Intro: It’s always exciting thinking @ X-mas. For me, one of the fun parts of X-mas is just watching my kids get excited @ it. Let me share w/you some letters kids wrote to Santa Claus.
-“Dear Santa Claus, when you come to my house there will be cookies for you. But if you are real hungry you can use our phone and order a pizza to go.” The next letter says: “Dear Santa, I want a Puppy. I want a playhouse. Thank you. I’ve been good most of the time. Sometimes I’m wild.”
-A 4 year old wrote: “Dear Santa, I’ll take anything because I haven’t been that good.” And the final letter said: “Dear Santa, I’m not going to ask for a lot. Here’s my list: The Etch-A-Sketch animator, 2 packs of #2 pencils, Crayola fat markers and the big gift...my own color TV! Well, maybe you could drop the pencils; I don’t want to be really selfish.”
-Probably the hardest part @ X-mas for children is having to wait for it. I think there’s like a count-down to X-mas that starts around September. I’ll hear my kids ask me, “Dad, how many more days until X-mas?” I’ll say, “Just 87 more days! Not that much longer!”
-I remember when my sister and I were kids and we’d go to our grandparents home in Texas. We couldn’t wait to get there. As soon as my grandparents opened the door to their house we’d make a bee-line straight to the X-mas tree. We’d count to see who had the most gifts and then we’d look to see who had the biggest gift.
-But waiting to open those gifts just @ killed us! As of today we stand only 7 days away from X-mas. Some of you just can’t wait to see what you’re going to get. Others of you are probably thinking, “I better hurry up and do my X-mas shopping.” But waiting has always been a part of X-mas.
Sermon Idea: Today in our passage of Scripture we’re going to see the story of a man named Simeon who was eagerly awaiting that very 1st X-mas. There were a lot of things he was looking forward to on that day. Now let me ask you a couple of questions. What is it you’re waiting for this X-mas? What is it you’re expecting to receive?
-Are you looking forward to anything special this X-mas? Simeon was looking forward to seeing what his gift would be on X-mas.
TEXT: LUKE 2: 25-32
Bckgrd: At this time things really weren’t going all that well for Israel. They had lost their political independence and were living under Roman rule. They had a Roman puppet who served as their king. His name was Herod and was certifiably crazy. Although he was a great builder, he was mentally unstable and it didn’t give the people a whole lot of confidence.
-Then to top that off, it had been years since the people of Israel had heard from their God. There was @ a 400 year period of silence where God didn’t speak to His people thru a prophet. It left many people wondering if the Messiah would ever come.
-This is where Simeon comes into the story. Simeon was a Jewish man who was eagerly waiting for X-mas. He was waiting for the greatest gift ever to be given to man.
-When it comes to X-mas there are certain processes you go through w/your gifts. The 1st process is:
DIV. 1: YOU WAIT FOR THE GIFT (vv. 25-26)
Exp: I don’t know how your kids are but my kids are ready to open their gifts NOW! I know Hank’s back there dreaming of getting and X-Box 360 (I’m actually dreaming @ it too). But before any of my kids find out what they’re getting for X-mas, they’re going to have to wait for it! We’ve still got another week to go.
A. In our text, we’re told that Simeon was “waiting for the consolation of Israel.” Now what in the world does that mean? It’s important for you to know that during this time there was a great expectation that a world leader was @ to be born in the land of Israel.
1. You may ask, “Why were people expecting it?” The answer is b/c people all across the world were somewhat familiar w/the OT prophecies concerning the birth of a Messiah, a Savior of the world.
a. You see, at this time there were many Jews living throughout the Roman Empire and their beliefs had spread to other people. Faithful Jewish people knew the prophecy that came from Dan. 9: 25-27 that spoke of a Messiah being born.
b. And when the #’s mentioned in these verses were added up it came out to around the time of when they were living. So they knew, according to Scripture, that the Messiah was @ to be born.
2. It’s interesting to know that this worldwide expectancy of a Savior was recorded by many historians of the time who weren’t followers of God. The famous Roman historian Suetonious wrote, “An ancient and settled persuasion prevailed throughout the East that the Fates had decreed someone to proceed from Judea who should attain universal empire.”
a. In other words, people were eagerly awaiting the birth of a Savior. They were awaiting the birth of one who’d bring freedom to the people of Israel. They were looking to one who’d bring joy and hope to their lives. Simeon was looking for the same thing himself.
b. The word “waiting” in our text implies Simeon was waiting w/expectation that a Savior was going to be born. He wasn’t just hoping for it; he was expecting to see it. You know, it’s a lot easier to wait for something when you know it’s going to happen. Now how did Simeon know a worldwide Savior was going to be born? Look what v. 26 says. “It had been revealed to him by the HS that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.”
