Simeon and Anna - 31 Dec 2017

“How Long Must I Wait?”

Luke 2: 22-40 (Post-Advent Message at SBC, Sligo IE)

31 December 2017

INTRODUCTION:

U.S. Navy Captain Howard E. Rutledge became a prisoner of war on November 28^th, 1965, when his carrier-based Vought F-8E “Crusader” was shot down over North Vietnam. He remained a prisoner of war for the next seven years in Communist prison camps. During those agonizing lonely years his wife, Phyllis, waited for him to return, not knowing if her husband was dead or alive. All she could do was wait and pray and trust in God’s mercy and faithfulness. Then, miraculously, on February 12^th, 1973 Captain Rutledge was released and sent home. I will never forget watching the TV news as I saw he and his wife reunited. All those years of waiting were fulfilled in that moment!

Our text for today contains a similar account. It is found in Luke 2:25-35 in the story of Simeon. It is part of Luke’s narrative of the events following the birth of Jesus.

TRANSITION:

I do not know about you, but I am not good at waiting. I am an impatient man. I do not like to waste time. I get nervous when I must wait in a queue. Often it seems like the other line is moving faster so I grow even more impatient. I like to get in, get my business done, and get out.

I remember how as a young boy I would agonize over every day leading up to Christmas, wanting the day to finally arrive so that I could open my presents. My mother would tell me that waiting was half the fun, but I did not see it that way.

And growing up I always longed to be older, thinking that the grass would be greener on the other side of my next birthday. Again, my wise mother would tell me, “Son, don’t wish your life away. Enjoy these years while you have them because you will be an adult for a very long time.” And she was right, of course. But waiting for something good to happen is hard.

MAIN BODY:

Forty days after the birth of the baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph took the child to the Temple in Jerusalem to dedicate Him to the Lord after the Jewish practice (cf. Exodus 13:2-12). As they walked into the Temple they were met by an old man whose name was Simeon. Apparently, he had been waiting for them, looking for them. But who was he? Why was he so interested in their child? Let me read the story to you: Luke 2:22ff.

²² And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” ²⁵ And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷ And he came in the Spirit into the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, ²⁸ then [Simeon] took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, ²⁹ “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; ³⁰ For my eyes have seen Your salvation, ³¹ which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, ³² a Light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” ³³ And [Jesus’] father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. ³⁴ And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— ³⁵ and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

This is one of the most beautiful, emotion-filled accounts in all of Scripture, for here we see a man’s greatest hope fulfilled in a moment of time. Here we see a faithful servant of God being rewarded for his obedience and devotion to the Master. 

Let’s unpack this text and look at some of the highlights.

Verses 25-27: And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.  

·         His name, Simeon (שמעון), in Hebrew means, “He who hears.” I think that is certainly appropriate because Simeon had his ears tuned to hear from God.

·         “…righteous and devout” The word righteous refers to Simeon’s character in the eyes of other people. It speaks of his horizontal relationships, i.e. his attitude toward men and their attitude toward him. He was right with men, without prejudice or partiality. He was blameless in reputation and open and honest in his dealings. His conduct matched his profession.

·         “devout” The Greek word is eulabés (εὐλαβής) from the verb, eulambáno (εὐλαμβάνω) and literally means “to take hold well, to hold fast.” This word describes Simeon’s attitude toward God. He was devout, right with God. He was conscious of his relationship with God and consistently sought to deepen that relationship. This speaks of giving time and attention to maintaining his spiritual life, which takes effort. Simeon had God as the priority in his life. He was faithful in prayer, in the study of the Word, in giving, in worship, etc.

·         “…looking for the consolation of Israel…” This term refers specifically to the coming of Messiah. Throughout their history, the people of Israel had suffered greatly, both for their own sin and because of the oppression of others. Their land was frequently overrun by foreign powers who knew the strategic significance of Palestine, which connected Africa, Europe, and Asia. They suffered under slavery in Egypt and endured the troubles of exile. In short, they were a people in desperate need of consolation and comfort—the kind of permanent comfort that could come only when the Son of David would arrive to guard them and to provide for the forgiveness of their sin (Isa. 40:1–2; 53; Amos 9:11–15). Simeon spent his life waiting for this consolation, for the Messiah to come and redeem His people.

