Well, you just heard the gospel, in song and in preaching. You
know, when preachers stay together for a conference, we have a lot
of fun. Preachers have fun, too. This
morning, Brother Darwin said, I don't expect my message to
be much over two hours. And I just smiled and I said,
well, I know exactly what I'll say if that's the case. I'll
just get up and say, ditto. I do say that, ditto, everything
he said. What a blessing. Thank you, Brother
Darvin. My text this morning is out of
the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2. If you would turn there with
me, please, Luke, Chapter 2. While you're turning, let me
say that I like to watch documentaries on different things. things that
interest me. But the documentaries and the
biographies, the life stories, the memoirs of famous men and
women today read more like a novel than they do a biography. People
are interested in the rich and famous. They want to know where
they were born. They want to know where they
lived, their upbringing, what they ate. how they dressed, the
things that they liked and disliked. But in these verses before us
here in Luke chapter 2, we have a very short yet concise biography
of a man who will be forever recorded on the pages of God's
inspired Word. Darwin referenced him in his
message, a man named Simeon. Look at verse 25, And behold,
there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and the
same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of
Israel, and the Holy Ghost was upon him. Now that's a very short
and to the point biography. His name was Simeon. He lived
in Jerusalem. He was a just and devout man.
He waited for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Ghost
was upon Him. That's pretty much all we're
told about Simeon. You know, our existence in this
world has never been about us, has it? Our existence is about
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And less that
is said of us, and the more that is said of Him. the far better
off we'll be. Now this story before us, in
just a few short verses, is worthy of our attention. Did you notice
that the Holy Ghost put that word, behold, at the beginning
of the statement concerning Simeon? Behold! There was a man in Jerusalem
whose name was Simeon. And it's very interesting to
me that the name Simeon means hearkening one. Names in the
scripture mean something. The name Simeon means one that
hears and obeys. When I die, I would be elated,
absolutely elated with such a biography as Simeon's. I would be forever
delighted and thankful if this could be said of me. First, that
I dwelt in Jerusalem, spiritual Jerusalem, the habitation of
peace. This is where all God's people
dwell spiritually. Both in this life and in the
next, Christ is our Jerusalem. Christ is our habitation of peace. Oh, that it might be said, that's
where I lived. Secondly, how wonderful would
it be if my biography noted that I was considered a sinner who
hearkened unto the Lord and was one who heard and obeyed
God's voice. The Holy Spirit did not say,
behold, there's a king of Jerusalem by the name of Herod. It doesn't
say that, does it? The Holy Ghost did not record,
behold, there was a high priest of Jerusalem whose name was Annas. It simply says, behold, take
notice. Pay attention. There was simply
a man. A man just like any other man,
a man who was a sinner whose name was Simeon. There's nothing
special about it, but there was definitely something special
done for him. Oh, how wonderful if it would
be said of me, David Edmondson, only a sinner saved by grace. That'd be wonderful. Thirdly,
how delightful would it be if it was said that my character,
like Simeon's, was just and devout. Just was Simeon's character before
men, and devout was his character before God. Was Simeon a father? Well, we're not told. It's just
such a short biography. We're not told if he was a father,
but if he was, he was a just father. He didn't provoke his
children to anger, lest they should be discouraged. Was Simeon
a master? Well, we're not told. But if
he was, I can assure you he was a just master. He would have
given to his servants that which was kind and right and just,
knowing that he himself had a master in heaven. Was Simeon a merchant? Well, we're not told. But if
he was, I can assure you he was a just merchant. He would have
not overcharged for his goods or his services. He would have
conducted himself honestly in business before God. Was Simeon
a servant? Again, we don't know. But if
he was, I can assure you he was a just servant. He wouldn't have
rendered eye service as a man pleaser. In singleness of heart,
he would have faithfully served his master, his boss, as he faithfully
served his Lord. Oh, that might be said of me.
