Behold the Light of the World: Ending the Long Night

Primary Text: Luke 2:25–32

Introductions: The Exhaustion of Straining Have you ever been in a room that was truly, completely pitch black? I’m not talking about "streetlights coming through the blinds" dark; I mean absolute darkness. What is the first thing your body does in that situation? You squint. You strain. You widen your eyes as far as they will go, trying to force your pupils to find a shape, an outline, anything to orient you. And if you stay like that for too long, it actually becomes physically painful. You get a headache. You get anxious. Why? Because the human eye was not designed to "figure out" the dark; it was designed to receive the light. Straining in the dark doesn’t help you see; it only exhausts you.

The Long Night of Silence When we open our Bibles to Luke chapter 2, we are stepping into a nation that has been straining for 400 years. They call it the "Intertestamental Period," but for Israel, it was the "Long Night."

God hadn't spoken through a prophet in four centuries.

Rome was crushing them with an iron boot.

The economy was wrecked by taxes.

And every day, the people were scanning the horizon, straining to see a way out. "Is this the leader? Is that the rebellion? Is there any hope?"

A Different Kind of Watchman But in the middle of this panicked, straining city, the camera zooms in on one old man who is perfectly calm. (Read Luke 2:25) "Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him."

Notice what he was doing. He wasn't "straining." He wasn't panicked. He was "waiting." There is a massive difference between straining in the dark and waiting on the Light. Straining comes from fear; waiting comes from certainty. Straining says, "I have to find the answer." Waiting says, "I know the Answer is coming."

The Transition Some of you walked in here today exhausted. You are straining to see a future for your children in a dark culture. You are straining to see a financial breakthrough. You are squinting at the darkness of your own life, trying to find a way out. The message of Christmas—and the message of Simeon—is that you can stop straining. You don't have to scan the shadows anymore. The Light hasn't just been promised; the Light has arrived.

Main Idea:

Because the Light of the World has truly come, you can stop scanning the shadows for hope and fix your gaze on the only Promise that never fails—Jesus Christ.

I. Anchor Your Hope in the Certainty of the Word

(Text: Luke 2:25–26)

A. Stop Straining Against the Spiritual Darkness

Israel had spent 400 years in the "Long Night"—straining to see a way out of Roman oppression and spiritual silence. But all their straining couldn't produce the dawn.

We do the same thing. We strain to see the future of our economy, our families, our finances, or our nation. But when you are in a pitch-black room, squinting harder doesn't help you see anything more. You cannot "figure out" the dark; you have to wait for at least some Light. Striving in the dark produces anxiety, not answers.

B. Anchor Your Confidence in the Precision of God’s Promise

Simeon survived the dark because he didn't rely on his eyes; he relied on a specific Promise. The Greek word for "revealed" here (kechrēmatismenon) is unique—it implies an official divine transaction or court order. This wasn't a "hunch" or a spiritual feeling; Simeon held a signed contract from Heaven that he would not die until he saw the Messiah.

He knew God wasn't late; God was precise. He anchored his life to the character of the One who promised. Faith is not a feeling in the dark; it is confidence in the "official business" of the God who controls the sun.

Point: You cannot find your way by straining to see in the dark; you find hope by trusting the Goodness of the God who times the sunrise. The darkness is not an accident; it is the canvas God uses to display His perfect timing when He finally turns the Light on.

Illustration: "We often look at our lives like a cheap wristwatch that is running slow. We tap it, shake it, and think, 'God, you're late! The economy is crashing, my kids are growing up, you missed the deadline!' But we forget that God doesn't run on our time; He runs on Greenwich Mean Time—or rather, Eternity Mean Time. When the Bible says it was 'revealed' (chrēmatismos) to Simeon, it means his hope was synced to the Atomic Clock of Heaven. Spurgeon once said, 'God never is before His time: He never is behind.'If the sunrise is late, it's not the sun's fault; it's because your clock is wrong. Simeon didn't panic in the dark because he knew the Sun (Son) kept perfect time."

So then, ...

II. Fix Your Gaze on the Glory of the Son

(Text: Luke 2:27–32)

A. Look for the Person, Not Just the Plan

The Spirit moved Simeon into the Temple courts at the exact moment Jesus arrived. But notice—Simeon didn't just look for a "fulfillment" or a "concept" of peace. He looked for a Person. He took the Child in his arms.

We often scan the shadows looking for God’s "plan" for our lives (a better job, a healed marriage). But God doesn't give us a map; He gives us a Savior. To "Behold" means to stop looking for an outcome and lock your eyes on the Person of Jesus Christ.

B. Release the Weight of the Solution; Receive the Rest in the Person

For years, Simeon was "waiting for the Consolation" (v. 25). But in verse 30, he says, "My eyes have seen your salvation." The Greek word he uses is sōtērion—a neuter noun referring to the concrete instrument of salvation. He wasn't looking at a philosophy; he was holding the tangible Tool God would use to fix the world.