·         “…the Holy Spirit was upon him ²⁶ and it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷ And he came in the Spirit into the Temple…” This is very similar to what we saw back in 1:41 where it says, “Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” And here, three times the text speaks of the Holy Spirit either speaking to or otherwise directing Simeon. We see the Holy Spirit coming upon Simeon and revealing certain things to him, specifically, God’s unique promise that Simeon would not die before he saw the Christ, the Messiah, with his own eyes. This tells me that Simeon was deep into God, and the Spirit of the Lord was deep into him.

·         “…that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. The word “Christ” is the equivalent from Greek of the Hebrew word “Messiah.” Both words mean, “the Anointed One” and always refer to the promised Messiah who would come to save His people from their sins. Now, when he was an old man, this promise was finally fulfilled for Simeon, and he marveled at the glory of God in the face of the infant Christ. Thus, he was now prepared to die and meet His Creator.

Verses 27-28: “…and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, ²⁸ then [Simeon] took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said…

·         Someone might say, “You mean to tell me that Mary and Joseph just handed their new baby over to some old guy that they didn’t even know?” Yes, that is exactly what they did. But I think they saw something in his face, in his eyes, in his respectful demeanor that told them that this old man was not crazy, or a threat, but was someone special they could trust.

·         In my mind’s eye I can see Simeon gently holding the Christ Child in his arms, and with his eyes lifted to Heaven and with tears running down his wrinkled old face he blessed God and gave thanks that he was seeing this gift from God with his own eyes.

Verses 29-32: “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; ³⁰ for my eyes have seen Your salvation, ³¹ which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, ³² a Light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”

·         In Latin liturgy this canticle, this song of praise is called the Nunc Dimittis from the first words of verse 29, and it means “Now you dismiss.” Simeon’s life had now reach its zenith and he was ready to depart for Heaven. For him no other human experience could compare with this one. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time and now it had finally come, and he was ready to go “home” in peace, just like the Lord had promised him.

·         “…for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples.” This baby he was holding in his arms was the Saviour of the world, the One that God had promised long ages ago through the prophets. He would save His people. He would be the instrument of God’s salvation and the restoration of Israel.

·         ”…a Light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”  The life of this Child would have far-reaching influence. As the Christ He would offer salvation not only to the Jews but to the whole world. In fulfillment of the prophecies, this little baby they held in their arms would become the Saviour of the nations.

Verse 33: And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him.

·         Put yourself in their place for a moment. They must have been awestruck to hear such words spoken about their little baby boy. Even though they had both been visited by angelic messengers who told them that their Child would be special, the significance of this, the enormity of it, still alluded them. But little by little they are coming to appreciate the honor and responsibility that had been thrust upon them.

Verse 34: And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—"

·         Jesus is the watershed of all human history. We mark time itself by what came before Him, and what came after Him. The eternal destiny of every man, woman, and child is determined by what they do with Jesus—whether they accept Him or reject Him. That decision determines where every one of us will spend eternity—those who trust in Him for their salvation will be with Him forever in Heaven, but those who ignore or reject Him will spend eternity separated from Him in Hell.

·         “…and for a sign to be opposed…” Jesus drew criticism and hatred like a lightning-rod. Some loved Him, but the majority hated Him. And it is still the same today. If you want to start an argument in any gathering, large or small, all you have to do is mention His name and people will start taking up sides.

Verse 35: “…and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

·         This was a personal prophetic word to Mary and Joseph. The Lord, through His servant, Simeon, was warning the earthly parents of Jesus that they would not escape unscathed. His life and eventual death would bring pain to their own souls in ways that they could not even imagine.

