wk 52b - Simeon’s Song

The four points or themes of Advent — each represented by a candle on the Advent wreath — are generally understood as hope, peace, joy and love. Each week of Advent is dedicated to one of these themes:

Hope: The first candle, often called the Prophet's Candle, symbolizes hope, representing the anticipation of the Messiah's coming.

Peace: The second candle, sometimes known as the Bethlehem Candle, stands for peace. It reflects on the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem.

Joy: The third candle, the Shepherd's Candle, is usually pink, representing joy. This week emphasizes joy at the coming of Jesus and the joy the shepherds felt upon hearing the news of his birth.

Love: The fourth candle, the Angel's Candle, signifies love and encourages believers to prepare their hearts to welcome that love fully.

Love is the greatest of all the virtues on the Advent wreath and encompasses Jesus’ entire purpose for being on earth

1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT

13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

WE cannot walk with Christ without LOVE, and we cannot have the Christmas story without it.

As Linus states in A Charlie Brown Christmas, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

Let’s Pray...

WORSHIP SET 2

GENEROSITY

THANK YOU…for your OBEDIENCE IN generosity! Impacting our Community has to come from more than preaching and singing from this Platform!

Proverbs 3:9–10 NLT

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. 10 Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.

This verse teaches us to honor God with the first and best of what we have. When we give our firstfruits—whether it’s time, resources, or talents—we acknowledge that all we have comes from God. The promise is that when we prioritize God in our giving, He will bless us abundantly in return. Offering is an act of trust, showing that we rely on God as our ultimate provider.

We saw that this week...

Senior Holiday Sacks is one way that we reach past our doors during the Christmas Season and bless others.

Your gifts make a Huge Difference. Food, financial blessing, and assembling the sacks.

This could be the tip of Love in Action that might pull someone back from the brink of depression and loneliness. A place for them to Hope Again!

Jesus came to make a difference for eternity…and we are His hands, feet, and voice to do just that—Thank You!

PRAYER

UPDATE

Hispanic Church Today at 2pm

Wednesday Small Group WILL NOT MEET THIS WEEK! Enjoy your time with family…It’s Christmas.

Senior Holiday Sacks delivered Thursday morning—and they were so pleased to receive your gifts.

Remember also… Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, a Bi-lingual Service with Foursquare Hispanic Church. This is Tuesday Dec. 24th at 6pm !

[NO SERVICE ON CHRISTMAS DAY]

21 Days of Prayer

foursquareprayer.org

Our Christmastide Series of Advent— is a series is -- The Songs of Christmas.

INTRO

The Holiday Songs of Christmas: Christmas Sunday

Luke 2:25-35

THE SONGS OF CHRISTMAS

the dominant theme of Zechariah’s song set clearly before us:

God has visited his people in the person of Jesus Christ. Now that same Divine Visitor comes and knocks at the door of your heart.

The LIBERATING impact of Jesus Christ make a difference in our lives.

— the shadows flee away.

—we find the path we thought we had lost forever.

—When he comes into our lives, despair leaves because our feet have found the path of peace.

The Angel’s Song...

—when we hear “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” we receive it one heart at a time.

Go and find another heart today!

Go and forgive.

Go and love beyond measure.

Mary’s Song...

Greatest Revolutionary of All Time.

A funnel not a pyramid

All the great human leaders pale before his record.

Name them all—Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, Charlemagne, Napoleon, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln—who among them can be compared to Jesus Christ?

Which of them would you mention in the same breath with his name?

The impact of the Man from Bethlehem is

Simeon’s Song...

If Jesus were born today, would it be any different than it was 2,000 years ago?

We like to think the answer is yes

BUT...

Are we any more prepared for the coming of Christ than they were in Bethlehem?

HEROD, shepherds, inn keeper… no one was ready.

Phillips Brooks had it right: author of O Little Town of Bethlehem in 1868 for his Sunday School class

“How silently, How silently, the wondrous gift is given.”

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven.

No ear may hear his coming but in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in.”

He just came silently and quietly

Rome

Alexandria

China

India

John 1:10–11 NLT

10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.

The nation as a whole was not ready for his birth, BUT there were some who were ready.

The Magi are a good example. They came all the way from Persia to greet the infant King.

They represent a great number of Gentiles who were ready

Some Israelites believed that time was drawing near for God to at last keep his promises and send Messiah to the earth.

They were not invested to overthrow Roman rule.

But through godliness and prayer, they hoped to be ready when Messiah at last came on the scene.

Luke tells the story of one man whose name was Simeon.

He had been waiting for years to see the Messiah, and when he meets the baby Jesus, he knows his long wait is finally over.

The Days Of Purification

We pick up the story in Luke 2:21-24.

