Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Have you ever had the experience of meeting someone for the first time who knew a great deal about you and had obviously been anxiously awaiting the opportunity to meet you, but for you it was a total surprise, and you knew nothing about them? That is where I left you yesterday, standing in the great Temple in Jerusalem about 5bc. Joseph and Mary had brought infant Jesus, only 41 days since His birth, for the purpose of consecrating Him to the Lord, as prescribed by the ancient laws given by God in the days of Moses! (Ex. 13) Standing before them was an old man. They didn’t know him but obviously he knew them and was reaching out his arms to hold baby Jesus. He had a look of great joy, fulfillment and anticipation in his eyes. In fact, if you look closely, his eyes are wet with tears. Mary carefully hands her baby over to a man she doesn’t know but she feels a deep confidence it is the right thing to do in this historic moment.
Luke 2:22-37 gives us the story. The old man is named Simeon, and the Scriptures tell us only this about him: “Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, who was righteous and devout… It had been revealed to Simeon, by the Holy Spirit, that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Move by the Spirit he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus… Simeon took Him in his arms and praised God saying: ‘Sovereign LORD, as You have promised, now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared in the sight of all nations, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel.”
Look at Mary and Joseph standing there stunned as they stare at a man they’ve never seen before, holding infant Jesus, praying amazing, remarkable things over Him. The only other people Joseph and Mary had met who seemed to have any idea who this child is, were unnamed shepherds who came in from the fields that night saying that angels had appeared to them and explained who the baby was and where they could find Him. But this old man said nothing of angels, yet he prayed as though he knew everything about them and their situation.
My friends, do you see the similarity between what Simeon prayed and what the angels had told everyone in the Christmas story whom they had met thus far? Joseph, Mary, Zechariah and the shepherds had all been told this child Jesus was the Savior of the world and was the long-awaited Messiah for the people of Israel. But how did Simeon know that, Joseph and Mary wondered?
But before they could ask any questions, Simeon prayed a blessing over them and then said this directly to Mary: “This child is destined to cause the rising and falling 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) While Mary marveled at what Simeon said, we have no record of what she thought or if she spoke. What we do know is that during the life of Jesus many people who were viewed as significant leaders experienced their reputation destroyed because of their response to Jesus. King Herod, Pilate, Judas Iscariot, Caiaphas the High Priest to name a few. While others who were seemingly insignificant are well known names 2000 years later and they have clear and important roles in human history. Examples would be the disciples of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Joseph, Mary, Elizabeth, and Zechariah. And isn’t it true the deep thoughts of people were revealed as they responded to Jesus? John chapter 8 is all about that!
But what do you suppose Simeon meant when he said to Mary “And a sword will pierce your own soul too”? We have no record of Mary being stabbed by a sword or spear or bayonet. Oh my friends, I am fairly confident each and all of us have had the experience of a broken heart, a piercing of our souls by harsh words or even lies spoken; or rejection by those we love or abandonment by those we thought loved us. From the first time Mary shared the news of her pregnancy with anyone other than Elizabaeth, her heart was pierced by the rejection and criticism and distrust of everyone who heard the story. Repeatedly during the adult life and ministry of Jesus He was doubted, even mocked and both His motives and His identity questioned by many, especially the religious elite. The ultimate breaking of Mary’s heart, of course, were the events of that Passover weekend when Jesus was arrested, falsely accused, mocked, brutalized and crucified.
We have no record that Simeon said anything more, for the Scripture record tells us their conversation was interrupted by another old person, this time a woman named Anna, a widow who had spent many years of her life there at the temple praying, worshiping and serving however God led her to serve. Here’s how Luke describes what happened in that moment: “Coming up to them at that very moment, Anna gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:36-38) That’s all Luke tells us, and no other author of Scripture mentions this dear woman nor this event, but we can assume the Holy Spirit calmed Mary’s troubled heart with these kind and assuring words about infant Jesus.
Joseph had brought two young pigeons required for their consecration offering that day. We presume Simeon led them to the large altar of burnt offerings in the great Temple courtyard, and there Joseph and Mary engaged in the ancient ceremony of consecrating to God themselves as parents and this unique child Jesus. Can you imagine the thoughts which ran through their minds as they remembered what the angels had told them about this baby? Perhaps they lingered there in the Temple courtyard, wondering what would happen when this little child was grown and as an adult would come into this place proclaiming who He is and what mission God had sent Him to accomplish.
As Omniscient God the Father, who had sent His Son Jesus, watched this scene, can you imagine that God looked ahead in time particularly to that Passover weekend, when Jesus would become the atonement sacrifice for all of us? Let’s pause right here and watch this scene and give thanks to God for this encounter with Simeon and Anna. And here’s a song to help us worship…it’s called “Simeon’s Song”, can you see why?
Today’s Scripture is Luke 2:25-38.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“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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