this morning Luke 225 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 it was revealed unto
him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he
had seen the Lord's Christ 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 blessed God and said, Lord,
now let us thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light
to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel."
We'll stop reading right there at verse 32. There's much instruction
for us in these verses, and I don't know how much we'll say this
morning, but to Just a thought or two is about all most of us
have the mind to deal with nowadays. But we read here about a godly
man by the name of Simeon. And this man is not mentioned
either before or after this passage. And sometimes when that's the
case, it is meant to serve as an ideal the model of that which
should have been. So I see in this man Simeon the
fulfillment of what an Old Testament Israelite claimed to be. Through the centuries they had
anticipated a coming Messiah and then properly when he comes
to embrace him Hold the infant in your arms and worship him.
It was not so with Israel as a nation. You remember that verse
in John 1.11, I believe it is. He came unto his own, referring
to his own people after the flesh, Israel. He came unto his own
and his own received him not. So it was not the case with them,
but it was so in Simeon's heart. and experience. And it's so in
the hearts of all true Israelites, those who are the Lord's, whether
Jew or Gentile. This name Simeon, it means hearing,
hearing. Remember, Christ said, my sheep,
hear my voice, John chapter 10. And he said, a stranger will
they not follow? As we begin to look at this man
here in verse 25, He is described as just. The same man was just. The Greek word for just here
occurs 81 times in the New Testament. And the vast majority of those
occurrences, it is translated righteous. Righteous. This man named Simeon was righteous. He was just. Now he was not righteous
in his own righteousness or right in his own doing. He was not just in himself, but by faith, which is the gift
of God, put in his heart, he believed
God. And like Abraham, like the scripture
says of Abraham, his faith was counted to him for righteousness. Paul said, I don't want that
faith which is according to the law or which I can accomplish
in my flesh. But he said, I want that righteousness
which is of faith, the faith of Christ Jesus. He was just in the just one,
in Christ the Lord. And not only just, but it says
here, he was devout. That is, with strong conviction
as to the character of God and with great respect and reverence
to the holiness and the glory of God. We're in a generation
that wants no mention of God, let alone give him any honor
or worship or praise, but This man was just, justified, and
devout. Now this was long before the
day of Pentecost. But note with me the emphasis
that's placed on the work of the Holy Spirit in Simeon's experience
here. I keep wanting to say Simon.
The old spelling and the The origin of the name is the same,
but there are several Simons in the Bible, but this man is
named Simeon, Simeon. His experience. Now in verse
25, it is Holy Ghost anticipation. He was waiting, we read, for
the consolation of Israel. I've always felt that word consolation
right here should be capitalized. Because the consolation of Israel,
true Israel, spiritual Israel, God's Israel, the consolation
of Israel is no other and none other than the Lord Jesus Christ
himself. So I believe it's a title, the
consolation of Israel. And this man Simeon is waiting.
He's waiting for the consolation of Israel. He's waiting for Christ.
He's not waiting for a restored national kingdom like most the
Jews waited for and still are by the way. But this man was truly waiting
for the Redeemer to come. And here's why. The Holy Ghost
was upon him. It was not just some patriotic
notion that he was hooked on. It was not a dream. It was not
a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that Simeon waited for.
But it was the certain coming of Christ into the world. He was waiting for the consolation
of Israel, and it was Holy Ghost anticipation. Then in the next
verse, verse 26, it's Holy Ghost revelation. Look what it said. And it was revealed unto him
by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen
the Lord's Christ. Simeon was certain, the Holy
Ghost made him certain in his heart that he would not die,
he would not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ,
Jehovah's promised Redeemer. Holy Ghost revelation. In verse
27, it's Holy Ghost preparation. And He came, how? By the Spirit into the temple. He was moved upon, He was urged
in His Spirit, as only the Holy Spirit can, that He should immediately
go to the temple. and he went. I don't know that
he went every day, he might have, but at this particular moment,
at this particular time, he went because he was moved of the Holy
Ghost to go. So really, Simeon is not to be
credited for any of this. We find the Holy Ghost moving
him in all these verses, in his anticipation, in his waiting in His revelation, knowing
that He wouldn't die until He's seen the Lord, in His preparation
to go to the temple at this specific time, He's not to be credited
for any of this. It's the Holy Spirit doing this,
the Holy Ghost it says here. Now men can mock and scoff at
God's sovereignty, and they surely do, But here, clearly, his anticipation
is of the Holy Ghost. His revelation is from the Holy
Ghost. His preparation to go to the
temple at this specific time is of the Holy Ghost. He is arrested
by, controlled by, enlightened by, and moved by the Holy Ghost. His heart is right. He's in the
right place at the right time, and it's the Holy Ghost that
sought to it. So His being there is neither accidental or coincidental,
but divinely arranged. Now in this one man is the fulfillment of Old Testament Israel. He is
the embodiment of the very results God had patiently sought through
the centuries out of that nation and never got it. But here it
is what they were supposed to be, to anticipate, wait for,
receive, embrace, and worship the Lord Jesus Christ when he
came. This is the very purpose. Now here he stands in the temple,
moved by the Holy Ghost to be there, anxiously waiting. And verse 27 continues, when
the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him after the
custom of the law, he's there and they come in.
