D03 Luke 2:25-32 The Song of Simeon

Music 1 Angels From The Realms Of Glory 31669 TCH259

Music 2 Angels We Have Heard on High 27721 TCH278

Music 3 Away In A Manger TCH261 (Cradle Song)

Music 4 O Come All Ye Faithful 31054 TCH249

Music 5 Sing We Now Of Christmas 5258581 TCH275

The Song of Simeon You are close to God

Open with a short prayer, inviting God to teach us.

Background: This is the fourth ancient “advent hymn” from Luke’s gospel story of Jesus’ birth, according to Christian tradition: 1. Mary’s Magnificat 2. Zechariah’s blessing after the birth of his son, John the Baptist 3. the Angels’ “Gloria in excelsis” 4. Song of Simeo

Eight days after Jesus’ birth, according to Jewish law, his parents took him to the temple for a ritual of purification (actually for Mary) and presentation: And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, Mary and Joseph brought Jesus 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…

Luke 2:25–32 ESV

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.”

Questions

Question 1 How does the writer (Luke) describe Simeon?

v. 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.

a. Righteous – follows Jewish law

b. Devout – what does “devout” mean?

i. Loves God, thinking about God all the time

c. Waiting “for the consolation of Israel” – who were the Jews waiting for, for centuries?

i. The Messiah! The promise of a Savior for the people

d. Holy Spirit “is upon” Simeon – I wonder what that means?

e. Just to speculate: How old do you think Simeon is at this time, based on what we see so far?

i. Old! Most likely at least in his 80s. Faithful year after year, cherishing the hope given to the Jews by the Old Testament prophet

Question 2 What was the promise that God gave Simeon?

a. v. 26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

Simeon would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Christ, the Messiah

Question 3 Then what happens?

a. v. 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,

Simeon is in the temple, and he sees Mary and Joseph with Jesus

Question 4 What does Simeon do?

v28 - he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

a. Takes Jesus in his arms

b. Blesses God!

Question 5 Let’s read again Simeon’s “song” to God (v. 29-32). How would you put this in your own words?

a. “Thank you, God! Now I can die happy and peaceful, because you’ve fulfilled your promise: I’ve seen the Messiah, the Savior, that you, God, have sent.”

Faithful, righteous, and God-honoring living leads to blessings.

For Simeon, God had given him hope in seeing the Lord’s Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One.

When we are faithful, we both gifts and rewards - both in heaven, and sometimes in our life time.

Question 7 Who is the salvation for? Who is the salvation from? v. 32:

FOR:

a. a light for revelation to the Gentiles

b. for glory to Your people Israel

FROM:

c. Salvation is from God!

Question 8 Who does that include then, in the world?

a. EVERYONE! Jews … and everyone else.

b. Was this the normal understanding of Jews at that time?

No – everyone who was not Jewish, not part of the chosen people, were “outside” God’s plan.

Question 9 So what do we see about God’s heart here? Who does God love, bless, and save?

a. EVERYONE – This Messiah’s mission is to break down walls between people and God.

Salvation is from God for all who believe in Jesus.

Question 10 What makes you feel “part” of God, “close” to God, included in his love … or far away? (Use these for prayers.)

[OPTIONAL:] Here’s an interesting thing: the people who first see and rejoice in God’s longawaited Messiah, God’s fulfilled promise from the Old Testament, are OLD:

• John the Baptist’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth (we looked at them a couple of weeks ago): an old, devout couple who raise the last prophet of Jesus’ arrival.

• Simeon and Anna, two old, devout people in the temple who welcome Jesus.

But the parents of this promise, the ones who raise Jesus in a devout Jewish household, are Mary and Joseph: very YOUNG. Old people and young people, like bookends around Jesus’ birth. Why are these bookends important? What does it mean that old people and new people welcome Jesus?

• “For [the writer] Luke, the era of the law and the prophets has grown old like Simeon and Anna and is passing away. Christ and the message of his kingdom have come. Nevertheless Christ does not come to abolish [God’s Old Testament promise] but to fulfill it. There is continuity with the old.” The devout old saints, Simeon and Anna, rejoice in this new vision of God’s promise: to bless and save ALL people.

Jesus fulfills the Old Covenant, the Law; and initiates a New Covenant by Faith

What was wrong with the old covenant that we needed a new covenant?

As Paul writes in Romans, the Law tells us what sin is, but the flesh desires the sin and our flesh leads us to sin against God.

Man cannot fix himself to get right with God. Man needed a mediator - Jesus Christ.

Summary

Jesus fulfills the Old Covenant, the Law; and initiates a New Covenant by Faith

Faithful, righteous, and God-honoring living leads to blessings.

Christmas reminds us that Salvation is from God and of God through Jesus Christ Alone

Prayer

Closing Song