Luke 2:22-38 | Simeon's Song

Have you ever heard of the concept of a “bucket list”? Do you have one?

A bucket list is a list of the experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish before he/she “kicks the bucket” (lista de cosas que hacer antes de morir)

What would be on your bucket list?

For some people is traveling to a special place in the world.

For others it includes adventure: Skydiving. Scuba diving or hike a mountain.

Another area is personal growth: learn to play a musical instrument; run a marathon, or learn a new language.

Experience the wonder of creation: See the Northern Lights or visit all national parks.

Meet someone super-special: a professional athlete, an author or a world-leader.

In our Bible passage today we meet a person named Simeon whose bucket list is not very long: He wants to meet one person before he dies.

Background

The story we are about to see takes place at the temple in Jerusalem 40 days after Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

Luke tells us that the reason why Mary, Joseph and Jesus took the 7-mile trip from Bethlehem to Jerusalem was in order to follow was written in the Law of the Lord:

According to Leviticus 12, Mary was required to wait for forty days for her purification to be completed. Then she would have to come to the temple and present two offerings: a lamb for a burnt offering and a turtledove or a pigeon for a sin offering.

Apparently Mary and Joseph were so poor that they couldn’t afford to offer a lamb offering so the Law allowed for them to offer a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. And a partridge in a pear tree ;)

According to Exodus 13, every first born were to be brought to the temple and be dedicated to the Lord. That is, he was set apart for the Lord for his purpose.

What a wonderful picture of two godly parents following God’Law.

Galatians 4:4 “4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,”

Enter Simeon

It is at this point that Simeon enter the storyline: At the temple in Jerusalem.

We don’t know much about Simeon’s background:

His hometown

His family

His occupation

His age (more likely advanced in age)

Here’s what we do know about Simeon:

He was righteous and devout. He is a faithful, committed man of God.

He was a Holy Spirit-led individual:

The Holy Spirit was upon him (v.25)

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

He came in the Spirit into the temple. (v.27)

He was waiting for the consolation of Israel.

Isaiah 40:1 “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” or Isaiah 66:13 “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”

When Isaiah wrote these words, the people of God are in exile as a result of God’s judgement. We can only imagine the guilt, shame, and pain they experienced while in exile.

“Consolation probably speaks to those longings for healing and restoration from all the past losses and miseries of life.Consolation is when God comes to heal and restore and revive all that has been thrown away or lost.” John Piper

The consolation of Israel refers to someone who would come remove sorrow and bring comfort to God’s people.

O come, O come, Immanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel.

Simeon had one item in the proverbial “bucket list”: to see the Lord’s Christ. The day finally arrived when Simeon gets to meet and hold in his arms the long awaited consolation of Israel, the Lord’s Christ. That is the Lord’s Anointed (Christ is the Gk translation for Messiah in Hebrew)

Simeon’s Song

Simeon breaks into praise while holding baby Jesus in his arms:

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.””

Like Mary’s Song and Zachariah’s song, Simeon’s song is filled with references to the Old Testament which reveals the identity of the child he is now holding on his arms.

What Child is this?

He is God’s salvation

Simeon is holding baby Jesus and declares that his eyes have seen God’s salvation. Salvation is a person. To see Jesus is to see salvation.

The angel told Joseph, “Mary will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”” (Matthew 1:21)

Simeon also declared that God’s salvation is for all people’s.

The angel said to the shepherds, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:10)

He is the light

Simeon declares that Jesus is a light for revelation to the Gentiles (non-Jews). God’s heart beats for the nations. He sent Jesus as the light of the world to shine into every nation of the earth.

Luke 1:78–79 “78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.””

John 1:9 “9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.”

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of righteousness! Light and life to all he brings Risen with healing in his wings

– Charles Wesley, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”

Jesus is a “revelation” to Gentiles because he reveals something that we would have never imagined: we also get to experience the consolation of Israel. Joy to the world!

He is the glory of Israel

Jesus is a light of revelation to the Gentiles and glory to the people of Israel.

Let us remember that God choose Israel to be the nation where salvation would come through. God gave special promises to Abraham, Moses, David and the Prophets that he was going to do something special through the Jewish people.

God gave the people of Israel the special honor of being the center of God’s plan of salvation for the whole world.

Isaiah 60:1–3 “1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. 3 And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

Romans 9:4–5 “4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.”

What a wonderful picture: Simeon is holding in his arms the Light of revelation to the Gentiles and the Glory of the people of Israel.

Simeon’s “bucket list” is complete. “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace.”

Let me ask you something, whether or or not you have a bucket list,

Can you personally say that you have experienced God’s Consolation?

You are not ready to depart in peace until you experience Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

In his 2009 NBA Hall of Fame speech, Michael Jordan called the game of basketball his “refuge.” He said, “[It’s the] place I’ve gone when I needed to find comfort and peace.” A few years later, on the occasion of his 50th birthday, the restlessness remained. In a candid interview with ESPN’s Wright Thompson, Jordan pondered aloud, “How can I enjoy the next 20 years without so much of this consuming me? How can I find peace away from the game of basketball?”

The answer for Jordan and for all us tonight is found in the person of Jesus.

God’s consolation, God’s comfort, God’s peace is experienced when you repent and believe the good news of the gospel.

The peace and consolation our hearts long for will never be obtained trough money, power or fame. It’s not found in a successful career, exercise, travel or Christmas treats.

“The Son of David came to bear the burden away, to lift up those who were bowed down, to replace the anguish with joy. All who trust in Him know that He is truly the consolation of Israel—and the consolation of all who believe.”