LUKE 2:25-35
IN THE WAITING ROOM
What do Dr. Zuckerman, Dr. Gross, Dr. Blaikie, Dr. Mayer, Dr. Wingard and a host of other doctors have in common? They've kept me sitting in their waiting rooms for a long time. I wonder how many hours I've spent in my lifetime sitting in a waiting room waiting for a doctor or a dentist!
Of course, most of us don't like to wait! We don't like to wait when we are ready to go, and someone else is still getting ready. We don't like to wait when someone has made us a promise, and we are waiting for that person to keep the promise.
We don't like to wait when someone owes us money and we don't like to wait when we are ready to eat and the chef in the kitchen at the restaurant seems to be taking his sweet time!
Most of us don't like to wait for anything. And one of the hardest things it seems that God asks us to do is just that - wait.
So many times through the Scriptures God says to wait.
Psalms 27:14 - Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
Psalms 62:5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
Isaiah 40:31 - But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Lamentations 3:25 - The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
In a real sense, we are going to spend our lives here on earth in God's "waiting room", waiting for Him to do what He says he will do.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 - For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: [17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
One such man who was in the waiting room was a man by the name of Simeon. He was probably a very old man when the Lord Jesus was born, and as we'll see, he was doing some waiting on God. As we learn to wait on God, we will do well, if we follow the example given to us by Simeon. This Christmas Morning we want to see that:
SIMEON WAS A GODLY MAN Vs. 25
SIMEON HAD A GODLY MOTIVATION Vss. 26-27
SIMEON HAD A GODLY MESSAGE Vss. 28-35
BACKGROUND:
Luke tells us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in fulfillment of Micah 5:2 - But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, [though] thou be little among the thousands of Judah, [yet] out of thee shall he come forth unto me [that is] to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth [have been] from of old, from everlasting.
Angels proclaimed his arrival. Read Vss. 8-14.
The shepherds headed for Bethlehem and saw the child.
Vs. 21 - Jesus is circumcised and named.
Vss. 22-23 - He was brought to Jerusalem. Because He was the first male child born, He belonged to the Lord in Israel. The Lord provided for each male child to be "bought back", so to speak.
Vs. 24 - The Law said that each woman who bore a son was ceremonially unclean for 33 days after circumcision. and for a daughter, 66 days. At the conclusion of that period, an offering was to be given to God. To give you a picture of the economic state of Mary and Joseph, they offered the sacrifice of the poor, 2 doves or young pigeons.
It is at this time, Mary and Joseph meet up with Simeon, who was in God's waiting room. First of all let us see that
SIMEON WAS A GODLY MAN Vs. 25
Please note that it does not say that Simeon was a priest.
It does not say that he was a Levite.
It does not say that he was a Pharisee or a scribe.
I say this simply to remind you that you do not have to be a full time worker to be Godly. Perhaps he was one of these things, and perhaps he wasn't. But the most important thing was that he was Godly.
You can be a common laborer and be Godly.
You can be a homemaker and be Godly.
You can be unemployed and be Godly.
You can be a student and be Godly.
Being Godly should be more important to us than anything that we accomplish for the Lord.
First of all, our text tells us that Simeon was just, or righteous or right.
First of all, Simeon would have had to have been right with God.
There is only thing that makes a person right with God, and that's faith.
Habakkuk 2:4 - Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
We must have faith in Christ for eternal life.
John 3:36 - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
We must have faith for daily living as Christians.
Hebrews 11:6 - But without faith it is impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
A person who is just or righteous is also righteous before men. People can see when a man is righteous, doing what is right, pure, and ethical.
Simeon was also devout.
According to W.E. Vine, the word means, "lit. taking hold well, primarily, cautious, signifies in the N.T. careful as to the realization of the presence and claims of God, reverencing God, pious, devout."
To put it all into modern day English, devout means to take God seriously.
When I take God seriously, I will be concerned about His opinion.
When I take God seriously, I will believe what the Bible says about Himself.
When I take God seriously, I will reverence Him.
If there is anything I see today in America it's disrespect for God.
Notice the curse words.
Notice the cruel jokes about God.
Notice the prevailing, light opinion of sin.
If you do notice, you will have to agree that God doesn't get much respect or reverence.
As Christians, you and I should be the ones who are righteous.
As Christians, you and I are the ones who are to be devout.
Next, please note, that Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel. The Messiah was coming! Daniel had given a rough idea as to when Israel should look for her Messiah. Simeon was waiting for the Messiah to come and set up His Kingdom!
As Christians, we know that Jesus came the first time as Savior. We know that He is coming a second time for us.
We should be like the Thessalonians who Paul addresses in
1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 - For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
There is one more quality you need to see here about Simeon.
I think that it is the most important.
He was just. He was devout. He was waiting for the Messiah.
Most important, the Holy Spirit rested on Simeon.
These were not the days of indwelling.
Those days came with Pentecost.
But the Spirit of God stayed on Simeon!