According to many Bible scholars, Very possible that Simeon was
one of the teachers of the Jews. We know that he was in the synagogue,
undoubtedly had a high position there. There was a Simeon who
lived around this time who succeeded his father as president of the
Sanhedrin, whose son, Gamaliel, you remember that name. He was
a Pharisee whose feet that the Apostle Paul was brought up after
and under. But if this Simeon was that teacher
of the Jews, you can be assured that he was a just and a faithful
teacher, one who spoke what he knew concerning the Word of God,
and he didn't do it for any gain or filthy lucre. Before men, Simeon was a just
man, but that's only half of his character. He was also devout,
devout before God. Luke does not say Simeon was
just and religious, does it? No, he was just and devout. Being religious is a term often
used to describe an outward action of religious observance. It's not a real complimentary
term. People say you're religious.
Now to some it might be, but it sure wouldn't be to me. A
man may be outwardly very religious without it all being inwardly
devout. That word devout means devoted. Oh, I hope that can be said of
me. He was devoted to his Lord. The word devout means God-fearing. Simeon possessed inward and spiritual
grace. Behold, says the Holy Spirit,
and it's a rarity, a man who is both just and devout. No doubt that man is a godly
man. And fourthly, I hope that it
can be said of me as it was Simeon that I waited for the consolation
of Israel. Simeon was waiting, as Darwin
said, for the consolation of Israel. What does that mean?
Well, what was he waiting for? He was waiting for someone. He was looking for someone. As Darwin said, every day in
that temple he was looking. He was expecting someone. Christ was the consolation of
Israel. Simeon was longing. He was looking. He was expecting Christ the Messiah
and the Redeemer to come. Now if the Lord Jesus doesn't
come again before I die, oh how I hope that it can be said of
me David was a man who trusted in Christ. He was a man who was
waiting for Christ's return. I've always wanted to be a good
husband, and so many times I've failed to be such. And I've always
desired to be a just father, and I've miserably failed time
and time again. But I so desire to trust Christ. Oh, how wonderful it would be
in the end that that could be said of me. I know this much. Men and women do not usually
find Christ, nor do they usually find salvation if they have no
interest in Him. Those who do have an interest
in redemption... Do you have an interest this
morning? I believe you do. You wouldn't be here. If you
have an interest in redemption or the forgiveness of your sin,
most of the time, those that don't will not find it. But if
you do, most of the time, if not all the time, I'd say more
like all the time, you'll find it. If you're looking for it,
if you truly desire it, I can't find anywhere in the scriptures,
and I love saying this, where the Lord turned down any sinner
that wanted salvation. Not one time. Those that don't have an interest
in redemption, they don't find it. But those that do, most certainly
do. That Pharisee that went up to
the temple to pray, he wasn't seeking God for help, was he?
No, he prayed thus with himself, the scripture says. He went to
brag on himself before God. We have a lot of that going on
in so-called churches today. Lord, I think you that I might
like other men. I'm not an extortioner. I'm not
unjust. I'm not an adulterer. I'm certainly
not like that publican back there in the back. Now let me tell you all that
I do. I've told you what I'm not and what I don't do. Now
let me tell you what I do. I fast twice in the week and
I give tithes of all that I possess. God knew what he was. God knows what men are. God knew what he did. God knew
what he didn't do. But God didn't know him. There's
going to be a day in the judgment when men stand before God, and
they're going to go, Lord, Lord. Oh, that sounds good coming out
of a man's mouth, doesn't it? Lord, Lord, haven't we done many
wonderful works in your name? Why, we've cast out devils, we've
preached the gospel. And what did the Lord say? I
never knew you. I never knew you. Depart from
me, ye that work iniquity." Now wait a minute, you're telling
me that preaching the gospel, well, are you preaching the gospel? Is it really the gospel? Is it
really the good news for sinners? We've cast out devils in your
name? He calls them workers of iniquity. My, my. That publican, he's standing
afar off, he wouldn't so much as lift up his eyes unto heaven.
He smote upon his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, thee,
sinner. As if he was the only one, the
only sinner. There was a man that was seeking
God. Are you seeking God this morning?