B. God had given him a promise. And Simeon trusted that God would be true to His Word. God has given us a lot of promises. The question is do you believe in the promises of God?
1. When God says He can provide you w/salvation, forgiveness and life, do you take Him at His Word? Do you trust Him? Or do you doubt Him? It’s hard to live w/confidence when you have doubts. It’s hard to be patient when you have doubts as well.
a. I think that’s one reason the Bible gives us assurances @ the promises of God. We’re told in Josh. 23: 14-“You know w/all your heart and soul that not one of the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.”
b. We’re told in the book of Hebrews that it’s impossible for God to lie. Simeon was able to wait for the birth of the Savior b/c he had confidence that God would be true to His Word. Now if you don’t have confidence and trust in what the Bible says then you could be fooled into going in directions you don’t need to go.
ILLUS: Let me give you an example. A # of years ago there was a speedboat driver who had survived a racing accident. He said that he’d been at near top speeds when his boat veered slightly and hit a wave at a dangerous angle. The combined force of his speed and the size and angle of the wave sent the boat spinning crazily into the air.
-He was thrown from the seat and propelled deeply into the water—so deep, in fact, that he had no idea which direction the surface was. He was very tempted to panic and start swimming for the surface immediately. But the problem w/that was he didn’t know which way the surface was.
-So what was the best thing for him to do? It was to wait and trust. To wait and trust in what? To trust that the life vest he was wearing would begin pulling him up towards the surface. And once he began to float upwards, he could confidently swim for the surface.
2. Sometimes we find ourselves surrounded by confusing options. We can find ourselves so deeply immersed in problems that we have no idea which way is up. When this happens, the best thing we can do is be still and trust God’s gentle tug to pull us in the right direction.
a. Our “life vest” may be other Xians, Scripture, or some other leading from the HS, but the key is recognizing our dependency upon God and trusting Him. For Simeon to eventually see the gift he had to start off by waiting for it.
Reit: The 1st process is you wait for the gift. The 2nd process is:
DIV. 2: YOU OPEN THE GIFT (v. 27)
Exp: As a kid I remember anticipating X-mas for months! We’d go to my grandparents house over Thanksgiving and in the guest room closet would be all the gifts for the grandkids wrapped up. It took all my will power not to climb into that closet and start tearing the gifts open.
A. Wouldn’t it be strange for a kid to have a great anticipation @ opening his gifts on X-mas but when the day finally arrived he didn’t do it; he didn’t open any of his gifts? There’s something not right, there’s something not natural @ that. And yet that’s what many of us do when it comes to X-mas.
1. Most people want to have guilt removed from their lives. They want to have a fresh start in life. Every New Years we make resolutions @ starting over and doing things differently. Typically that lasts for only a week or 2 and then we anticipate the next New Year’s holiday so we can start over.
a. We long to be fulfilled; to feel like our lives have meaning! And one of the incredible things to discover is that we have a gift waiting for all of us that can do all of those things for us. Think @ it like this. If you were broke and you knew that there was a $1,000 hidden under your bed, what would you do? You’d immediately go home and knock your bed out of the way so you could get to that $1,000.
b. Now what if you didn’t do anything @ it? What if you just left that $ there under your bed? I’d say you were crazy. And yet most of us go along in life being crazy. Jesus has offered to fulfill the longings we have in our lives. Jesus said in John 10: 10-“I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.”
2. Sounds pretty attractive doesn’t it? But if we’re going to receive that gift we have to go to where it is! Simeon felt led by the HS to go to the temple courts on this particular day. Now if Simeon had ignored the leading of the HS he would’ve missed out on the greatest event of his life.
a. He would’ve missed out on seeing his gift. You see, as Simeon happened to go to the temple courts, it just so happened that a young couple named Joseph and Mary were bringing their newborn son in to offer sacrifices. Why were they coming to the temple courts?
b. Well, the law stated that a gift of 2 turtledoves or 2 young pigeons were to be given as a sacrifice for the 1st son that was born into a family. It was a recognition that God had given the family the gift of a child.
B. Also, Joseph and Mary had come to the temple for Mary’s purification. After you had a child you couldn’t participate in worship at the temple until you had gone thru purification. So sacrifices had to be made in order to be purified.
