Sermon Tone Analysis

Luke 2:25-35

Destination Bethlehem–a Grave

 

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 marvelled 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.”[1]

Chrismons are symbols of the Christian Faith.

Chrismons have recently become a popular form of decoration for Christmas Trees.

Chrismons, however, have come down to us through history.

The word is a combination of the words “Christ” and “Monogram” and that is exactly what they are—symbols of Christ.

The source of inspiration comes from the Scriptures which are full of “Names of Christ” which are illustrations of His character and work and easily demonstrated in objects.

Like parables, they are earthly symbols with heavenly meanings.

They were designed, carved, and drawn by some of the earliest Christians and were found in many places—on jewellery and utensils, in the catacombs, and on doors and buildings.

They were symbols used by early Christians to show their faith to the world.

They were always made in gold and white to symbolise majesty and purity.

Among the items which could qualify as a Chrismon, none is more symbolically accurate than that of a tomb.

The Son of God was born to die … and to rise again.

Perhaps the first person in all the world to clearly see that the Son of God was born to die was old Simeon.

We know little of the old man, except that he was righteous and conscientious concerning the Word of God.

He read the Scriptures and under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit, he realised that the time for the birth of the Anointed One was present.

He lived in anticipation of the birth of God’s Messiah.

Moved by the Holy Spirit, this godly man went into the Temple.

The Word of God is careful to say that the Holy Spirit was upon him and specifically notes that he was moved by the Spirit to go into the Temple courts.

We are left with the clear assumption that he anticipated the revelation of the Messiah that day.

He went in expectation of seeing what God was about to do.

As Simeon waited in the Temple court, Mary and Joseph brought their firstborn son into the Temple.

There, they would name the child and present Him before the Lord.

They would offer the sacrifice required for a firstborn son, acknowledging that He belonged to the Lord.

Before they were able to perform even one aspect of the required ritual, Simeon approached them, lifted the child from His parent’s arms, and praised God.

 

nu`n ajpoluvei" to;n dou`lon sou, devspota,

kata; to; rJh`ma sou ejn eijrhvnh~/:

o{ti ei\don oiJ ojfqalmoiv mou to; swthvrion sou,

o} hJtoivmasa" kata; provswpon pavntwn tw`n law`n,

fw`" eij" ajpokavluyin ejqnw`n

kai; dovxan laou` sou  jIsrahvl.

[*Luke 2:29-32*, Nestle-Aland 26th Edition]

 

The song of praise which broke from Simeon’s heart to rise to the heavens is known as the *Nunc Dimitis*, from the first words in the Latin version of this canticle.

It is this song which I ask you to focus on at this time.

I want us together to learn something of God’s grace and to learn something of God’s wisdom.

Join me in exploration of the final message in this series studying the convergence of God and man at Bethlehem more than two millennia past.

Review the account of Simeon as he witnessed God’s grace in the Temple when the child Jesus was brought in to be presented before the Lord.

God Prepares People to Receive His Purpose — God’s purposes are open—available for scrutiny.

God never works in darkness to accomplish His will.

This is not to say that God is never at work during those times we think He is silent, but it is to say that for the great, divine plan for all mankind, God has worked openly and without fear of exposure.

There is a reason for God to work openly in order to accomplish His will.

That reason is stated in the opening words of John’s Gospel.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

In him was life, and that life was the light of men [*John 1:1-4*].

Later, John will state of darkness: this is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed [*John 3:19-21*].

Near the end of his life, the aged servant of God iterated this divine truth as he drafted his first missive.

The Apostle of Love stated the message he had faithfully delivered.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all [*1 John 1:5*].

When Paul appeared before Agrippa and Festus, he articulated a wonderful truth.

He gave his testimony, explaining how God saved him and appointed him to divine service.

As he explained this divine work in his own life, he affirmed a marvellous truth.

I have had God’s help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike.

I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen—that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles [*Acts 26:22, 23*].

Porcius Festus, governor of Judea, had invited Herod Agrippa the Second, king of Palestine, to hear Paul’s defence of charges proffered by Jewish leaders hostile to the Christian Faith.

As Paul explained his call to service, the governor broke in, exclaiming, You are out of your mind, Paul!

Your great learning is driving you insane [*Acts 26:24*].

What I would have you take special note of is Paul’s response to this interjection.

“I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied.  “What I am saying is true and reasonable.

The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him.

I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner” [*Acts 26:25, 26*].

Notice especially the final words: *it was not done in a corner*.

This is the message of Christmas, that God ever works for the benefit of man—even before the creation of the world.

Peter writes of God’s glorious purpose as he begins his first letter.

Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.

Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God [*1 Peter 1:17-21*].

Christ the Lord was chosen before the creation of the world to be the Lamb of God.

When John the Baptist saw Him coming at the initiation of His brief ministry, he cried out, Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world [*John 1:29*]!

Christ was born that He might die.

I have cited the Apostles—Paul, Peter and John—demonstrating that God works openly to accomplish His purposes in salvation.

How did these men know of the divine purpose?

Simeon, moved by the Spirit to enter the courts at the precise moment that the baby Jesus was being brought into the Temple, praised God:

 

Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,

you now dismiss your servant in peace.

For my eyes have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared in the sight of all people,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles

and for glory to your people Israel.

I take note that Simeon was told that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

God had a witness to what He was doing in bringing His Son into the world.

His witness was not confined to an angel choir, nor to Gabriel, nor yet to astronomical phenomena, but God kept a witness who could identify with the remainder of fallen mankind.

When our first parents sinned, God Himself gave them hope.

I will put enmity

between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and hers;