He was seeking mercy because he was guilty. He acknowledged
his guilt and he got mercy. And that publican, not the Pharisee,
we're told, went down to his house justified. Men and women usually don't find
mercy unless they're seeking it, unless they're looking for
it, unless they're longing for it, unless they, like Simeon,
are waiting for it. Simeon found Christ because he's
looking for Him. Simeon found Christ because he
was interested in Him. Are you interested in the Savior?
Are you seeking, are you looking and longing for Christ? This
is the kind of sinner that finds help. Those of you that he's
found know that to be so, don't you? Those who know their own inability. There was a woman that was diseased
for 12 long years. The Bible says she spent all,
she spent everything she had. She didn't have anything. If
you spend everything you had, you don't have nothing, do you?
She spent everything and therefore she had nothing. She was broke.
She was bankrupt. She had nothing to offer God.
You don't need that. You might think you do, but you
don't. She went to every doctor. She went to every specialist.
But none could help her. Matter of fact, the Scripture
says she grew worse. Yet she had hope. And she said
within herself, if I can just get to this man called Christ,
I will be made whole. What faith! What faith! And I'm
convinced that poor woman crawled on her hands and knees through
that great crowd of people. Because she said to herself,
I could just touch the hem of his garment. Where's the garment?
Where's the hem of a garment found? She said, I could be immediately
made whole. Are you interested in being made
whole? What was she doing there? What
was she interested in? What did she desire and long
for? She wanted to be healed. She
wanted to be whole. I hope and pray that it be said
of me. This sinner came to the great physician and was graciously
healed and made whole. Are you like Simeon? Are you
interested in knowing who the Savior is? Those who seek the
Lord will find Him. Our Lord said, You shall seek
Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. There's
no doubt in my mind Simeon was searching for the Lord with all
his heart. Blessed are they that hunger
and thirst for righteousness. They shall be filled. If you're
hungering and thirsting for Christ's righteousness, you shall be filled. And yet God has to give you that
interest and that desire to seek after that righteousness. And then fifthly, I hope that
if folks remember me in any way, that it might be said that I
had the Holy Ghost upon me and in me. Not as men portray it
today, you know. You see, beloved, Simeon wanted
help. Simeon needed help. And those
that do, find it. Simeon wanted mercy. Simeon wanted
to know the Lord. Do you? Do I? Look at verse 26. And it was
revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost. If it's ever going to
be revealed to you, that's how. By the Holy Ghost. God's got
to reveal it to us. But it was revealed to him by
the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen
the Lord's Christ." I love how that reads there. This is the
Lord's Christ. This is not some Christ that
men have made up, or the Christ of men's imagination. There's
a lot of them. There's another Jesus, but Paul
said He's not another. There's only one. but that he would not see death
before he saw the Lord's Christ. Verse 27, and he came by the
Spirit into the temple and when the parents, now let me stop
there, that's that's Mary and Joseph. They brought in the child
Jesus and we're told that here that Simeon was led by the Holy
Spirit to Christ. No sinner ever comes to Christ
by his own wisdom. Simeon would have never seen
the Lord had the Holy Spirit not led him to the temple. He
didn't know when Christ was coming. He didn't know that Christ would
be there this day. He didn't even know who Christ
was. The Holy Spirit led him there
at the same time that the Holy Spirit brought Mary and Joseph
there with that baby to do unto him, we're told, after the custom
of the law. Now I have to ask this because
I hear this so much today and I just detest the word, but was
it luck that caused Simeon to cross paths with the Lord Jesus
Christ? Boy, that's a word I wish we'd
just strike out of the dictionary. No such thing as luck, is there?
Men like to attribute everything to three ladies of chance. Miss Fortune, Lady Luck, and
Mother Nature. One luck that brought Simeon
to cross the path with the Lord Jesus, it was the Holy Spirit.
