Taught 12/6/2009
Luke 2:25-35
The Contentment of Simeon
Would you open your Bibles to...
Luke 2:25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
Luke 2:26 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.
Pray
Intro
√ The Contentment of Simeon
I feel led this year to break away from our study of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians and use the weeks leading up to Christmas to do a series of topical studies centered around the birth of Jesus.
Of course December is always filled with great anticipation as we look forward to our celebration of Christmas.
Time with family and friends.
The excitement of giving and receiving gifts.
Time off from work and school!
It probably won’t surprise you then that the first Christmas was also proceeded with great anticipation!
Certainly not by the vast majority of people living at the time of Jesus’ birth…
…but there were a small number of people who looked forward with great anticipation for God to fulfill His promise to give the world a Savior!
So, we’re going to review the lives of two people recorded in the New Testament who were looking for Messiah, and what we might learn from their anticipation of the birth of Christ.
Today we’ll look at a man, Simeon.
Next week we’ll study a woman, by the name of Anna.
Both were well advanced in age so in addition to the lessons that we will learn from their lives I hope that they are also an encouragement to those of you who are older…
…that even though you may not have the strength and stamina you once did that God can still use you in powerful ways!
The Contentment of Simeon
√ The contentment of Simeon
It seems that half the fun of Christmas is looking forward to it!
By way of example I remember when I was little spending hours with my brothers pouring over the Sears Catalog in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
We dog-eared the pages with the newest GI Joe action figures, and circled with pen the toys that we wanted.
We talked endlessly about the toys we wish we could have, but knew were beyond the means of our parents to purchase.
And with each passing day as the calendar marched ever so slowly toward December 25th the anticipation and excitement of Christmas grew in our little hearts.
Then the night before Christmas when all through the house not a creature was supposed to be stirring…
…the four Lester boys waited patiently for the adults to fall asleep and then with Cherokee-like skill stole down the stairs with our blankets and pillows to sleep around the Christmas tree so that we’d be ready at first light to open our gifts!
√ Anticipation
That was the fun of Christmas as a child ~ anticipating Christmas morning and what waited for us under the tree.
Today the excitement and anticipation isn’t so much in the getting of gifts as it is in the giving of gifts!
I look forward to watching my wife and kids open their gifts and the surprised looks on their faces when they open the gifts I’ve selected for them.
Anticipation intensifies our feelings about events, whether it be…
Christmas day
Marriage
Birth of a child
New job or ministry opportunity
Move to a new area
So, perhaps you’ve found as I have that much of the excitement and joy in Christmas is found in the anticipation of the day.
√ Not content
But, to my shame I remember a few Christmas mornings that brought disappointment rather than contentment.
Because instead of the cool Phantom Jet for my GI Joe that I had been anticipating for weeks…
…all I got was a bag of new socks, a pair of jeans and some colored tee shirts.
Oh there were some toys too, but not the one I wanted!
So, what was supposed to be a day of celebration and joy was instead for me one of dark disappointment.
And the kind words of my grandpa who tried his best to console me, reminding me that I should be grateful for the many gifts I had received…
…only made me feel worse because although I knew he was right, I was too self-centered to care.
The truth is that unrealistic or self-centered expectations never produce contentment.
Ap. Content all year long
So, we look this morning at the example of a man who had right expectations.
Who found contentment by anticipating the fulfillment of God’s promises…
…promises greater than any gift or experience we might wish or hope for ourselves.
As we do may we realign our own expectations for our Christmas celebration around the Person of Jesus so that we might enjoy the contentment of Simeon all year long.
His life of Devotion (vs. 25)
Luke 2:25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
√ His life of devotion
Interestingly Luke is the only Gospel writer who includes an account of Jesus’ dedication at the Temple and the people who made that day even more significant to Joseph and Mary.
The first person that Luke introduces us to is man by the name of Simeon.
He only gets 11 verses in the whole Bible, yet they speak volumes about his great faith and contentment.
Four things characterize his life that will be of value to us in our own pursuit of contentment, Luke tells us that he was…
Just (or righteous)
Devout
Waiting for the Consolation of Israel
The Holy Spirit was upon him
Each speak of a life of devotion to God that produces lasting contentment.
Just
Some of your Bibles may substitute “righteous” for the word “just” in vs. 25, both are accurate translations of the Greek.
