Now, we all know the one song of Simeon its Latin name is the Nunc Dimittis after the opening words Simeon sings let your servant depart in peace.

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Theodore McGee
5 years ago
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1 The Song of Simeon Luke 2:25-35 Now, we all know the one song of Simeon its Latin name is the Nunc Dimittis after the opening words Simeon sings let your servant depart in peace. But I ve always wondered about the rest of Simeon s life before this great moment in the temple what he was like, how he lived, and why he was blessed by God to be able to live until he had actually seen the Messiah. Who was Simeon? We really don t know much about him. He isn t mentioned in the Scriptures before this incident in the temple, nor after. But there is one thing of which we can be fairly certain. You see, every Jew believed that their nation was the chosen nation this was long before promised by God. How often the Old Testament referred to the Jews as God s chosen people. Simeon held the same belief as the rest of his people. The Jews believed that, as God s chosen people, their destiny was to be great, greater than any other nation, that they were to eventually conquer all nations and rule over them. The problem that arose from that belief, though, was how; how was that destiny to be fulfilled? Obviously, it wouldn t come by human means. The history of the nation of Judah had been a long and frustrating one. More often than not, the Jews were a subject people, even a captive people. And all during the lifetime of Simeon, the Jews were a people subject to the Roman Empire, the most powerful empire the world had yet seen. To be masters of the nations and rulers of the world was going to require something different. Some of the Jews were convinced that some celestial champion, a mighty, otherworldly military genius would enter into history and defeat all those nations that had defeated the Jews and give them their rightful place in history. Others were convinced that a king from the line of David would arise, remove Caesar from Jerusalem, and take back the throne. That bloodshed might occur was an unavoidable consequence of this, but necessary to fulfill the destiny of God s people. Still others were convinced that God would intervene, supernaturally, in history, that He would lead some heavenly army to restore the Jews to their rightful place in the world; He is, after all, referred to over and over again in the Scriptures as the Lord of Hosts hosts meaning an army of angels. All of these sound pretty exciting, don t they? What a spectacle any of them might afford to the Jews as they watched their nation lifted up to its rightful position.

2 But there were others Jews who had a different perspective on the resurgence of the chosen nation. And they were known as the Quiet of the Land. They didn t believe in violence or bloodshed or massed armies human or otherwise with banners; they weren t concerned about kings and thrones and crowns. They never saw the resurgence of the Jews based on political power. Instead, their life was a life of constant prayer and constant watchfulness as they waited for God to transform all people, as they waited for God to comfort His people, as they waited for God to bring a new order into being, as they waited for God to change the world, one soul at a time. Simeon was one of the Quiet of the Land. (So was Anna who was also in the temple that day.) Simeon dedicated his life to prayer, worship, and humble expectation for and anticipation of the time when God would begin a new life for all of His people. And so, because of his faith, the Holy Spirit had assured him that he would not die until he had seen the redemption of Israel the Messiah who was neither bearing a sword nor garbed in silk robes. Now, this great moment in Simeon s life comes after Christmas, but all the moments that led up to it are what we might call Advent moments moments when he prepared for what God had in store for His people. I wonder if our Advent preparations are the kind of which Simeon might recognize. Not to make any one feel guilty, but how much prayer has gone into our Advent celebrations, unless you re praying for a parking space at the mall or a better price in one store than the one you saw in another store for the item your child HAD to have. We should, of course, be praying every day, even when it isn t Advent. But Simeon s example is that of a man who prepared for the coming of the one who would transform the world with prayer. The reality is that our souls will not be ready for the coming of the Christ child unless we spend time talking to God, communicating with Him, telling Him of our struggles and fears; unless we open up to Him and let Him know where we hurt; unless we set aside the crazy schedule of the holiday season and allow ourselves time to talk to God. Prayer, after all, isn t difficult; it isn t complicated. Oh, I know some people who have trouble praying; they think their words, to be heard and understood and answered by God, have to be flowery and poetic, words that would put David to shame as he wrote the Psalms. But that s not what God wants, or needs for that matter; He just wants us to talk to Him; oh, and listen to Him. For if prayer is a one-way monologue, rather than a dialogue, it really isn t prayer at all. While I certainly don t know how Simeon prayed in those days and months and maybe even years before that wonderful day in the temple, I think we can be safe in assuming that his prayers were