And it's the same with you, those of you that know Him. Our Lord
said, no man can come to Me. No man has the ability to come
to Me. Except, here's the one exception,
except My Father which sent Me, draw him. Oh, there's no doubt in my mind
that this sinner was drawn to Christ by the cords of love,
mercy, and grace. I could not come. I would not
come. He made me willing in the day
of His power. That's the testimony of every
believer. As many as received them, to
them gave He, God, the privilege to become the sons of God. Even
to them that believe on His name which were born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God. Salvation is a work of God. Salvation is of the Lord. The
Holy Spirit brought Simeon to Christ. And if any sinner ever
comes to Christ, that'll be exactly how. It'll be by the Spirit of
God. Eye hath not seen, ear hath not
heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things
that God hath prepared for them that love Him. But He hath revealed
them unto us. How? By His Spirit. God has hid these things from
the wise and prudent and has revealed them unto babes. Oh, to be a babe in Christ. Verse 26 tells us very plainly,
and it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should
not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. We call that
divine revelation. What a wonderful truth that is.
God, the Holy Spirit, reveals these things to us. The Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon
that he would not die physically until he saw the One who would
save him forever. That being the Lord's Christ. The Lord's Christ is the Lord
Jesus Christ. Not the Jesus that men and women
imagine. Not the Savior of men's imaginations. No, it's the Lord's Christ that
saves sinners. Is the Lord Christ your Christ? Is He your Savior? Have you seen
the Lord's Christ? Have you seen the Lord Jesus
Christ? God reveals Christ to fallen sinners, seeking sinners,
hungry sinners, needy sinners, helpless sinners, waiting sinners,
longing sinners, looking sinners, believing sinners. No doubt Simeon
had waited for some time, more than likely. I picture him now. He's become a gray-headed man. He's passed the usual allotted
time of life to a man he didn't wish to live forever here on
earth. He had hoped and prayed and desired
to see the Lord, and now he received the fulfillment of his desire.
Look at verse 27, and he came by the Spirit into the temple,
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for
him after the custom of the law, then took he, him, up in his
arms, and he blessed God, and he said, Lord, now let us, thou,
thy servant, depart in peace according to thy word. For mine
eyes have seen thy salvation. Simeon didn't wait in vain. Oh
no, he waited for Christ, the consolation of Israel, and now
he saw what he had waited for. He said, mine eyes have seen
thy salvation. As Darwin said, it's in a person,
isn't it? Salvation's in a person. Jesus Christ is the consolation
for spiritual Israel. Jesus Christ is God's salvation
for chosen sinners. Day after day, he looked for
the fulfillment of God's promise. Day after day, he went home disappointed. But he waited. He waited. You see, those who wait on the
Lord, he shall save, Proverbs 20, 22. Day after day, Simeon hoped,
Simeon waited. Can you picture his disappointed
face as he went home day after day? His eyes dark with distress,
his forehead wrinkled from a frown of discouragement. He wanted to see, but he couldn't
see. He desired to know, but he did not know. The Holy Spirit's
promise had encouraged him to wait, but in his unbelieving
moments, he became discouraged. It's easy to do. But let us hold fast the profession
of our faith without wavering. That's God's Word to us. For
God is faithful that promised. Boy, that's some of the most
comforting words I've ever seen in the Scripture. God is faithful
that promised. And I'm so thankful that my salvation
doesn't depend on my faithfulness to Him. Amen or oh me on that
one. My salvation depends on His faithfulness
to me. He is faithful that promised. And it was then that Simeon,
he saw that young mother holding that baby, and he knew. He knew. He didn't know how he knew. I had someone ask me one time,
how do you know you're saved? I just know that I know. How
do we answer that? I know he revealed it to me.
