Simeon's Faith

We began our advent season last week discussing the Hope of the Messiah. We saw that the Messiah would be the righteous king, the caring shepherd, and the perfect peace. We can empathize with their intense desire for the coming Messiah and understand the pain of waiting. When a promise is given we can either believe it will come to pass or believe it to be a lie. Our belief does not change whether or not it happens but it does change our attitude and enjoyment of the promise. If we choose to believe it we eagerly wait for the fulfillment and when it happens we are filled with Joy. On the other hand if we choose to believe it is a lie then we harbor ill-will and resentment and when it does happen we are filled with guilt, thus spoiling a good thing. We see this in the first coming of Christ. Those who did not place their faith or trust in the Messiah missed him when he came, and resented him for his works. Yet there were those like Simeon in today’s passage that had faithfully waited for the Messiah and were filled with great joy at his coming. Look with me at Luke 2:25-38 as we consider Simeon’s Faith.

Luke 2:25–35 ESV

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 marveled 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.”

Faith begins with Hope

Luke 2:25–26 ESV

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.

Vs 25 tells us that Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel

His hope is that the Messiah is coming and he is waiting faithfully for Him.

He is watching for the signs, praying for him to come, all the while trusting that God is faithful and will do as he has promised

The Holy Spirit then tells him that He will get to see this Messiah before he dies

Simeon’s Hope, the consolation of Israel will come in his lifetime.

Consolation of Israel - It means to come alongside and help or to comfort. The coming Messiah was going to comfort Israel and come alongside and help her by dealing with their sin and restoring them to a right relationship with God. Simeon likely did not understand exactly what the Messiah was going to do but he trusted the Messiah would bring comfort. His faith was born out of his hope for the Messiah.

We too have promises given to us by God; that He will return again to take us to be with Him, that are our sins are forgiven and forgotten, that God himself is holding secure our salvation, that we will live forever in heaven with Him, that he will never leave us nor forsake us. So many promises, the question is will we place our faith in God to keep those promises as Did Simeon or will we instead believe that God is a liar?

Faith is demonstrated by Obedience

Luke 2:25–27 ESV

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,

This man was righteous and devout

righteous - holy - obviously he was not without sin but yet his character was such that people when asked couldn’t name it

he sought to uphold the law and do the will of God every day of his life.

Devout - he was devoted to God and was often in the temple, the kind of man who would never miss church or church functions he was always present when something related to God was happening. He loved him will all his heart and everyone knew it.

In short this man was a picture of what a man of God should look like. He lived a life of obedience to God.

Thus it is no surprise that He was sensitive and obedient to the Spirit of God.

Notice what it says in vs 27 He came in the Spirit to the temple

This visit to the temple was different than those before because it was Spirit-led. I believe that everyone has moments when God’s Spirit leads them to do something. The Spirit prompts us to accept salvation but for those of us who are Christians he also prompts us to speak to certain individuals about Christ or to share a helping hand, maybe even to start a ministry. The question is are we even listening for his voice and when we do hear it will we be obedient. We see in the story of Simeon that obedience brings rewards, for Simeon his obedience caused him to get to see the Christ. Yet I also propose that obedience itself is a reward. Remember John 15:10-11 says

John 15:10–11 ESV

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

We often think obedience means a miserable existence or at least a loss of privileges and pleasure yet Jesus promises that obedience to Him brings complete joy. Our highest pleasure comes when we are obedient to God.

Yet some would argue that faith and obedience are in conflict with each other after all as Baptist dont we side with faith not works. Yet this is in regard to salvation not living. We are saved not by our own works but by our faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross, which includes the fact that he is God in the flesh for without that we have no salvation. For no mere man can live a perfect life so the perfect God came to live as a man a perfect life to be the sacrifice for us. Thus if Jesus is God he has the right to demand obedience. He then empowers us with the Holy Spirit to be able to be obedient thus we have no excuse for our disobedience but being rebellious children. Jesus says John 14:15

John 14:15 ESV

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

James says James 2:18

James 2:18 ESV

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Paul writes in in Ephesians 2:10

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

In each case they are speaking to Christians and the answer is the same your faith is demonstrated by your works, that is your obedience to God. Simeon was found joy in being obedient to God, May we all learn from his example of faithful obedience. That all may see in us a life changed by God, a life of faith demonstrated through our obedience to God.

Faith Matures by Submission

You ever wonder what the difference is between a mature Christian like Paul or the disciples who went through such difficulties and still were faithful to God. It is because they were submissive to the will of God. Things did not always happen the way they wanted them to or the way they expected, i’m confident Paul did not want to be shipwrecked, beaten, stoned, snake bit, or imprisoned yet He submitted to the will of God. It was not Pauls show it was God’s show.

In the same way we see Simeon here waiting for the consolation of Israel the one who would bring comfort to Israel yet listen to his words here

Luke 2:29–35 ESV

“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 marveled 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.”

The fall and rising of many, a sign that is opposed, a sword will pierce your soul these are not descriptions of comfort but rather pain and strife. Has the hope failed or been changed? Has he given up or recieved a contradicting message from God. No

Remember he says my eyes have seen your salvation prepared in the presence of all peoples its for the glory to your people Israel. The consolation of Israel has come but its coming is not as we expected its not mans plan or thoughts but rather its God’s plan the plan he has prepared from before time.

Simeon recognizes through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is not the Messiah many think is coming but rather He is the Messiah that God desired to come.

He came to conquer sin not the world,

He came to bring peace between God and man not the nations,

He came to reveal the true nature of God and his love for all man not to elevate Israel above the world.

Thus there will be conflict for it is not what the people wanted but rather what God wanted.

How often we are quick to rail against God when things do not go the way we want them to complain bicker and even argue with him rather than submit to him and say God I do not understand why this is necessary but if this is what you want then so be it. I will endure this hardship this pain this trial because you have ordained it so, and I acknowledge your right as the Sovereign God to do as you please, and I as your servant will not only do as you command but will also do so willingly because you are on the throne of my life, you are my God.

Invitation

My friends we often think of faith as merely a belief, I have faith because I believe Jesus loves me, died for me on the cross rose again on the third day, and now I am saved. Faith is more than belief for James says even the demons believe and they tremble. Faith is more than belief in the hope of something better, its more than acceptance of some theological truths rather these are but the milk of faith. The meat is in obedience and submission to God. The mature believer recognizing the Sovereignty the absolute authority of God and knowing the commands of Scripture is obedient and submissive to God. This is the true man of faith, it is men like these who are the Abrahams Davids the Pauls of today. You want to be a man or woman of faith seek to be obedient to God and his ways, seek to be submissive when things do not go your way.

Yet maybe you have never accepted Christ, maybe today God is convicting you of your sin and you feel the Holy Spirit even now prompting you to give your life to him. That is the first step of faith. Admit your sin to God and your own inability to fix it and place your trust in Jesus as the only hope of salvation believing that his perfect life and death on the cross are sufficient to pay the price for your sin and acknowledge him as Lord master of your life, choose today a life of obedience and submission to God and you will find your own joy made complete. Bow your heads as we pray