In the broadest sense of the word it speaks of a life that is fair, holy, and innocent of violating God’s laws.
But perhaps a better way to understand the word so that we might apply it to our own lives would be to say that it speaks of someone who is committed to living life on God’s terms…
…instead of on his or her own!
That is, when presented with a choice or decision the just or righteous person, will chose God’s will over his or her own desires!
Simeon was a man who lived in the center of God’s will for his life!
Devout
This word speaks of a person who thinks so highly of God that his or her every decision and action is done with the goal of honoring God.
Another way to think of it would be that a devout person is one who is more concerned with how their life reflects upon God…
…than with what other people may think of them.
In other words, their life is God-centered vs. self-centered!
Waiting for the Consolation of Israel
The “consolation of Israel” is a reference to the future coming of Messiah.
The time when the Messiah will rule and reign over Israel and restore the nation to the prominence God intended it to have in the world.
While most people, especially the elderly, like to dwell in the past longing for the “good ole days”…
…Simeon was fixated on the future because he knew that God’s plans and promises were better than anything he had experienced in life.
The Holy Spirit was upon him
This characteristic of Simeon’s life should really grab your attention!
The reason, because it wasn’t until Pentecost after Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension that the Holy Spirit came upon believers!
That is, Simeon was still living under the Old Covenant because Jesus had not yet instituted the New!
Under the Old Covenant it is very rare that you find a person upon whom the Holy Spirit rested, and then often only for some specific service like delivering Israel from her enemies.
So, the fact that the Holy Spirit was upon Simeon is significant because it communicates that he was a man totally surrendered to the Lord!
Ap. The content life
The secret of enjoying lasting contentment in life is to live as Simeon did…
Just (or righteous)
Devout
Waiting for the Consolation of Israel (the Kingdom Age)
Covered up with the Holy Spirit
Before you dismiss that kind of life as impossible for someone like you may I remind you that you have something that Simeon didn’t!
The Person of the Holy Spirit living within you!
That means you have access to all the creative power of the God who spoke the worlds into existence!
That you have God’s favor and His promise to transform you into a new creation and make your life one of devotion unto God.
All you have to do is ask Him to do it.
If you want to experience contentment this Christmas then ask God to change you so that your expectations are aligned with His…
…rather than the worlds.
His Thrill of Hope (vs. 26)
Luke 2:26 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 thrill of hope
Hope can be a dangerous proposition because it is often based on optimistic, but unrealistic, wishes rather than the solid Biblical truths.
Even Christians often experience harsh disappointments in life when their hopes are placed on wrong expectations.
For example, the Christian who hopes for an easy carefree life is bound to be disappointed because Jesus never promised that.
He promised to get us through the troubles and trials of life, but He never promised we’d be immune to them!
So, some people are even afraid to hope for anything different or better because they’ve had their hopes crushed so often.
But not Simeon! His hope wasn’t based on misguided desires or sentimental feelings his hope was based on the Word of God, note vs. 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.”
There’s the secret to a hope that doesn’t disappoint! Hope in God’s sure word, which will always come to pass.
Specifically, what you’ll find from cover to cover in the Bible is that hope, real hope…
…is always attached to Jesus!
From the first prophecy in Genesis that promised a Savior, to the last prophecy in the Revelation that speaks of Jesus’ 2nd Advent…
…all of God’s promises upon which we can confidently hope are wrapped up in Jesus!
So it was in Simeon’s life, his hope was placed on God’s promise that he would see the Christ-Child before he died.
He spent his days in the Temple courts awaiting God’s promise and living in anticipation of the he would see the Messiah!
Each morning as he made his way to the Temple there was a thrill in his heart wondering if today would be the day that God fulfilled His promise.
Ap. The thrill of hope
Did you know that there are more than twice as many promises in the Bible about Jesus’ 2nd Advent as there are about His 1st!
Since God was faithful to fulfill His promise to send the Christmas Child we can certainly trust then that He will bring to pass His promise to send Jesus back!
That hope should bring a thrill to each day that we live! Waking up every morning in the hope that this could be the day we see Jesus face to face!
“Some day the silver cord will break,
And I no more as now shall sing;
But, oh, the joy when I shall wake,
Within the palace of the King!
And I shall see Him face to face,
And tell the story ~ saved by Grace.”
