A Less Than Famous Christmas Miracle

Introduction

God keeps His promises big and small.

Promises God made to Abraham and David He will keep.

Promises God made to Israel He will and does keep.

Promises God made to the world God will and does keep.

Promises God made to you personally He will keep. - In our text this morning we see God keeping a promise not to a nation or a even a patriarch of old but to an individual, an old man.

Context (v. 21-24)

On the eighth day after their birth Jewish males were both named and circumcised.

Here in v. 21 we see Mary and Joseph keeping that custom.

Luke’s focus is not on the circumcision, however, but rather the naming. While Mary and Joseph keep the cultural custom they also obeyed the command from God’s messenger Gabriel to name the child Jesus.

The name Jesus is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name “Joshua,” which means, “Yahweh saves.” It is a fitting name for the One who was born to “save His people from their sins”

After a male child’s circumcision on the eighth day, the mother was ceremonially unclean for another thirty-three days. Interestingly, the time of her impurity was doubled if the child was a girl, to two weeks initially followed by a subsequent sixty-six days.

After the days for Mary’s purification … were completed and she was again permitted to enter the temple, the couple brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. Though it did not have to be done at Jerusalem or the temple, the Law of the Lord given through Moses declared that every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord and set apart to Him.

Though it is not explicitly stated in the text, it is safe to assume that Joseph and Mary paid the five-shekel redemption fee for Jesus, since they “performed everything according to the Law of the Lord” (v. 39). That fee, coupled with the expense of traveling to Bethlehem and staying there for an extended period of time, was a significant financial burden for this young couple.

After her forty days of uncleanness following the birth of her Son, Mary had to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord. This again reveals her righteous character and commitment to obeying the law of God.

That she offered the alternative offering, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, showed that she and Joseph were poor. It also indicates that they had not yet seen the wise men (Matt. 2:11), since the valuable gifts they brought would have allowed Joseph and Mary to afford a lamb for the sacrifice. That Mary offered a sin offering is consistent with the reality that she was a sinner in need of a Savior (cf. 1:47). The Catholic dogma that Mary was immaculately conceived and lived a sinless life finds no support in Scripture.

Simeon the Man (v. 25a)

He only appears here in Scripture

Most likely an old man

His name means “God has heard” and was a very common name.

We don’t know where he was from, who his family was or any other background material.

Luke focuses not on who Simeon was but rather this one moment in His life when God proves Himself faithful.

Simeon the Believer (v. 25b)

Luke describes Simeon as both righteous and devout.

His Righteousness (KJV: just)

What kind of righteousness did Luke mean?

The Pharisees were considered righteous in their time, though we know that brand of righteousness they wore was really self-righteousness.

Given the interaction of Simeon with Joseph, Mary and Jesus it is safe to say that Simeon’s righteousness was more like that of Abraham’s. Scripture tells us that Abraham “believed God and it was counted unto him as righteousness.”

In other words it was a faith based belief that imputed the righteousness of Christ to Abraham just like Christ’s righteousness is imputed to believers today.

I believe that this is the kind of righteousness that Luke has in mind when speaking of Simeon.

His Devotion

Devout has the meaning of “cautious” in classical Greek. It appears in the New Testament only in Luke’s writings, where it describes those who are “reverent toward God,” “God-fearing,” or “pious.” It conveys the idea of being careful to obey and honor God so as to lead an exemplary life before others.

The book of James teaches us that a real faith in Jesus will always produce fruit and this particular term that Luke uses to describe Simeon indicates that his faith bore fruit.

His Rarity

Genuine believers in Israel were rare at this point in history.

Despite the clear testimony to the Lord Jesus Christ in the Old Testament only a small, believing remnant in Israel were prepared to recognize Him when He arrived. Among them was an

A common priest named Zacharias and his barren wife, Elizabeth, who became the parents of Messiah’s forerunner (Luke 1:5ff.).

Also a part of that small believing remnant was a young couple, just teenagers really, beginning their life together, Joseph and Mary.

The shepherds who received the angelic announcement of Jesus’ birth were possibly members of the believing remnant or at least they became so after the angelic announcement.

