Satisfied with Jesus

29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,

you now dismissa your servant in peace.

30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,

31      which you have prepared in the sight of all people,

32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles

and for glory to your people Israel.”

                                                                                LUKE 2 29-32

Although one of the great joys of the Christmas season is the surprise that delights us – there are many things about Christmas which are pleasing because of their being an expected part of the season – and utterly predictable.

WE expect lights and trees and cards and carols and hype and tinsel.  How many people expect the Saviour?  Not many I guess.

Yet at the time when Jesus was born there were indeed many who were expecting His coming – and this morning I want to leave you with some thoughts about one of those from Luke 2 – SIMEON.

Simeon is well described by Luke. But the special quality of his life is the PROMISE by which he lived day by day.

“It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ”   (26)

Like many before him – and many more after him – his daily life had been altered by the promise of God.   He was a man of FAITH and PRIVILEGE and EXPECTATION.

God was so real to him that he lived every day in anticipation of the fulfilment of God’s promise – every day in the presence and power of the HOLY SPIRIT:-

·                    The Holy Spirit was upon him  (25)

·                    revealed…by the Holy Spirit  (26)

·                    Moved by the Spirit he went into the temple courts… (27)

The outward mark of the inward Spirit was that he was “righteous, devout.. and the Holy spirit was upon him”

Several things happened that day to bring about the meeting of Simeon and His Lord:

Obedience to the Law

A life lived in the Spirit

The glorious “coincidence” of God’s promised fulfilled.

Oh that this Christmas and this coming New Year we might all be in that position!

Having a life marked out by the Holy Spirit –

        in righteousness and devotion

        in worship and expectation

        in immediate touch with the Lord’s guidance

A life lived in ANTICIPATION of God’s promise fulfilled and His people blessed

“Waiting for the consolation of Israel…SEEING His salvation”

SIMEON ONLY HAD ONE AMBITION – TO SEE JESUS

He was in fact NOT SATISFIED WITHOUT JESUS

Although he fully trusted God to keep his promise and that he would not die until he had seen HIM – he went home each day UNSATISFIED – because he had not seem the Lord’s Christ.

(1)    He lived for that moment – when he would see HIM

(2)    The quality of his life bore witness to that single aim – righteous, devout, and waiting

(3)    His work was not finished – nor his ambition satisfied until he held the infant Christ in his arms and was able to say “Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace…”

To put it another way HE WAS SATISFIED WITH JESUS

When the Law and Spirit conspired to bring Mary and Joseph with the infant Christ and a humble sacrifice into the temple – and moved Simeon to enter its courts that very moment….

SIMEON’S HOPES WERE REALISED

THE PURPOSE OF HIS LIFE FULFILLED

THE PROMISE KEPT AND ENJOYED

He was SATISFIED WITH JESUS

Simeon’s famous poem, known by its Latin words the NUNC DIMITIS  shows his DELIGHT at realising his life’s ambition

“My eyes have seen your salvation!”

29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

THE WAITING WAS OVER

All that he had ever wished for and needed he now held in his arms.

We wonder at the marvel

“Our God contracted to a span

Incomprehensibly made Man”      but this time held by one who for years had been waiting for that very moment!

THE PROMISE HAD BEEN FULFILLED

29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,

you now dismissa your servant in peace.

30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,

31      which you have prepared in the sight of all people,

WITH JESUS – HE UNDERSTOOD

WITH JESUS – HE UNDERSTOOD

32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles

and for glory to your people Israel.”

“This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.

·                    the dilemma resolved

·                    the promise kept

·                    the pilgrimage finished

It’s all right now Lord – you can call be home – NUNC DIMITTIS …

He was NOT SATISFIED WITHOUT JESUS

And I have no doubt that there are some here this morning who remain UNSATISFIED – looking for something more – something real something lasting

WITHOUT JESUS YOU WILL REMAIN UNSATISFIED

He was SATISFIED WITH JESUS

Are you?

He is enough?