ADVENT: "A DECEMBER to REMEMBER"

Luke 2:22–35 ESV

22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting 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 do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” 33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Title: “a December to Remember”: The faith of Simeon.

Hope infused, Joy Filled, Peace covering time of Advent.

A THEME OF ADVENT IS ALSO FAITH: Faith for the ultimate miracle, which is the Son of God incarnate, Faith for the salvation of all the earth through a single person which is Jesus. Advent is a time to STIR UP Faith in PEOPLE.

Are you crazy enough to believe that this December, could be one you’ll never ever forget>?

I want to speak to you today about the FAITH of a MAN NAMED SIMEON.

Who was simeon?

What was HIS deal>? …. And Why is he he interrupting the story of JESUS birth and dedication at the temple?

what can we learn about him first of all, before we look at his faith:

Simeon …He was rightous: right before a HOLY God - which means he lived a blameless life. This would mean he made sure of some things…. He made sure to bring sacrifice at the right time for the right things, he would’ve brought offerings, he was a man who cared about his RIGHT STANDING-NESS between him and God. He was RIGHT BEFORE GOD. He got things right (we can do that) / We can care about our righteousness, which is, for us, our relationship with Jesus Christ. Its a good thing to consider your RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with Jesus. i wonder how you and JEsus are doing!??!!

Simeon….He was devout: he loved God, he pursued him, He was committed to YAHWEH He was fired up about the things of God. (We can do that). It says He was IN THE TEMPLE:

Simeon….He was of the spirit: full of the Holy Ghost: You see this is interesting, this is years before the book of acts where the promised Holy Spirit came in power and filled those that were together in the upper room: the Holy Spirit didnt come like that. The Holy Spirit came on a person, a king, a ruler, a prophet a person for an assignment that was HOLY and set apart - but it didnt remain - For example the spirit came and left saUL.

Now we see SIMEON had the Holy Spirit

SO HE WAS RIGHT, HE WAS DEVOTED.. HE WAS SPIRIT FILLED. (Three things we can be also)

BUT WHAT MADE THIS DECEMBER… THIS CHRISTMAS TIME SO TO SPEAK… THIS SEASON WHICH HAD COME AROUND EVERY YEAR FOR A ALONG TIME DIFFERENT>/???

BUT THIS WAS A DECEMBER TO REMEMBER FOR SIMEON… this was a very different time for Simeon. This was like no other time he had experienced. … something that he was waiting on ACTUALLY TOOK place and it meant this time was a time he would certainly never forget….

and I believe it can be also for us - as we follow His lead - what are some keys we see here in this passage that are you and for me also:

3 ways we can have a December to remember: We do what SIMEON DID

1.LIVE WITH EXPECTANCY (This Christmas time)

He showed up to church week in, week out, every feast FIRED Up to MEET JESUS.

You can do that?

Listen to the way Simeon lived:

Luke 2:26 ESV

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.

He had a revelation of FAITH.

He had a revelation of something God was going to do, and that he would get to see it For HIMSELF.

What is God revealing to you - or has revealed to YOU that you haven’t SEEN yet?

Maybe its a breakthrough to a blessing in your marriage?

Maybe its your Kids being in a true and life altering RELATIONSHIP with Jesus?

maybe its to do with your own relationship with HIM.

I want to God to give me the grace for the faith that Simeon had.

But how did he know that it would happen?

The Holy Spirit REVEALED it to HIM. He had a conviction. he wa convinced of this thing that God had spoken to him about:

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.”

How did he KEEP SHOWING UP?> It had probably been a long time.

But Simeon was still expectant? he still had Faith? He was in Jerusalem expecting to SEE the Messiah in CHURCH

Do you do that when you come to church?

Do you expect to see a MOVE of God when you come in here?

A body healed, a burden lifted, a spiritual eye opened?

////// Sometimes staying FAITH-FILLED is hard

How did. SIMEON DO IT?

Maybe you feel like that its “been a long time of showing up, How do I keep showing up so I can eventually see the promises of God?

This is HOW SIMEON did it….. here s a HINT: It wasn’t Simeon doing it!

Luke 2:27 “And he came in 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,”

How do you have a FAITH expectancy like SIMEON did? You ask the HOLY Spirit to REVEAL it to you, a revelation so amazing, so wonderful, so beautiful that it gives you the power and the strength to overcome ANY AND ALL CHALLANGES that the WORLD wants to throw your way

THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES YOU POWER TO SHOW UP… AND NOT JUST SHOW UP… BUT SHOW UP AND HAVE FAITH!

2.LIVE WITH COMPASSION (This Christmas Time)

I see a compassion in the WORDS of SIMEON.

in his FAITH decLaring statement to the people there that day…

Luke “he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.””

This was compassion from SIMEON.

but really it was Gods compassion for mankind expressed THROUGH the words of SIMEON.

“a light for revelation to the gentiles…. And For Glory to your people Israel”

here is a thought: I think the way we make this a December to remember is to MAKE IT NOT ABOUT US

Were Christian’s. Were believers, We have Jesus!

But there are a lot of people WHO DONT.

Who are dark spiritually

They need a LIGHT.

They need the LIGHT that you bring… into the world: Which is the LIGHT OF JESUS.

What if this Christmas time it wasn’t so much about my December…. Or my Christmas… or even My family. What if it was about God using me to be a Light to someone out there in the world that hasn’t seen the LIGHT that I know is there and living and active and available!

What if it was about God using ME to reach SOMEONE other than ME.

Its FUNNY TO ME that SIMEON declared that this was a moment of Gods compassion to OUTSIDERS!

3.LIVE TO HOLD JESUS CLOSE (Now but always)

We can take Jesus up in the arms of our hearts every single day.