Fanny Crosby
His Satisfied Heart (vs. 27-32)
Luke 2:27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law,
Luke 2:28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:
Luke 2:29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
Luke 2:30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation
Luke 2:31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
Luke 2:32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
√ His satisfied heart
Satisfaction, like Mick Jagger once sang, is hard to find in this Fallen World.
It seems that no matter how wonderful an experience we have, or accomplishment we achieve, or possession we finally obtain it’s never enough to bring lasting satisfaction.
In fact, one of the main purposes for which God inspired Solomon to write the Ecclesiastes was to show that even if a person could have all that this world has to offer that they would never be satisfied!
Thus he writes…
“Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.” ~ Ecc. 2:17
That’s because everything in this world…
Possessions
Relationships
Achievements
Pleasures
…are all tainted by sin.
Robbing us of real and lasting satisfaction.
Yet, so many of us still vainly believe that with one more possession, just a little more money, or a new partner, we’ll find satisfaction in this life.
The reality is that we will never find true and lasting satisfaction in the things of this world.
But, as we see in our text this morning Simeon found that satisfaction which brought true contentment evidenced by the fact that he was ready for eternity!
His satisfaction came from his experience with Jesus!
The same Jesus who would later declare…
“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” ~ John 10:10
Simeon was one of the first to experience that abundant life and it all came from meeting Jesus.
Ap. Satisfaction
One of the great disappointments of Christmas morning is that so often our hopes and expectations are not met.
The gift we longed for wasn’t under the tree.
The prodigal son we hoped would find his way home at Christmas never called.
Conversations around the dinner table turn to political arguments instead of toward Christ the King.
All of which produce a hollow feeling in our heart because our celebration of Christ’s birth fell short of our dreams.
Well, you can have satisfaction this Christmas by following Simeon’s example…
…by figuratively taking Christ up in our arms and looking long at His glory!
Take time to re-read the Christmas story and rejoice with Simeon that God’s promise to Mankind really did come to pass with the birth of Jesus just over 2,000 years ago!
Remember, Christmas isn’t some made-up holiday it is the celebration of a real event that has changed the course of history and opened the door by which we can have peace with God.
His Sober Announcement (vs. 33-35)
Luke 2:33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him.
Luke 2:34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against.
Luke 2:35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
√ His sober announcement
Up to this point I can just imagine how excited Joseph and Mary must have been about all that this man of God had said about their little boy.
Affirming what the Angel had already told them, that this baby was not like any other for He was in fact the Messiah…
…the son of God!
But, Simeon’s last prophetic word to Mary must have shook her heart and spoiled her joy.
For he predicts a time when Mary’s joy would turn to sorrow.
A time when her own heart would be pierced by grief.
Reminding us that with all the joyful celebration of the birth of our Savior that it was only the beginning of the process by which Jesus would redeem us.
That He was born for one purpose…
…to die in our place on a cruel Roman Cross that our sins might be paid for.
While movies like “The Passion” give us some idea of just how awful that day was when Jesus was crucified…
…we can’t really fathom the depth of pain Mary went through as she watched her precious Son die in agony.
So, Mary’s soul would be pierced by the sword of grief as she watched her son pay the price for her own sin!
Yet there is hope in Simeon’s sober announcement to Mary for out the grief and pain of the Crucifixion came our freedom from sin and death!
Ap. Do you trust the Lord?
Christians are often surprised when what we perceive as bad news knocks on our door.
Like Mary we may find it difficult to grasp how God could allow such tragedy in our lives.
Yet, with time we’ll discover as Mary did that all of God’s plans work out for our good!
As the psalmist reveals in his description of the Cross…
“This is the day the LORD has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.” ~ Psalm 118:24
Our part is to simply trust the Lord believing that even bad news, when it is from the Lord…
…will one day turn out to be great news when we see it from His perspective.
Close
√ The contentment of Simeon
What of our Christmas?
Does our celebration foster gratitude and contentment…
…or disappointment?
Is it marked by the drive to possess…
…or the quiet peace of knowing that you belong to Jesus and He is yours forever?
The spirit of the world pulls at us and draws us toward consumption, especially at Christmas time.
But Simeon’s life reminds us that there is more to life than just having more.
There is Christ and His promise of contentment through a personal relationship with the One who made you!
Jesus promised…
“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” ~ Heb. 13:5
May our Christmas celebration be defined by the unique contentment that comes only from knowing Him.