simeon's song luke 2 vv 29 35

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This is what theLordsays he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.Isaiah 43:16, 18-19

Luke 2:29-35

Introduction

Sometimes you meet an elderly person who tells you theyre ready to go.Its been a good life but mebbe it doesnt seem so good now.Health was fine until ten years ago but now its undergoing constant maintenance and frankly getting to be a bit of a drag.And theyre tired, worn out a lot their strength has gone.No, theyre not perhaps greatly depressed, but the futures looking shorter and less vibrant.A person can get tired of life.But theres a million miles from a penchant for the exit and this stuff that Simeon is speaking of.This is no song of the suicidal its contentment that Simeon sings here.Hes ready to go because hes contented not seeking death through an overwhelming sense of disillusion with life.

Luke 2:29-35

Introduction
Now, according to your word,
Sovereign Lord,
permit your servant to depart in peace.
30For my eyes have seen your salvation
31that you have prepared
in the presence of all peoples:
32a light,

for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.

Luke 2:29-35

Introduction

Vision of God, v. 29a

Now, according to your word, Sovereign Lord

Luke 2:29-35

Introduction


Sovereign

There is no single doctrine so assuring and steadying for the Christian soul as the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God.
I dont apologise for this there is not.If you and I know for a certainty from the bottom of our hearts that the God we have learned LOVES us and CARES for us daily and sealed it by giving His life for us If we know that HE is the Sovereign ruler of the Universe Who rules from His throne in Heaven for the sake of His own beloved people, then little will shake or discontent us.The big problem is not that we dont KNOW that.We DO know that.My problem is that in the rush and push and shove of my distracting life, I just FORGET.

Luke 2:29-35

Introduction


Sovereign

Promise-making

From the earliest encounters people had with Him, this Sovereign God proved to be a promise-making God.In order to inspire and train for faithfulness and loyalty, this God makes and then keeps His promises to faithless people.God makes promises!
Thats AMAZING!Why SHOULD He?He owes us His rebellious subjects just nothing at all!Hes ENTITLED to be the God of pure stick, but He delights to hold out carrots to donkeys.He holds out something TO us, by way of encouragement to walk in His ways.

Luke 2:29-35

Introduction


Sovereign

Promise-making

Promise-keeping

But He doesnt just make promises He keeps them.Simeon has every expectation He can rely on God to put in place in this world exactly whats according to His Word.In vv. 25-26 we read:
there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon who was righteous and devout, looking for the restoration of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lords Christ.27So Simeon, directed by the Spirit, came into the temple courts Simeon was the right sort of guy a righteous man.Moreover he was watching out for the right sort of thing he was a serious sort of man with serious and meaningful aspirations.He was looking for GOD to intervene in His peoples cause
He was on the watch, expecting, trusting in God for the restoration or deliverance, consolation.
The restoration of Israelrefers to Simeons hope that the Messiah would come and deliver the nation Its a promise made in general to Gods people from the time of their original captivity (Isa 40:1; 49:13; 51:3; 57:18; 61:2; 2Bar 44:7), but there is a personal element in it given to Simeon too.Once again, by mentioning theHoly Spirit, Luke stresses the prophetic enablement of a speaker. The Spirit has fallen on both men (Zechariah,1:67) and women (Elizabeth,1:41) inLuke 12 as they share the will of the Lord.There is a world of difference, isnt there, in the faithful life between believe (which we should do) and make believe which we emphatically should not!Were being told here that Simeon is the genuine goods and that inspired by the Spirit and having genuinely received a personal promise from God that he would see the Messiah, Simeon deals with a promise-keeping God!
And seeing this promise fulfilled has a life-shattering impact on Simeon

Luke 2:29-35

Introduction


Contentment, v. 29b

It is enough.The promise of God through Isaiah and all the others to this people of Israel Simeons spent his whole life to serve through their captivity, oppression and pain that promise has come and its all lying in his arms this is the child that was promised.God has got EVERYTHING in hand He is all OVER it Simeons life work and longing are now done.I can go now, says Simeon.Redeemers come.The source of Simeons contentment lies deeper

Luke 2:29-35

Introduction


Contentment, v. 29b

I am your servant content Now, according to your word, Sovereign Lord, permit your servant to depart in peace

Simeon sees himself very plainly in terms of being the servant of the Lord.
He was LOOKING for Isaiahs prophesied Servant but he sees himself in those terms too in his smaller way.If youre serving yourself, you count yourself OUT of any role the Lord may have for you, because any role He DOES have for you depends on Him being the Lord and YOU being the SERVANT!
Ironically if you are going to be anybody then you are going to be that somebody in the same measure as you consciously function as His servant!Its living under the Authority, as the servant, of the Sovereign Lord that Simeon has found his contentment and his peace.He is the Lord.I am His servant.All will be well.All will be well because I am committed to the side that will prevail.All will be well because He will ENSURE that His purposes the ones I serve for Him will prevail.The faithful servant of the Faithful Master lives under His protection as part of His prevailing purpose contentment is APPROPRIATE then because living that life, all will be well.

Luke 2:29-35

Introduction


Contentment, v. 29b

I am your servant content

I am ready to go - content

That secure in His service, Simeon is ready for the biggest challenge of life his own death. permit your servant to depart in peace.This is not despair, this is contentment.Its all OK, you see?
The Saviour has come.
Isaiah is fulfilled.
The Restorer, the Redeemer, the Consolation of Israel has now come.

