Christmas Waiting
Jesus Presented in the Temple
Luke 2:21-32 (NIV)
21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
22 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 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”, 24 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.”
25 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. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 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, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”
In Luke 2:21-32 we are introduced to a man named Simeon. Luke tells us that Simeon was a righteous and devout man. He was a man who spent his life waiting. Simeon was actually waiting for something substantial. Scripture tells us Simeon was waiting for his promise to come true; the redemption of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
Every day, Simeon went to the Temple in Jerusalem, to wait for the Lord because it was revealed to him that he would not die before seeing the Christ. That was all he knew.
Did he know when he was coming?
The time of year, the day, the hour? No. But what he did know surpassed what he didn’t know. Simeon did know that he would not die before laying his eyes on the Lord’s Messiah. Simeon did know that God was soon going to break the
400 years of silence and would again speak to his people. Simeon did know
that the Lord God is faithful in his promises. Simeon did know that the Lord was
going to redeem his people, because ‘all the promises of God are sure.’
Day after day, month after month, year after year - Simeon waited. He waited
until he was near the very end of his own life - the clock was ticking away. And
one day, in the Lord’s appointed time, Simeon went out into the temple courts,
moved by the Spirit, and there in the arms of a Mary was the
long-awaited Messiah.
Raising his hands in a benediction, Simeon joyfully
announced, “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, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for
glory to your people Israel.”
Simeon’s waiting on the Lord was truly an active waiting. He wasn’t sitting
around, taking it easy. But neither was he running around, trying to do the work
of God on his own.
Did Simeon, in his waiting,
turn to the writings of the prophet Isaiah who said, “But they that wait upon the
Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they
shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”? In that
moment, as Simeon held the Christ child in his arms, he discovered that it was
truly - worth the wait. Allow God to work out the promises he has for you. Wait
on the Lord. This Christmas, take time to wait.
In Simeon’s blessing, traditionally called the Nunc Dimittis, Jesus was called a
light of revelation. Therefore this type service was called a Candlemas.
This Christmas, let us sing together a carol that
speaks of Christ’s light shining in our hearts, reminding us that for those who walk
in darkness, light has come.
Author unknown.
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