3 filled not with flowery phrases, but with the things that were deep in his soul. He asked; he shared; he let everything pour out, including his desire to actually see the coming redemption of Israel. That s a challenge for us. We still have twelve more praying days until Christmas. We also have twelve more worshipping days until Christmas. Again, the Bible doesn t tell us too much about what Simeon was actually doing while he waited for the consolation of his people. But I think it is a pretty safe assumption that the day he entered the temple and saw Jesus with His parents was not the first time he had been in the temple. What if he had skipped going to the temple one morning because he was too busy and missed the opportunity to see the one he was waiting for? What if he had said to himself; Well, it probably won t be today, so I ll pass until tomorrow. There s a wonderful story about a village that was the home of a legend. On Christmas Eve, it was believed, if all was right, the Christ child would appear in the village church. A reporter was sent to do a story on the village, and he interviewed one resident, asking him if he really believed in the legend. Well, no, the man replied. The reporter asked: Then why do you still go to church on Christmas Eve? The man replied: Well, what if the legend is true, and I wasn t there? That, I think, was Simeon s attitude only he did believe, and he knew it wasn t a legend he just didn t want to miss out on the greatest moment of his life. Worship for Simeon wasn t an afterthought after everything else was done it was at the core of his being. And yes, I will add that he likely did a lot of worshipping even when he wasn t in the temple praising God, singing psalms, and expressing in every way possible his devotion to the Almighty. I ll bet he even read the passages from Isaiah that spoke of the child to be born, the one who was the shoot from the stump of Jesse. How much worshipping here in our sanctuary, or in the sanctuary you call home, or any sanctuary at the office, in your car, walking down the street, standing in line at the bank will you do to connect with God? One last fact about the quiet of the land: they waited patiently and confidently for what God had in store. The world s Christmas season and the church s Advent season run concurrently on the calendar (although the world s Christmas season does seem to start right after Halloween!) But they are very different seasons. The world s Christmas season (and pardon a bit of cynicism) starts when we gobble more than does a turkey so we can get out on Thanksgiving to shop (although Marshall s, TJ MAXX, and Home Goods were actually closed on Thanksgiving, to encourage us to focus on family, the commercials told us I wonder if more people shopped those stores on Black Friday because of that policy). We face Black Friday crowds and parking lot thugs who will do anything for a parking space; we get fired up for Cyber Monday, and run ourselves ragged looking for the latest must have, whatever that must have is remember Cabbage Patch Dolls, Tickle Me Elmo, and Furbys?

4 The world s Christmas season gets a little overwhelming, and too often we get caught in the overwhelmingness of it. But Advent is different. Advent is time to reflect; time to focus our attention on a stable; time to stop (do we know what that word really means?) and allow the meaning of Advent to sink in. I can t see Simeon hurrying to the Jerusalem Wal-Mart, trying to find just the right gift to bring to the Messiah when He did show up. No, he calmly, patiently, confidently waited. Dottie found something posted on Facebook this week, from a site called: Friend of Humanity. When she read it aloud, I stopped and told her to write it down it was just what I needed to tie up the loose ends of this sermon. For the message was: Stress makes you believe that everything has to happen right now. Faith reassures you that everything will happen in God s timing! I don t know about you, but this minister who thinks that everything during Advent has to be done not only decently and in order, but to the highest, maybe impossibly highest, standard, needed to hear that! I think Simeon definitely would have agreed with that friend of humanity. That s how he celebrated Advent with quiet and devotional and patient waiting. Who was he, after all, to rush God s hand? If God had promised that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah, however he might appear, he was just going to enjoy the time and savor each moment of his personal Advent. Of course, we don t to wait quite like Simeon did the Messiah came already. And when Christmas comes in twelve days, we have the opportunity once more to celebrate who He is, what He means, what He does, how He transforms our lives. The question we have to ask ourselves is, though: How will we wait during these remaining twelve days? Will we let the stress of the world s Christmas season define them? Or will we take a page from the living book Simeon offers us and let everything happen in God s timing? It s a choice we make every day, with every attitude, with every thought, in every relationship, and I think you can all guess which choice will make Christmas as merry and bright as we all want it to be. Twelve days left. Twelve more shopping days? Twelve more running around days? Twelve more fill them up as far and as fast as you can days? Or twelve more days, like Simeon, to pray, to worship, to confidently await the opportunity to welcome once more, Jesus Christ into our hearts and souls and lives. Twelve more days to hear the song Simeon sang before he saw the child.

5 Worship December 13, 2015 Call: Litany Assurance: Litany Children s Message: How many days left until Christmas? What will you do with those days? Prayer: Mighty God, as you granted Simeon the great opportunity to gaze upon Your Son, the Savior of all the world, so may we have the opportunity to welcome Him into our lives. Help us to take the time to communicate with You in prayer to speak of our needs and fears and doubts, and to listen as You answer us. Help us to take the time to praise and honor and glorify You, to sing of Your glory and grace, to make each place in our lives a place where we meet You. And help us to find the time to stop and savor each moment of waiting, to reject the schedule the world places upon us and just let Your transformation happen, in Your perfect time. May these next twelve days of Advent fill us with hope, with joy, with light, and with the quiet confidence that in You, all thing work for good. Needs, etc. LORD S PRAYER

Christmas Eve. The scripture text is taken from Luke 2:1-20

Christmas Eve. The scripture text is taken from Luke 2:1-20 Danish Philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard tells the following story: Once there was a young king who was very wealthy. His power was known throughout