Part I: Unknowns, Unasuming, Yet Blessed…
If you could come up with one word that best describes yourself what would it be? One word to describe Roy Merritt, Chuck Waples, Howard Phillips, Jack Callaway, Ed Lehmann. One word for each of us, not a word that describes someone else, but a word that describes you – what would it be?
It would be hard to do that since there are so many different aspects to our lives. How does a person pick one word that describes himself? Besides that, it's difficult to judge ourselves objectively; to see ourselves for what we are; to see ourselves as others see us; to see ourselves as God sees us. Now that would be interesting to know - how does God see us?
How did God see the people that were associated with the most important event this world has seen since its beginning, the coming of the Savior? Why did He pick them to be a part of the Greatest Story ever told? Why Mary; why Joseph; why the shepherds and magi; why Simeon and Anna in our text? What was it about them that God saw fit to incorporate them into the coming of His Christ?
We don't know; He never tells us. In fact, He tells us very little about those who were there at the time of the Savior's birth. Think of it. The people of Christmas, those who were there in the special days following Jesus' birth, are hidden in obscurity. How much do you really know about the angels, the shepherds, the Wise Men, even Mary? And we know almost nothing about the man in our text. How old was he? What did he do for a living? Was he priest or parishioner? Married or single? Father or grandfather? How did the Holy Spirit talk to him? There are so many unanswered questions about him and the rest of those involved with Christ's birth. They are unknowns to us.
Unknowns, unassuming people, yet how blessed they were. That's the key to understanding this. It's not found in the people, but in the blessings of grace that God gave them. That's where our focus should lie. And that's what we shall consider this morning in the Sunday following the celebration of Jesus' birth.
But first we sing a song of the season to focus our hearts on the meaning of this event for us, who, in the grand scheme of things in our time, are also unknowns to the world.
Part I: …blessed with eyes to see Him.
In the days following Jesus' birth, Mary and Joseph brought the new-born baby to the bustling city of Jerusalem. They were there to present their child to the Lord and to perform the required rites for him in the temple. While there, this unknown, unassuming man named Simeon stepped forward, took the child in his arms, and, to the astonishment of the young parents, spoke the words of our text: “Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You are now dismissing your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the sight of all people.”
Those are beautiful words of faith, dear friends, from an unassuming believer. Unassuming, unknown – we have no idea who he was. But he was not unknown to God and God blessed him in a special way to see this child for whom He was – not just another obscure human being born into the world, but the Savior.
It's what Simeon had longed for, a Savior, because in his unknown and unassuming life he understood how desperately he needed this child. He seems to have been a good man, kind and gentle. Look at how tenderly he takes the child in his arms. But being a good person was not going to help him before God, for Simeon also knew that he was something else; he was a sinner who had fallen short of the glory of God (Ro.3:23). Sin condemns before God – it separates from Him (Is.59:2). There's no getting around it.
It's also the reason sicknesses and horrible diseases like cancer are in this world; it's the reason life can be so difficult; it's the reason we suffer through so many hard times – sin is the cause. Even Simeon had his problems with it.
For ever since Adam and Eve's Fall, sin has worked its evil deeds in all of us. And in the weakness of our flesh we have so easily fallen prey to them. It doesn't do us one particle of good to deny it either, for the Bible says, “If we claim to be without sin we only deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But, if we confess our sins, (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn.1:8). He will do it for those who look to Him.
And this is how He did it – by sending His Son into this world to live, die, and rise again to pay for sin and overcome it in our lives. That's what makes Christmas such a happy, blessed time for the unknowns , the unassuming, repentant believer who sees what this child is for him, like Simeon did. With the eyes of faith Simeon saw much more than a cute little baby, He saw the Son of God; he saw Immanuel; he saw the One who would save him from sin. “For my eyes have seen thy salvation,” he cried. “My eyes have seen him!”
Sadly, not everyone's eyes see themselves for what they are before God – sinners in need of help. Sadly, not everyone's eyes see the Lord Jesus for what He is – their Help and Consolation before God. In fact, Simeon prophesied that many would speak against Him and opposed this Child. But for those who would see Him for what He is, a Savior, how blessed they would be. And one day they will see His glory in a grander way, face to face in heaven.
If we have been blessed with eyes to see Him this way, too, then we shall be content.
Unknowns, unassuming people? Perhaps to the world, but that doesn't matter. What matters is being known to God, known through this Child, known by faith that sees Him for what He is – a Savior who brings us peace. God grant us such eyes to see.
Part II: …blessed with lives that reveal Him.
Long before the Savior was born, the psalmist prayed (71:18), “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare Your power to the next generation.” It was the prayer of a man who saw God active in his life in wonderful ways and did not want to close his eyes in death until he had the chance to praise the goodness of God in his life. “When I am old and gray…let me declare Your power to the next generation.”
We assume that Simeon was “old and gray” when he saw Jesus. We can't be sure, we only make that assumption. However the second person mentioned in our text was “old and gray.” Anna was at least in her 80s, if not in her 90s. That's more than what we know of Simeon. But that's about all we know of her. She was an old widow who was also waiting to see the Messiah. The Bible says she “never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying.” Hers is the picture of a life spent in service to the God who promised to save her.
Maybe she had slowed down over the years. But she didn't quit living her faith; she kept on serving in her old age. Her service was not in an official capacity either, for she did not come from Levi, the priestly tribe of Israel. She was from the tribe of Asher, a tiny and little known tribe to the north. She wasn't a professional temple worker. Nevertheless, she served in a humble, unofficial, unassuming way. She was “always there” - never missing church, we might say. And so she glorified God with her life, being an encouragement to all. Even if she never said a word to anyone, her life revealed her love for the Lord.
There are many modern-day Annas, too, somewhat obscure to us, always humble, always “there,” whose attitude toward the Lord and His house show hearts that are filled with love for Him. What a witness they are. When others seem to be so concerned about their time or wonder what they are going to get out of church, such unknown and unassuming Annas are just there because they love the Savior. They know that it's not about them; rather, it's all about Him. So, in the smallest of ways they will glorify Him, and He blesses them.
But God blessed Anna in a most unique way; she got to see the Savior. When she saw Him she couldn't keep quiet, but “gave thanks to God and told everyone she could about Him.”
The Savior later said, “Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Lk.6:45). Her heart was happy and that joy revealed itself in her life.
God help us this New Year to be modern-day Annas, revealing Him in His glory in all that we do. For that is how the Lord seems to work the most, at least in the whole Christmas story. He uses the unknowns and unassuming ones for His purposes - real people in real-life situations. And then He blesses them with lives to see Him and to reveal Him to His glory and their good.