Good morning to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends.
Only three days remain in the very tumultuous year of 2023. I wonder how you summarize what this year has been for you and your family? What do you consider the 5 or 10 most significant events in this year all around the world, and how have those events impacted our world? Maybe here’s an even more important question: How has your spiritual life changed in 2023?
In the weeks and months AFTER the birth of Jesus in the Bethlehem stable, some very significant events occurred and yesterday I left you standing in the large public area of the Jerusalem Temple about 40 days after the birth of Jesus. Hundreds of people and priests would be normally milling around this area and likely we would not have noticed one particular couple carrying a baby, and an old man walking through the crowd. The young couple were, of course, Joseph and Mary, carrying infant Jesus. The old man was named Simeon and he’s described in Luke 2:25 as “…righteous and devout…and the Holy Spirit was upon him.” As far as we know Simeon lived in Jerusalem and came often to the Temple. We have no reason to believe Simeon knew anything about Joseph and Mary or that they had traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem, like so many other people, to register for the Roman census.
Simeon knew nothing about the overcrowded Bethlehem Inn or that Mary gave birth in a stable. Simeon knew nothing about angels in the night sky out over the fields where shepherds were watching their flocks of sheep or that those shepherds had rushed into Bethlehem, found the stable, and been the first people to see the newborn Baby in the manger. While a God honoring man, we can assume Simeon, like almost everyone else, was living his life totally oblivious to what had happened only 6 miles away in Bethlehem a few weeks before.
And then one day it appears Simeon had an irresistible urge, for the record says: ‘moved by the Spirit, Simeon went into the Temple courts.’ I wonder if God called the angels of heaven to watch carefully as the Holy Spirit would lead Simeon to the Temple while Joseph and Mary were at the same time approaching the Temple in Jerusalem, having walked from Bethlehem with infant Jesus in their arms? They didn’t know each other but do you see what the Holy Spirit did?
You’ve been in large crowds, and so have I, so it shouldn’t be difficult for us to imagine Joseph and Mary walking through the crowd in the Temple courts wondering which priest they should approach for the consecration of Mary’s infant son? They didn’t have an appointment! And then they saw him… an old man, slowly coming toward them through the crowd, being greeted by many people who admired him.
But look at old Simeon, despite the people reaching to him, asking to shake his hand, he is not distracted, his gaze is fixed straight ahead at the young girl carrying an infant in her arms, and the man next to her with two pigeons in his hand. The old man’s eyes are growing wider, a smile coming onto his face, now as his arms begin to stretch out toward them. Could it be? Could this be the child Simeon had waited all his life to see? Luke 2:26 says “It had been revealed to Simeon by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the LORD’s Christ (Messiah).”
The Luke 2:27 record says: ‘When Joseph and Mary brought in the child Jesus to do for Him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took the child in his arms and praised God…’ That was a miracle, for what was about to take place would be recorded for all time as the first public recognition of little Jesus as the Jewish Messiah! We have no reason to believe anyone else noticed or overheard what Simeon said as he took baby Jesus into his arms, but Luke 2:29-32 records Simeon’s historic words: “Sovereign LORD as You have promised, dismiss now Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Your people Israel.”
Do you see it my friends? Simeon was clearly praying to Almighty God and claiming the promise the Holy Spirit had given to him, that he would live to see the Messiah and therefore now that he held this Messiah Baby in his arms, he was ready to die in peace. Simeon was reaffirming what the angels had told the shepherds… this Child would be a Savior for all people. Simeon was declaring that this Baby would reveal God’s Truth to Gentiles, as a brilliant light in the darkness. And Simeon was declaring that this Baby would bring the glory of God to the people of Israel, God’s chosen people. What a remarkable prayer of consecration of this Baby Jesus to the glory and service of God Almighty, for all of His earthly life.
Joseph and Mary stood there stunned, hearing Simeon’s words. They had no idea who he was or how he knew anything about Mary’s baby, but his words confirmed what the angels had explained to them about who this Baby was; why they needed to name this baby Jesus; and what the role of this Child would be here on earth. But Simeon wasn’t finished… “Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:34,35)
Oh my! From the exhilaration of Simeon’s first words of consecration to the crushing prediction of great pain in Simeon’s last words. But if you know the story of Jesus you know Simeon’s words were true. Many highly revered religious leaders were found to have hard, prideful hearts and they opposed Jesus, eventually calling for His death, even though their roles in Israel were to be holy men helping the people prepare for and recognize God’s Messiah. And yes sadly, dear Mary’s heart would be broken, many times in her life, as she watched people reject and abuse her son Jesus.
Once again, I invite us to pause and ponder what we’ve seen and heard today. While unnamed shepherds had come to the stable telling Joseph and Mary what the angels had told them only an hour or two before; Simeon had been waiting his whole life for this encounter. He had prayed often and studied the Scripture Scrolls to learn all he could about this Messiah.
The Holy Spirit had promised Simeon he’d see the Child one day, and on this day the Holy Spirit had guided Simeon to the Temple and to Joseph & Mary for this profound moment of public proclamation of WHO this Baby is! How do you think this encounter impacted Joseph and Mary and their understanding of their role for the rest of their lives?
With only a few days left in ’23, could it be that God has some special encounters for you and me in these next days? Are we sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading so we won’t miss it? Are we ready for what God might say to us?
Here’s a worship song to help us consider that, my friends, and I’ll meet you right back here tomorrow to see what happened next…
Today’s Scripture is Luke 2:25-35.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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