Grand Exits

2nd Sunday after Christmas 2006

Luke 2:25-32

Luke 2:25 And behold, 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 he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 "Now Lord, Thou dost let Thy bond-servant depart In peace, according to Thy word; 30 For my eyes have seen Thy salvation, 31 Which Thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 A light of revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Thy people Israel."

 Life does change through the years.  I think about how things were about thirty years ago when people my age where just entering their college years. The year was 1976 and if you contrast that year with our current year of 2006 you might be surprised.  In 1976 we were into long hair.  In 2006 some of us are simply longing for hair, period.  In 1976 my brothers listened to acid rock.  In 2006 they have acid reflux.  In 1976 people wanted to move to California because it was cool.  Now they want to move there because it’s warm.  In 1976 we tried to look like Marlon Brando or Elizabeth Taylor.  In 2006 we are trying not to look like Marlon Brando or Elizabeth Taylor.  In 1976 life consisted of going to a new, hip joint.  Now it is receiving a new hip joint.  In 1976 it was Rolling Stones.  Now it is Kidney stones.  Back then our parents begged us to cut our hair.  Now the kids beg to have their heads shaved.  In 1976 the goal for many was passing the driving test.  In 2006 it is passing the vision test.  And in 1976 the problem with gas was that it was 40 cents per gallon.  In 2006 the problem with gas is that “Beano” costs $2.49 a bottle.

            And if you feel just a little old from hearing some of these things you can begin to get a bit discouraged.  And I wonder that doesn't also happen to us spiritually as well.  Sometimes we look back on the early days of our faith when things seem to burn so brightly within us and there existed a love of God that was hard to ignore inside of our hearts.   Reading the Bible involved so many first time discoveries for us.  We were really getting to know the Savior and hearing of all those promises of God.  But the years have gone by.  We’re not sprinting anymore right out of the spiritual gate - we’re running that long quiet marathon race now.  The spice of baptism that ignited faith’s rocket has been replaced by a quiet and steady love for God that consists more of a meat and potatoes diet.  It’s nutritious and providing.  But then you kind of miss the good old days.  Or maybe it is worse as now the years have taken their spiritual toll; the days of innocence have been crushed by the realities of the world in which we live.  Faith might even be waning or fading and the voice of God has been a long time in coming to your ears.

            Maybe Simeon of our text felt that way too.  He was like us in a lot of ways.  He was righteous and devout - so are you.  He had the presence of God the Holy Spirit in his life.  So do you.  He could regularly be found in the House of God.  That is where you are today and you are faithful worshipers who have come regularly to worship.  But I wonder if perhaps for Simeon things ever got routine.  God had promised him that he would see the Christ before he died.

            But how long did Simeon wait for the promise to be fulfilled?  Was it a year, five years, ten years or maybe twenty? Maybe he waited his whole lifetime. We don't know because the Scripture doesn't tell us.            

What Scripture does tell us in St. Luke is this, “Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout.”  In the verses before our text, Luke tells us why Joseph and Mary were in Jerusalem.  They had brought the forty-day-old Jesus to the temple to present Him to God and to offer sacrifices for Him, all in keeping the requirements of Levitical Law. Here is the Christ child, truly man and truly God, a sinless child, a righteous and devout child, yet His parents offer a sin sacrifice for Him, a pair of turtledoves.  Did they understand who He was? Not yet. But this was all part of God's plan, part of the humility of Christ. St. Paul would later write of Jesus: "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Amazingly, Luke calls Simeon “righteous and devout.”  But how can this be?  Doesn’t God’s word clearly state, “There is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:3)?  Of course, it does.  Simeon recognized that he was a sinner.  Guided by the Holy Spirit he confesses his sin, repents of it, and to looks to God alone for his salvation.  In fact, he was in the temple at this very moment waiting to see salvation made flesh, salvation personified, that is the Savior, Jesus Christ.  His obedience to the law flowed out of a spirit of thankfulness to God.  He was simply expressing his gratitude for the gracious gift of his salvation, as he understood it from Scripture.  That's why Luke says that he is “righteous and devout.” His righteousness was not out of his own hands but by the word, the promise, given to him by God.

“Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel.”  Like other devout people of his day, he was waiting for the long-promised Messiah to make His appearance.  Simeon knew his Bible.  He knew the many prophecies concerning the Christ.  His whole life was one of patient waiting and was grounded in the promises of God.  Simeon was eager for the arrival of God’s promised one, the Messiah the object of his love and faith.

Luke goes on to tell us about Simeon, “The Holy Spirit was upon him.  It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.”  Simeon was not a young man; he had waited such a long time for God to keep his promise. You see Simeon was a man of great faith and assurance.  He didn't fear death; no he saw it as the way to be with the Lord. He desired to die. Yet, during all this waiting, he didn't stop being devout. Daily he went to the Temple to study God's Word to pray and to worship. He fed the faith within.  

The same is true for us today.  God has given us this same confidence.  We, too, are waiting to see our Savior.  As Simeon was assured that he would see the Christ Child before he died, he continue to experience great joy while waiting for God’s promise to be fulfilled. So also we can rejoice and be glad, in the same manner. By coming to God's house to hear His word, to pray, and to worship. Patiently waiting until we see God face to face in all his glory in heaven.  God has given us that type of confidence.  With Paul we can confess, “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day” (2 Timothy 1:12). 

Dear fellow redeemed, there is great joy to be found in waiting for the Lord.  Simeon found it in waiting for the first coming of his Savior.  We find it in waiting for his second coming, knowing all along that, come what may, we are safe, snug, and secure in his almighty and all-merciful arms.  His promise, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5),  for He is always with us.  And His assurance, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27), this will never change.  Let us rejoice in the certainty of our salvation.  There is joy, great joy in waiting for the Lord.      

         But there are days when it is easy to get discouraged or frightened as an individual.  Are the promises of God still standing firm in your heart or are you beginning to wonder?  Is the waiting starting to wear on you?  As I said before, I don’t know how long Simeon waited or what he felt like before he held the little Lord Jesus in his arms.  That is speculation.  But I do know how he felt afterward.  He knew that the Lord kept His promises.  He wasn’t afraid to die.  He had peace in his heart.  His eyes had seen salvation. He said: "Sovereign Lord now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word, For mine eyes have see 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." He saw the light again and knew that it was for all people, Gentiles and those of Israel.

As we consider this song, we note, first of all, that it is a song of humility; Simeon calls God “Sovereign Lord,” and himself God’s “servant.” He expresses that he is ready to die.  He is ready to depart in peace.  His joy is complete and his waiting full.  He has seen his salvation.  Now he is ready to be dismissed by God from his earthly service—not as a punishment for unfaithfulness, but as a reward of grace for his faithfulness to the end; not according to his good pleasure, but according to the pleasure and will of God.

What a picture Simeon’s words paint for us when it comes to submitting ourselves to God’s plan for our lives!  As such, it is a song of acceptance.  God is our Lord, our Master.  As the psalmist confesses, “My times are in your hands” (Psalm 31:15). How we must learn to pray with Jesus in humble submission, “Father, not my will, but Thy will be done,” leaving everything to his good and gracious will.

          This is especially true when it comes time for us to die.  When God determines that our time of service in his kingdom here on earth has been completed, then we, like Simeon, are ready to depart—not to death in the real sense of death, eternal death and hell, but to life, eternal life in heaven.  Death for the child of God is nothing more than the doorway through which we enter into our eternal home in heaven.  For “blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on” (Revelation 14:13).

What joy will be ours be on the Last Day! We will join with all of God’s people of every nation under heaven and sing our alleluias and songs of praise before his throne forever.  We, who have waited patiently and joyfully for so long, will then experience a perfect and never-ending joy in heaven.  We, like Simeon, will see with our own eyes our eternal salvation.  Fellow believers in Christ, we rejoice that there is nothing uncertain about this salvation.