Luke 2:29-35

Introduction


Contentment, v. 29b

I am your servant content

I am ready to go content

Peacefully content

I am content with all of this, but your peace matters to me.Personal peace is a Kingdom concern.This is challenging.I.
Am.WELSH!I am passionate, engaged, full on, 100 PER CENT.What do you mean am I calm?
Im calmest when Im right in your face!Well, not quite Im parodying a national tendency.It was a Welshman who wrote after all of raging against the dying of the light
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

And sinfully rebellious humanity it was Dylan Thomas after all! thinks its sees human dignity in words and thoughts like these?

They are no match for Simeons Song Now, according to your word,
Sovereign Lord,
30For my eyes have seen your salvation
31that you have prepared
in the presence of all peoples Why?I mean HOW?!Where does it come from, this death defying, soul-assuring peace?

Luke 2:29-35

Introduction


Contentment, v. 29b

Reason, vv. 30-32
For my eyes have seen your salvation
31that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples

MY eyes have SEEN your salvation.Isaiah never saw that.Jeremiah never saw it.Malachi and Micah got glimpses, hints and inclinations But MY eyes have SEEN the Glory of the Coming of the Lord!But can you see the REALLY mind-blowing, world-changing thing thats going on here now?Simeons emphasis falls not on the fact that salvation has come to his own oppressed Jewish people.This is GODs salvation for all His creation its the universal human salvation (v. 31) that you have prepared in the presence of all peoplesLets just quickly break it down

Luke 2:29-35

Introduction


Contentment, v. 29b

Reason, vv. 30-32

Ive seen your salvation, v. 30

Ive SEEN it.
There is a personal, faith-filled apprehension of Gods saving grace.Not even of His saving truth but His SALVATION.Ive seen salvation come.Have you seen salvation come?

Luke 2:29-35

Introduction


Contentment, v. 29b

Reason, vv. 30-32


For all, v. 31

But this salvation is not just FOR me, it is for the whole lost world The grockle and the geekThe dinosaur and the debutante the Jew and the Gentile, this salvation has been prepared before the face of ALL PEOPLES.Now Simeon will specify

Luke 2:29-35

Introduction


Contentment, v. 29b

Reason, vv. 30-32


For all, v. 31

Those far from God, v. 32a
a light,
for revelation to the Gentiles

The people who walked in darkness have now seen a bright light On those living in the land of the shadow of death on them a light has shined.Isaiah 9:1-2 is fulfilled right here in this baby all the messianic expectation channelled through that verse is focused like a light-beam on this babys face.Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honour Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan2The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.And the Gentiles will come to the rising of that light and as they do so (in the terms in which Simeon envisages this) the Israelites gain glory

Luke 2:29-35

Introduction


Contentment, v. 29b

Reason, vv. 30-32


For all, v. 31


Those close to God, v. 32b
a light,
for glory to your people Israel.

But actually, it is as the Light comes also to the Israelites, on the same terms that it comes to the Gentiles, that they reach Glory!So when Jesus appears on the scene at the start of His ministry He preaches that the Kingdom of God is at hand, which carries the implication that His hearers must repent and believe the Gospel.And who ARE those hearers?They are Jewish people, to whom the Gospel comes on precisely the same terms as it comes to the Gentiles later in Acts.Simeon has got a lot worked out, but its asking a touch too much for him to have dotted every I and crossed every t yet or so it appears!In conclusion Simeon turns from blessing the baby thats been brought to directly addressing the new parents.Heres the conclusion and it is a hard one to bear

Luke 2:29-35

Introduction


Contentment, v. 29b

Reason, vv. 30-32


For all, v. 31


Those close to God, v. 32b

Conclusion, vv. 33-35

So the childs father and mother were amazed at what was said about him.34Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, Listen carefully: This child is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected.35Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts of many hearts will be revealedand a sword will pierce your own soul as well!

Luke 2:33-35

So the childs father and mother were amazed at what was said about him.

34Then Simeon blessed them and

said to his mother Mary,

Listen carefully:

This child is destined to be the cause of

the falling and rising of many in Israel and

to be a sign that will be rejected.

35Indeed, as a result of him

the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed

and a sword will pierce your own soul as well!

Shes a very young mother and shes cooing at her baby.If this were not the Spirit of God speaking through Simeon, it would look like huge social faux pas.Four things:Jesus will bring a threat to the status quo

Jesus will be a rejected sign

Jesus will reveal what people actually are AT HEART

Jesus destiny will bring human grief to His sweet mother.

Hows it going to be to follow THIS sort of Saviour?You will not necessarily have powerful friends if you follow Him.He THREATENS the status quo.
The language is likeIsa 8:14-15and conceptually likeIsa 28:13-16You will NOT necessarily be very popular if you follow Him.Our Saviour is the REJECTED sign.You will not make yourself very popular with people who treasure having somewhere to hide their uglier features behind a mask.
This remarkthe thoughts of many hearts will be revealedshows that how people respond to Jesus indicates where their hearts really are before God.Hes the One Who reveals the real thoughts of mens hearts, and mask-wearings a popular occupation with the better sort of people in this world.And being CLOSE to Him means the swords that pierce His heart will pierce yours too.
A swordrefers to a very large, broad two-edged sword. The language is figurative, picturing great pain. Though it refers in part to the cross, it really includes the pain all of Jesus ministry will cause, including the next event inLuke 2:41-52and extending to the opposition he faced throughout his ministry.With Jesus, the contentment is huge if Hes your SOVEREIGN Lord and you will be His servant.But the world you live in now will be ever so threatened by Him, to the extent that Hes a sign that they reject.The picture that explains it is the vision of Revelation ch. 12
The woman, the dragon and the male child.And if you want to understand the hard experience that you encounter as you follow this Jesus, you could do worse than start your enquiries right there!

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simeon's song luke 2 vv 29 35

Spiritual