Songs of the King #3

 

Simeon’s Song

Luke 2:29-32

 

Introduction:

 

1.                  The coming of the Christ was confirmed by people, and it was accompanied by songs.

 

2.                  This, the third of the gospel songs, is devoted to explaining the blessings of the salvation the singer saw when he took hold of Jesus.

 

Discussion:

 

 

1.                  The fruit of crossing paths

 

a.                   The faithful action of a humble young family.

i.                    The parents brought the child to do for him according to the custom of the Law, v. 27.

ii.                  They came to offer a sacrifice of purification for the mother, v. 22, 24.

iii.                They brought him to present him to the Lord, v. 22-23.

iv.                Notice that the most unusual events did not keep them from the most ordinary of responsibilities.

v.                  Neither, apparently, did the inconvenience of their material circumstances.

 

b.                  The faithful watching of a righteous old man.

i.                    He was good and godly in his character, v. 25.

ii.                  He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, v. 25.

iii.                He had told by the Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Christ, v. 26.

iv.                He had come to the temple in the Spirit, v. 27.

v.                  As soon as he saw Jesus, he took him in his arms and blessed him with this song, v. 28-32.

 

2.                  The blessings of salvation observed

 

a.                   Glory to Israel (v. 32b).

i.                    The one who had been awaiting the consolation of Israel saw in Jesus the glory of Israel.

ii.                  Isaiah 45:24-25

iii.                John 4:22

iv.                Romans 1:3

v.                  Romans 9:3-5

 

 

b.                  Light to the nations (v. 30-32a).

i.                    Speaking as a prophet, Simeon realized that Christ’s light, besides being for glory to Israel, would illumine the darkness of the pagan world.

ii.                  Isaiah 49:6

iii.                Ignorance, superstition, idolatry, fear, and sin–this is the kind of darkness he came to dispel.

iv.                John 8:12

v.                  This is how the church understands its mission in the world (cf. Acts 26:18).

 

c.                   Peace to the individual (v. 29-30).

i.                    Simeon was being governed by the memory that he had been promised something.

ii.                  The word he used for “Lord” expressed his complete surrender to the Sovereign One who had made that promise.

iii.                Now he recognized that he had seen the salvation of God as the fulfillment of that promise.

iv.                He had immediately embraced that salvation as if to make it his own.

v.                  This he considered to be peace.

 

3.                  The song of real life

 

a.                   If this had been a cheap or easy dream, there would have been no cause for a song.

 

b.                  His father and his mother marveled at the song (v. 33).

 

c.                   Simeon, who had blessed God in the song, now blessed them in person.

i.                    What salvation would mean for this child, v. 34.

ii.                  What salvation would mean for his mother, v. 35a.

iii.                What salvation would mean for all of us, v. 35b.

 

Conclusion:

 

 

1.                  Simeon’s song says that Jesus is the point of the Bible, the light all the world needs, and peace for any individual.

 

2.                  Is this the song you are singing?