents took Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord and to offer a sacrifice to God as was prescribed in the Law. When they arrived at the temple, they met a man who was awaiting their arrival; a man who had been listening.

The man’s name was Simeon, and verse 25 says that this man was a just and devout man who waited for the consolation of Israel. We are told that the Holy Spirit was upon him as well. To say that he was just and devout is to say that he was holy: a morally upright man who was fully consecrated to God. He was a religious man, and it was his hope to see the Savior, the comfort of Israel.

In fact, verse 26 tells us that this was a sure hope because the Holy Spirit had made a promise to him that before he died he would lay eyes on the Messiah. He wasn’t some old kook who spent all his days wandering around the temple hoping to meet the Savior. He was a man who had studied the Scriptures that told when the Savior would be born, the same Scriptures that the wise men used to know when He would be born, and then, led by the Spirit of God according to verse 27 he waited at the temple for what he knew would occur: the Savior’s parents would bring Him there to offer Him to the Lord.

He wasn’t there because he had special revelation that no one else had – he was there to see the Savior because he had paid attention to what so many others had not taken the time to see. He was there because he listened to the voice that so many others had allowed to be drowned out by the hustle and bustle of life.

That day had finally come, and now in verse 28 Simeon stands in the temple of God, holding the only begotten Son of God, and as he does with great joy he blesses and praises God with these words,

“Lord, now lettest 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.”

Verse 33 says that when Joseph and Mary observed this and heard what he said they marveled, they were amazed at what was happening. But it didn’t end there. Simeon then blessed them and gave this message to Mary,

“Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

After this we don’t know what happened to the old man. We can assume that he faded back into obscurity and died. It is not important really. What is important is for you to hear what he said and for you to know what he knew. There are three things Simeon knew that I want you to consider:

Jesus is God’s Salvation

Without God’s salvation man is in darkness, bound by his sin and condemned to die and spend eternity in a devil’s hell. Jesus said that “he that believeth not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God…he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

The bad news is that you and I were born in spiritual darkness. We were born sinners, condemned to die. “The wages of sin is death,” the Bible says, but the good news, the “gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” He truly is “the light of the world.”