Revelation of Salvation

Luke 2:22–40 ESV

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 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 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. 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. 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, 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.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 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 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

Antique Roadshow

I wonder how many of you today have seen Antique Roadshow.

If you haven’t seen it, it’s a show where people bring things they’ve found, or old family heirlooms, to collectors.

The collector looks it over and then tells them how much it’s worth.

Most items are fairly modest

Sometimes though, you find a gem in the most unlikely of places.

In 2004, a person brought what appeared to be a fairly ordinary antique pocket watch to the show.

This was not, however, just any pocket watch.

It was a Patek Philippe Pocket Watch and it was valued at…

$1.5-million

In 2017 someone brought in a Faberge flower.

Frankly, the flower didn’t LOOK like much to my eyes, but it was valued at…

$1.1 million…

Just like these unexpected treasures on Antique Roadshow, in today's Gospel reading from Luke 2:22-35, we encounter a moment of profound revelation.

Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple, fulfilling their religious duty.

To others, He may have seemed like just another child, but to Simeon, a devout and righteous man, Jesus was immediately recognized as a priceless treasure, the salvation for both Jews and Gentiles.

Simeon's revelation highlights how often we overlook the true value of what or who is in front of us.

Let's dive deeper into this text and uncover the hidden gems in this story of divine revelation and salvation.

Not Casual

Luke 2:22–24 ESV

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 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”

We start with Joseph and Mary presenting Jesus inside the temple.

What we not about them is their devotion to fulfilling the law.

I want to put a bookmark here, because it points to something we note about all people who are used greatly by God.

Namely, they are faithful in the small things before they are given more responsibility in large things.

Luke 2:25–32 ESV

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. 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. 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, 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.”

Simeon’s response shows us a man who understands that he has treasurer in his midst.

For my eyes have seen your salvation

A light for revelation to the Gentiles

the glory of your people, Israel.

What we notice about Simeon’s response is that he says in Jesus everything he had prayed for.

The savior of the world.

Even if the rest of the world can look upon Jesus casually, Simeon treasures Jesus and, due to that sense of treasure, he views Jesus with the proper level of veneration.

Reflecting on Simeon's profound insight, we are faced with a vital question:

How do we view Jesus in our lives? Are we like the many who saw Jesus as just another child, or like Simeon, who recognized the true treasure before him?

This isn't just a question of belief, but of how deeply we allow that belief to transform us.

Passion of the Christ

Many of you will recall when The Passion of the Christ was released in 2004.

At the conclusion of the movie, I had an interaction that left me stunned.

As soon as the credits were completed, the gentleman I sat next to looked at me and said….

“I don’t believe that, but if I did, I think I’d be as upset as you…”

It stunned me for two reasons.

I didn’t understand how someone could watch that and be so casually capable of walking away releatively unaffected.

As I’ve had time to think about it, though, his response seems right to me.

Namely, Jesus does not give us the luxury of casual belief.

Our options are either rejection

Or total devotion

There is no in between.

In a phrase, those who understand Jesus for who he is, are not given the luxury of casual belief.

This describes Simeon’s response/

This describes MAry’s response in the Magnificat.

This describes the devotion of the original disciples, most of whom we martyred.

Very simply, there is nothing casual about the Gospel message.

A message of salvation for all nations, announced by an infant God that would live, die, be resurrected.

There is nothing CASUAL about that.

It is all encompassing, all consuming, whole person initiation.

Application

Through the years I’ve attempted to condense the history of Methodism into a simple theme, and I believe I’m onto something when I say this…

Faith in Jesus brings many blessings, but those blessings are not available to those who casually follow Jesus.

As Methodists, our faith journey calls for more than just surface-level engagement.

Consider how you can embody a deeper commitment in your daily walk with Christ.

Perhaps it's through more intentional prayer, seeking to see Christ in others, or actively participating in our community's needs.

How often do we pass by Jesus without appreciation for the profundity of God coming to us in the flesh?

Are we, like the casual observer of a hidden treasure, missing out on the deeper value of our faith experiences?

In closing, let's carry with us the image of Simeon, a man who didn't just recognize Christ but was transformed by that recognition.

May we too move beyond casual faith, to a place where, like Simeon, we can declare with certainty and joy that our eyes have seen the Lord’s salvation.

Let us not be bystanders in our faith, but active seekers of the divine in all aspects of our lives.

May we always, everyday, declare like Simeon, that our eyes have seen the Lord’s salvation.