DECEMBER 19TH
The Signs of Christmas
Luke 2:22-35 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”, and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
When you think about the first Christmas, what names come to mind? Jesus of course, and Mary and Joseph, and if you want to get creative, you could include Caesar Augustus since his name appears at the beginning of Luke 2. These are certainly the most familiar names from that first Christmas, but later in the chapter, we read about a less well-known man who happens to have a lot in common with us. His name was Simeon, and he was a righteous and devout man who was filled with the Spirit of God. It had been prophesied or foretold to him that he would not see his death before he had seen the Messiah.
Before we continue with the significance of Simeon’s story, let's first think about something else that happens often around Christmas. This time of year, signs that something festive and wonderful is on the way are just about everywhere you look. Around the neighborhood, people string lights, hang garlands and wreaths, and play carols on the radio in their houses. Signs are everywhere. You might be making special holiday foods or arranging treasured decorations. Interesting packages may be appearing in the mail and showing up under the tree. The scent of a pine tree candle might be wafting in the air. All of our senses tell us that Christmas is coming! With all these signs pointing to the approaching holiday, it's no wonder excitement is at an all-time high, especially for kids. Children may excitedly (and repeatedly) ask, How many more days until Christmas? You might even have some sort of advent or countdown to the day they all have been waiting for. The closer we get to the day, the more signs you will see, just like the song “It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas” says. The more signs we see that it's coming, the more difficult it can be to hold in our excitement and patiently wait, as any parent who's ever been awakened at 3 am on Christmas morning knows.
Simeon knew a thing or two about waiting. We're not told much about him, but we know that he had been waiting a long time for the arrival of Jesus. And not just waiting, but waiting with expectation, absolute faith, and confidence that what he was waiting for would come to pass while he was still living. God had promised Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah, and God doesn't break His promises. Simeon wasn't just hoping to see Jesus, he knew and had faith he would because he knew God was faithful. Just as we know all the lights and decorations mean Christmas is coming, Simeon knew God's promise meant a Savior was coming, so he looked for Him eagerly. Month after month, year after year, and decade after decade, Simeon woke up every morning with Christmas-level excitement, thinking each day could be the one when God would fulfill his promise. And then it happened! Can you imagine waiting for so long with that kind of anticipation? It makes waiting for Christmas feel pretty insignificant! Just as our wait for Christmas Day won’t last forever, Simeon's wait ended when the Holy Spirit led him to the temple and he finally laid his eyes on Jesus. Oh, what a glorious day that was. I'm sure Simeon danced and shouted for joy and had the most amazing day ever. We can learn from Simeon to wait eagerly for Jesus and look for Him every day with the expectation that we will see Him and be shown the way to serve Him, glorify Him, and celebrate what He has done for us.
Before we continue with the significance of Simeon’s story, let's first think about something else that happens often around Christmas. This time of year, signs that something festive and wonderful is on the way are just about everywhere you look. Around the neighborhood, people string lights, hang garlands and wreaths, and play carols on the radio in their houses. Signs are everywhere. You might be making special holiday foods or arranging treasured decorations. Interesting packages may be appearing in the mail and showing up under the tree. The scent of a pine tree candle might be wafting in the air. All of our senses tell us that Christmas is coming! With all these signs pointing to the approaching holiday, it's no wonder excitement is at an all-time high, especially for kids. Children may excitedly (and repeatedly) ask, How many more days until Christmas? You might even have some sort of advent or countdown to the day they all have been waiting for. The closer we get to the day, the more signs you will see, just like the song “It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas” says. The more signs we see that it's coming, the more difficult it can be to hold in our excitement and patiently wait, as any parent who's ever been awakened at 3 am on Christmas morning knows.
Simeon knew a thing or two about waiting. We're not told much about him, but we know that he had been waiting a long time for the arrival of Jesus. And not just waiting, but waiting with expectation, absolute faith, and confidence that what he was waiting for would come to pass while he was still living. God had promised Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah, and God doesn't break His promises. Simeon wasn't just hoping to see Jesus, he knew and had faith he would because he knew God was faithful. Just as we know all the lights and decorations mean Christmas is coming, Simeon knew God's promise meant a Savior was coming, so he looked for Him eagerly. Month after month, year after year, and decade after decade, Simeon woke up every morning with Christmas-level excitement, thinking each day could be the one when God would fulfill his promise. And then it happened! Can you imagine waiting for so long with that kind of anticipation? It makes waiting for Christmas feel pretty insignificant! Just as our wait for Christmas Day won’t last forever, Simeon's wait ended when the Holy Spirit led him to the temple and he finally laid his eyes on Jesus. Oh, what a glorious day that was. I'm sure Simeon danced and shouted for joy and had the most amazing day ever. We can learn from Simeon to wait eagerly for Jesus and look for Him every day with the expectation that we will see Him and be shown the way to serve Him, glorify Him, and celebrate what He has done for us.