1. But the point I’m trying to make is Simeon was able to see his gift b/c he was obedient to the leadership of God. I think that’s a good lesson for us here. If we’re planning on seeing the gift God has for us then we must be obedient to the leadership of Christ.
a. Obedience is like following directions on a map. If you don’t follow them, what happens? You get lost. You don’t end up where you want to arrive. You’re in disarray. B/c Simeon was obedient to the leadership of God, he was able to open the gift God had for him.
ILLUS: Imagine, if you will, that you work for a company who president found it necessary to travel out of the country and spend an extended period of time abroad. So he says to you and the other employees, “Look, I’m going to leave. And while I’m gone, I want you to pay close attention to the business. You manage things while I’m away. I will write you regularly.
-When I do, I will instruct you in what you should do from now until I return from this trip. Everyone agrees. He leaves and stays gone for a couple of years. During that time he writes often, communicating his desires and concerns. Finally he returns. He walks up to the front door of the company and immediately discovers everything is a mess.
-Weeds are growing everywhere, windows are broken out, the receptionist is sound asleep. It’s awful. He immediately calls everyone together and asks, “What happened here? Didn’t you get my letters?” You say, “Yeah, we got every one of them. We’ve even bound them in a book. And some of us have memorized them. In fact, we have ‘letter study’ every Sunday. You know, those were really great letters.”
-What do you think the president of the company’s going to ask next? He’s going to ask, “But what did you DO @ my instructions?” The only thing we could say is, “Nothing. But we read every one!”
b. Folks, we can’t open the gift God has for us until we’re willing to be obedient to what His Word says. And what we need to do can be summed up in two small sentences: Love God. Love your neighbors.
Reit: The 1st process is you wait for the gift. The 2nd process is you open the gift. And the final process is:
DIV. 3: YOUR GIFT SATISFIES YOU (vv. 28-32)
Exp: I’m just like anybody else in that I like to get gifts for X-mas as well. But there’s one thing I’ve noticed @ the gifts I receive. They always leave me wanting more! Isn’t that terrible? I’m yet to have a X-mas where I thought, “I’ve now received everything I need. I don’t need anything else.”
A. Don’t you want something new every X-mas? I do! But when I look at Simeon I see he received a gift that totally satisfied him. Now to be honest it would’ve been easy for Simeon to be dissatisfied. As I said earlier, people were looking for a Savior to come and rescue them.
1. Simeon was one of these people. And conventional wisdom said this Savior was going to be a man; he was going to be a political leader; he was going to be a warrior! Well, Simeon saw this Savior and the Savior wasn’t what everyone was expecting.
a. The Savior was a baby! But what did Simeon say after he saw Jesus? He said in vv. 29-30-“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people.”
b. The word “dismiss” has several meanings. Let me share w/you a couple of them. It can mean “to release a prisoner” or “to untie a ship and set sail.” The point Simeon was making here is that he was now ready to die! Why? B/c the gift of Jesus brought him total satisfaction!
2. Wouldn’t you like to receive a gift like that? Wouldn’t you like to receive a gift that brings you total satisfaction. That doesn’t leave you wanting more but that leaves you content?
a. I’ve given some pretty cool gifts and received some pretty cool gifts. But none of them have been totally satisfying. None of them have left me w/the feeling, “Now I can die in peace.”
b. Only one gift can bring satisfaction for all time and that gift is Jesus Christ. Satisfaction is in reference to “completion; to be made complete.” Yet I’m afraid many of us are living life unfulfilled and w/o joy.
ILLUS: A lot of us probably feel like the guy who went to his doctor for a physical. After the exam he sat in the doctor’s office waiting for the initial report on his physical. Finally, after @ 30 minutes, the doctor came in with his charts in his hand and said, “There’s no reason why you can’t live a completely normal life as long as you don’t try to enjoy it.”
B. Are you ready to enjoy life and to have a sense of completion? Then cast your lot w/Christ.
Conclusion: As we get ready to open our gifts this X-mas I think it’s important for us to see some processes we’re to follow w/concerning those gifts. The 1st process is wait for the gift. The 2nd process is open the gift. And the final process is your gift satisfies you. I think we can all do pretty well w/the 1st two processes, but the tough one is the one dealing w/satisfaction.
-But the only real satisfaction you’ll receive from your gift is if it involves following Jesus. If you’d like to do that, pray this prayer after me: Dear Jesus, I know I’ve sinned against you. Forgive me of my sins. I know you died for me and rose from the grave. Come into my life and save me.