Then Simeon does three things. Verse 28, he laid hold. Then
took he him up in his arms and blessed God. He took him. He laid hold of
him, embraced him, received him. Then in verse 29, he let go. He said, Lord, Now lettest thou
thy servant depart in peace according to thy word. And in verse 30, he rested. Why? How? The only way anyone
can truly rest, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. He rested. He lets go of the
old, the Old Testament, the old covenant of works, the
old priesthood, the old sacrifices. He lets go of the old and embraces
the new. He, an Israelite, embraces the
Lord Jesus Christ. He holds in his arms the Son
of God, the one and only mediator between God and men, the mediator
of the new covenant. No need talking to an Israelite
about leaving his heritage behind. But here's a man that embraces
Christ. That's why he says, mine eyes
have seen thy salvation. He's talking to the Lord. By
revelation, Simeon knew that salvation is not in a plan, it's
not in a profession, it's not in a performance, but it's in
a person. The person of the Lord Jesus
Christ. And so he says, I've quit looking. I've seen thy salvation. I'm
through searching. I'm through waiting. I'm holding
in my arms thy salvation. I'm ready to let go. I'm ready
now to die and depart this life in peace. And he rested in the
Lord Jesus Christ. What are you resting in this
morning? Most folk would have to answer,
or most people probably would answer, well, I'm not really
resting yet, but I will when I manage to attain to such and
such plateau. I will rest when I can obtain such
and such reputation or such and such satisfaction or such and
such security. I'm working toward it. And guess
what? Most people die in the search
for true rest. Old Simeon said, I'm through
looking. I've seen thy salvation. I'm satisfied with him. We cannot overstate it. This
is all about Him. Christ is God's salvation. I get so sick of this materialistic
religion. People I know who have been in
church 50, 60, some 70 years sing to the top
of their lungs. I'm satisfied with just a cottage
below, you know. Of course, it's a lie. They've
got a brick house with four bedrooms and three baths and a garage
and a paved drive and a swimming pool, and they say I'm satisfied
with a cottage below. A little silver and a little
gold, liar, that crucify their own mama for another dollar. But they're saying we're satisfied
here. Why? Because in that city where the
ransomed will shine, dummies, ain't nobody but the ransomed
gonna be there. We'll have a, you know, a mansion
over the hilltop. That's the kind of salvation
that ignorant religionists are waiting for. A bigger mansion
there than they've got here. But what about your filthy heart?
What are we going to do about that? Are you not interested
in trading that in? It needs to be done now. What
about your sinful, selfish mind? Do you want to be like that for
eternity? I don't. What about this sin-cursed body? Are you not interested in trading
this in? What about being with the one
who died for you? Does that mean anything? What
about seeing Him? Oh, Simeon here, he had all that
any sinner needs. And that's to see Christ. Mine
eyes have seen. Thy salvation. Once you see Him
by faith, and only God can do this for you, but I'm telling
you, once you see Him by faith, nothing else will do but to live
in pursuit of Him, believe in Him, worship Him, honor Him,
and love Him until you die in breath. It's not a salvation I've earned
by my own works. My own conduct, my own religion.
But it's a salvation, verse 31 says, which thou hast prepared
before the face of all the people. That's what God was doing all
through the Old Testament history, was bringing His Son into the
world. And the Scripture says in due time, in due time, in
God's time, He brought Him into the world. Didn't say he finally
got it done. No. It was an appointed time. Which God had prepared. It's
a salvation that makes no distinction between Jew and Gentile. Verse
32. A light to lighten the Gentiles
and the glory of thy people Israel. What a salvation. What a God.
All in this one, the Lord Jesus Christ. You all remember and
you all know about the conversation with Abraham and Isaac as he
was in obedience to the Lord, taking his own son Isaac to offer
him on the mountain for a sacrifice. And on the way, Isaac asked his
father, Behold the fire and the wood. But where is the Lamb?
Don't we always take a lamb when we go to make a sacrifice? And
you remember Abraham's answer to his son, my son, God will
provide himself a lamb. He didn't say for himself, but
he'll provide himself. God will be the lamb. And that's
who Jesus Christ was in the flesh. He should be called Emmanuel,
which being interpreted is God with us. He came, He was born,
so He could die and be the sacrifice for the sins of His people. Here
on this last Sunday in 2012, you know we can't go back, we can't
go back and live in 2012. It's gone. We don't know what the future
holds. I'm expecting much joy and much sorrow in the coming
year. But God controls both. He'll
give His people grace to press on. So we embrace it. We press
on. There will be a lot of sermons
today, and I don't need to be too critical. The Lord knows
I am. But there'll be a lot of sermons
today about leaving the old behind and taking hold of the new. A
lot of works religion determine, oh you determine now that you're
going to do better this year than you did last year. Make
some resolution. And I'm not saying that's all
bad. Not at all. But what about a spiritual transition?