Luke 2:21–24 NLT

21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. 22 Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.” 24 So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Three Old Testament Law are intertwined in these verses:

male children be circumcised on the eighth day after birth.

women wait 40 days after the birth for their purification

present their firstborn son before the Lord to be “redeemed” by the offering of a sacrifice

The last one, the dedication, had to take place in Jerusalem.

Two Doves Or Two Pigeons

Jesus was born into a god-fearing, law-abiding home.

Galatians 4:4 NLT

4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.

Jesus was no law-breaker

He was born under the Law,

lived his whole life in obedience to the Law, and

kept its precepts to the very end.

Bring two doves or two pigeons made it possible for even poor women to obey the law of purification.

Jesus knew poverty and hardship from the very beginning.

Simeon Enter the Story

In Luke 2 we see Mary and Joseph come to the Temple, ready to “redeem” their firstborn son.

Simeon doesn’t have a well known background- Just a priest being faithful to his craft.

After Jesus, he fades from the scene, never to be heard from again.

BUT TODAY… Mary and Joseph are about to have a divine encounter!!

Luke 2:25–26 NLT

25 At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him 26 and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.

Key facts about Simeon.

First, he was a righteous man.

Second, he was a devout man.

Third, he was waiting for the Messiah to come (that’s what “waiting for the consolation of Israel” really means).

Fourth, he was a Spirit-filled man.

Fifth, and most importantly, he was eagerly awaiting the imminent appearance of the Messiah.

Lastly the Holy Spirit had told him, “You will not die before you see the Messiah.”

“Is This The One?”

What a promise Simeon has been waiting on… “Is this the One?”

Perhaps he is now 70 or 75 or even 80 years old.

Perhaps he has a long gray beard, stooped shoulders, wrinkled face, bushy eyebrows, and trembling hands.

If so, then he knows it can’t be long. The Lord’s Christ must be coming at any moment.

Can you imagine the scene?

Early every morning Simeon goes to the Temple, watching and waiting for the Messiah to come.

How would he know him?

What should he look for?

Baby, teenager, or a strong man?

Then here comes Mary holding the baby in her arms with Joseph by her side.

Jesus is only forty days old. Never was there a more unlikely couple.

He is a poor carpenter from Nazareth,

she is a peasant girl carrying a little baby boy.

They are obviously from the country.

They obviously don’t have much money.

If you were people-watching, you wouldn’t give them a second glance.

Not educated.

Not from the upper-crust.

YET... here they are in cosmopolitan Jerusalem, timidly walking onto the Temple courts.

When Simeon sees them, he asks his question for the 10,000th time, “Is this the one?” And the Holy Spirit says, “Yes.”

“This Is The One”

Suddenly Simeon’s heart leaps within him.

The long days of waiting are finally over.

The Lord’s Christ is before him.

Here is the One for whom the nation has been waiting.

He walks over, introduces himself, and says, “Do you mind if I hold your child?”

As Mary gives the infant Jesus to Simeon, the thought hits him,

“I am holding the salvation of the world in my arms.”

At that point Simeon breaks out into a song of praise,

a song that is so beautiful that it has come down through the centuries to us as the final and climactic song of Christmas.

The song is called the [knuck - Di-mit-us]

Nunc Dimittis, the title being taken from the first two words of the Latin translation of Simeon’s words.

It is a set of words that have been set to a meter— a beat— a rap so to speak.

A hymn of departure and praise, often sung at the end of the service.

The first part is the Song...

Luke 2:29–32 NLT

29 “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. 30 I have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared for all people. 32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

The second part is his personal prophetic blessing to Mary.

Luke 2:34–35 NLT

34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”

Simeon’s first thought is that he is now ready to die.

The word “dismiss” is a military word, used to describe a sentinel who has stood watch during the long hours of the night.

Now at last as the sun comes up over the eastern horizon, he knows his work is done, and he goes to his commanding officer to be dismissed.

THINK ABOUT THIS...

He won’t live to see the Lord grow up.

He won’t witness any of the great miracles.

He won’t see Jesus walk on water,

feed the 5,000 or

raise the dead.

Simeon will be long gone when Jesus stands before Pilate. The crucifixion is hidden to him

So is the resurrection.

But it doesn’t matter that he won’t see the end because Simeon has seen the beginning, and that is enough.

What Child Is This?

Notice what he says about Jesus.

There are three important things about who Jesus is.

I. He is the Glory of Israel

In verse 32 Simeon calls him “the glory of Israel.” In this baby, Simeon sees the fulfillment of all the hopes and dreams of the Jewish people across the centuries.

To call Jesus “the glory of Israel” takes us back to the time of Abraham when the Lord said,

“I will make your name great, and make of you a great nation, and through you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.”

