Sing the Savior's Birth: Sing with Simeon

Text: Luke 2:29-32 “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.””

Tonight we continue to sing our Savior’s birth. We sing with Simeon.

Isaiah wrote, “The Lord has bared His holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God” (Isaiah 52:10). One wonders how the people of Isaiah’s day might have expected those words to be fulfilled. It’s doubtful that any would have connected those words to the birth of a baby. Perhaps the birth might be the start of God baring His holy arm and showing His power, but the “salvation of our God” would still be off in the future.

The One who would overcome our enemies? It’s hard to see that yet. For now, the baby, Himself, would need to be protected. He would need to learn to walk and talk. For that matter He would need to be fed and clothed and have His diaper changed. Would the people of Isaiah’s day have been able to look at the baby that Mary and Joseph carried into the temple and see God baring His holy arm? To see the salvation of their God? At best, it seems a bit premature (no pun intended).

But Simeon did. Simeon saw all of that.

Tonight we actually jump past Jesus’ birth for just a moment. We jump to 40 days after Jesus’ birth, when Mary and Joseph brought the 5 and a half week old Jesus to the temple so that they could offer the necessary sacrifices at the birth of a firstborn son. When they arrived, they met someone they did not expect: a man named Simeon.

Simeon, himself, is not important at all. Not even a little bit. He’s not from a special family. He didn’t have any status in the community, as far as we know. But God had made a promise to him: Simeon would see the Savior before he died. And now, on this particular day, the Holy Spirit led him to the temple and kept His promise to Simeon.

Simeon saw Mary and Joseph’s baby and knew, by faith, that this is the One who would defeat sin, death, and the power of the devil, who would destroy the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh. How did he see all of that? Luke doesn’t tell us. But, as Simeon held the infant Jesus in His arms, he saw far more than just a child. He saw his Savior; he saw his deliverer; he saw his Lord.

Now let me step into just a very small amount of speculation. Not much. Certainly well in keeping with Scripture. But speculation that goes a little bit beyond what the Scriptures say. Here is the speculation: Simeon sang to that child the strangest lullaby ever. You see, every painting of Simeon that I can remember shows him holding the baby Jesus and singing, with his face turned up to the sky. But it is just as likely that Simeon sang these words— not just about!— but to the baby in his arms. “Lord,” Simeon sang to that baby, “now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word….”

Now, whether Simeon was singing to the infant Jesus or just about Him, the basic point is the same. Simeon saw so much more than the baby he was holding in his arms. He saw God baring His holy arm before the eyes of all the nations.

What an unbelievable moment. What an incredible song.

Do you really presume to sing those words yourself?

Yes!!!

They are true for you, too.

Sunday after Sunday, the Holy Spirit leads you here to this altar. And, here at this rail, Christ, Himself, is put into your hands. He is just as present for you in, with, and under that bread and wine as He was that day in the arms of Simeon.

No, you’re not anyone special in worldly terms. But God has made a promise to you: This is my body; This is my blood. By faith you see far more than simple bread and wine as they’re placed in your hand. In, with, and under that bread and wine is the very body and blood of your Savior, your deliverer, your Lord.

Your enemies are real and they are powerful.

The desires of your sinful flesh are against the Spirit and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do (Gal. 5:17). It constantly wages war against you, driving you to do the works of the flesh rather than the good that you desire to do (Rom. 7:15) because those who do the works of the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:21).

The world rages against you, as well. It hates you because it hated Christ (John 15:18). It will mock you and persecute you just like it mocked and persecuted Him. And worse, it would deceive you into loving it.

“The world not only assaults you with its hatred, it also tries to lure you with its enticements. It has a stinging tail, but it also has a charming face. Your soul has a taste for things corrupt; it grasps for earthly things.” (Gerhard, Johann. “Prayer for Victory Over the World,” Meditations on Divine Mercy. Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis. 2003)

It offers you empty glory and short-lived joy. It dangles in front of you the poisoned carrot of momentary pleasures of the flesh and the abundance of false wealth even though none of it is any good to those who are dead.

And, as long as you have your sinful flesh tormenting you and the world assaulting you, you know that the devil is also prowling around like a roaring lion, seeking to devour you (1 Peter 5:8). With his lying and murdering day and night he will not allow you any peace, within or without (John 8), constantly assaulting you with the flaming darts of your sins and your guilt, constantly laying snares to try to capture you.

Your enemies are real and they are powerful, which is why He took on human flesh, taking your enemies as His own.

Your sinful flesh, with all of its passions and desires, was crucified with Him so that you are no longer slaves to sin (Rom. 6:6, Gal. 5:24). Your Old Adam— your sinful flesh— was drowned in the waters of baptism and you were raised to new life, so that you can consider yourself dead to sin and alive in Jesus Christ.

He puts all of that into your hands, along with the body and blood that are in, with, and under bread and wine, producing in you the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and the rest.

The Child in Simeon’s arms was born in order to battle against this sinful world, as well. As Jesus hung on the cross, the sun’s light failed (Luke 23:44); when He breathed His last, the earth shook and the rocks were split; when He stepped out of the tomb on Sunday morning the earth shook again because with that death and resurrection this world and its power over you were broken. In this world you will have tribulation, but He has overcome the world (John 16:33).

He puts that victory over the world into your hands by giving you the body and blood that were given and shed for you. With them, He gives you the strength to endure all the tribulation that the world can give.

And satan, who would like nothing more than to accuse you, day and night, before God, has been thrown down. You have conquered him through the blood of Christ shed for you on the cross— and given to you in, with, and under that wine.

As we file forward to receive a little bread and a sip of wine— not even enough for a proper snack— the world might see it as a meaningless, mindless habit. But you are able to see it for what it truly is: Christ, Himself, given to you, just as surely as that baby was placed in Simeon’s arms.

And, because of the gift you receive here, when the time comes to gather at the deathbed of a beloved brother or sister in Christ, you will have the privilege of saying, with them, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples.” You, too, have the privilege of saying them even as Christ comes to take you in His arms and gather you to His everlasting feast; as you learn the hymns of praise sung by angels, archangels, and all the host of heaven; and as He shelters you there in His presence to await the resurrection on the Last Day.

We’ve looked at three songs that accompanied our Savior’s birth: Zechariah’s, Mary’s, and now Simeon’s. Through them, you are more than ready to sing your Savior’s birth— to sing with Zechariah, Mary, and Simeon now, even as you will for all eternity.