Sermon Tone Analysis

“Responding to Jesus”

.

It’s amazing how we respond when we meet famous or important people.

People will stand in lines, our campout all night to hear certain musicians or bands.

Back in the day, girls would faint and pass out when the Beatles or Elvis Pressley performed.

People pull out their cell phones, and try to capture a picture of a famous or powerful person.

When you encounter a powerful, famous, talented person you respond in some way.

How should we respond when we encounter the Lord Jesus Christ, the most powerful, wonderful, famous person in the universe?

In this passage this morning were going to meet two people who met Jesus and responded in the way we all ought to respond when we encounter Jesus.

Let me give you the background, and then will meet these two people and learn how we ought to respond to Jesus.

Mary and Joseph caring baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem.

They are doing this because this is what the Old Testament law taught them they were to do as parents.

God told Moses that the firstborn was to be consecrated, set apart for God’s service.

Jesus was a firstborn and his parents brought him to present him to the Lord, V:22.

Mary and Joseph were God fearing, Bible believing parents.

We read about the law of the Lord several times in these verses; Jesus was the son of Abraham, circumcised at eight days old; brought to the Temple and presented to the Lord.

Jesus came to fulfill all righteousness by keeping God’s law.

-“When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law”.

Jesus lived a perfect life, he lived in complete obedience to the law of God and the will of God; he did that for our salvation.

Get the picture in your mind; here are Joseph and Mary, and two month old baby Jesus making their way into the temple to offer a sacrifice to God, in obedience to the law.

V:24, they offer to turtledoves, and two young pigeons.

The implication is they could not afford a lamb for a sacrifice, so they sacrifice these birds.

The Holy Spirit sets this scene for us; Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus in the temple offering a sacrifice in obedience to the law of God.

And then the Holy Spirit spotlights two people, a man and a woman; and shows us their response to meeting Jesus.

The central figure in the story is the Lord Jesus; and the only reason we read about Simeon and Anna is because of their response to Jesus.

It is their response to Jesus that makes their lives significant; it is their reaction to Jesus that puts their names in the Bible.

V:25-“Behold…

The Holy Spirit turns the spotlight on Simeon and says I want you to check out this man, turn your attention to this man, Simeon.

He is such a rare man that you won’t see many like him as long as you live!

The way he responded to Jesus is the way we ought to respond to Jesus.

1. Worship Jesus with a Thankful Heart!

V:25-35.

When Jesus was presented at the temple to godly Saints were waiting to receive him, worship him and proclaim him.

The first one is this man Simeon; were told something about his spiritual condition in, V:25-26-“Simeon was a just man and about, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he would not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

We don’t know a lot about Simeon’s personal circumstances; the main thing and most important thing was that he was righteous-he was right with God through faith in the promised Messiah.

He was waiting in faith for the Messiah who would comfort his people, by bringing salvation.

We’re not told how long he had been waiting for the Messiah to come.

I can imagine him going to the Temple many days expecting to meet the Messiah being presented by his parents to the Lord.

He knew the one place the Messiah would come would be to the Temple.

-“The Lord whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple…

The Holy Spirit had told him in his spirit that he would not die before he met the Messiah.

Then one great day, as Simeon is being led by the Holy Spirit, he meets the one he’d been waiting far, for long time.

As Christians, we need to be led by the spirit; when were led by the spirit, will be led the church; it would be led to Jesus!

The Bible says walk in the spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

V:27-32-Read.

I can imagine that Jesus parents might have been a little taken back by this older gentleman, coming up with such excitement and taking baby Jesus out of their arms and began to worship and praise God.

Simeon responds to Jesus by worshiping and praising God for sending the Savior/Messiah.

Simeon’s days of waiting were over; he’s holding God’s son, the salvation of Israel and the world in his arms!

And he is full of joy and praise as he blesses and worships God!

This morning as Jesus is presented to you as the savior; you need to receive him, not into your arms like Simeon; but receive him into your heart by faith and experience salivation, and joy and worship!

Dear Christian, the source of joy is Jesus!

In his presence is fullness of joy!

Notice what Simeon experience because of how he responded to Jesus:

a. Peace for Dying.

V:28-30-“He took him in his arms, and bless God, and said, Lord, now let your servant depart in peace: for my eyes have seen your salvation”.

Simeon experienced a profound peace in his soul as he looked in Jesus face; after all, he was holding in his arms “the Prince of peace”!

He said I’m ready to depart, be dismissed from this life; because my eyes have seen your salvation!

True peace, lasting peace comes only when we, like Simeon, understand that salvation is Jesus Christ, plus nothing!

Please don’t miss what Simeon is telling us: salvation is bound up in a person; and that person is Jesus Christ!

Salvation is not found in religion, any religion or denomination.

Salvation is not found in good works, or baptism, or creeds; salvation is found in Jesus!

Simeon is looking at Jesus and he says:

V:30-“My eyes have seen your salvation”.

We know that neither Simeon nor anyone else is saved simply by the birth of Jesus.

Jesus would live a perfect life, die and atoning death on the cross, and rise from the dead.

There is no salvation without the cross and the empty tomb.

But Simeon understood that Jesus had come to provide salvation; the child in his arms was not simply part of salvation, but salvation itself.

Jesus is all that anyone needs to be saved, and the only one who can save you from your sin!

-“Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved”.

Meeting Jesus Christ gave Simeon peace, and he is ready to die.

And friend until you meet Jesus you won’t have peace, and you won’t be ready to die!

Some people believe that this means that Simeon was an old man.

That may be true; but Luke never tells us how old he was.

All he tells us is that Simeon had met Jesus, and he was ready to die.

Anyone who has seen Jesus with the eyes of faith is prepared to die; anyone who is not seen him, whether young or old; is not ready to die!

Simeon is not the only one who can say this; I claim them myself;“My eyes have seen your salvation”

As a teenage boy, I looked here and I look there trying to find peace and contentment.

I remember the day that I looked to Jesus Christ in faith, trusted him and he saved my soul, and changed my life!

I found peace and satisfaction the day I looked to Jesus!

My eyes have seen God salvation!

There are some this morning in this room, who have never seen God salvation.

Have you seen Jesus by faith?

Have you seen him crucified for your sins?

Have you seen him raise for your salvation?

It is then and only then that you are ready to die! -“If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Satan blinds people’s eyes to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

He doesn’t want you to look, trust, place your faith in Jesus Christ and be saved.

So he blinds the eyes of your mind, so you don’t see or understand that salvation is in Jesus Christ alone.

Two of the things he pulls over your mind to keep you blind is:

· I’m not a bad person, I don’t need to be saved.

· I can work hard, and be good and save myself.

When Simeon met Jesus he experienced, peace for dying.

He also experienced:

b.

Light for Living.

V:32-“A light to light the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel”.

The baby in Simeon’s arms was not only for Simeon to see, but for everyone.

Simeon tells us that God’s salvation is for the whole world.

V:31-“which you have prepared before the face of all people”.

This baby, Jesus is God salvation for all people, Gentile and Jew alike!