Havasu Christian Church
Luke 2:21-40
December 29, 2024
Ambush at the Temple Part I: Simeon
INTRO: Have you ever felt ambushed?
Maybe it’s a “bad ambush.” Your boss “calls you out” in front of co-workers and customers Maybe it was a “Good ambush.” It’s your birthday and you think everyone has forgotten about it. You walk into your house, and your friends all jump out and yell, “Happy Birthday!” …. It’s pretty awful!
The passage we’ll be reading today is the recounting of a “good ambush!”
Luke 2:21–40 And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
22 And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord
23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “EVERY firstborn MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE LORD”),
24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS.”
25 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26 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.
27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law,
28 then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,
29 “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,
According to Your word;
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
31 Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
33 And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him.
34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—
35 and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
The first “ambusher” is Simeon.
- Who is this guy?
- Simeon is righteous.
- Simeon is devout
- Simeon is looking for the consolation of Israel
- Simeon has the Holy Spirit upon him.
- God chose to put His Spirit on people, and occasionally put His Spirit in them.
- But there was no promise to the people of Israel that they would have the Holy Spirit come to live in them.
- The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is however, a promise for the Christian.
- Simeon is a man with a promise!
- “He would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.”
- What did he do?
- Simeon followed God’s directions.
- The Holy Spirit leads him to be in the Temple at just the right time to see Mary, Joseph and Jesus!
- 41 days after Jesus’ birth was the day that He was to be presented in the Temple.
- The offering given was “the poor man’s option.”
- Two pigeons or two turtledoves.
- God’s timing is perfect, as always. Simeon is “right on time” to see Jesus!
- Simeon thanked and praised God!
- Did he take Jesus right out of Mary’s arms???
- Simeon speaks God’s truth about Jesus!
Luke 2:28-35 then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—
- Jesus is the One who brings salvation.
- God has prepared Jesus in the presence of all peoples.
- God has prepared Jesus for the World to see.
- Descended from David
- Born of a virgin
- God in a human body
- But God has also prepared the world to see Jesus!
- The Jews were ready for a Messiah!
- They were looking for the Messiah.
- They were not looking for the One they got, but they were looking!
- The world was ready for a Messiah!
- Jesus will be A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES!
- Pagans were looking for Someone to worship who was worth worshipping!
- The Romans created stability…
- They brought about relative Peace
- The Romans connected their world, So there was safety in travel.
All this created a good environment for the good news of Jesus to be spread.
- He will also be “the glory of Your people Israel.”
- Israel will be known all over the world because of Jesus.
- Many will “rise and fall” because of Jesus.
- An entire group of people, Christians, rose because of Jesus!
- The Jewish temple and its observations were replaced with Jesus.
- Jesus will suffer opposition!
- Jesus did indeed suffer opposition!
- His own people had Him Crucified!
- Simeon speaks the truth about Mary.
and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
- Mary will suffer as well.
- She most certainly did.
- She is at the foot of the cross when Jesus is crucified!
Conclusion: Simeon was a Godly man who was used by God in a mighty way.
- He was righteous and devoted to God.
- Can the same be said of us?
- Not “sinless perfect” but righteous.
- Not perfect in our devotion to God, but devoted to Him none the less.
- His righteousness and devotion made room for Simeon to be used by God!
- He was paying attention to what God wanted from Him.
- He was actively trying to serve.
- Do we LOOK for ways to serve?
- De we allow God to lead us?
- Simeon gave both the “good news” and the “bad news.”
- He didn’t hold back the “hard truth.”
- Can we say the same of ourselves?
- It’s easy to tell people about the Love of Jesus… Not so much the Wrath of God!
- It’s easy to agree with someone who says “I’m a good person…”
- They need to know that their idea of “good,” just isn’t good enough!
THEY NEED JESUS!
- Remember from last week: Jesus is the Propitiation for our sins.
- The sacrifice that soothes the righteous wrath of God.
- Let’s make it our business to be more like Simeon!