Still later God spoke through Isaiah and promised that a son would be born of a virgin, and that his name would be called Immanuel—God With Us.

Now after all these years, all God’s promises are coming true. That’s what Simeon means when he calls Jesus “the glory of Israel.” As the song says, “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight.”

II. He is the Savior of the World

Then Simeon calls him “a light of revelation for the Gentiles.”

Here is a completely new thought.

You won’t find this in the other songs of Christmas.

Mary’s song is completely Jewish. She thinks in Jewish terms and expresses her thoughts in Jewish ways. The Gentiles are nowhere in view.

The same is true of Zechariah. The angels’ song broadens the viewpoint by mentioning, “Peace on earth, goodwill toward men.” But nowhere in any of the previous songs are the Gentiles mentioned by name.

But Simeon explicitly says that this baby will not only be the glory of his own people Israel. He will also be the light of revelation for the Gentiles.

He’s not just for Israel.

He didn’t come just for their benefit.

He came to shine a light of the revelation of God into every nation, every tribe, every kindred and every tongue.

He’s the Savior of the whole world.

Rich and poor, young and old, black and white, Jew and Gentile, American and Japanese, healthy and handicapped.

All people are included in his coming. He didn’t come for a small group. He came for the whole wide world.

“Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight.”

Simeon meant to include you.

If you feel forgotten, depressed, discouraged, and down on your luck,

be of good cheer, Christmas is for you!

Whatever sins are holding you back this year,

Christmas means that you can be forgiven, because Jesus came for you.

III. He is the Divider of the Human Race

There is yet a third thing that Simeon says. The story continues in verses 33-35:

Simeon says about Jesus. He is the Great Divider of Men.

He will cause many to fall.

He will cause many to rise.

And many will speak against him, and in speaking against him, the hidden thoughts of the heart will be revealed.

What a thing to say about a tiny baby. “Mary, I know you are happy now, but you will weep later.

Today your heart is filled with joy.

Later it will be filled with sorrow.

Rejoice and enjoy this time because dark days are coming.”

Isn’t it true that if you are a parent, the worst thing that can happen to you is to see your children suffer?

Most of us will do anything to spare our children needless pain.

We’ll gladly suffer ourselves if it will make the way easier for our children.

That’s what it means to be a Mom or a Dad.

You take the pain yourself so your children won’t have to.

Jesus Was Born To Die

Simeon is saying,

“Mary, they are going to touch this child, and you won’t be able to do anything about it.

They are going to hate him, they are going to lie about him,

they’ll spread rumors about you and Joseph,

they will smear his name with malacious lies.

And you will have to stand by helplessly and watch it happen.”

Down the road it all came true.

It all happened exactly as Simeon had predicted.

When Mary watched her son die, a sword pierced her soul.

You might say, that Above the cradle stands the cross.

This little baby was born to die.

Dag Hammarskjold, late Secretary-General of the United Nations, put it this way:

“How proper it is that Christmas should follow Advent. For to him who looks toward the future, the Manger is situated on Golgotha, and the Cross has already been raised in Bethlehem.” (Hymns for the Family of God, p. 189)

The joy of Christmas leads on to the agony of Good Friday.

He was born to end up that way.

At Christmastime you only have two options regarding Jesus Christ.

Either you join Herod in trying to kill him or

you join the Wise Men in bowing down and worshiping him. And there is nothing in between!

Remember, if you are indifferent, you’ve really joined the side that wants to kill him.

What Is Jesus To You?

What is Jesus to you this morning?

He’s life or death.

He’s heaven or hell.

He’s joy or sorrow.

He’s guilt or forgiveness.

He’s salvation or condemnation.

He’s everlasting life or everlasting punishment.

Let me press the question home.

What is Jesus to you?

Not who is he, but what is he to you?

Is he life or is he death to you this morning?

That’s what Simeon is saying.

This little baby who is the glory of Israel, who is the light of the world, is also the great divider of the human race.

You’re either on one side or on the other regarding Jesus.

No one stays forever in the middle.

Jesus, the great divider of mankind!

Matthew 10:34 NLT

34 “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.

It’s Christmastime. Do you know him?

He’s the Messiah of Israel.

Do you know him?

He’s the Savior of the World.

Do you know him?

He’s the Great Divider of Mankind.

Do you know him?

It’s Christmastime.

He came for you.

Do you know him?

LET’S PRAY

Father, we thank you that you didn’t do what you could have done.

You didn’t leave us alone in our sins.

You could have forgotten us, you could have written us off as hopeless.

But you didn’t leave us alone.

You came for us!

And you found us.

You sent Jesus to rescue us.

Thank you for coming for us, that we might be safe now and saved forever—in this life and in the life to come.

We thank you in Jesus’ name, Amen.