Category: Advent – Revelation

Luke 2:22-39 (NIV) – 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 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 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.”

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. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 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, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss[c] your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[d] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

“Luke adds yet another human dimension to the story. By the time the first two chapters are finished, almost all his readers will have found someone in the story with whom they can identify. We have met the older couple surprised to have a child at last. We have seen the young girl even more surprised to have a child so soon, and her husband coming with her to the Temple, offering the specified sacrifice. The next section will feature Jesus himself on the threshold of young adult life. Now, in this passage, we have the old man and woman, waiting their turn to die, worshipping God night and day and praying for the salvation of his people. Luke wants to draw readers of every age and stage of life into his picture. No matter who or where you are, the story of Jesus, from the feeding-trough in Bethlehem to the empty tomb and beyond, can become your story.

“In becoming your story, it will become your vocation. Everybody has their own role in God’s plan.” [N.T. Wright, Luke for Everyone, pages 26-27]

Response & Prayer: Let’s pray that Jesus will be lifted up in our lives today especially as we continue to want to faithfully work out our calling before Him.

As we close, let’s worship to the following song – “A Christmas Alleluia” written by Chris Tomlin, Jonas Myrin

– EK

Luke 2:36-38 (NIV) – There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸ Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

“The second prophetic witness in this section of Luke is Anna. She is merely introduced and her career summarized. In all likelihood, she is over a hundred years old, having served God faithfully with worship, prayer, and fasting for years. Sometimes our most productive years in spiritual service for God come after our most productive years of earthly toil. She has given herself full-time to a ministry of intercession. Like Simeon, she hopes for ‘the redemption of Jerusalem’ (v.38; Isa. 40:1; 49:13; 51:3; 57:18; 61:2) and tells others that the baby Jesus is a reason for praising and thanking God (Isa. 40:9; 52:9; 63:4). While her words are not recorded in Luke, her testimony makes everyone aware that God is doing something special in this child. Those who are faithful to God will hear her report and share in her praise.” [Darrell L. Bock, The NIV Application Commentary: Luke, page 94]

Anna’s beautiful response to the revelation of Jesus was praise and thanksgiving and she spoke about Jesus to all.

Response & Prayer: As Jesus is revealed to us in new ways this Christmas season, let’s pray that we will be filled with praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord, proclaiming who Jesus is to all around us.

Let’s close in worship to this song – “Noel” by Lauren Daigle (written by Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, Matt Redman)

– EK

Luke 2:22-35 (NIV) – 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.”

³³ The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵ so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

“The picture is of Jesus as the true world ruler: the Lord, the Messiah, the savior, the real king of the world instead of Caesar. How easy it would be to fill in this picture in glowing, royal colours, giving us a sense of future glory, world dominion, power and majesty.

“Luke does the opposite. He chooses somber colours; and the more he fills in the picture the more we realize that this is a different sort of kingdom to that of Caesar Augustus.  It is indeed what God had promised; but, not for the last time, Luke is warning us that it doesn’t look like what people had expected.

In particular, this is becoming a story about suffering.  Simeon is waiting for God to comfort Israel.  Anna is in touch with the people who are waiting for the redemption of Israel.  They are both living in a world of patient hope, where suffering has become a way of life.  It now appears that God’s appointed redeemer will deal with this suffering by sharing it himself.  Simeon speaks dark words about opposition, and about a sword that will pierce Mary’s heart as well.” [N.T. Wright, Luke for Everyone, pages 25-26]

Joseph and Mary marvel in response to the revelation of who Jesus is.  This revelation of Jesus “pierces” to the core of who they are as they are called to follow Him.

Response & Prayer: As we are reflecting and anticipating together in this Christmas season, may the revelation of Jesus pierce to the core of who we are and may we be changed in new ways as we grow in our calling to follow him daily.

Let’s prayerfully close in this worship song together: “Jesus, Only Jesus” by Matt Redman (written by Chris Tomlin, Christy Nockels, Kristian Stanfill, Matt Redman, Nathan Nockels, Tony Wood)

– EK

Luke 2:22-35 (NIV) – 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 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 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.”

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. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 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, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,  so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

“Most people don’t notice the young couple coming in with their little baby.  Happens all the time. No different from countless others. But, as they approach, you see one of the old men get up slowly from his seat.  He has a strange look in his eyes. What’s he thinking? What’s he going to say?

“You are almost as alarmed as the parents are when he takes the child from them, but his movement and his embrace is as gentle and firm as the love of God. He has seen something nobody else has.  He has been praying and waiting for this moment all his life, and now it’s come.  This is the Messiah; he’s seen him with his own eyes; now he can die in peace.

“How do you feel as you hear him say that? What does it make you want to do, or to pray?” [Tom Wright, Lent For Everyone: Luke Year C, pages 12-13]

Encountering Jesus is that moment “of a lifetime.” Isn’t this what we really long for as Simeon did? And, we want to be in that place every day where our hearts are drawn to encounter and know him more and more.  But, as he was led by the Holy Spirit, he was one who was devoted to, anticipating, seeking and waiting on Him so that he would immediately recognize what how the Holy Spirit was moving and would see Jesus.

Response & Prayer: Let’s pray that the Holy Spirit will help us to have hearts that are devoted to Him, seeking and waiting on Him so that we will be ready to recognize as He moves us to know Him and follow His will in our lives today.

Let’s close in worship with this song, “Adore” by Chris Tomlin.

– EK

Luke 2:25-32 (NIV) – “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.”

“There is one other facet of this passage that I should mention before we look at Simeon’s farewell. I feel I would do Luke an injustice if I did not gather up his references to the Holy Spirit and say something about them. He has referred to the Holy Spirit ten times so far (through 2:40). That in itself shows how important the Spirit is for Luke. But what he says about the Spirit is even more significant. Here in our text the Holy Spirit was upon Simeon in verse 25. In verse 26, the Spirit reveals that Simeon will not see death until he sees the Messiah. Then in verse 27, the Spirit moves Simeon to enter the temple at just the right moment to see Jesus. (Which incidentally is a beautiful illustration of how the Spirit works to fulfill what the Spirit promises.)” [Quote from John Piper’s Message – “Simeon’s Farewell to the World,” December 29, 1980]

We see the Holy Spirit beautifully at work, orchestrating for Simeon to be in the right place at the right time to finally get to see with his very own eyes the Lord Jesus, his salvation.  It was the work of the Holy Spirit revealing to Simeon and in the same way, it is the work of the Holy Spirit who reveals to us who Jesus is and so that we can know Him as our Savior and Lord.

Response & Prayer: Let’s begin afresh, recognizing our need for the Holy Spirit to help us and move us to be able to see Jesus in the center of our lives today. Let’s pray and ask for the Holy Spirit’s filling that we will “behold” Jesus as Lord, closing in this song of worship, “Come and See”, by Matt Redman:

https://youtu.be/MQVe-OYMf68

– EK