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But Simeon was not the only person in the Temple that day who had been looking for the coming of the Messiah. There apparently was a whole group of them, one of whom was an elderly widow lady by the name of Anna, who must have been standing there to the side listening to all that Simeon had said about the baby. Listen as I read it to you:

³⁶ And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. ³⁸ At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. ³⁹ When [Mary and Joseph] had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

Verses 36-37: “And there was a prophetess, Anna…She was advanced in years…She never left the Temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.”

·         This 84-year-old widow lady had dedicated he life to serving the Lord. After her husband died she invested her efforts in serving in the Temple. But she was more than that. The Bible says that she was a “prophetess.” What does that mean? It means that she had a similar gift to Simeon’s. She could see and interpret things that others could not. God gave he special insights into present and future events so that she could share these things with God’s people in order to strengthen their faith and spur them to even greater dedication to God.

·         Anna, like Simeon, was at home in the Lord’s House. She served there day and night, praying, worshiping, and helping others who came into the Temple.

Verse 38: At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of [Jesus] to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. The text does not tell us if she too held the baby in her arms like Simeon did, but I believe she probably did. And her first words were joyous expressions of thanksgiving to God for this Child and the honor of seeing Him with her own eyes. And she was not quiet about it either! She joyfully shared the news with the others present there who, like her, had been waiting for the appearing of the Messiah who would be the “Consolation of Israel” and “the Redeemer of Jerusalem.”

But what was it to which people like Simeon and Anna fixed their hope?  What was it that they believed in that kept them going generation after generation, waiting and watching for the object of that hope?  FIRST, they believed in God Himself.  They had come to know that God is good, and that He is always faithful. They trusted in His character as a loving Heavenly Father.  SECONDLY, they trusted in His promises.  Notice that No. 2 grows directly out of No. 1. They trusted His promises because of what they knew about His character. 

I can give you a personal example. For 20+ years before coming to Ireland I took my cars to Bill Murray at Master Mechanics Car Service for upkeep and repairs. I started taking my cars there when I first became pastor of Sellwood Baptist Church in June of 1994. Bill Murray, the owner and chief mechanic, became my friend. I know him. I trust him. Bill never cheated me or did me wrong. So, when Bill would tell me that I needed to pay to repair a leaky head gasket, even though I did not like having to spend the money, I believed him and took his advice. He had earned my trust and my business. Because I trusted his character, I had confidence to trust his word. That is exactly how I feel about God too.

CONCLUSION:

LOVE is one of the central themes of Christmas. It was love that sent Christ Himself to earth to be born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem, to live among us as one of us for 33 years, and then to die for all of us at Calvary. It was God’s love for you and me that caused Him to choose to redeem us rather than simply condemn us. Because of His mercy He chose not to give us what we deserve, but rather, to offer us what we could never merit—grace, and forgiveness, and a way to come to Him through the cross of Calvary.

My friend, if you have never turned your heart and life over to Christ, I plead with you to do it today, while you have this opportunity! Do not put it off again. Do not leave this place without doing business with Him. Confess to Him that you are a sinner. Ask Him to forgive you and cleanse you completely. Trust Him today. Let His love not only surround you, but fill you as well. That is the Christmas gift Jesus came to give to you. However, there is only one gift that Jesus wants from you today. He wants you to come to Him, and in simple faith, to believe in Him and receive the gift of life that He died to provide for you. If you would like to ask Him into your life today, repeat this prayer with me, quietly in your heart to God:

Father God, I believe that Jesus came and died on the cross in my place. I believe that He shed His blood for me. But Lord, I know that I have sinned against You many times, in many ways. Please forgive me. Come into my life, into my heart, and cleanse me from my sin. In this moment, the best way I know how, I turn my life completely over to You. Make me Your child. Put Your Spirit in me so that I can learn to live in a way that is honoring and pleasing to You. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for saving me. Thank You for Christmas! In Jesus’ name, Amen.