Simeon's Song: We sing of His Light
Notes
Transcript
Warren Brosi
December 31, 2023
Dominant Thought: We bless the Lord for His light (Luke 2.32).
Objectives:
I want my listeners to understand how God uses different types of people to advance His mission to save the world through Jesus.
I want my listeners to feel connections to one or more the people in this story about Jesus.
I want my listeners to commit to one way to advance God’s mission to show the light of Jesus to our neighbors and the nations.
As we continue through the Christmas story recorded in Luke’s gospel, four different people encounter Jesus in Luke 2.22-40, two men and two women. We’ll see Joseph and Mary. Then they will meet two other people in the temple Simeon and then Anna. We’ll look at this section of the Jesus story from each of their points of view beginning with Joseph.
1-Joseph—God uses quiet faithful people to advance His mission (Luke 2.4, 16, 21-24). Joseph never utters a recorded word in Luke. In all of the different songs we’ve read and taught, Joseph is the quiet one. Mary sings, “My soul magnifies the Lord” (Luke 1.46). Zechariah prophesies, “Praise be the the Lord, the God of Israel” (Luke 1.68). The angels praise God saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2.14). But Joseph is the quiet one. He’s a working man’s man. He’s a carpenter. He may have worked with wood or stone. While he may not have spoken many words with his mouth, His hands had many stories to tell from the different job and worksites where he received his daily bread.
Those same hands packed up whatever belongings they had in Nazareth for the trip to Bethlehem. His calloused hands may have held Mary’s hand as they journeyed through the Jordan River valley. He may have picked up the canteen to fill it with that water from the Jordan River. Those hands may have held the walking stick and maybe the lead rope as they journeyed the nearly 3,500 feet climb from Jericho to Jerusalem en route to Bethlehem. Those same hands of Joseph’s may have knocked on door after door seeking a place for his pregnant wife.
Once Joseph found that place whether it was a stable or a cave, did he gather some straw or start ripping some of his own clothes to help prepare for the arrival of the son of God?
Joseph is a quiet one, but without Joseph, does Mary make it to Bethlehem? We read in Luke 2.21, Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day and given the name Jesus. I’m confident Joseph wanted Jesus to be raised in the covenant with God. Joseph and Mary were faithful to the instructions from the first covenant and bring Jesus to the Temple to present Him to the Lord. In a way, they are formally dedicating Jesus to the Lord. We have begun some plans for a parent-child dedication for the Spring here at Berlin Christian Church. If that is something that interests you, then let us know. More information will be available as we get closer to the date. A parent-child dedication is a formal way for parents to say, “We want to raise our children in the ways of Jesus and we want our church family to help us and hold us accountable.”
Joseph and Mary honor the instructions God gave His people in Exodus and Leviticus.
“Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.”
you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord.
Joseph speaks volumes by his faithfulness to Mary and the instructions of God.
They offer a pair of doves or pigeons to honor the word of God in Leviticus for Mary’s purification. Those instructions were given in Leviticus 12.6.
“ ‘When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering.
Joseph the quiet one in the Christmas story speaks volumes by his faithful devotion to God to help advance His mission. For the quiet ones out there who don’t want to be in the spot light, I want to thank you for your faithful partnership in the gospel.
2-Simeon-God uses Spirit led people to proclaim His mission (Luke 2.25-35).
As we continue in the story, we meet Simeon. Simeon is a good man. Luke tells us Simeon is “righteous and devout” (Luke 2.25). He was eagerly waiting for the comfort of Israel and the Holy Spirit was upon him (Luke 2.25). Simeon is someone you would like to have as your neighbor, in your family or leading your church. The word for devout could describe the “ideal statesman who was conscientious and cautious” (Darrel Bock, Luke 1:1-9:50, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, p. 238, quoting Bultmann; Plato and others).
Three different times in the span of three verses, Luke tells us the Holy Spirit is moving in Simeon: Holy Spirit was on him (Luke 2.25), revealed to him by the Holy Spirit (Luke 2.26), and moved by the Spirit (Luke 2.27). The Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon he would see the Lord’s Messiah/Christ before he died.
One day as Simeon is moving about the temple. We are not sure if he is a priest or simply a faithful servant of God. We do know that the Holy Spirit prompted him or moved him into the temple courts. The courts could have been the court of the women or the court of the Gentiles. It was the larger areas where the largest groups of people could gather. Following the prompting of the Spirit, Simeon encounters the holy family: Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. Simeon followed the prompting of the Holy Spirit and received the blessing of meeting Jesus. He takes the baby in his arms and blessed God and said, “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may 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” (Luke 2.29-32).
