Sunday service, Erlo Stegen, 24 January 2016
Luke 2:22-38
22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
Here we read of Simeon. When he was old he was righteous. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit was upon him and lead him. What does it mean that he was waiting for the consolation of Israel?
Ps 42:1-2
1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. note note
2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
So Simeon had a longing for God. Do you know that thirst for God? Simeon was lead by the Holy Spirit to go to the temple, because he waited for the consolation of Israel.
We’re living in a time of drought. We understand the thirst of the deer.
A certain father had work to do at his office, and meetings to attend to, but his little boy wanted to go along. His father at first didn’t want him to go, but eventually relented but told him that he would have to wait for him at a certain lamp post while the meetings are underway. After the meetings the father took his horse and carriage and drove home, completely forgetting about his son. But when he got home and his wife asked him where his son was, he suddenly remembered where he had told him to wait for him and he drove back immediately to the town, urging the horses to go as fast as they could. There he found his son faithfully waiting for him in the same spot he told him to wait, smiling broadly when he saw his father, without a complaint!
That reminds one of Simeon and Anna who were told to wait for the consolation of Israel and they waited faithfully. That’s faithfulness. They were old already but they never forgot God’s promise that they will not die until they see the Saviour.
Voltaire lived in France. He was an enemy of the Gospel. He predicted that within a few years there won’t be a Bible left in France. He fell ill and they got a nurse to look after him. After his death that nurse said that she wouldn’t want to be at the deathbed of another unbeliever like Voltaire, even for all the money in the world.
But to a believer death is gain (Phillip 1:21). We read in Ps 116:15, “blessed in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints”.
What are you busy with? Simeon said that through Jesus, salvation has come to Israel and all nations.
This world is totally lost in sin. What are we doing? We have the Gospel, and must spread the Good News or be guilty.
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