Because He revealed to me the Lord's Christ. He took that baby
up in His arms. I've pictured that in my mind
a thousand times. And He blessed God. Oh, believe
me, dear sinner, you'll bless God when He reveals Christ to
you. You'll know beyond a shadow of
a doubt that it was God who revealed Him to you. Simeon blessed God
and he said, Let your servant depart in peace according to
thy word. Well, why would Simeon now be
able to depart in peace? Well, first of all, it was according
to God's word. That's what God had promised
him. You know, not long ago, I had two high school classmates
die at the ages of 66 and 64 years old. I'm 65. And I had another classmate call
me who had heard the same news, and the first thing he said to
me was, you know, that could have been you or me at any time. And without thinking, I just
blurted out, I'm ready to go. You know what? I am. And you know, it upset him. I
said, I'm ready to go. He goes, really? He couldn't
fathom that. I guess he thought that I was
miserable with my life and was just ready for it to end. Maybe
he took it as me having nothing here to live for. You know, most
everyone in this world is trying to figure out a way to stay in
this life just a little bit longer. Not the believer. God's people were ready to go,
and why wouldn't they be? To die is gain. Isn't that what
the Scriptures say? Do we really believe that? To
die is gain. To be absent from this body is
to be present with the Lord. Why should we be afraid of dying
when it's a promotion? It's a departure onto more wonderful
things. Life everlasting to ever be face
to face with the Lord Jesus Christ. Death is just a departure. All who have and hold Christ
in their arms are like Simeon. They're ready to depart. That's
what he said. Are you ready to depart? Why? For mine eyes have seen thy salvation. Simeon not only saw Christ with
his natural eyes, he saw Christ with the eyes of faith. He saw
Christ with enlightened spiritual eyes. Simeon now held in his
arms the one who holds the universe in his. Isn't that an amazing thought?
God stooped so low that a poor woman bears God in her womb. You know, we talk about the condescension
of the Lord Jesus. We don't have any idea. God,
who spoke the world and the heavens and the universe into existence, condescended to be in the womb
of a woman. And it's in her arms, and she
calls Him her babe, Oh, with that in mind, friends, there
has to be salvation for the lowest and the poorest like you and
me. If God would condescend that low, there's hope for one like
me. When God the Infinite would stoop
to become an infant, Born of a woman, born in a stable, publicly
acknowledged as a poor woman's child, is there any doubt at
all that He would have mercy and receive the poorest, the
lowest, and the most despised sinner like you and I? Oh, that gives me great hope. And I can see it does you. Why has Mary brought him to the
temple? Have you ever thought about that? She had brought him
to redeem him. You see, the law required it.
Was Jesus Christ under the law? Well, he was perfect. He was under the law for our
sake. Made of a woman, made under the
law. Oh, the wondrous stoop of deity that God the Son would
become flesh and blood and honor the law and satisfy God's holy
justice for unworthy, wretched sinners like you and me. Best
news I ever heard. Emmanuel, God with us. He's brought salvation to fallen
yet chosen men and women. Simeon saw a perfect obedience
brought to God. From the very beginning, as of
infinite, the Lord Jesus Christ was brought under the law. That's
why the Lord would one day say to John at his own baptism, he
would say, thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. He's fulfilling that for you
and me. Not a jot or a tittle of the law would Christ admit.
Even as a babe, he was circumcised. As an infant, Christ was presented
in the temple according to the law. And Simeon saw that infant,
that babe, as the promised Savior. The Messiah,
the Christ. And he looked back to the old
covenant and he saw this one that he now holds in his arms.
What did he see? Well, he saw that babe as Noah's
ark. All who were in the ark, all
who were in Christ, were saved from God's wrath. Everyone outside
the ark perished. But those in the ark, you know
the wrath of God, the rain that God sent fell on Noah and his
family too. What was the difference? They
were in the ark. Simeon saw Christ as the burning
bush. He was the one who would burn
with the heat of God's wrath and would not be consumed. Simeon looked back and he saw
Christ as that pillar of smoke and fire that would lead his
people to the land of promise. Simeon saw Christ as the Passover
lamb, the one whose blood would be shed that would cause God
to pass over his guilty people in mercy, grace, and forgiveness. That's what he saw with the eyes
of faith. Simeon saw Christ as a smitten
rock, that one from whom living water flowed when he was smitten
of God and crucified. Simeon saw Christ as the manna
from heaven. He's the one that came to save
his people from their sin and sustain them forever with his
body, which was broken, and his blood, which was shed. Oh, he
saw much more than just a baby. He saw much more than just an
infant. Simeon saw Christ as the brazen serpent that we talked
about last night. All who looked to Him, high and
lifted up, would be delivered from the fiery serpents of sin.