In this song of Simeon, we hear echoes from the prophet Isaiah. Some people call Isaiah, the fifth gospel because he talks so much about the ministry of Jesus.
Listen to these texts from Isaiah.
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem.
Joseph and Mary marveled at the words from faithful Spirit-led Simeon. We can follow Simeon’s example of praise when We bless the Lord for His light (Luke 2.32). Jesus is the one who shines light in the dark places, but not everyone wants to come out of the dark.
After speaking these blessings to God and highlighting how Jesus will provide salvation for all nations, Simeon blesses the Joseph and Mary. Then, he turns his attention to Mary.
3-Mary-God uses reflective suffering people to nurture His mission (Luke 2.19, 34-35).
Mary is the mother of Jesus who treasured the experience she had with the shepherds. She pondered them in her heart (Luke 2.19).
Then, she received the message from Simeon in Luke 2.34-35.
Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising 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.”
The child would be set like a stone to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel. The word for rising is the same word for rise from the dead. People will speak against Jesus.
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
Jesus will reveal the thoughts of many hearts. In our world today, you can talk about spirituality and even vague references to God. However, once you get to Jesus, people’s true allegiances are revealed.
Simeon continued speaking to Mary and warning her “a sword will pierce her own soul too” (Luke 2.35). Throughout history, people have tried to discern what this broad two edged sword that pierces Mary’s soul is. The two best options in my opinion are: 1) Mary will experience the pain in her soul when Jesus expresses a high devotion to His heavenly Father. Jesus causes grief to His parents when He is lost in the temple in the next passage of Scripture. He replies, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2.49). 2) The death of Jesus on the cross will pierce Mary’s soul.
4-Anna-God uses steadfast grateful people to encourage His mission (Luke 2.36-38). The final person the holy family meets at the temple is an older widow named Anna. She is described as the daughter of Panuel or Phanuel which means “face of God.” She is from the tribe of Asher whose name means “fortunate.” The text tells us she was a holy virgin when married, lived with her husband for seven years, then widowed. It appears she lived most of her adult life as a widow and spent all here time worshiping in the temple fasting and praying night and day. This faithful saint loved the Lord and committed her waking hours to time with Him.
She came up to the family and gave thanks to God and began speaking about Jesus to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Anna represents steadfast grateful people in God’s kingdom. As we look back over the past year of 2023. I want us to thank God for the work He has done in and through this church congregation. Let’s give thanks to God for the following:
We began the year with 21 days with God in January seemed to set the tone for the year. We had people continue to meet throughout the year as prayer partners. We will resume 21 days with God again on January 8, 2024.
We sent about 50 people Nationwide Youth Roundup in Colorado. One of the best ones we’ve had. Very good attitude and baptisms and decision for Christ. The NYR worship service at BCC when we returned was one of the special moments of the year. The youth taught us the Church Clap song.
We sent 15 people to Ninos de Mexico on a mission trip.
Our ladies had several Bible study groups throughout the year that welcomed people.
We’ve had a great fall with youth group and God Squad meeting on Wednesday evenings with new leaders and a deeper partnership with Loami Christian Church.
We’ve baptized 14 people into Jesus this year with one more scheduled this afternoon (Sunday, December 31, 2023 at Lake Springfield Christian Assembly in the lake!)
In 2023, our loan balance on the roof went from $43,547.77 to last report $25,954.55 (12/03/23). And if you look back over the past two years, we’ve paid the balance down by almost $40,000.00!!! We give thanks to God for His generous provision in some of the highest inflation in recent years.
One of young people, Nic Babbs, preached for us on a Sunday morning. He had opportunities to preach in Ipava, Ashland, Island Grove United Methodist, Litchfield, Riverton, and Edinburg. We will need to raise up more people like Nic Babbs from this congregation to take the good news of Jesus to our neighbors and the nations.
As we look back over the story in Luke 2, we met Joseph, the quiet and faithful servant of God who advance God’s mission to provide for Mary and Jesus, the Son of God. We met Simeon, the Spirit led servant who proclaimed the good news of Jesus. We met Mary, the reflective and suffering servant of the Lord who would nurture the Son of God and would see Him fulfill God’s plan to rescue His people from their sins on the cross. And we met Anna, the steadfast servant who expressed gratitude to God for meeting Jesus and told everyone she met about Him.
All four with different gifts, passions, life experiences and roles to play in God’s kingdom. And yet, it really would be meaningless without the one who brought them all together, the baby Jesus. We read the summary of this section in Luke 2.39-40.
And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
So, how will God use your gifts and passion to advance, proclaim, nurture, and encourage the mission of Jesus?