Today, if you are a believer, the Holy Spirit lives inside of you.
But that is not enough.
It is obvious that the Holy Spirit had control of Simeon.
The Holy Spirit needs to have control of you!
Galatians 5:16 - This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Galatians 5:22-26 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Ephesians 5:18-21 - And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
There is no greater area that I feel that I have failed my Lord than not being filled with the Holy Spirit. I have done entirely too much in my own control.
How can we be filled with the Spirit?
2 Timothy 2:20-21 - But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
To be a vessel unto honor, one must be clean.
It must be empty of all sin, and ready to be filled with the Spirit.
As we confess our sin, we are cleansed and ready to be filled.
John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
To be controlled by the Spirit, make sure that you are not controlled by sin.
Then ask to be filled.
1 John 5:14-15 - And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
Is it God's will that you be filled with the Spirit?
Then asked to be, and believe that you will be!
SIMEON WAS A GODLY MAN
SIMEON HAD A GODLY MOTIVATION Vss. 26-28
Why do we do the things we do?
Very often we do things because others want us to them, like putting out the trash, or going to a party, or shoveling
snow.
Other times we do things because we are afraid of what people think if we don't do them.
Or we do things because we feel that it is our responsibility.
More often than not we do things or don't do things because we do or do not want to do them.
The best reason to do anything is because God has motivated us to do it.
If we witness, it should be because God has motivated us.
If we study, it should be because God has motivated us.
If we help, it should be because God has motivated us.
If we listen to problems, it should be because God has motivated us.
If we pray, it should be because God has motivated us.
If we are filled with the Spirit, we will be motivated by God to do the right things.
Vs. 26 - Simeon was in the waiting room.
He was patiently waiting to see the Messiah.
What motivated Simeon to wait patiently?
Simeon was told that he would not see death until he had see the Lord's anointed one, the Messiah, the Christ. So he had a Godly motivation to wait!
You and I have also been given a Godly motivation to wait.
As Simeon waited for the first coming of Christ, we are to patiently wait for the second coming of Christ. We are waiting for the event we call the Rapture. We should be motivated to anxiously wait for His coming.
Titus 2:11-13 - For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
How motivated are you by the second coming of Christ?
Vs. 27-28 - God's timing is perfect, and Simeon came into the temple just as Jesus was being presented. He came at just the right time and to just the right person, guided by the Spirit of God.
As we are sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, He will guide us at just the right time to just the right person.
It's amazing.
Just before leaving the church I pastored in Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania, I went out to make some visits. I was headed in one direction, but turned around, saying, “I need to say goodbye to Mrs. Long.” When I pulled into the driveway, one daughter said to the other, “Did you call Pastor?”
The truth of the matter is, Mrs. Long left before I did. I was at her bedside when she died, and had her funeral. But the Holy Spirit guided me to where I needed to be right at the right time.
SIMEON WAS A GODLY MAN.
SIMEON HAD A GODLY MOTIVATION
SIMEON HAD A GODLY MESSAGE Vss. 29-35
Simeon had a message from God.
Vs. 29 - The Lord here would mean absolute ownership and authority. The word "servant" here, would be a slave who is in absolute submission.
God was Lord in every sense of the word in Simeon's life.
He saw himself as just an obedient slave.
One of our biggest problems is not letting God be absolute masters and ourselves absolute slaves. We'd be so much happier!
According to Warren Wiersbe, the word "depart in the Greek has several meanings, and each of them tells us something about the death of a Christian. It means to release a prisoner, to untie a ship and set sail, ton take town a tent and to unyoke a beast of burden. God's people are not afraid of death because it only frees us from the burdens of this life and leads into the blessings of the next life."
And notice that Simeon says that his eyes have seen the Lord's salvation. Salvation is in the person of Jesus Christ. If one sees Jesus and believes on Him, he has eternal life! Salvation isn't in works, but in the person of the Savior!
OUR DAILY BREAD - "A man went forward at an evangelistic service, and the counselor told him to believe in Jesus. He went back the next night and talked with another counselor, who also told him to believe in Jesus. This time the inquirer was saved.
Later he met the first counselor, who asked what the second man had said that brought him peace. The new convert replied, "He told me to believe in Jesus."
The first man replied, "But that's what I told you to do!"
That's true," said the man " but you told me to BELIEVE in Jesus. He told me to believe in JESUS! I was looking at my weak faith, but he stressed faith's object. He told me to let Jesus do it all!"
Comment on Vss. 30-35
Simeon had a message from God.
Why did Simeon have a message from God?
He spent time with God.
God could speak to and through Simeon.
We have a message from God.
We have the message of salvation which all unsaved need to hear.
2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
We have the message of encouragement for the saved.
Hebrews 3:12-13 - Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
We will only have the message ready for others, as we spend time with God ourselves.
SIMEON WAS A GODLY MAN
SIMEON HAD A GODLY MOTIVATION
SIMEON HAD A GODLY MESSAGE