An old man with a promise

An old prophetess named Anna

All of them were humble people, far from the elite circles of Jewish thought, education, or religion. Yet they were chosen by God for monumental service in connection with the birth of the Messiah.

Simeon the Theologian (v. 25c)

We can learn much of Simeon’s theology from the short phrase that he was “waiting for the consolation of Israel”

The “consolation [παράκλησις, paraklēsis] of Israel” refers to the time when, according to Isa 40:1–2, God would end Israel’s time of alienation and suffering through the advent of the Messiah

Like the rest of the believing remnant, Simeon eagerly awaited the coming of Messiah, who would bring the consolation of Israel.

Paraklēsis (consolation) has in this context the connotation of “comfort,” “encouragement,” or “solace.”

Simeon was both looking for the personal consolation of salvation for himself, and for the national deliverance promised in the Davidic and Abrahamic covenants.

The Messiah was the embodiment of the nation’s hope of consolation; the only one who could bring consolation to Israel was the Consoler. Thus the rabbis sometimes referred to the Messiah as Menachem, which means “Comforter” or “Consoler.” Isaiah in particular emphasized Messiah’s role as a comforter.

It is no accident that this promise of Israel’s consolation through the Messiah was given to Simeon by the Comforter of John 14 and 15, the Holy Spirit.

Simeon the Anointed(v. 25d -27a)

The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the OT is often forgotten or misunderstood.

While there were some differences in the way the Holy Spirit operated in the OT He was still very active.

For instance it is important to remember the people in the OT were saved in the exact same way people are saved today, and just like today the Holy Spirit played an important role in that transformation in the OT.

There is also example of the Holy Spirit filling God’s servants in the OT for special spiritual service, such as David.

The main character of our text, Simeon, is another example.

Now I know we are in the NT here but remember that in the Gospels the world was still operating under the OT economy of God’s stewardship.

Luke’s statement that the Holy Spirit was upon Simeon reflects the Holy Spirits pre-pentecost ministry of empowering people, specifically prophets, to speak for God or act in special service.

This is not the first person we have seen be empowered by the Spirit in the Christmas narrative.

Zacharias

Elizabeth

John the Baptist

Mary

Perhaps the point here is don’t forget the Holy Spirit at Christmas time.

Simeon had been given a very special gift by the Holy Spirit, for it had been revealed to him that the Messiah would come in his lifetime, and that he would see the Messiah in person.

Did he tell anyone?

Would anyone even believe him?

He must have lived everyday with great hope and expectation.

While we have no promise so specific today we are told to live with that same kind of expectation and hope.

If Christmas reminds us of anything it should remind us that Jesus came and He is coming again.

The Holy Spirit led Simeon to the temple that day. Was Simeon even aware of the Spirit’s leading?

Maybe or maybe not

We are not always consciously aware of the Spirits leading, and that is ok.

Simeon the Singer (v. 27b-32)

This moment is the culmination of all of Simeon’s life.

It is the fulfillment of his greatest purpose.

This is his mark on history

Now I can depart in peace.

With his own eyes he had seen God’s salvation, personified in the infant Jesus (cf. 1:69; 2:11).

He understood that salvation for Israel involved much more than the national deliverance promised by the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants, whose blessings will not be fully realized until the millennial kingdom.

In the incarnation, Jesus came not to save His people from their enemies, but from their sins

The Scope of Salvation

Simeon’s next statement would shock Jewish sensibilities. Fiercely proud of their status as God’s chosen, covenant people, the Jews believed Messiah was their deliverer. They assumed He would establish their kingdom, which would then rule over the infidel Gentiles.

Isaiah 49:6 He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

It was always apart of God’s plan that Jesus should make a way of salvation for all mankind.

Simeon the Prophet (v. 33-35)

A blessing for Mary and Joseph

A Warning for Mary and Joseph

Mary’s life would be one of both great joy and great sorrow

He knows that Jesus’ life will be one of great opposition.

Simeon addresses Mary primarily seemingly in anticipation of Joseph’s absence.

Application

The faithfulness and kindness of Simeon

The determination of Mary and Joseph