And Simeon also saw Christ as the Lamb slain before the foundation
of the world. He saw much more than just a
babe. But that's not all that Simeon saw. As he gazed upon
that child, The other night when we got in, Ben and Sarah had
their little girl there, and what a cutie pie she is, and
she just smiles all the time. Simeon saw the Lord as a babe, but he saw much more than just
a cute baby. He also looked ahead, and he
saw the agony and the bloody sweat of that babe in Gethsemane's
garden. He saw ahead to the cross and
the passion, for he knew that the incarnate God would not shriek
one iota from anything which His Father had given Him to do. That fair and lovely face of
a baby, Simeon by faith could see it marred more than that
of any other man. Simeon saw that the Lord's Christ
would suffer the wrath of God in His place. Simeon now saw
that child was full of life, but with the eye of faith he
saw Him dead. Crucified upon a cross as the
worst criminal that ever lived. Dead because the law had carried
out its penalty. Dead because the sin bearer has
been made sin. Made to die. No doubt the Simeon also saw
Christ's resurrection. Death in the grave couldn't hold
him. They could claim no victory against
a perfect man. God's law condemns the guilty,
those who are really guilty. But Christ was not, was He? He
knew no sin. Can't claim any victory against
a perfect man. And God the Son said it's finished. And God the Father said it's
enough. And Christ returned to the Father having accomplished
eternal redemption for us. You know when a man or a woman
rests, when the work's finished. As we turn our eyes back to Simeon,
it seems that the old fella now no longer wants or needs his
staff to lean on because with both of his arms he's holding
this baby. How young he felt. Gabe, how
happy he was. Don't you know he was? Joy fills his heart. His eyes
have seen God's salvation. Have your eyes seen God's salvation? The whole of salvation is found
in the Lord Jesus Christ. There's nothing more that we
need. What is there for us to add? I heard Darwin use this illustration
one time. Would we dare go to a famous
art museum and look at one of the masters and pull out our
crayons and say, you know, I think I'm going to improve on that
a little bit. Why'd they throw you in jail so quick? You wouldn't
have time to put your crayons up. Do we dare add anything to the
perfect work of our master? No. No, no, what's there for
us to add? What more is required? Washing?
No, there is a fountain filled with blood that washes sinners
clean. What more is required? Clothing?
No, there's a spotless robe of righteousness provided for us.
The prodigal returned home and the father said, bring me the
best robe. What more is required? Medicines?
No, by His stripes we are healed. What is there of ours that we
could bring to Him? Shall a creeping worm? You know
that word means maggot. Oh, brother, please. No. That's what it means. Look it up. It means a maggot. Shall a creeping maggot worm
be needed to complete the work of the One who created the world? Now, either Christ is your everything
or He's nothing. Which is He to you? Do you see Him? Has He been revealed
to you? Will you take Him into your arms? You know, I don't see anywhere
in these verses where Simeon asked Mary if he could take the
child, or Mary asked Simeon if he would. And yet, that's all
you hear in modern-day preaching. Won't you give Jesus your heart?
Let me let you in on something. He don't want it. He don't want
your desperately wicked and deceitful heart. Our heart is deceitful
above all things and desperately wicked. He don't want it. He
has to give us a new heart. Oh, if you see your need, you
won't have to be pleaded with or bargained with or begged to
take Christ in your arms. No, sir, you'll just take Him.
No one will prohibit you either. And after Simeon took the Lord
in his arms, he didn't want anything else. He didn't wish for nothing
else. He longed for nothing. Why? Because
he had it all. He'd seen his salvation. When
you see your salvation, when God reveals Christ to you, this
life just kind of loses its luster, doesn't it? We work all our life
to have things, and then God saves us. Don't mean anything. Why? Because
we have Him who is life. Do you have everything you need?
Well, if you have Christ, you do. If you have Christ, you have
everything that God requires. Christ is all and in all. You know, we read that, but He
is. He's all and in all. He's all
we need. All that God requires. He's that
one thing meekful that we've already talked so much about.
He's that good part that can never be taken away. Never be
taken away. Have your eyes seen the Lord's
Christ? If they have, then you've seen
salvation. And if not, may God make it so
even now. For His own glory, for your good
and for Christ's sake. Amen.