What about leaving the old and embracing the new? Like we see
here in Simeon. Let go of the hope you have based
on your own profession and your own performance. Let go of your pride. Let go of having to be praised
and bragged on for who you are and how faithful you've been
and what all you've done. Disjunct all that. Embrace the
Son of God. Set your hope in Him. Quit living
as unto men. Live as unto the Lord. Besides,
it don't really matter what I think or what anybody else thinks or
what you think. It matters what God knows about
us. We say with Paul that I may be
found in Him. That is in Christ. Not having
my own righteousness. The Bible tells us what your
righteousness is all about. Said it's his filthy rags. But to be found in him, the righteousness
of Christ, that's what really matters. Paul told the Colossians,
Colossians chapter 3. If you then be risen with Christ,
if you're his child, seek those things which are above. where
Christ said it on the right hand of God. He said, set your affections
on things above, not on things on the earth. For you are dead,
and your life is hid with Christ in God. Your citizenship is in
heaven. And when Christ, who is our life,
shall appear, then shall you also appear with Him in glory. I'll tell you this and we'll
wind her up. When I was a boy, I grew up in
Upper Greenville County on Donahue Road, not far from
where Daryl lives. And our house was right beside
of a pine thicket. Of course, that's all there was,
pine thickets and red bud, not too far from Mike's. My younger brother, Lester, and
I, we'd play in that pine thicket. We'd climb those trees. They
were pretty slim and tall, I guess 30 or 40 feet, pretty high for
a kid. And we probably didn't weigh
over 50, 60 pounds. But we'd climb just as high as
you could climb, plumbing to the top of those pine trees.
This might not be good for me telling these guys. This is kind
of dangerous, you know. If we'd climbed, you couldn't
climb no further. And I got to swinging from one tree to the
next. And that patch of pines was probably
an acre or more, and I was just like a squirrel. I could go from
one end to the other just like that, right through it. And my brother Lester, he was
afraid to do it. And I'd tell him, you've got to start swinging
so he can reach the next one. And I finally, finally got him
to swinging. And he got to where he could
grab the next tree, but he wouldn't let go of the one he was in. He'd sit there holding them both. And he'd always let go of the
one he was going to and go back. I never got him to do it. I said that to say that describes
a lot of people's religion. They'll hear a true gospel message that Christ is our only hope.
And they'll swing out, even enough to say, I believe it, I'm listening,
that's the truth. But they won't let go of that
false hope. in self, in their works, in their
so-called faithfulness. But you're never going to rest
in another tree until you let go of the one you're in. The old songwriter said, we sang
this years ago, come every soul by sin oppressed. Now that's
the only people that can come to Christ. That's the only ones that will.
Come every soul by sin oppressed. Oh, there's plenty who'll come
down the aisle smiling like a possum and chewing their gum and no
conviction, no God, no Holy Ghost moving them as we find in this
man. And the sissified preacher will
Wanting to be able to count them, put them on a roll, turn it in
on a record that, yes, we had a conversion. Do you believe
Jesus Christ is out on the cross? You'll say, yeah. Well, you're
saved, Ed. No. I've dealt with many more
that say, I went through all that, but I didn't feel like
anything happened. My friend, until God does it,
nothing did happen. And until God does it, nothing
will happen. And He's not at our mercy, waiting on our sissified
profession to accept it. It's not Him He's accepting,
it's us. Until God Almighty, the Sovereign Ruler of this universe,
Lord of heaven and earth, until He by His grace comes to your
heart, breaks your heart, convicts of sin, changes you, quickens
you, there's no hope and no help. Come every soul by sin oppressed. Is anybody like that? There's mercy with the Lord. He will surely give you rest.
by trusting in His Word. I want to close by reading some
lines. I get this out often and read
from it. This is a Baptist hymnal from 1871. And so I want to read you a couple of
these. So much different from this modern stuff. No more, my God, I boast no more
of all the duties I have done. I quit the hopes I held before
to trust the merits of Thy Son. Now for the love I bear His name. What was my gain I count my loss. My former pride I call my shame. and nail my glory to his cross. Yes, and I must and will esteem
all things but loss for his sake. Oh, may my soul be found in him
and of his righteousness partake. The best obedience of my hands
dares not appear before thy throne, but faith can answer thy demands
by pleading what my Lord has done. That's a song. That's a
song. And it's not bragging on me and
you. It's bragging on Him. Let me give you another. Not
what I feel or do can give me peace with God. Not all my prayers
and sighs and tears can bear my awful load. Thy work alone,
O Christ, can ease this weight of sin. Thy blood alone, O Lamb
of God, can give me peace within. Thy love to me, O God, not mine,
O Lord, to Thee, can rid me of this dark unrest and set my spirit
free. Tis Christ who saveth me and
freely pardon gives. I love him because he loveth
me. I live because he lives. Isn't that so much different
than modern day stuff? Again, I say with the songwriter,
on Christ the solid rock, I stand all on the ground It's quicksand. Yes, my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood
and righteousness.