Rest isn't just "taking a break"; it is the end of striving. As long as we are scanning for a "fix," we are carrying the burden of our own salvation. The moment Simeon stopped looking for a solution and held the sōtērion—the Savior Himself—the weight was gone.

Point: The 'Consolation' you are searching for is not found in a change of circumstances, but in the face of the Savior. If God is precise enough to keep His ancient promises to the world, He is faithful enough to hold your tomorrow.

III. Release Your Anxiety and Receive the Peace of God's Provision

(Text: Luke 2:29; 31–32)

A. Realize the Magnitude of What God Has Prepared

Simeon didn't just see a local fix; he saw a salvation prepared "in the presence of all peoples." He saw a provision big enough to be a "Light to the Gentiles" and "Glory to Israel." The scope of God's provision was far greater than Simeon's personal corner of the world.

Anxiety thrives on scarcity—the fear that there isn't enough hope, resources, or grace to go around. But Simeon teaches us that God’s provision is global and inexhaustible. If God has prepared a salvation big enough to cover the nations, He has certainly prepared enough grace to cover your situation.

Stop looking at the size of your problem and start looking at the magnitude of God’s provision.

B. Let the Presence of Jesus End Your Striving

"Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace." Simeon calls God Despota (Absolute Master/Commander) and uses the verb apolueis—which means to "unbind" or "release a prisoner or sentry." He is saying, "Commander, the relief Guard has arrived. You are unbinding me from my watch." He didn't stop watching because he gave up; he stopped because the Relief had arrived.

We often feel we cannot rest until we fix everything—our families, our finances, our future. But true peace comes when you realize the Commander (Despota) has sent the Savior to take up the watch. You can stop straining to hold your world together because Jesus has come to hold you.

Point: Peace is not the absence of trouble; it is the presence of the Savior. You can finally put down your guard, not because the battle is over, but because the Champion has taken the field.

Illustration: "There is a famous historical tragedy about a Japanese soldier named Hiroo Onoda. In 1944, he was sent to a remote island in the Philippines and told to hold the ground. World War II ended in 1945. Peace was declared. The 'Light' had come back to the world. But Onoda didn't know. He stayed in the jungle, fighting a war that was already over, for 29 more years. He lived in the dark, straining, fighting imaginary enemies, eating scraps, and suffering anxiety every night. He didn't surrender until 1974, when his old commanding officer flew to the island and personally gave him the order: 'Mission Accomplished. You are dismissed.' Some of you are Hiroo Onoda. The war ended at the Cross. The Treaty was signed at the Empty Tomb. But you are still in the jungle, fighting for your own salvation, fighting for your own peace, straining in the dark. Simeon is your Commanding Officer today. He is saying: 'The Consolation has come. The war is over. Rest, we are now at peace.'"

Main Idea:

Because the Light of the World has truly come, you can stop scanning the shadows for hope and fix your gaze on the only Promise that never fails—Jesus Christ.

The End of the Watch "We started this service talking about how exhausting it is to strain in the dark. We talked about how painful it is to try and 'figure out' your future when you can't see the next step. Simeon lived in that dark room for years. But the moment he held Jesus, the straining stopped. He didn't say, 'Lord, now I have a new plan.' He said, 'Lord, now I can depart in peace.' Why? Because the Watchman’s shift was over. He didn't need to scan the horizon anymore because he was holding the instrument of the Sunrise in his hands."

The Challenge: Stop Acting Like He Hasn't Come: Some of you are Christians, but you are living like it's still 400 BC. You are living like the Light hasn't come yet. You are still carrying the anxiety, the fear, and the burden of saving yourself. You are looking at your bank account, your marriage, or your past, and you are squinting, trying to find a way out. Stop. The Light has come. The Sotérion—the Instrument of Salvation—is here. If you leave this place and go back to worrying, you are ignoring the Gift you’ve been given, the ability to let the worry go and trust in Jesus.

"Behold the Savior" The song the worship team sang says, “Behold the Savior... The King of Kings and Lord of Lords is here.” To “behold” means to stop looking at everything else. You can't behold the Savior while you're staring at your phone, or staring at your fears, or staring at your failures, or staring at the unknown. You have to look up and look to Jesus."

The Final Appeal I’m going to ask you to do something bold today. If you walked in here carrying a heavy burden—straining in the dark—I want you to bring it to the Lord right now. I don't want you to be here just to ask God for a 'plan.' I want you to be here to meet the Person.

Simeon didn't leave with a map; he left with peace because he held the Messiah. Pray right now as I pray. Unload the weight of your 'watch.' Come and release the anxiety of your 'striving.' The Commander (Despota), Jesus Christ, is here to relieve you of duty. You can rest. The Savior has come.